The Complete Angler, or Contemplative Man's Recreation; being a Discourse on Rivers, Fish-Ponds, Fish and Fishing: in two parts

The first written by Isaac Walton, the Second by Charles Cotton. With the Lives of the Authors and Notes Historical, Critical, and Explanatory. By Sir John Hawkins

Pp. lxxxii, 267, (iv) & xxiv, 111, (x), with engraved frontis portrait and engraved plate, 10 engraved plates (2 of music), 21 engraved text illustrations, 2nd title page with engraved vignette initials.  Contemporary acid-etched tree calf, ruled with gilt borders on front and rear boards, elaborate gilt turn-ins adjacent to gray endpapers, spines with five raised bands, two compartments with red morocco labels lettered in gilt, the four other spine compartments with elaborate gilt floral decorations, all page edges dyed pale yellow, sm 8vo.  The first edition of this work was published in 1653.  In this fifth edition, the text was expanded from 13 chapters to 21 in 1676.  In addition, it contained a treatise by Charles Cotton.  The work provides description of fishes, of English rivers, of fishponds, and of rod and line is interspersed with dialogue, moral reflections, quaint old verse, songs and sayings, and idyllic glimpses of country life.  This is Horne #15 (The Compleat Angler 1653-1967: A New Bibliography).