Customer Reviews

The Compleat Angler, or the Contemplative Man's Recreation

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Three hundred fifty years ago Izaak Walton wrote of the curious blend of inner peace and giddy excitement which the amateur naturalist finds at streamside. He invites us to stroll with him through the countryside, discussing the mythology, superstition, and the science of England's aquatic fauna. It is an unrushed journey, though we often arise at sunrise, and the author introduces us to many of the local inhabitants. Indeed, if our fishing is successful, we might exchange our catch for the song of a pretty milkmaid. The Compleat Angler is a brief book, and Walton's intent is to hook the reader, and encourage him to try fishing for himself: "I do not undertake to say all that is known...but I undertake to acquaint the Reader with many things that are not usually known to every Angler; and I shall leave gleanings and observations enough to be made out of the experience that all that love and practise this recreation, to which I shall encourage them." Interestingly, Walton starts off on the defensive, since the fisherman's passion was even then caricatured. By the end the reader has joined the "Brotherhood of the Angle," making artificial flies and enjoying the poetry of fishing: "The jealous Trout, that low did lie, Rose at a well-dissembled fly." To the modern ear Walton's literal belief in naturalists' old wives tales may seem humorously anachronistic, and it comprises a remarkably large part of his affection for his subject. We are also frequently reminded of the book's timeline with comments such as "...the Royal Society have found and published lately that there be thirty and three kinds of Spiders," while we now know that there are thirty thousand species of Arachnids. And the Brotherhood of the Angle is a genuine fraternity to Walton, "...I love all Anglers, they be such honest, civil, quiet men." The prospective reader must also be disabused of the misconception that Walton was a purist for artificial lures; he strongly recommends worms, minnows, and live flies. In Walton's watery world there is no dry humor, only fresh. Following his description of the twelve most effective artificial flies he says, "Thus you have a jury of flies likely to betray and condem all the Trouts in the river." And here he compares the beautiful coloration of a living trout to...well, you'll see: "Their bodies [are] adorned with such red spots, and...with black or blackish spots, as give them such an addition of natural beauty as, I think, was never given to any woman by the artificial paint or patches in which they so much pride themselves in this age." At the risk of taking some of the surprise out of the book, I here present a sample of Walton's fishing secrets: "Take the stinking oil drawn out of Polypody of the oak by a retort, mixed with turpentine and hive-honey, and anoint your bait therewith, and it will doubtless draw the fish to it." I would guess that Walton wasn't much of a cook, however, and I do not recommend his recipe for eel (partially skinning it, packing the viceral cavity with nutmeg and anchovy, cutting off the head, slipping the skin back over the body, and sewing it together where the head formerly was, then barbecuing it on skewers). Walton's affection for fish and fishing extends beyond the aquatic nobility of trout and salmon, to the often ignored commoners: gudgeons, sprats, bleaks, herns, tench, roach, umber, loach, and sticklebag. And as for the importance of fishing in Walton's world: "I envy not him that eats better meat than I do, nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I do; I envy nobody but him, and him only, that catches more fish than I do."

If you don't know about this famous book by the inimitable Walton, you have a lot to look forward to. Purporting to be an account of a 5-day fishing idyll (when gentlemen were gentle men, and the English countryside was at once bountiful and near to hand), it is in fact a deeply engaging nostalgia trip into a never-never land of pastoral bliss -- an enduring cult classic having no exact parallel in world literature.

To say "evocative of simpler, happier times" is to barely hint at the near-mystical fragrance of this enchanting volume. Three high-spirited protagonists ("Piscator", "Venator", and "Auceps"), devoted to three rival outdoor avocations (fishing, hunting, and falconing, respectively), meet on a "fine, fresh May morning"; ramble across the countryside in search of lively fishing and hearty times; sing, banter, and versify; recount ancient wisdom (of often dubious validity) regarding the habits and temper of over a dozen local fish species; and encounter a classic sampling of innkeepers, milkmaids, gypsies, and various other idealized rural types. This is a refuge book for quiet evenings, one of those unaccountably transporting narratives of which no charmed reader has ever wanted to reach the end.

Some history: stolen in parts from precedents written as far back as 1450, Walton's work is nearly as early as it could be and still be readable without a line-by-line explanatory gloss ("compleat" is about as arcane as it gets). First published in 1653, there have been well over 100 editions in print. Some of the earlier ones contain Lang's sensitive and informative 28-page introduction to the author's life, the structure of the work, and its publishing history. Noteworthy are the 80+ illustrations produced by Sullivan (again, available in some of the older editions and their reprints), which are unselfconsciously exquisite: naively rendered country scenes and character sketches; finely wrought studies of dry flies and of the various species of fish mentioned in the book; and ornately framed images of famous fishermen "taken" from the evidently superb engraved portraits of Major's 1824 edition.

The author was a minor legend in his own time. Held in the highest regard by all who knew him, this "excellent old man" suffered many tragedies throughout his long life (from the public murder of his beloved king to various family deaths and personal debilities), but he never lost his rare sweetness of temper. He wrote numerous other treatises, but "The Compleat Angler" early on rendered him a literary immortal.

I'm flyfisher in Korea. I think there is no necessity for talking about this book. Because this is so famous book to fishermans, as you know. Specially, this paperback edition is good for your wallet, with no omission. In a word, Full content, Good price!

I have had this book beside me for more than 20 years, not for its guidance about fishing (though this is pleasant), but for the simple, unaffected but eloquent beauty of its 17th century prose. A lovely, idealized, Arcadian sort of England comes to life, and it is a very nice place in which to dip your mind a while.

This is surely one of the earliest books available to the modern angler. But it's worth distinguishing 'anglers' from 'fishermen'. I take 'anglers' to be people who go after fish for fun or sport or pleasure and 'fishermen' to be people who go after fish for work.

The first thing to be said about Izaak Walton's book, is that it is a play followed by a text book. The second thing, is that it's in a foreign language even to the English, because it was first published in 1653 when the author was 60. A ripe old age in England in those days.

Walton was essentially a biographer. He got paid for it - often commissioned as a good artist might. He wrote 'The Life of Donne' - a poet who even I've heard of. He's alleged to have been a prosperous merchant, but it doesn't really matter. Great angling writers like Richard Walker were engineers. Old school writers like George Skues, were public school educated solicitors in London practices who took the train to the chalk streams of Winchester in Hampshire at weekends, tying flies as they went.

The play concerns three people who meet by chance and get into conversation about their interests. They're travelling at a walk, and so they lighten their journey with convoluted conversation. Before long, it develops into a bit of a competition. Walton is the angler (Piscator). Another gentleman is keen on falconry (Venator) and yet another is keen on hunting (Auceps).

If you tire of 17th century banter, skip forward to the chapters on each particular species of fish, which will ring true immediately. To me it's a revelation that these friendly old fish will still fall for the same tricks as Walton was playing on their ancestors over 350 years ago.

Whilst this edition/reprint includes the Charles Cotton supplement, the print quality is abominable. This is most evident when you look at the etchings and woodcuts. If you have seen the originals, they are crisp, clean and beautiful. In this book, they are little better than black smudges, with no fine detail visible. The tale in it's completeness is one thing. The etchings and woodcuts should add a beauty and delight to the whole experience of reading and owning this book. This version, printed on poor quality paper, is a huge disappointment.

The Complete Angler - Izaak Walton and Chalres Cotton

This book deserves a place in a collection of great angling books, such as those of John Geirach, Henry Middleton and Scott Waldie. It is really two books and an odd sort of middle section on property rights and fishing (funny how some issues have not changed much since the late 17th century). It has some wonderful discourses on not just fishing but the lifestyle and philosophy of fishing. There are some sections and descriptions that can be tedious but they minor compared to the overall wonderful dialogue of the majority of the book.

The first section is written by Izaak Walton and, to me, was Canterbury Tales-esque, is it's older English language (which is entertainingly preserved) and its format. Three travelers - a fisherman (angler), hunter and falconer meet. In the course of discussing the merits of their activities the angler convinces the hunter to come along fishing with him (after seeing a hunt with hounds). Over the course of a few days on the rivers of England, the angler turns the hunter to the quiet joys of angling. He goes through the fish in England and all the baits and methods of fishing for them as well as how to prepare each of them. I had never through of carp of chubs and fish to eat, but after some of the descriptions in this book, I may have to give the a second look someday. The first book is as much of a celebration of the social and contemplative nature of angling as it is descriptions and methods of fishing. Interspersed are encounters with the local farmers, milker and inn-keepers as well as the talking over of the days activities among friends. But the highlight of this first section, and in my opinion the entire book, is the parting words of the angler to the hunter of how angling is a life philosophy that departs sharply from the hustle and bustle of the capitalist life. The first book is replete with references to early Christianity and its admonitions against looking to wealth for happiness.

There is an odd middle section about property rights and fishing which serves as a rather odd bridge to Charles Cotton's section. This book focuses on fishing for trout and graylings in a small section of England. If found the wordy descriptions of the flies by month to be tedious and the lack of philosophical discussion of fishing to be a little disappointing of an end.

Five days of fishing along the river Lea which joins the Thames near London is the background on which the cheerful narrative of The Compleat Angler is laid. The splendid civil conversation of Latin named Piscator, Venator, Auceps, Viator, and Piscator Junior is a joy to hear. Shakespeare was just publishing his first work when Izaak Walton was born in 1593 in Stafford. Walton retired in his early fifties and traveled about rural England visiting friends, fishing, and writing in his easy-going fashion. After publication of The Compleat Angler in 1653 he continued to add to it in his leisurely way for the next quarter century. Samuel Johnson praised the book in the eighteenth century and later Charles Lamb recommended The Compleat Angler to Samuel Taylor Coleridge. 'It breathes the very spirit of innocence, purity, and simplicity of heart,' he noted. 'It would sweeten a man's temper at any time to read it; it would Christianise every angry, discordant passion; pray make yourself acquainted with it.'
The Compleat Angler is a true classic of English literature that owes it's esteem not to advice about fishing but to Izaak Walton's pre-occupations and exquisite manner. Subtitled The Contemplative Man's Recreation the pages glow with delight in the hills and dales, woods and streams of the beloved countryside. Walton conveys a message of meek thankful fellowship and peace to all "honest, civil, quiet men". 'The Compleat Angler is not about how to fish but about how to be,' said novelist Thomas McGuane. 'Walton spoke of an amiable mortality and rightness on the earth that has been envied by his readers for three hundred years.'

Walton uses the perspective of an enthusiastic angler to promote a lifestyle of reflectiveness, gentle humor, and appreciation for nature. The book is easy to read, despite being first published in the 1600s.
The Coachwhip Publications reprint edition (ISBN 1930585209) is inexpensive and contains Cotton's "Part 2," written at Walton's request for the fifth published edition of "The Compleat Angler."

This book is to fishing as military music is to music. True, THE COMPLEAT ANGLER does discuss the various aspects then current in England, but any focus on fishing was secondary to giving a combination of practical advice, pastoral fantasy, and good-humored piety. The book is a dialogue with 3 speakers: Piscator (the angler), Venator (the hunter), and Aucer (the falconer). Frequently, Walton abandons the dialogue and simply presents Piscator giving some very long instructional speeches on a plethora of topics ranging from angling to cooking to just about anything else under the sun. Walton is not bashful about inserting poetry of Raleigh, Donne, Drayton, Herbert, and many others. Piscator is not simply the champion of angling; he is pious, a moralizer, a gourmand, a singer, and above all, a lover of the lovely British countryside. Further, he is unflaggingly polite and upbeat. His duty to God is never more than one sentence from his tongue. He drops quotes from the Bible the way a Vegas gambler drops chips at the blackjack table. Since Piscator was so clearly drawn as the prototypical Englishman, it is no surprise that all Englishman saw in him more than a bit of themselves and correspondingly loved him. Non-English readers are often puzzled as to why he was so widely read. First, even non-fishermen can share in the joy with which he expounds the mysteries of angling. Next, he is a genuine lover of country sights and sounds. Finally, he embodies the temperamental qualities on which the English place such huge store: he is kindly, tolerant, patient, one who interferes with nobody and asks nothing better than to be allowed to enjoy his hobby in peace. His style of writing includes a fondness for writing a balanced, parallel sentence with much frolicsome humor. THE COMPLEAT ANGLER is a work full of digressions and a fondness for the fabulous natural history derived from Pliny the Elder, so much so that we might wonder whether so credulous a man could be a trustworthy biographer. Yet, it is this unsophisticated and uncritical inclusiveness of vast masses of unrelated and unverified data that constitutes one of its great charms.