Waltoniana | Page 9

not beene able to defend themselves from
worse then severe censures.
This I foresaw, and Nature teaching me selfe-preservation, and my long
experience of your abilities assuring me that in you it may in found:[1]
to you, Sir, do I make mine addreffes for an umbrage and protection:
and I make it with so much humble boldnesse, as to say 'twere

degenerous in you not to afford it.
For, Sir,
Dr. Donne was so much a part of yourself, as to be incorporated into
your Family, by so noble a friendship, that I may say there was a
marriage of fouls betwixt him and your[2] reverend Grandfather, who
in his life was an Angel of our once glorious Church, and now no
common Star in heaven.
And Dr. Donne's love died not with him, but was doubled upon his
Heire, your beloved Uncle the Bishop of [3] Chichester, that lives in
this froward generation, to be an ornament to his Calling. And this
affection to him was by Dr. D. so testified in his life, that he then
trusted him with the very secrets of his soul; & at his death, with what
was dearest to him, even his fame, estate, & children.
And you have yet a further title to what was Dr. Donne's, by that dear
affection & friendship that was betwixt him and your parents, by which
he entailed a love upon yourself, even in your infancy, which was
encreased by the early testimonies of your growing merits, and by them
continued, till D. Donne put on immortality; and so this mortall was
turned into a love that cannot die.
And Sir, 'twas pity he was lost to you in your minority, before you had
attained a judgement to put a true value upon the living beauties and
elegancies of his conversation; and pitty too, that so much of them as
were capable of such an expression, were not drawn by the pensil of a
Tytian or a _Tentoret_, by a pen equall and more lasting then their art;
for his life ought to be the example of more then that age in which he
died. And yet this copy, though very much, indeed too much short of
the Originall, will present you with some features not unlike your dead
friend, and with fewer blemishes and more ornaments than when 'twas
first made publique: which creates a contentment to my selfe, because
it is the more worthy of him, and because I may with more civility
intitle you to it.
And in this designe of doing so, I have not a thought of what is
pretended in most Dedications, _a Commutation for Courtesies_: no
indeed Sir, I put no such value upon this trifle; for your owning it will
rather increase my Obligations. But my desire is, that into whose hands
soever this shall fall, it may to them be a testimony of my gratitude to
your self and Family, who descended to such a degree of humility as to

admit me into their friendship in the dayes of my youth; and
notwithstanding my many infirmities, have continued me in it till I am
become gray-headed; and as Time has added to my yeares, have still
increased and multiplied their favours.
This, Sir, is the intent of this Dedication: and having made the
declaration of it thus publick, I shall conclude it with commending
them and you to Gods deare love.
I remain, Sir, what your many merits have made me to be, The
humblest of your Servants, ISAAC WALTON.

_To the Reader._
My desire is to inform and assure you, that shall become my Reader,
that in that part of this following discourse, which is onely narration, I
either speak my own knowledge, or from the testimony of such as dare
do any thing, rather than speak an untruth. And for that part of it which
is my own observation or opinion, if I had a power I would not use it to
force any mans assent, but leave him a liberty to disbelieve what his
own reason inclines him to.
Next, I am to inform you, that whereas Dr. Donne's life was formerly
printed with his Sermons, and then had the same Preface or
Introduction to it; I have not omitted it now, because I have no such
confidence in what I have done, as to appear without an apology for my
undertaking it.
I have said all when I have wished happinesse to my Reader. I.W.
FOOTNOTES
[1] _Sic_: probably a misprint for "be found?"--ED.
[2] _John King, B. of Lond._
[3] _Hen. King, now B.C._
* * * * *

DAMAN AND DORUS. AN HUMBLE EGLOG.
29th MAY 1660.

[Songs and other Poems. By Alex. Brome, Gent. London, Printed for
Henry Brome,