THE COMPLETE ANGLER, Or The Contemplative Man's Recreation. With Lives of the Authors, and Variorum Notes, Historical and Practical. Edited by Edward Jesse, Esq. To Which Are Added Papers on Fishing-Tackle, Fishing Stations, Etc., by Henry G. Bohn

An early reissue of the Bohn/Jesse edition. With portrait of Walton as frontispiece, also with a decorated dedication, vignette titlepage, and over 200 woodcut illustrations throughout the text. 8vo, in an attractive contemporary binding by Bayntun of three-quarter green morocco over marbled paper-covered boards, the spine with tall, thick bands gilt tooled creating gilt framed compartments, four of which with a fine center gilt tool of a fish, two further compartments gilt lettered, gilt numbers at the tail, corner-pieces and back gilt trimmed, marbled endpapers, t.e.g. xix, 496, [1] pp. A very handsome copy, the text solid and clean with just a bit of mellowing and some minor spotting to the prelims and early leaves, the steel engraved plates rich and clean and fine, the binding sturdy and well preserved with little wear the spine panel of the green morocco aged to a pleasant tone of honey as is typical.

Edizione: an early reprint of bohn's edition of this beloved classic. bohn's edition included many valuable additions, such as the lives of both walton and cotton, edward jesse's preface, commendatory verses, walton's will, and nearly 40 pages of bohn's own notes on places to fish with an index of rivers. it is also noteworthy for the hundreds of fine woodcut illustrations all throughout.<br> walton's angler has been described as "full of wisdom, kindly humour, and charity; it is one of the most delightful and care-dispelling books in the language." "more than most authors he lives in his writings, which are the pure expression of a kind, humorous and pious soul in love with nature, while the expression itself is unique for apparent simplicity which is really elaborately studied art" (dnb).<br> angler has also been called one of the first modern "how to" books, but is far more than a straightforward guide to fishing; for it celebrates the art of fishing with verses, songs, folklore, and timeless wisdom in its form of a dialogue between veteran angler and his student. it both informs and delights, and as charles lamb observed, "breathes the very spirit of innocence, purity, and simplicity of heart . it would sweeten a man's temper at any time to read it."