fhould rather excufe myself, than cenfure others, my own difcourfe being liable to fo many exceptions; against which you, Sir, might make this one, that it can contribute nothing to your knowledge. And left a longer epiftle may diminish your pleasure, I fhall make this no longer than to add this following truth, that I am really,

SIR,

Your affectionate Friend,

and most humble Servant,

ISAAC WALTON,

To

TO ALL

REA DER S

OF THIS

DISCOURSE,

But especially to the

HONEST ANGLER.

Think fit to tell thee thefe following truths, That I did neither undertake, nor write, nor publish, and much less own, this discourse to pleafe myself: and having been too easily drawn to do all to pleafe others, as I propofed not the gaining of credit by this undertaking, fo I would not willingly lofe any part of that to which I bad a just title before I begun it, and do therefore defire and hope, if I deferve not commendations, yet I may obtain pardon.

And though this difcourfe may be liable to fome exceptions, yet I cannot doubt but that moft

most readers

may receive fo much pleasure or profit by it, as may make it worthy the time of their perufal, if they be not too grave or too bufy men. And this is all the confidence that I can put on, concerning the merit of what is bere offered to their confideration and cenfure; and if the last prove too fevere, as I have a liberty, fo I am refolved to use it, and neglect all four cenfures.

And I wish the reader alfo to take notice, that in writing of it I have made myself a recreation of a recreation; and that it might prove fo to him, and not read dull and tedioufly, I have in feveral places mixed, not any fcurrility, but fome innocent, harmless mirth, of which, if thou be a fevere, four complexioned man, then I here difallow thee to be a competent judge; but divines fay, there are offences given, and offences not given but taken.

And I am the willinger to justify the pleafant part of it, becaufe though it is known I can be ferious at feafonable times, yet the whole difcourfe is, or rather was, a picture of my own difpofition, especially in fuch days and times as I have laid afide bufinefs, and gone a fishing with boneft Nat. and R. Roe; but they are gone, and with them most of my pleafant hours, even as a fhadow that paleth away, and re

turns not.

And

And next let me add this, that he that likes not the book, fhould like the excellent picture of the Trout, and fome of the other fifh; which I may take a liberty to commend, because they concern not myself *.

Next let me tell the reader, that in that which is the more ufeful part of this difcourfe, that is to fay, the obfervations of the nature and breeding, and feafons, and catching of fifb, I am not fo fimple as not to know, that a captious reader may find exceptions against fomething faid of fome of thefe; and therefore I muft intreat him to confider, that expérience teaches us to know, that feveral countries alter the time, and I think almoft the manner, of fifhes breeding, but doubtless of their being in feafon; as may appear by three rivers in Monmouthshire, namely, Severn, Wye, and Usk, where Camden Brit. 633. obferves, that in the river Wye, Salmon are in Jeafon from September to April; and we are certain, that in Thames and Trent, and in most other rivers, they be in feafon the fix botter months.

* Of these cuts, mention is made at large in Walton's life; the plates having long fince been worn out, those In the prefent edition are new engraved; and there are now added, defigns of the principal fcenes in the book, with the figures dreffed in the habits of the time when it was written.

Now

Now for the art of catching fish, that is tỏ Jay, how to make a man that was none, to be an angler by a book; he that undertakes it, fball undertake a harder task than Mr. Hales, a moft valiant and excellent fencer, who in a printed book called, A private School of Defence, undertook to teach that art or science, and was laughed at for his labour. Not but that many useful things might be learnt by that book, but he was laughed at, because that art was not to be taught by words, but practice: and fo muft angling. And note also, that in this difcourfe I do not undertake to say all that is known, or may be faid of it, but I undertake to acquaint the reader with many things that are not ufually known to every angler; and I fhall leave gleanings and obfervations enough to be made out of the experience of all that love and practife this recreation, to which I fhall encourage them. For angling may be faid to be fo like the mathematicks, that it can never be fully learnt; at least not fo fully, but that there will still be more new experiments left for the trial of other men that fucceed us.

But I think all that love this game may here learn fomething that may be worth their money, if they be not poor and needy men; and in cafe they be, I then wish them to forbear to buy it ; for I write not to get money, but for pleasure,