I have conceived many Reasons, why I ought in Justice to Dedicate these
Reliques of Your Great Uncle, Sir Henry Wotton, to Your Lordship; some
of which are, that both Your Grand-mother and Mother had a double Right
to them by a Dedication when first made Publick; as also, for their
assisting me then, and since, with many Material Informations for the
Writing his Life; and for giving me many of the Letters that have fallen
from his curious Pen: so that they being now dead, these Reliques descend
to You, as Heir to them, and the Inheritor of the memorable Bocton Palace,
the Place of his Birth, where so many of the Ancient, and Prudent, and
Valiant Family of the Wottons lie now Buried; whose remarkable Monuments
You have lately Beautified, and to them added so many of so great Worth,
as hath made it appear, that at the Erecting and Adorning them, You were
above the thought of Charge, that they might, if possible, (for 'twas no
easie undertaking) hold some proportion with the Merits of Your Ancestors.
My Lord, These are a part of many more Reasons that have inclin'd me to
this Dedication; and these, with the Example of a Liberty that is not
given, but now too usually taken by many Scriblers, to make trifling
Dedications, might have begot a boldness in some Men of as mean as my
mean Abilities to have undertaken this. But indeed, my Lord, though I was
ambitious enough of undertaking it; yet, as Sir Henry Wotton hath said
in a Piece of his own Character, _That he was condemn'd by Nature to a
bashfulness in making Requests_: so I find myself (pardon the Parallel)
so like him in this, that if I had not had more Reasons then I have yet
exprest, these alone had not been powerful enough to have created a
Confidence in me to have attempted it. Two of my unexprest Reasons are,
(_give me leave to tell them to Your Lordship and the World_) that Sir
Henry Wotton, whose many Merits made him an Ornament even to Your Family,
was yet so humble, as to acknowledge me to be his Friend; and died in a
belief that I was so: since which time, I have made him the best return
of my Gratitude for his Condescention, that I have been able to express,
or he capable of receiving: and, am pleased with my self for so doing.
My other Reason of this boldness, is, an incouragement (_very like a
command_) from Your worthy Cousin, and my Friend, _Mr. Charles Cotton_, who
hath assured me, that You are such a Lover of the Memory of Your Generous
Unkle, Sir Henry Wotton, that if there were no other Reason then my
endeavors to preserve it, yet, that that alone would secure this
Dedication from being unacceptable.
I wish, that nor he, nor I be mistaken; and that I were able to make You
a more Worthy Present.
My Lord, I am and will be
Your Humble and most
Affectionate Servant,
IZAAK WALTON.
Feb. 27, 1672.
* * * * *