The Complete Angler: or, the Contemplative Man's Recreation. Being a Discourse on Rivers, Fish-Ponds, Fish, and Fishing. In Two Parts. The First Written by Mr. Izaak Walton, The Second by Charles Cotton, Esq.; To which are now prefixed, The Lives of the Authors. Illustrated with Cuts of the Several Kinds of River-Fish, and of the Implements Used in Angling, Views of the Principal Scenes described in the Book, And Notes Historical, Critical and Explanatory.

WALTON, Izaak; Charles Cotton.

Published by London: Thomas Hope, 1760

About this Item

First Hawkins edition. Westwood & Satchell note that "in this new edition, the original text was restored to its primitive purity; the pruning-knife was not resumed; all poetical tinkering was repudiated, and old Isaac's 'redundancies', 'superfluities', and 'absurdities', were brought back to light, and left to stand or fall on their own merits or demerits". This edition was edited by John Hawkins (1719-1789) and was "the first to have abundant annotations" (Horne). As noted by Satchell, it "came into competition with that issued by [Moses] Browne in the previous year, and gave rise to 'sundry skirmishes and passages of arms between the rival editors'". Satchell continues that "Browne's charges of plagiarism appear unfounded. The annotation is copious and has for the most part been retained in subsequent reprints". Horne notes that "like the Moses Browne edition of 1750, this first Hawkins edition may also have been inspired by Samuel Johnson, since the editor, Sir John Hawkins, was a member of the famous Literary Club organized by the great critic and conversationalist". Rodolphe L. Coigney, Izaak Walton: a New Bibliography 1653-1987 9; Bernard S. Horne, The Compleat Angler, 1653-1967: a New Bibliography; 7; Thomas Satchell, Bibliography of Izaak Walton's Compleat Angler, 1882, p. 7; Thomas Westwood & Thomas Satchell, Chronicle of The "Compleat Angler", 1883, pp. 24-28. Octavo (179 x 112 mm). 16 engraved plates, largely by William Wynne Ryland after designs by Samuel Wade, together with numerous woodcuts. Early 20th-century green half calf, spine with raised bands, brown morocco label, spine lettered in gilt, compartments in gilt, all edges gilt. Spine faded, corners bumped and rubbed, repair to margin of M2 not affecting text, occasional foxing and browning: a near-fine copy.

Seller Inventory # 166784

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Complete Angler: or, the Contemplative Man's Recreation. Being a Discourse on Rivers, Fish-Ponds, Fish, and Fishing. In Two Parts. The First Written by Mr. Izaak Walton, The Second by Charles Cotton, Esq.; To which are now prefixed, The Lives of the Authors. Illustrated with Cuts of the Several Kinds of River-Fish, and of the Implements Used in Angling, Views of the Principal Scenes described in the Book, And Notes Historical, Critical and Explanatory.
• Publisher: London: Thomas Hope, 1760