8

shall view the writings of Macrobius, or Varro, may be confirmed and informed of this, and of the incredible value of their fish and fish-ponds.

But, Gentlemen, I have almost lost myself, which I confess I may easily do in this philosophical discourse; I met with most of it very lately, and, I hope, happily, in a conference with a most learned physician,' Dr. Wharton,a VARIATION.] The name of "Dr. Wharton" occurs for the first time in the fifth Edition.

NOTE.] Aurelius Macrobius, a learned writer of the fourth century; he was chamberlain to the Emperor Theodosius. Fabricius makes it a question whether he was a Christian or a Pagan. His works are, A Commentary on the Somnium Scipionis of Cicero, in two books; and Saturnalia Convivia, in seven. Besides these, he was the Author of many which are lost. H.

9 Marcus Terentius Varro, a most learned Roman, contemporary with Cicero, and author, as it is said, of nearly five hundred volumes. He is one of the best writers on agriculture. H.

1 Dr. Wharton, who is again noticed, and in terms of great esteem, was one of the most eminent physicians of his day. He was born at Winston, in the county of Durham, in 1614, and received the first part of his University education at Pembroke Hall, in Cambridge. Afterwards, before the Civil War broke out, he entered of Trinity College in the sister University; and for a short time practised Physick in the metropolis, under Dr. Bathurst. In 1647, having retired to his College, he became M. D. by virtue of the Letters of Sir Thomas Fairfax. H.

Mr. Oughtred, in his Key to the Mathematics, published just before, says, that if any fruit is to be reaped by his new Edition thereof, the thanks are due chiefly to Mr. Thomas Wharton, who, as he is no mean proficient in those studies, so he may with success serve this age in the necessary mysteries of Botany, Anatomy, and Hermetick Learning; who not only amended the errors, but bestowed exceeding great pains and expense in correcting the press. About 1649, Dr. Wharton appears to have settled entirely in London. In 1656, he published Adenographia; sive Glandularum totius Corporis Descriptio," in a small octavo: reprinted in duodecimo, at Amsterdam, in 1659: and again, 12mo. Vesaliæ, 1671: consisting of a Course of Lectures which Dr. Prujean, the President of the College of Physicians, had imposed upon him as an exercise in 1652. During the time of the great Plague, in 1665, Dr. Wharton continued in London, when many other Physicians fled the contagion.

He died at his house in Aldersgate Street, Nov. 14, 1673: and was buried at St. Michael Bassishaw. E.

a dear friend, that loves both me and my art of Angling. But, however, I will wade no deeper into these mysterious arguments, but pass to such observations as I can manage with more pleasure, and less fear of running into error. But I must not yet forsake the waters, by whose help we have so many known advantages.

And first, to pass by the miraculous cures of our known baths, how advantageous is the sea for our daily traffick, without which we could not now subsist. How does it not only furnish us with food and physick for the bodies, but with such observations for the mind as ingenious persons would not want!

How ignorant had we been of the beauty of Florence, of the monuments, urns, and rarities that yet remain in and near unto old and new Rome, so many as it is said will take up a year's time to view, and afford to each of them but a convenient consideration! And therefore it is not to be wondered at, that so learned and devout a father as St. Jerome, after his wish to have seen Christ in the flesh, and to have heard St. Paul preach, makes his third wish, to have seen Rome in her glory; and that glory is not yet all lost, for what pleasure is it to see the monuments of Livy, the choicest of the historians; of Tully, the best of orators; and to see the bay trees that now grow out of the very tomb of Virgil! These, to any that love learning, must be pleasing. But what pleasure is it to a devout Christian, to see there the humble house

VARIATION.] and yet all that beauty is not lost.-1st and 2nd Edit. and that beauty is not yet all lost.-3rd and 4th Edit. NOTE continued.]

See Wood's Athena Oxon. by Bliss, vol. iii. p. 1000. Dr. Wharton is frequently mentioned in Ashmole's Diary. On the 2nd February, 1654, he says, "I acquainted Dr. Wharton with my secret for the cure of the illiaca passio; and he applied it this morning to Mr. Faithorne the graver, and it cured him." His name is mentioned for the first time in the fifth Edition, three years after Dr. Wharton's death, so that he ought to have been spoken of in the past tense.

2 Walton has here made a mistake. Virgil's tomb is at Naples.

H

in which St. Paul was content to dwell, and to view the many rich statues that are made in honour of his memory! nay, to see the very place in which St. Peters and he lie buried together! These are in and near to Rome. And how much more doth it please the pious curiosity of a Christian, to see that place, on which the blessed Saviour of the world was pleased to humble himself, and to take our nature upon him, and to converse with men : to see Mount Sion, Jerusalem, and the very sepulchre of our Lord Jesus! How may it beget and heighten the zeal of a Christian, to see the devotions that are daily paid to him at that place! Gentlemen, lest I forget myself, I will stop here, and remember you, that but for my element of water, the inhabitants of this poor island must remain ignorant that such things ever were, or that any of them have yet a being.t

Gentlemen, I might both enlarge and lose myself in such like arguments. I might tell you that Almighty VARIATION.] to live.-1st and 2nd Edit.

t ignorant that such things yet are.-2nd Edit. ignorant that such things have yet a being.—3rd and 4th Edit.

NOTE.] The Protestants deny, not only that St. Peter lies buried in the Vatican, as the Romish writers assert, but that he ever was at Rome. See the Historia Apostolica of Lud. Capellus.-The sense of the Protestants on this point is expressed in the following epigram, alluding to the prænomen of Peter, "Simon," and to the simony practised in that city :

An Petrus fuerit Romæ, sub judice lis est;
Simonen Romæ nemo fuisse negat.

Many that Peter ne'er saw Rome declare,

But all must own that Simon hath been there.

Of which that may be observed which I have heard said of libels, "the more true the more provoking;" and this the author, John Owen, the famous epigrammatist, found to his cost; for his uncle, a Papist, was so stung by these lines, that, in revenge, he disinherited him, and doomed him to extreme poverty the remainder of his life. Athen. Oxon. vol. i. 471. The Romanists have also taken their revenge on the book that contains them, by inserting it in their Index Expurgatorius. Ibid. H.

God is said to have spoken to a fish, but never to a beast; that he hath made a whale a ship, to carry and set his prophet, Jonah, safe on the appointed shore. Of these I might speak, but I must in manners break off, for I see

THEOBALD'S HOUSE.4

Augusters For. you for

I cry you mercy for being so long, and thank your patience.

4

NOTE.] The site of Theobald's Palace lies a little to the north of the road to Ware, at the distance of twelve miles from London, in the parish of Cheshunt. It was built about 1560, by Sir William Cecil, afterwards Lord Burleigh, and is said to have been first intended as a small mansion for the residence of his younger son. Queen Elizabeth having honoured it with a visit in 1564, her minister was induced to enlarge it; and he completed the whole upon a more extensive scale in 1571. Her visits to it, as appears from Lord Burleigh's Diary, were repeated ten times between 1572 and 1597. In 1603, Sir Robert Cecil, his son, afterwards Earl of Salisbury, entertained King James the First at it, in his way from Scotland to London, when he came to take possession of the crown; and in 1606, gave him a second entertainment: soon after which the Palace and Manor were exchanged for the ancient royal residence at

AUCEPS. Sir, my pardon is easily granted you: I except against nothing that you have said: nevertheless, I must part with you at this park-wall, for which I am very sorry; but I assure you, Mr. Piscator, I now part with you full of good thoughts, not only of yourself, but your recreation. And so, Gentlemen, God keep you both.

PISCATOR. Well, now, Mr. Venator, you shall neither want time, nor my attention to hear you enlarge your discourse concerning hunting.

NOTE continued.]

Hatfield. Theobalds became afterwards one of King James's favourite places of retirement: and he died there, March 27th, 1625. It was also an occasional place of residence with his successor, who went from it in 1642, to put himself at the head of the army. Norden, in his Description of Hertfordshire, says: "To speake of the state and beauty thereof at large as it deserveth, for curious buildinges, delightfull walkes, and pleasant conceites, within and without, and other things very glorious and ellegant to be seene, would challenge a great portion of this little treatise; and therefore, leaste I should come shorte of that due commendation that it deserveth, I leave it, as indeed it is, a princely seate." After the restoration of King Charles the Second, the House, Park, and Manor, were granted to the Duke of Albemarle, on the death of whose son without male issue they again reverted to the Crown; and were granted to the Duke of Portland by King William the Third in 1689. In 1762 the property of Theobalds was sold by the late Duke of Portland to George Prescott, Esq. who, three years after, pulled down what remained of the house, and built another for himself about a mile to the south of it. It is now, 1814, held on lease under the representatives of Sir George William Prescott, Bart. by Job Matthew Raikes, Esq. An idea of the Mansion, as it appeared in Walton's time, may be obtained from Mr. Lysons's Description in the "Environs of London," edit. 1811, vol. i. part ii. p. 773. chiefly taken from the Parliamentary Survey of 1650, now in the Augmentation Office. A representation of the exterior will be found in King's Sheet of Views, to illustrate Camden's Britannia. One of the best views of the interior is in the back-ground of a picture at Earl Poulet's, Hinton St. George, in Somersetshire. The Stables of Theobalds stood on the opposite side of the road leading from Waltham-Cross to Cheshunt: and adjoining was a large building called the Alms-house, supposed to have been built by Lord Burleigh, and appropriated as a residence for some of his Pensioners it had a hall and chapel. This building, with the arms of Cecil in front, was standing till within these three years. E.