Izaak Walton Quotes

Health is ... a blessing that money cannot buy.

The great secretary of nature and all learning, Sir Francis Bacon.

We see but the outside of a rich man's happiness; few consider him to be like the silkworm, that, when she seems to play, is at the very same time consuming herself.

Let us not repine, or so much as think the gifts of God unequally dealt, if we see another abound with riches, when, as God knows, the cares that are the keys that keep those riches hang often so heavily at the rich man's girdle that they dog him with weary days and restless nights, even when others sleep quietly.

God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling.

I have known a very good, fisher angle diligently four or six hours for a river carp, and not have a bite.

Hops, and Turkies, Carps and Beer
Came into England all in a year.

For love is a flattering mischief, that hath denied aged and wise men a foresight of those evils that too often prove to be the children of that blind father; a passion, that carries us to commit errors with as much ease as whirlwinds move feathers, and begets in us an unwearied industry to the attainment of what we desire.

The person that loses their conscience has nothing left worth keeping.

Doubtless God Could Have Made A Better Berry, But Doubtless God Never Did

And though it is most certain, that two lutes being both strung and turned to an equal pitch, and then one played upon, the other will warble a faint audible harmony in answer to the same tune: yet many will not believe there is any such thing as sympathy of souls, and I am well pleased that every reader do enjoy his own opinion.

He directed that the stone over his grave be inscribed: Hic jacet hujus sententiae primus auctor: DISPUTANDI PRURITUS ECCLESIARUM SCABIES.

Words are men's daughters, but God's sons are things.

Angling is an Art ... an art worth your learning.

It was wisely said, by a man of great observation, that there are as many miseries beyond riches as on this side of them.

God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart.

Those little nimble musicians of the air, that warble forth their curious ditties, with which nature hath furnished them to the shame of art.

[T]is not all fishing to fish.

In so doing, use him as though you loved him.

No life is so happy and so pleasant as the life of the well-govern'd angler.

Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God and value it next to conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of, a blessing money can't buy.

I have then with pleasure concluded with Solomon, Everything is beautiful in his season.

That which is everybody's business is nobody's business.

It [angling] deserves commendations; ... it is an art worthy the knowledge and practice of a wise man.

I have laid aside business, and gone a'fishing.

There are offences given and offences not given but taken.

These poor rich men, we anglers pity them perfectly.

It is agreed by most men, that the Eele is a most daintie fish; the Romans have esteemed her the Helena of their feasts, and some The Queen of pleasure.

Of this blest man, let his just praise be given,
Heaven was in him, before he was in Heaven.

And for winter fly-fishing it is as useful as an almanac out of date.

Lord, what music hast thou provided for Thy saints in heaven, when Thou affordest bad men such music on earth!

I love such mirth as does not make friends ashamed to look upon one another next morning.

I love any discourse of rivers, and fish and fishing.

Angling may be saidtobe so likemathematics, that itcan never be fully learnt.