New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-11

with nook and line, will be vene,s,ss
as the writer of that unique voluma sr'
Compleat Angler" And the bos, 'as
dears itself to far larger circle Of ~,
ers by reason of its quaint philos.ss
and the naive revelation of the an,s s.'
own character, "a kind of picture ~ =,
own disposition" as he himself puts i N
Only few facts of Izaak Wo,.',
life are known. He was born :, "a
parish of st. Mary, Stafford. in 15o. w '
yeoman stock, and might be said -
the immortal Shakespeare one hett.x =
that he knew no Latin and less cr..
After few years of schooling sucb
his native village afforded he Seem. .
have been apprenticed to an ironmon,s.
but records go to prove that bv 1914 l.
was settled in London and held "b..
shop" on the north side of Fleet St,s.,
two doors west of Chancery Lane A,
other occupant being a hosier.
Walton's long life extended over u.
reigns of Elizabeth, James and cb.s.
|, through the Commonwealth and n.n
into the reign of Charles II. and this 90.
of political upheaval is in STRANGE .,s
trast with his very pacific character On,
tranquil pursuits.
He died at the home of his son.in,,,
DR.. Hawkins, in Winchester. Decemb.,
Is, 1888, his will written in the rsi,
tyeth year of my age, and in perfs.
memory, for which God be praised i,
Guiding the unusual bequest for mors,
and Goals to the poor of Stafford "ev..,
last weike in Janewary, or in every s,c
weike in Febewary; say then because !
take that time to be the hardest and
most pinching time with pore people"
Walton was sixty when he pubisAA8
the first edition of his 'Compleat Anps,
the Contemplative Mans Recreation b.
ing a Discourse of Fish and Fishing mi
unworthy of the perusal of Anglers 4,
the title page reads. The following !,
part Of his Epistle to the Reader whit
introduces the volume:
se'TO ALL Readers of this pjscour.
but especially to the homes
He that likes not the book should III.
the excellent picture Of the trout. and som,
of the other fish which may take liber,
to commend, because they concern not mr..
self.
Next let me tell the Reader that in tia,
which is the more useful part of this Dis.
course, that is to say, the observations Of
the nature and breeding, the seasons and
catching of fish, | am not so simple IS
not to know that a captious reader may In:
exceptions of something said of some {
these; and therefore ! must entreat him
consider that experience teaches US to kru
that several countries alter the time. and
think, almost the manner. of fishes brses
ing, but doubtless OF their being in seasor
as may appear by three rivers in MOI
mouthshire, namely, Severn, Wye and ID
where Camden observes, that in the RY,
wye that Salmon are in season from Seq
TENDER to April, and we are certain that i
Thames and Trent. and in most other river
they be in season the six hotter months
Now, for the art of catching fish, that il
to say How to make a man that was noa,
to be an Angler by book, he that under
takes it shall undertake harder task thss
Mr.. Hales, most valiant and excellent
fencer, who in a printed book called A Pr
vate School of Defense, undertook to teach
that art or science, and was laughed at fo'
his labor. Not but that many useful thing
might be learned by that book. but he VT
laughed at because that art was not to y
taught by words but by practice, and SO nus
Angling And note also, that in this D.
course, do not undertake to say all t'E
is known, or may be said of it, but H-
dertake to acquaint the Reader with mali
things that are not usually known 10 ever
Angler and | shall leave gleanings and "
servatlons enough to be made out OF a'
experience of all that love and practise TIL
recreation, to which ! shall encourage tne1
For Angling may be said to be so like III
Mathematics, that it can never be iu'4
learnt; at least not so fully, but that ins'
VIII still be some more experiments leit "
the trial of other men that succeed US
And however it proves to aim, yet 81
sure have found high content in ~
search and conference Of what is here O,
fered to the Readers view and censurs'
wish him as much in the perusal OF IT, d.
so | might here take my leave; but W
stay little and tell him. that whereas :
said by many that in fy-hshing f0'
trout, the Angler must observe his tWs.1
several flies for the twelve months Of \
year, l say, that he that follows that ~
shall be as sure to catch fish and De as W
as he that makes hay by the fair day /
the Almanack, and no surer; Cor those "
flies that used TO appear about. and OIL
water in one month of the year, NAY =
following year come almost a month SOW
or later, as the same year proves co'os'
hotter: and yet in the following DiieO''
| have set down the twelve flies that '''
reputation with Anglers, and they
serve to give him some observations !"
corning them And he may note tns' =
are in Wales and other countries, ps''.
flies, proper to the peculiar place ana "
.