5th Edit. forming the first part of the "Universal Angler," by Walton, Cotton, and Venables. 12mo. Lond. 1676.

[The above are all the Editions of "the Complete Angler," that were published during the Author's life.

The second Edition, which was published but two years after the first, appears to have been almost rewritten, with the introduction of a third interlocutor in Auceps, and great additions in every part.

The third Edition is the first which has the "Postscript, touching the Laws of Angling," and an Index.

To the fifth, a second part was appended, on fishing for Trout and Grayling, by Charles Cotton, Esq. of Berisford.]

6th Edit. 8vo. Lond. 1750, edited by Moses Browne.

Browne.

7th Edit. 8vo. Lond. 1759, by Moses

[Moses Browne, who rose by his own merit from the humble occupation of a pencutter to the station of a respectable Divine of the Church of England, was born in 1704. Early in life he distinguished himself by his poetical talents; and when only twenty years of age, published a tragedy and a farce, called "Polidus," and "All bedevilled." These were played together at a private Theatre in St. Alban's street. He became afterwards a frequent contributor to the Gentleman's Magazine, and, as far as concerned the poetical part, was, for a long time, one of its chief Supports.

Sir John Hawkins, in his Life of Dr. Johnson, says, he was a candidate for the fifty pounds prize, alluded to in the Doctor's first letter to Cave, as well as for the other prizes which Cave proposed for Poems on particular Subjects; in all, or most of which Compositions, he had the good fortune to succeed*.

His "Piscatory Eclogues," which were first published without his name, appeared in

* When Cave published a Translation of Du Halde's China, he inscribed the different plates to his friends, and one among thern "To Moses Browne." With this blunt and familiar designation Mr. Browne was justly offended. To appease him, Cave directed the Engraver to introduce with a caret, under the line, "Mr. ;" and thought, that in so doing, he had made ample amends to Mr. Browne for the Indignity done him.

1729: a second Edition came out among his "Poems on various Subjects," in octavo, 1739: and the third, in an extended form, by itself, accompanied with notes, in 1773.

For a long time, however, even after his Abilities were known, he remained in Poverty: being able to make little provision beyond the day that was passing over him. The following letter which he wrote to Dr. Birch, in 1745, who had before assisted his Studies, will probably have some interest with the reader.

"SIR,

"I am almost ashamed to presume on that very slender knowledge you may have of me by a few accidental interviews formerly at Mr. Cave's, to ask any favour of you, but not having the least acquaintance with any gentleman of the Royal Society besides, I trouble you with a few enquiries I want to make, which will be a great kindness and obligation if you will please to inform me of, by a letter directed as beneath. My sight decaying pretty much, and rendering it somewhat difficult for me to provide as formerly for my Family (I having a Wife and seven children) I am wishing to know how I might apply for some little place that does not require all one's time, to help me out with some little additional Support.

"I apprehend there must be something of Messengers, Door-keepers, or whatever kind of Officers they may be, belonging to the Society. If you will be so good as to inform me what their list is, what salary, and who must be applied to for a gift of this kind, it will be esteemed a very singular Favour. I have no thoughts nor aim of becoming troublesome to you, farther than for your kind intelligence, and shall use no liberties with your Name, unless you are pleased from your own good-will to allow me any other encouragements or services which I have no pretensions nor boldness to ask of you. I am a subject of pity in my circumstances that I have so few, very few Friends, but I entirely trust to that good Providence to support me, some way or other, through my remaining days, whose regards I have so kindly, beyond all my deserts, experienced hitherto.

I am, with great respect,
Sir,

your most sincere, and

affectionate Servant,

MOSES BROWNE."

Next the Barley Mow, Mile-end Green,

Feb. 13th, 1745.

In 1750 he edited Walton and Cotton's Angler, with a preface, notes, and some valuable Additions; this was republished in 1759 and 1772; in the former year drawing

him into a controversy with Sir John Hawkins, who happened to be then publishing an improved Edition of the same work.

From his Poems, as well as from the scattered observations in the "Angler," he appears to have been always of a religious turn; and in 1752 he published, in Verse, a series of devout Contemplations, entitled "Sunday Thoughts." Doctor Johnson, we are told, who often expressed his dislike of religious Poetry, and who, for the purpose of religious Meditation, thought one day as proper as another, read them with cold Approbation, and added that he had a great mind to write Monday Thoughts. They, however, went through a second Edition in 1764, and a third in 1781.

In a letter to Dr. Birch, dated Dec. 8th, 1752, he mentions the advice of many of his Friends, that he should endeavour to obtain Orders. "A gentleman of Northampton, he says, wrote me word a few days since, that he had a promise of a Living for me, if I would get ordained directly, and be down by the 30th of next month." Early in the following year his Testimonials were signed by Dr. Birch, Mr. Nicholas Fayting, and Dr. John Groom of Childerdale in Essex; and soon after his Ordination, he was presented to the vicarage of Olney in Buckinghamshire, on the Cession of Mr. Wolsey Johnson.

In 1754, he published a Sermon, preached at Olney, on Christmas-day, entitled "The Nativity and Humiliation of Jesus Christ, practically considered."

In 1755, he published a small quarto Poem, entitled "Percy Lodge, a seat of the Duke and Dutchess of Somerset, written by command of their late Graces, in the year 1749."

In what year he was presented to the vicarage of Sutton in Lincolnshire, we are not informed by any of the writers who mention him: but in 1763, he was elected to the Chaplainship of Morden College in Kent. In 1765, he published a Sermon, "preached to the Society for the Reformation of Manners ;" and a few years after, a Visitation Sermon, delivered at Stony Stratford.

Beside these pieces, Mr. Browne is said to have published one or two political Tracts; and in 1772, a translation of a work by John Liborius Zimmerman, entitled "The Excellency of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ," 12mo. Lond. He died at Morden College, Sept. 13, 1787, in his 84th year.]

"The Compleat Angler," 8th Edit. 8vo. Lond. 1760, edited by John Hawkins, Esq. afterwards Sir John Hawkins.

[A manuscript note of Mr. White, of Crickhowell, in a copy of the "Complete Angler," Edit. 1784, says, Sir John Hawkins was born March 18, 1719.

.

He was elected Chairman of the Session for Middlesex, Sept. 19, 1765, in which Capacity he published a Charge to the Grand Jury, Jan. 8, 1770, and received the Honour of Knighthood, Oct. 23, 1772.

He died at his house in the Great Sanctuary, Westminster, May 21st, 1789, in his 71st year, and lies buried in Westminster Abbey. The Public are infinitely indebted to him for the many valuable Anecdotes recorded in his History of Music: though his Biography of Johnson, it must be confessed, was undertaken in an evil hour.

Compare, for further particulars of him and his Works, Gent. Mag. Vol. XLVI. p. 522. XLVII. 29, 78, 125, 229, 273. LV. 875. LXIX. 473, and Kippis's Biogr. Brit. art. Addison, p. 55.]

9th Edit. 8vo. Lond. 1766, edited by John Hawkins, Esq. A new title only.

10th Edit. 8vo. Lond. 1772, edited by Moses Brown.

11th Edit. 8vo. Lond. 1775, by Sir John Hawkins.

12th Edit. 8vo. Lond. 1784, by Sir John Hawkins.

13th Edit. 8vo. Lond. 1792, edited by

John Sidney Hawkins, Esq.

14th Edit. 8vo. Lond. 1797, also by

Mr. Sidney Hawkins, but without the larger plates.

15th Edit. 8vo. Lond. 1808.

[Printed in three sizes.]

"The Complete Angler, 16th Edit. a fac simile reprint of the Edit.

of 1653." 12mo. Lond. 1810.

In the third Edition of the " Compleat Gentleman," by Henry Peacham, the xxi. Chapter is "Concerning Fishing." 4to. Lond. 1661.

[It does not occur in either of the previous Editions of 1622 or 1634. "The Experienc'd Angler; or Angling Improved: being a General Discourse of Angling." 8vo, Lond. 1662.

C

[By Col. Robert Venables, whose name appears at least in the three last of the subsequent Editions.]

[The fourth Edition forms the third part of the Universal Angler.

Among the Manuscripts in the Harleian Collection, are several Pedigrees of the family of Venables particularly in the MS. 1393, f. 39, where the great Ancestor of Venables is stated to have been Galiard Venables, who came over with the Conqueror, and afterwards received the Earldom of Kinderton, in Cheshire, from Hugh Lupus. Another MS. 2059, recites a Deed from one of the family residing at Northwich, as early as 1260. The Harleian Manuscript, 1993, f. 52, contains a paper, partly in the hand-writing of Colonel Venables, containing an account of the time he served the Parliament Army in Cheshire, and of the pay due to him between 1643 and 1646. From this it appears that in 1644 he was made Governor of Chester.

When Cromwell, by the persuasions of Card. Mazarine, fitted out a Fleet for the Conquest of Hispaniola in 1655, the command of the Army, (consisting of 2000 old Cavaliers, and as many of Oliver's standing Army, besides Volunteers and necessitated persons) was given to Col. Venables and Admiral Penn; who were ordered to take on board more forces at Barbadoes and the Leeward Islands.

On the 13th of April, Col. Venables landed at Hispaniola, but was defeated, and retreated to the Fleet. On the 3d of May, however, they made a Descent on Jamaica, and took possession of the town of St. Jago by capitulation. Toward the close of the summer Venables and Penn returned home, and arrived in England in September, where. they were both imprisoned for their scandalous conduct in this Expedition: which would have been an irreparable dishonour to the English Nation, had not the Island of Jamaica, which Chance, more than Council, bestowed upon them, made amends for the loss at Hispaniola. See The British Empire in America, Vol. II. p. 305. 8vo. 1741.

From other sources we learn that in 1645 Lieut. Col. Venables was Governor of Tarvin. In 1649 he was Commander in Chief of the Forces in Ulster, and had the towns of Lisnegarvy, Antrym, and Belfast, delivered to him.

Some of his actions in Ireland are recited in "A History or Brief Chronicle of the Chief Matters of the Irish Warres." 4to. Lond. 1650.

In "Certaine Passages of Every Dayes Intelligence, from Sept. 21 to 28, 1655, (published by Authority)," it is said, “Gen. Pen and Gen. Venables would willingly be petitioning his Highnes the Lord Protector for their Enlargement out of the Tower