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"affure himfelf, or others, of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of actions in

"particular.'

"This was the judgment and good counfel of that learned and pious prelate: And having, by long experience, found the truth and benefit of "it, I conceive, I could not without ingratitude to him, and want of charity to others, conceal it.-Pray pardon this rude, and, I fear, impertinent fcribble, which, if nothing else, may fignify thus much, that I am willing "to obey your defires, and am indeed,

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LONDON, May 10, 1678.

"Your affectionate friend,

"THOMAS LINCOLN."

Among the literary characters of the fixteenth century, none appears with more tranfcendent luftre than that of Sir Henry Savile, a magnificent patron of merit, and a complete gentleman. He feems to have traversed the whole range of science, being equally celebrated for his knowledge of ancient and modern learning. The life of this illuftrious fcholar would be a valuable acquifition to the Republic of Letters. That it was actually compiled by Mr. Ifaac Walton, we have every reafon to conclude. Dr. King Bishop of Chichester, in his letter to him, dated Nov. 17, 1664, tells him, that " he has done much for Sir Henry Savile, the contemporary and friend of Mr. Richard Hooker." It is seriously to be regretted, that the most diligent inquiry after this work has hitherto proved unsuccessful". Among

"The following particulars, relative to Sir Henry Savile are collected from Mr. Aubrey's "Lives of Mathematical Writers." He was as learned a gentleman as any of his time. Mr. Hobbes informed Mr. Aubrey, that Sir Henry Savile was ambitious of being thought as great a scholar as Jofeph Scaliger. But if in the attainments of claffic literature he was inferior to Scaliger, in mathematical knowledge Dr. Wallis declared him to be exceeded by none of his contemporaries. He was a very handsome and beautiful man: No lady had a fairer complexion. Queen Elizabeth, to whom he explained Greek authors and politics, favoured him much. He was preferred by her to be Master of Eton College, of which he was fo fevere a governor, that the fcholars hated him for his aufterity. To men of wit he gave no encouragement. When a young scholar was named to him as a good wit, he would reject him, and choofe the plodding ftudent. John Earle, afterward Bishop of Sarum, being recommended to him, on that account, was the only one of that character, to whom he ex

tended

Among those whom Sir Henry Savile honoured with his friendship was Mr. John Hales of Eton. Mr. Anthony Farringdon, an eminent preacher, and a man of extensive learning and exemplary piety, had collected materials with a view to write the life of this incomparable perfon. On his demife, his papers were configned to the care of Mr. Isaac Walton, by Mr. William Fulman, of Corpus Chrifti College, Oxford, who had proposed to finish the work, and on that occafion had applied for the affiftance of our biographer. The refult of this application is not known. "Fulman's Collection of Manufcripts," written with his own hand, was depofited in the archives of the library of his college, and Wood laments that he was refused access to them. It is unneceffary to add, that The Life of Mr. Hales," by Mr. Dez-maizeaux, was published in 1716. Angling had been long a favourite diverfion in England. Alexander Nowell, Dean of St. Paul's, the composer of " that good plain unperplexed Catechifm, which is in our good old Service Book," was a lover of, and moft experienced proficient in this delightful art. It was his cuftom, befides his fixed hours of private and public prayer, to spend a tenth

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part of his

tended his patronage. He treated the Fellows of Eton College with afperity; and his influence with the Queen rendered all oppofition vain. When Mr. Gunter came from London to be appointed his Profeffor in Geometry, he brought with him his fector and quadrant, with which he began to refolve triangles, and to perform several operations. This disgufted the grave knight, who confidered the operations as fo many tricks below the dignity of a mathematician, and he immediately conferred the profefforship on another candidate, Mr. Briggs from Cambridge.-Mr. Aubrey learned from Dr. Wallis, that Sir Henry Savile had fufficiently confuted Joseph Scaliger's Tract" De Quadraturâ Circuli,” in his notes on the very margin of the book: And that, fometimes, when Scaliger fays, "A B C D ex Constructione," Sir Henry adds with his pen; "et demonftratio veftra eft afinus ex conftructione."

In his travels he had contracted a general acquaintance with learned men abroad; by which means he had access to several Greek MSS. in their libraries, and thus obtained correct copies by his amanuenfis, who transcribed the Greek character with admirable skill. Fronto Ducæus, a French Jefuit of Bourdeaux, clandeftinely engaged a perfon to fupply him, every week, with the sheets of Sir Henry Savile's Greek edition of "The Works of Chryfoftom," printed at Eton, of which he compofed a Latin translation; and published "Chryfoftom's Works," in Greek and Latin; thus fuperfeding the fale of the English impreffion. Sir Henry Savile died Feb. 19, 1621, having been Provost of Eton College twenty-five years.

his time in this amusement, and alfo to beftow a tenth part of his revenue, and ufually all his fifh among the poor, faying, that "charity gave life to religion"" An elegant Latin poem", written by Dr. Simon Ford, was infcribed to Archbishop Sheldon, who, in his younger years, being fond of this diverfion, is faid to have acquired a fuperior skill in taking the Umber or Barbel," a heavy and a dogged fish to be dealt withal." Dr. Donne is called "a great practitioner, mafter, and patron of angling:" And we learn from good authority, that Mr. George Herbert loved angling; a circumftance that is rather to be believed, because he had a spirit suitable to anglers, and to thofe primitive Chriftians who are fo much loved and commended." Let not these remarks provoke the chastisement of cenfure: Let them not be condemned as nugatory and infignificant: Amidst our difquietudes and delufive cares, amidst the painful anxiety, the disgustful irksomeness, which are often the unwelcome attendants on business and on study, an harmless gratification is not merely excufable, it is in fome degree neceffary.

▾ See "Walton's. Complete Angler," Part I. Ch. I.At Brazen-Nofe College, in Oxford, of which Dr. Nowell was Principal, is a portrait of him with a fishing-rod over his head, a paper of fishing-hooks in his hand, and this inscription:

ALEXANDER NOWELLUS, SACRÆ THEOLOGIÆ Professor,

S. PAULI DECANUS OBIIT 13 FEB. ANNO DOM. 1601, R. R. ELIZ. 44.

AN. DECANATUS 42. ÆTATIS SUE 95; CUM NEQUE OCULI
CALIGARENT, NEQUE AURES OBTUSIORES, NEQUE MEMORIA
INFIRMIOR, NEQUE ANIMI ULLE FACULTATES VIETE ESSENT..
PISCATOR HOMINUM.

(Gutch's Wood's Hift. and Antiq. of the Univ. of Oxford, p. 370.)

Among other acts of beneficence, this venerable man founded the Free Grammar School. of Middleton, in Lancashire, in 1572, and endowed it with a fmall ftipend for two masters.

"Mufæ Anglicanæ," Vol. I. p. 97.-Gervafe Markham, the author of "The Whole Art of Angling," 4to. 1656, rather proceeds too far, when he tells his reader, that an angler fhould be "a general fcholar, and feen in all the liberal fciences;" that he should be "a grammarian, a logician, and a philofopher."

* The Author of "The Angler's Sure Guide," 8vo. 1706, has attributed a book entitled,, "The Secrets of Angling, by J. D." to Dr. Donne.

neceffary'. In the fkilful management of the angle, Ifaac Walton is acknowledged to bear away the prize from all his contemporaries. The river which he seems principally to have frequented, for the purpose of pursuing his inoffenfive amusement, was the Lea, which, rifing above the town of Ware in Hertfordshire, falls into the Thames a little below Blackwall; "unless we will fuppofe that the vicinity of the New River to the place of his habitation might sometimes tempt him out with his friends, honeft Nat and R. Roe, whose lofs he fo pathetically mentions, to spend an afternoon there "." In his tract of "The Complete Angler, or the Contemplative Man's Recreation," he has comprised the cleareft and fulleft inftructions for the attainment of a thorough proficiency in the art. James Duport, the Greek Profeffor at Cambridge, who was far from being a novice in the ufe of the rod", difdained not, on this occafion, to addrefs our author in a beautiful Latin Iambic Ode, of which the following claffic version will not be unacceptable to the reader.

"Hail Walton! honoured friend of mine,

"Mighty master of the line!

"Whether down fome valley's fide

"You walk to watch the smooth ftream glide,

"Or on the flow'ry margin ftand

"To cheat the fish with cunning hand,

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"The Experienced Angler," a little tract, written by Colonel Robert Venables, is now before me. The perufal of it calls to memory the days of youth, the guileless scenes of earlier life, spent with innocent companions, in " delightful walks by pleasant rivers, in sweet pastures, and among odoriferous flowers." The concluding obfervation in this little book applies to all readers: "Make not a daily practice, which is nothing elfe but a profeffion, of any recreation; left your immoderate love and delight therein bring a cross with it, and blaft all your content and pleasure in the fame." I mention this entertaining work, because Ifaac Walton has prefixed to it not a preface, but an "Epistle to the Author," who was perfonally unknown to him. Having accidentally seen the discourse in manuscript, he held himself obliged, in point of gratitude, for the great advantage he had received thereby, to tender his particular acknowledgment. The testimony of so expert an angler could not fail of recommending the tract. 2 "Biographical Dictionary," in the article WALTON ISAAC.

He calls himself "Candidatum arundinis."

For this version I am indebted to Mr. James Tate, B. A. Fellow of Sidney Suffex College, Cambridge.

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"Or on the green bank, feated ftill,
"With quick eye guard the dancing quill.
"Thrice happy fage! who, distant far
"From the wrangling forum's war,
"From the city's bustling train,
"From the busy hum of men,
"Haunt fome gentle ftream, and ply
"Your honeft crafts, to lure the fry:
"And while the world around you fet
"The bafe decoy and treacherous net,
"Man against man, th' infidious wile,
"Or, the rich dotard to beguile,

"Bait high with gifts the fmiling hook
"All gilt with Flattery's sweetest look;.
"Arm'd for the innocent deceit,
"You love the scaly brood to cheat,
"And tempt that water-wolf, the pike,,
"With rav'ning tooth his prey to strike,
"Or in the minnow's living head
"Or in the writhed brandling red
"Fix your well-charged hook, to gull
"The greedy perch, bold biting fool,
"Or with the tender mofs-worm tried
"Win the nice trout's fpeckled pride,
"Or on the carp, whose wary eye
"Admits no vulgar tackle nigh,
"Effay your art's fupreme addrefs,
"And beat the fox in fheer fineffe:.
"The tench, physician of the brook,
"Owns the magic of your hook,

"The little gudgeon's thoughtless haste
"Yields a brief yet fweet repast,

"And the whisker'd barble pays

"His coarfer bulk to fwell your praise.
"Such the amusement of your hours,
"While the season aids your powers;
"Nor fhall my friend a fingle day
"Ere pass without a line away.
"Nor thefe alone your honours bound,
"The tricks experience has found;.

"Sublimer

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