Waltoniana | Page 3

Walton's 2 letters conc. ye Distemp's of ye Times, 1680," and Dr. Zouch appended to his reprint of the tract[7] a number of parallel passages from other acknowledged writings of Walton, of themselves almost sufficient to fix the question on internal evidence alone.
In the British Museum copy of this tract is the following note on one of the fly-leaves in the autograph of the late William Pickering:--
"The present is the only copy I have met with after twenty years' search, excepting the one in Emanuel College, Cambridge. W. Pickering."
The copy described above [_i.e._, the Emanuel College copy] appears to be the same edition as the present [that now in the British Museum], but has the following variation. After the title-page is printed
The Author to the Stationer
"Mr. Brome," &c., and the Epistle ends with "Your friend," without the N.N. which is found in this copy. But what is more remarkable, the printed word Author is run through, and corrected with a pen, and over it written _Publisher_, which is evidently in the handwriting of Walton. So Mr. Pickering further certifies.
The following allusion towards the bottom of p. 37 confirms the idea of Walton's authorship. Speaking of Hugh Peters and John Lilbourn, the writer says:--"Their turbulent lives and uncomfortable deaths are not I hope yet worn out of the memory of many. He that compares them with the holy life and happy death of Mr. George Herbert, as it is plainly and I hope truly writ by Mr. Isaac Walton, may in it find a perfect pattern for an humble and devout Christian to imitate," &c.
The following are the chief parallel passages in this pamphlet and in Walton's other writings, as indicated by Zouch:--
_Second Letter_, _p. 19._ _Life of George Herbert._
I wish as heartily as you Mr. George Herbert having do that all such Clergy-mens changed his sword and Wives as have silk Cloaths silk clothes into a canonical be-daubed with Lace, and coat, thus warned Mrs. Herbert their heads hanged about against this egregious folly with painted Ribands, were of _striving for precedency_:-- enjoyned Penance for their "You are now a minister's pride: And their Husbands wife, and must now so far forget punisht for being so tame, or your father's house, as not so lovingly-simple, as to suffer to claim a precedence of any them; for, by such Cloaths, of your parishioners," &c. they proclaim their own Ambition, and their Husbands folly.
And I say the like, concerning their striving for Precedency.
_P. 20._ _Life of George Herbert._
And, I confess also, what One cure for the wickedness you say of a Clergy-mans of the times would be, bidding to fast on the Eves of for the clergy themselves Holy-days, in Lent, and the to keep the Ember-weeks _Ember Weeks_: And I wish strictly, &c. those biddings were forborn, or better practised by themselves.
_P. 20._ _Life of George Herbert._
And, I wish as heartily as Those ministers that huddled you can, that they would not up the church prayers only read, but pray, the without a visible reverence Common Prayer; and not and affection: namely, such huddle it up so fast (as too as semed to say the Lord's many do) by getting into a Prayer or collect in a breath. middle of a second Collect, before a devout Hearer can say Amen to the first.
_Preface to Sanderson's XXI _P. 20._ Sermons, 1655._
And now, having unbowelled But since I had thus adventured my very soul thus to unbowel myself, freely to you, &c. and to lay open the very inmost thoughts of my heart.
_P.21._ _Life of Sanderton._
A Corrosive, or (as Solomon Riches so gotten, and added says of ill-gotten riches) to his great estate, would like gravel in his teeth. prove like gravel in his teeth.
_P. 21._ _Life of Sir H. Wotton._
Those Bishops and Martyrs It was the advice of Sir that assisted in this Reformation, Henry Wotton, "Take heed did not (as Sir Henry Wotton of thinking the farther you go said wisely) think the farther from the Church of Rome, they went from the Church of Rome, the nearer you are to God." the nearer they got to heaven.
_P. 23._ _Life of Richard Hooker._
To make the Women, the Here the very women and Shop-keepers, and the middle- shopkeepers were able to judge witted People ... less of predestination, and determine busie, and more humble and what laws were fit to lowly in their own eyes, and be obeyed or abolished. to think that they are neither called, nor are fit to meddle with, and judge of the most hidden and mysterious points in _Divinity_, and Government of the Church and State.
_P. 36._ _Life of Sanderson._
I desire you to look back Some years before the unhappy with me to the beginning of Long Parliament, this the late Long Parliament nation being then happy