by Badow, Sandon, and Hanningfield, until at last they mounted the hill on which Bellericay is perched.

Though still wanting an hour to sunrise, it had become sufficiently light to enable them, from the eminence they had gained, plainly to discern the broad river they designed to cross, and the Kentish hills on the opposite bank. Turning their gaze in this direction, they fancied they could even distinguish Gravesend. Before entering Bellericay they dismounted, and, consigning their horses to the grooms, dismissed the men, with strict injunctions of silence.

"An ye breathe a word of what has occurred, your tongues shall be cut out," said Buckingham; "but if ye are discreet, ye shall be well rewarded."

As the grooms rode off, Charles and Buckingham proceeded towards the Crown Inn, where post-horses were to be had, followed by Graham, carrying the baggage.

At the door of the hostel stood a waggon with a long team of horses, and several persons were collected around to witness the departure of the vehicle for London.

Seeing this, the prince and Buckingham halted, leaving Graham to go on and order the horses. As the young man approached the house, he was addressed by a sharp-looking little personage, who proved to be Master Ephraim Cogswell, the host.

"Good morrow, fair sir," said Cogswell, doffing his cap. "Are you going by the waggon? If so, you are just in time." "No, friend," replied Graham. "Myself and my masters are not bound for London, but for Rochester, and we want post-horses to take us to Tilbury Fort, whence we propose to cross the Thames to Gravesend. We shall need a post-boy to attend us, and carry the baggage."

"How many are ye, master? Ha! I see," he added, noticing Charles and Buckingham in the distance. And, after giving the necessary orders to an ostler, bidding him use despatch, he added, "May I make so bold as to ask how your masters are named, sir? They cannot be of this neighbourhood, for I remember them not, though I think I have seen your face before."

"Like enough," returned Graham. "It is not the first time I have been at Bellericay. My masters are the two Smiths."

At this moment the landlord was called by a passenger in the waggon, and shortly afterwards the vehicle was set in motion, and proceeded on its way. The host then returned to the charge.

"You said that your masters are named Smith, sir," he remarked to Graham. "Are they of this county?"

"You are inquisitive, mine host," returned Graham. "They are the brothers Smith, of Saffron Walden, and are tanners by trade. I am their man."

"They don't look much like tanners, friend," observed Cogswell, "nor you like a tanner's man. However, it's no business of mine. But here come the hackneys."

And, as he spoke, the horses were brought out of the stable, ready saddled and bridled. Seeing which, Charles and Buckingham came forward.

"No more tanners than I am a tanner," murmured Cogswell, eyeing them narrowly as they approached. "I will consent to have my own hide curried if they be not noblemen. Give your lordships good day," he added, bowing respectfully to them.

"Lordships! What means the fellow?" cried Buckingham. "Hast thou been jesting with him, Dick?" he added to Graham.

"Ay, that he has," returned Cogswell. "He avouched that your lordships bore the common name of Smith, and were nothing better than tanners. But that won't pass with me. Ephraim Cogswell can tell a nobleman when he sees him. And, but for your lordship's black beard, I would venture to affirm that I am standing in the presence of the Marquis of Buckingham himself."

"You are mistaken, friend," returned the marquis," and I counsel you not to repeat that pleasantry, as if it chance to reach the ears of my lord of Buckingham, he is likely to resent the liberty taken with his name."

"Nay, I meant no offence," replied Cogswell, bowing. “I know when to hold my tongue."

Somewhat annoyed by this occurrence, Charles and Buckingham mounted their horses and rode off, and were followed by Graham and a post-boy, with the baggage.

Passing through the town, the party kept on the ridge of the hill for some distance, and then descended to Little Bursted. In less than an hour from quitting Bellericay, after crossing Langdon Hill, and passing over Horndon Hill, they reached Tilbury Fort, where quitting their horses, and paying the post-boy, they instantly embarked on board the ferry-boat, and ordered the two men in charge of it to convey them with all despatch to Gravesend.

462

THE CHRONICLE OF THE "COMPLEAT ANGLER."*

No better proof could be given of the popularity of a book than that its editions should be so numerous as to deserve to be separately chronicled. Old Izaak Walton and his book are indeed such purely British worthies, so truly lovable-"I love this mirth, art, wit, the book and you”—that they especially lend themselves to such a chronicle. "It is," says Mr. Westwood, writing of the book, "essentially a book to be loved, and to be discoursed of lovingly. The companion of our boyhood, the delight of our maturer years, England's one perfect pastoral." "It breathes," wrote Charles Lamb of it, "the very spirit of innocence, purity, and simplicity of heart; there are many choice old verses interspersed in it; it would sweeten a man's temper at any time to read it; it would christianise every discordant angry passion.

The first edition of the "Compleat Angler; or, the Contemplative Man's Recreation," appeared in 1653, with the Galilean recommendatory introduction on its title-page: "Simon Peter said, I go a fishing; and they said, we also will go with thee" (John xxi. 3). It was printed by T. Maxey, for Rich. Marriot, in St. Dunstan's Churchyard, Fleetstreet. A small square duodecimo, clad in a modest over-coat of brown calf-such were the form and fashion of the book as it first appeared. It was illustrated with plates of fish "daintily and delicately handled," supposed to have been from the burin of the noted French engraver, Pierre Lombart. The price was eighteen-pence. This, though a "Compleat Angler," was not a complete book. It extended only to two hundred and forty-six pages, and the interlocutors were but two, Piscator and Viator. (Mr. Westwood says, by inadvertence, Venator.) In a second edition Walton added more than one-third, and the interlocutors are three, Piscator, Venator (who takes the place of Viator), and Auceps. The fifth edition, which sometimes bears the title of "The Universal Angler,” contained the additional treatises of Charles Cotton, Esq., and of Colonel Robert Venables. The union of Walton and Cotton has been perpetuated in all subsequent reprints, but Venables' treatise, which, though meritorious, belongs to another order of composition, has since been excluded. This edition appeared in 1676, and seven years later, and the old man laid down his pen, as he had already laid aside his rod, for ever; and full of years, and of such honours as befitted his meekness and his piety, was gathered to his rest.

Something of the grave's silence and oblivion seems to have fallen both on Walton's memory and on his work after his decease, for seventyfour years elapsed before the appearance of Moses Browne's edition with inferior wood-cuts of fish and scenic illustrations, the praise of which must be restricted to choice of subject-a choice that has been ratified and accepted as a rule by all after-illustrators, up to the present time. This work went through two editions, but it is utterly worthless, for, as Westwood ironically remarks, "Old Izaak's inaccuracies' and 'redundancies' were pruned away with an unsparing hand, and his 'ab

The Chronicle of the "Compleat Angler" of Izaak Walton and Charles Cotton. Being a Bibliographical Record of its various Phases and Mutations. By Thomas Westwood. Willis and Sotheran.

surdities' suppressed altogether. His 'rough places,' not to speak it profanely, were made smooth,' and his 'high places' brought, perhaps, a little low, by the same process."

These editions of the self-sufficient pen-cutter, afterwards priest, were followed by that of Sir John Hawkins, "facile princeps" of all the editors of Walton. The original text was restored to its primitive purity; the pruning-knife was laid aside; all poetical tinkering repudiated, and old Izaak's "redundancies," "superfluities," and "absurdities" brought back to light, and left to stand or fall on their own merits or demerits. "It was a gage thrown down to Vandalism, whereat Vandalism, in guise of Moses Browne, was, no doubt, mightily astonished."

It is true that Hawkins's memoir of Walton is meagre, insufficient, and even sometimes inexact, and that it has since been much improved upon; but it not the less remains the foundation upon which after workers have built up the fabric to fuller and more complete dimensions. The illustrations by Wall, dressed in the habit of the time, with a clear outline, infinite ease of attitude, and admirable quaintness of expression, have, as far as originality of conception and execution are concerned, never been surpassed. Stothard and Absolon have since worked in precisely the same grooves, but with what a difference? Westwood is far too lenient with Stothard, when he says his genius was of the Watteauish character. His figures are not even those of conventional life. There is a pseudo-sentimental awkwardness about them that is positively sickening faces, dresses, attitude, and expression are alike weak and meaningless, while the scenery is flat and unpicturesque-there is not a shred of the angler's mantle in his pencil. The plates, it is to be remarked, were reduced in number in subsequent editions of Hawkins, owing to the remainder being worn out, so that there are only the early editions that are now of value.

We have in our possession a copy of Hawkins's first edition, annotated, in an old-fashioned, plain handwriting, and which notes are very characteristic of the crotchety phrases of critics of all ages. For "vague," our annotator would read "unmeaning" for "parsimonious," "saving;" for "quaintness," "petty elegance;" for "typographical," "belonging to printing;" for "ascetic," "devout;" for "casuistry," "settling cases of conscience;" for "conciliated," "gained;" for "characteristic," "peculiar to;" and for "angle," "fishing-rod."

Sanderson, the same worthy annotator tells us, should be called "Bishop;" a Falconer, he also condescends to inform us, is "one who trains and breeds Hawks;" and "mews," signified "cages or encloses." He redeems all petty criticisms, however, by one line, penned under the title "A Work of Exquisite Merite." The adjective having a capital as well as the nouns, and the orthography of merit, attesting that the said annotations were not penned yesterday.

Many editions have been published since Hawkins's time. Mr. Westwood enumerates fifty-three altogether of various merit. Bagster's edition of 1808 was printed in octavo and quarto, the engravings were executed afresh by Audinet in creditable style, and the fish rejoice the eye by their fidelity. The latter are even still better in the second edition of 1815, with notes by Sir Henry Ellis. The illustrations in Gosden's edition of 1822, Westwood justly remarks, are "scarcely in

unison with the quaint character of the book." Major's beautiful edition (1823), with the old drawings of Wale, engraved in more finished style (but wanting originality) by Cook and Pye, and the woodcuts of fish, skilfully executed, achieved great popularity for this edition, which was, however, marred by a silly, snobbish introductory essay, altogether unworthy of Walton's genius, and justly castigated by Dr. Bethune.

A prettily printed little edition in 24mo, issued from the Whittingham press in 1824, and this was followed by Pickering's numerous editions, amongst which that edited by Sir Harris Nicholas is one of the handsomest publications of modern times, an ornament to the Angler's Library, unique of its kind, and perhaps destined to remain so. We still, however, prefer our old original edition, and agree with Westwood that Pickering's is a pompous book, with much that is overdone in it. "This fine book, in a word, is over-dressed. It is Maudlin, the milk-maid, tricked out in a gown of brocade, with a mantle of cloth of gold. Pretty Maudlin were comelier far in her own artless attire, with a posy for sole adornment.

It is the same with Professor Rennie's edition (1833). It is overloaded with notes, which, although published under cover of a scientific name, are alike flippant and trashy; as also with Mr. Jesse's, who in 1856 must fain add his own voluminous notes, till, as Westwood remarks, "At this stage of the proceeding we have to stand tip-toe to see Walton at all.” It is but fair to remark, however, that the illustrations by Absolon to Major's fourth edition, 1844, are, if not original, unaffected and picturesque, and the vignettes of scenery, by Creswick and others, leave far behind them those of former editions. Some of these, indeed, are so charming as to suggest the idea of a more extensive illustration of the "Compleat Angler," confined entirely to this department of art. Dr. Bethune's American edition deserves special commendation for the carefulness of its annotation, but otherwise the work is badly got up. Ephemera's (Fitzgibbon's) editions (1853-4 and 9) also deserve commendation for useful practical notes. Bell and Daldy's edition (1863) is also praiseworthy for its faithfulness and the beauty of its typography. As to Bohn's edition (or Jesse's) (1856), it is illustrated by such an indiscriminate swarm of woodcuts and line engravings recruited from various sources, making up such a patchwork of illustration to keep in countenance the patchwork of notes, that Westwood says: "Reading the Compleat Angler under such circumstances can only be compared to the study of Bradshaw in its effect on the brain. Caveat lector et emptor."

While it is pleasant to think how this book has been illustrated by great artists, annotated by learned professors, loved by readers of all classes, in all times, and treasured up as one of the most precious literary heirlooms of the age that produced it, it is still equally pleasant to think that it is scarcely ever more lovable than in one of its earliest, quaintest, and most original forms-that in which it appeared "in the ragged regiment of Lamb's book-tatterdemalions," Hawkins's edition of 1760. "This," says Westwood, "was my chief treasure, my pearl of price." And so it is ours. Old Izaak Walton, tricked out in modern garb and dress, will always be looked upon as in bad taste, out of keeping with the text-an anachronism, in fact.