Top 69 Quotes & Sayings by Izaak Walton

Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learned.

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

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

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

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

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

No man can lose what he never had.

He that loses his conscience has nothing left that is worth keeping.

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

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.

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

Good company and good discourse are the very sinews of virtue.

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

As no man is born an artist, so no man is born an angler.

You cannot lose what you never had.

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

Angling may be said to be so like the Mathematics that it can never be fully learnt; at least not so fully but that there will still be more new experiments left for the trial of other men that succeed us.

Angling is somewhat like poetry, men are to be born so.

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.

Doubt not but angling will prove to be so pleasant that it will prove to be, like virtue, a reward to itself.

And for winter fly-fishing it is as useful as an almanac out of date.

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

So long as thou are ignorant be not ashamed to learn. Ignorance is the greatest of all infirmities, and when justified, the chiefest of all follies.

Let me tell you that every misery I miss is a new blessing.

[T]is not all fishing to fish.

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

Oh, the gallant fisher's life!It is the best of any;'T is full of pleasure, void of strife,And 't is beloved by many.

Rivers and the inhabitants of the watery element were made for wise men to contemplate, and fools to pass by without consideration.

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.

Blessings upon all that hate contention, and love quietnesse, and vertue, and Angling.

We may say of angling, as Dr. Boteler said of strawberries, Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did; and so, if I might be judge, God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling.

There are offences given and offences not given but taken.

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

And this, and many other like blessings, we enjoy daily. And for most of them, because they be so common, most men forget to pay their praises: but let not us, because it is a sacrifice so pleasing to Him that made that sun and us, and still protects us, and gives us flowers, and showers, and stomachs, and meat, and content, and leisure to go a-fishing.

If you can't be content with what you have received, be thankful for what you have escaped.

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

If all the theories were correct, there wouldn't be a fish left in all of our lakes and rivers and streams.

Angling is somewhat like poetry, men are to be born so: I mean, with inclinations to it, though both may be heightened by discourse and practice

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

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

A companion that feasts the company with and mirth, and leaves out the sin which is usually mixed with them, he is the man; and let me tell you, good company and good discourse are the very sinews of virtue.

[Be grateful for the simple things in life. Don't take them for granted. After all...] What would a blind man give to see the pleasant rivers and meadows and flowers and fountains; and this and many other like blessings we enjoy daily.

Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.

I am, Sir, a brother of the angle.

Affliction is a divine diet which though it be not pleasing to mankind, yet almighty God hath often imposed it as a good, thought bitter, physic, to those children whose souls are dearest to him.

Blessings we enjoy daily, and for the most of them, because they be so common, men forget to pay their praises. [and miss much of their benefits from grateful appreciation]

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

Angling is an art, and an art worth your learning.

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

There is a wheel within a wheel; a secret sacred wheel of Providence (most visible in marriages), guided by His hand that allows not the race to the swift nor bread to the wise, nor good wives to good men: and He that can bring good out of evil (for mortals are blind to this reason) only knows why this blessing was denied to patient Job, to meek Moses, and to our as meek and patient Mr Hooker.

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.

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

The Waters are Nature's storehouse in which she locks up her wonders.

O, sir, doubt not that Angling is an art; is it not an art to deceive a trout with an artificial fly?

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

You will find angling to be like the virtue of humanity, which has a calmness of spirit and a world of blessing attending upon it.

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.

This dish of meat is too good for any but anglers, or very honest men.

These poor rich men, we anglers pity them perfectly.