For he that views it with judicious looks Nor are we caught alone, but, which is best, And danger of a surfeit here is none. Is sauced, here, with such harmless recreation, More praise is due: for 'tis both positive CH. HARVIE, Mr. of Arts.* TO MY DEAR FRIEND, MR IZ. WALTON, IN PRAISE OF Down by this smooth stream's wandering side, Of Flora's wardrobe, where the shrill Aerial choir express their skill, First, in alternate melody,8 And, then, in chorus all agree. Whilst the charm'd fish, as ecstasied With sounds, to his own throat denied, VARIATIONS. 6 Down by this wand'ring stream's smooth side.-2d edit. 7 Choir of the air.-Ibid. 8 harmony.-Ibid. 9 Where.-Ibid. In the second and third editions the initials C. H. only occur; the name was printed at length in the fifth edition for the first time. An account of Harvey will be found in a subsequent note. Scorns his dull element, and springs Such as to body, soul, or fame,1 An obvious rod, a twist of hair, In this clear stream let fall a grub; And at that nimble ford, no doubt, 2 1 name.-2d edit. 3 some.-Ibid. 6 or.-Ibid. 9 next.-Ibid. The following lines here occur in the 2d edition, but are omitted in all the others : "And there the cunning Carp you may ? These two lines are omitted in the 2d edit. 4 dappled.-Ibid. 3 in.-2d edit. * Snig, a term more generally applied to the small nine-eyed eel, commonly found about the apron of an old weir, or in shallow parts of the river Lee, and forms the amusement of sniggling to youthful Anglers.-Eu. H. "If it prove big" alludes to one of the stories told of the Wise Men of Gotham, a facetious penny history much in circulation in the time of Walton. It is there related that the men of Gotham, upon a Good Friday, after due consultation, collected all their white herrings, red herrings, sprats, and salt fish, and cast the whole into a pond, in order to secure a sufficient store of fish for the next Lent. In due time upon dragging the pond, there was found only a very large eel, and it being suspected the same must, by the size, have devoured the intended stock, it was concluded that such a voracious monster ought to be destroyed, and, as a death-warrant, it was determined that it should put in another pond, in order that it might be drowned.-Eu. H. be When you these creatures wisely choose Distemper'd, serious, turning sad; The water's calmness 8 in your breast, Their fate oft makes the tale1 seem true. The daughter's dower, th' inheritance 4 Then on these banks let me sit down, To conquer nations and protect. 5 Whilst.-2d edit. 7 you'll.-Ibid. 9 And give me cheap and quiet 3d edit. 2 This, and the four 3 that-2d edit. 7 shall.-Ibid. 9 VARIATIONS. 6 You fishes choose to rescue men.-Ibid. 8 Then this stream's calmness.-Ibid. joys.-Ibid. Sweeter are cheap and silent joys.- following lines first appeared in the 3d edit. 8 affords me such content.-Ibid. 6 lie.-Ibid. 9 so.-loud. 1649. As seldom fall unto 1 the lot Of sceptres, though they're justly got. THO. WEAVER, Mr. of Arts.* TO THE READERS OF MY MOST INGENIOUS FRIEND'S HE that both knew and writ the Lives of men, Reader, this He, this Fisherman, comes forth, With which, when finely touch'd, and fitly strung, Or chain his fellow-Anglers from their prey. But now the music of his pen is still, VARIATION.] 1 As falls but seldom to the lot.-2d edit. * The son of Thomas Weaver, of Worcester. He entered of Christ's Church, Oxford, in 1633, being then seventeen years of age, and took his Master's degree in 1640, about which time he was made one of the Chaplains or petty Canons of the Cathedral. He was ejected by the Parliament in 1648, when "he shifted from place to place, and lived upon his wits." After the Restoration, he was made an exciseman at Liverpool, and was commonly called "Captain Weaver;" but "prosecuting too much the crimes of poets," he died at Liverpool on the 3d of January 1662-3. His works are Songs and Poems of Love, 1654; Choice Drollery, with Songs and Sonnets, 1656. Wood's Athen. Oxon., by Bliss, vol. iii. p. 623. No date occurs to the verses in the text in any earlier edition than the fifth. † Dr Richard Holdsworth. See an account of him in the Fasti Oxon., by Bliss, p. 376; and in Ward's Lives of the Gresham Professors.-H. Dr Daniel Fairclough, alias Featly, about whom see Athen. Oxon., by Bliss, vol. iii. p. 156.-H. Said by Hawkins to have been Dr George Morley, who became Bishop of Worcester in 1660; was translated to Winchester in 1662; and died in 1684, to whom Walton dedicated his Life of Hooker. A Life of this prelate will be found in Wood's Athen. Oxon., by Bliss, vol. iv. p. 149. The only thing which renders it doubtful whether Bishop Morley was alluded to, is that it would seem, from the manner in which the person is mentioned, that he was not then, i.e., in 1650, living. Where with a fixt eye, and a ready hand, Some Trout, or Perch, or Pike; and having done, And that escaped his hook, which with a wile Did eat the bait, and Fisherman beguile. Thus, whilst some vex they from their lands are thrown, And like the Dutch, he gladly can agree To live at peace now, and have fishing free. April 3, 1650.* EDW. POWEL, Mr. of Arts.† TO MY DEAR BROTHER-IN-LAW, MR IZ. WALTON, THIS book is so like you, and you like it, I love this mirth, art, wit, the book, and you. ROB. FLOUD, C.§ TO HIS INGENIOUS FRIEND, MR IZAAK WALTON, SINCE 'tis become a common fate, that we 'Tis not my fault that I am not supplied Luck, skill, and patience: for I have a heart Whose fortune imps their ingenuity. *The date does not occur in the second edition. Probably the Edward Powel "of the borough of Stafford, Minister," whose son Charles took his degree of B.A. in 1666, became Rector of Cheddington, and was the author of The Religious Rebel. Wood's Fasti Oxon., by Bliss, vol. ii. p. 289. An "Ed. Powel," and most likely the same person, addressed some Complimentary Verses to his very worthy and most ingenious friend, Mr James Shirley," which are prefixed to Shirley's Poems, 8vo, 1646. Thus in the second, but the words "in-law" are omitted in the third and subsequent editions. Elder brother of John Floud, M.A., before mentioned, and brother of Walton's first wife. See Life of Walton. These verses occur in the second edition only. For what reason Walton omitted them in the three subsequent impressions, which were published in his lifetime, it is not easy to guess, unless it was because he thought slightingly of their merits. That it was not from a quarrel with the author is certain, from his having addressed "An humble Eclogue' " to him as late as May 1660, in which Walton calls him his "ingenious friend." |