And now, though late, the modest rose
Did more than half a blush disclose.

Thus all looks gay, and full of cheer,
To welcome the new-livery'd year.

These were the thoughts that then possessed the undisturbed mind of Sir Henry Wotton. Will you hear the wish of another Angler, and the commendation of his happy life, which he also sings in verse: viz. Jo. Davors, Esq. ?3

Let me live harmlessly, and near the brink

Of Trent or Avon have a dwelling-place; P
Where I may see my quill, or cork, down sink
With eager bite of Perch, or Bleak, or Dace; 7

And on the world and my Creator think :

Whilst some men strive ill-gotten goods t' embrace ; *
And others spend their time in base excess

Of wine, or worse, in war and wantonness.

that the "Friend" alluded to was Izaak Walton.
P Oh, let me rather on the pleasant brink

Of Tyne and Trent possess some dwelling place.
With eager bite of Barbel, Bleak, or Dace.

r his.

While they proud Thais painted sheet embrace,
And with the fume of strong tobacco's smoke,

All quaffing round are ready for to choke.

NOTE.] 3 John Davors, Esq. was the author of a Poem entitled the Secrets of Angling, teaching the choicest tools, baits, and seasons for the taking of any Fish in pond or river, practised and familiarly opened in three books, by J. D. Esquire, 12mo. 1613, augmented with many approved experiments, by W. Lauson, and reprinted in 1652. Again reprinted from that edition by Triphook in 1811. The verses in the text have been collated with the reprint, and the most important variations are shown in the notes. The work was, however, entered on the books of the Stationers' Company as the production of John Dennys, Esq. "1612, 23 Martij. Mr. Roger Jackson entred for his copie under thands of Mr. Mason and Mr. Warden Hooper, a booke called the Secrete of Angling, teaching the choycest tooles, bates, and seasons for the taking of any Fish in any pond or river, practised and opened in three bookes, by John Dennys, Esquire." It was dedicated to John Harboone, of Tackley in Oxfordshire, Esq.

Let them that list, these pastimes still pursue,

u

y

And on such pleasing fancies feed their fill;
So I the fields and meadows green may view,
And daily by fresh rivers walk at will,*
Among the daisies and the violets blue,
Red hyacinth, and yellow daffodil,
Purple Narcissus like the morning rays,
Pale gander-grass, and azure culver-keys.
I count it higher pleasure to behold
The stately compass of the lofty sky;
And in the midst thereof, like burning gold,
The flaming chariot of the world's great eye:
The watery clouds that in the air up-roll'd
With sundry kinds of painted colours fly;
And fair Aurora, lifting up her head,
Still blushing, rise from old Tithonus' bed.
The hills and mountains raised from the plains,
The plains extended level with the ground,
The grounds divided into sundry veins,

The veins inclos'd with rivers running round;
These rivers making way through nature's chains,
With headlong course, into the sea profound;
The raging sea, beneath the vallies low,
Where lakes, and rills, and rivulets do flow :

The lofty woods, the forests wide and long,

Adorned with leaves and branches fresh and green,
In whose cool bowers the birds with many a song, g
Do welcome with their quire the summer's Queen;
The meadows fair, where Flora's gifts, among

Are intermixt, with verdant grass between ;
The silver-scaled fish that softly swim

Within the sweet brook's crystal, watery stream.i

f The vallies sweet, and lakes that lovely flow.

8 In whose cool brows the birds with chanting song.

i Within the brooks and crystal watry brim.

NOTE continued.]

h the.

by "R. I." who states in the dedication, that the author was dead. Fourteen lines"in due praise of his praiseworthy skill and work," signed, "Jo Daves," are prefixed.

All these, and many more of his creation

That made the heavens, the Angler oft doth see;
Taking therein no little delectation,

To think how strange, how wonderful they be:
Framing thereof an inward contemplation

To set his heart from1 other fancies free;
And whilst he looks on these with joyful eye,
His mind is rapt above the starry sky.

Sir, I am glad my memory has not lost these last verses, because they are somewhat more pleasant and more suitable to May-day than my harsh discourse. And I am glad your patience hath held out so long as to hear them and me, for both together have brought us within the sight of THE THATCHED HOUSE.5

NOTE.] In the first edition, Piscator says, "I know the Thatched House well, I often make it my resting place, and taste a cup of ale there, for which liquor that place is very remarkable."

M

Augustus Fox se

And I must be

your

debtor, if

you

think it worth your

attention, for the rest of my promised discourse, till some other opportunity, and a like time of leisure.

VENATOR. Sir, you have angled me on with much pleasure to the Thatched House; and I now find your words true," that good company makes the way seem short;" for trust me, Sir, I thought we had wanted three miles of this house, till you showed it to me. But now we are at it, we'll turn into it, and refresh ourselves with a cup of drink, and a little rest.

6

PISCATOR. Most gladly, Sir, and we'll drink a civil cup to all the Otter-hunters that are to meet you to-morrow. VENATOR. That we will, Sir, and to all the lovers of Angling too, of which number I am now willing to be one myself; for, by the help of your good discourse and company, I have put on new thoughts, both of the art of Angling and of all that profess it; and if you will but meet me to-morrow at the time and place appointed, and bestow one day with me and my friends, in hunting the

NOTE.] In the Whitehall Evening Post, in May 1760, appeared the following advertisement :-"To be disposed of, at Barton under Needwood, near Litchfield, Staffordshire, Otter Hounds, exceeding staunch, aud thoroughly well trained to the hunting of this animal. The pack consists of nine couple and a terrier, and are esteemed to be as good, if not the best hounds in the kingdom. In the winter season they hunt the hare, except about two couple and a half that are trained to the Otter only; but there are about two couple of harriers, that have never been entered at the Otter, which will go with the rest; besides three couple of year old hounds, now fit to enter at either or both; and one couple of whelps, ready to go to walks. The greatest part of them are the blood of as high breed a fox hound as any in England. The proprietor disposes of them for the two following reasons only: first, because all the Otters, except about three or four, are killed within this hunt, which consists of all the rivers in this county (except the Dove, where Otters are not to be killed with hounds), Leicestershire, and Warwickshire; but more especially, because the proprietor finds himself too infirm to follow them. None but principals will be treated with. Direct to Walter Biddulph, of Barton aforesaid, Esq., by whom all letters from principals will be duly answered.

"N.B. Mr. Biddulph has killed within these last six these hounds, above Burton upon Trent only, seventy-four Otters. There are six spears to be disposed of with the hounds."

years

with

Otter, I will dedicate the next two days to wait upon you; and we too will, for that time, do nothing but angle, and talk of fish and fishing.

PISCATOR. It is a match, Sir, I will not fail you, God willing, to be at

to-morrow morning before sun-rising.

NOTE.] 7 Now called Amwellbury. This beautiful village is the subject of a poem, by John Scott, Esq. 8vo. 1782, in which Walton is thus alluded to:

"It little yields

Of interesting act, to swell the page
Of history or song; yet much the soul

Its sweet simplicity delights, and oft

From noise of busy towns, to fields and groves,
The Muse's sons have fled to find repose.
Fam'd WALTON, erst, the ingenious fisher swain,
Oft our fair haunts explor'd; upon Lea's shore
Beneath some green tree oft his angle laid,

His sport suspending to admire their charms." P. 80.