Charles Cotton

Izaak Walton

Walton's popular classic treatise on fishing goes far beyond techniques, as it embraces a life that values serenity and appreciation for creation. Some of the natural history lore is antiquated, but keen intelligence and good humor express themselves in a readable and enjoyable manner.

The Compleat Angler, Or the Contemplative Man's Recreation

Marjorie Swann

A unique celebration of the English countryside and the most famous book on angling ever published, Walton’s Compleat Angler first appeared in 1653. In 1676, at Walton’s invitation, his friend Charles Cotton contributed his pioneering exploration of fly-fishing. The book is both a manual of instruction and a vision of society in harmony with nature. It guides the novice fisherman on how to catch and cook a variety of fish, on how to select and prepare the best bait and make artificial flies, and on the habits of freshwater fish. It also promotes angling as a communal activity in which the bonds of friendship are forged through shared experience of the natural world.

Anecdotes, poetry, music, and song intersperse the rural descriptions, which promote conservation as well as sport. This new edition highlights the book’s continuing relevance to our relationship with the environment, and explores the turbulent history from which it came.

The Compleat Angler

Theophilus Lucas

Games and Gamesters of the Restoration (1930) reprints two vastly different books The Compleat Gamester (1674) and Lives of the Gamesters (1714) that together give a comprehensive and representative view of gamesters and gambling in the latter half of the seventeenth century – a time that saw an explosion in such pursuits following the end of Cromwell’s rule.

The Compleat Gamester, by Charles Cotton, 1674; and, Lives of the Gamesters, by Theophilus Lucas, 1714. With an introduction by Cyril Hughes Hartmann

Games and Gamesters of the Restoration

The Complete Angler

A Contribution to the 700th Anniversary of Their Arrival in England

The Grey Friars of Canterbury, 1224 to 1538

Being a Discourse of Rivers, Fish-ponds, Fish, and Fishing

The Complete Angler, Or, The Contemplative Man's Recreation

A Mock Poem on the First and Fourth Books of Virgil's Æneid, in English Burlesque

Scarronides: Or, Virgil Travestie

Michel de Montaigne

William Hazlitt

Essays of Michel De Montaigne Michel De Montaigne Translated by Charles Cotton Edited by William Carew Hazlitt 1877 The Essays of Michel de Montaigne are contained in three books and 107 chapters of variable length. Montaigne's stated design in writing, publishing and revising the Essays over the period from approximately 1570 to 1592 was to record for the 'private benefit of friends and kinsmen ... some traits of my character and of my humours.' The Essays were first published in 1580 and cover a wide range of topics. As Essai is French for "trial" or "attempt", so Montaigne attempted to explore his thoughts, his life and learning in written form. His essays are widely regarded as the predecessor of the modern essay: a focused treatment of issues, events and concerns past, present and future. Montaigne wrote in a kind of crafted rhetoric designed to intrigue and involve the reader, sometimes appearing to move in a stream-of-thought from topic to topic and at other times employing a structured style which gives more emphasis to the didactic nature of his work. His arguments are often supported with quotations from Ancient Greek, Latin and Italian texts, which he quotes in the original source. Montaigne's stated goal in his book is to describe man, and especially himself, with utter frankness and honesty ("bonne foi"). He finds the great variety and volatility of human nature to be its most basic features, which resonates to the Renaissance thought about the fragility of humans. According to the scholar Paul Oskar Kristeller, "the writers of the period were keenly aware of the miseries and ills of our earthly existence". A representative quote is "I have never seen a greater monster or miracle than myself." He opposed the conquest of the New World, deploring the suffering it brought upon the natives. Citing the case of Martin Guerre as an example, he believes that humans cannot attain certainty. His skepticism is best expressed in the long essay "An Apology for Raymond Sebond" (Book 2, Chapter 12) which has frequently been published separately. We cannot trust our reasoning because thoughts just occur to us: we don't truly control them. We do not have good reasons to consider ourselves superior to the animals. He is highly skeptical of confessions obtained under torture, pointing out that such confessions can be made up by the suspect just to escape the torture he is subjected to. In the middle of the section normally entitled "Man's Knowledge Cannot Make Him Good," he wrote that his motto was "What do I know?". The essay on Sebond ostensibly defended Christianity. However, Montaigne eloquently employed many references and quotes from classical Greek and Roman, i.e. non-Christian authors, especially the atomist Lucretius.

Classic Essays

Essays of Michel de Montaigne

William Carew Hazlitt

One of France's great Renaissance thinkers, Montaigne was remarkably modern in his views. These highly readable essays reflect his thoughts on poetry, philosophy, theology, law, literature, education, and world exploration. Filled with aphorisms and anecdotes, enlivened by wordplay and a delightful folksiness, they constitute a celebration of literacy, friendship, and joie de vivre.

Selected Essays

Essays

The Wonders of the Peake ... The second edition

Containing I. Scarrönnides, Or Virgil Travestie. II. Lucian Burlesqued, Or The Scoffer Scoft. III. The Wonders of the Peake. IV. The Planters Manual

The Genuine Works of Charles Cotton, Esq;

The Planters Manual: Being Instructions for the Raising, Planting, and Cultivating All Sorts of Fruit-trees ... Very Useful for Such as are Curious in Planting and Grafting

Michel De Montaigne

This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic, timeless works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

The Compleat Gamester: Or, Instructions how to Play at All Manner of Usual and Most Gentile Games, Either on Cards, Dice, Billiards, Trucks, Bowls, Chess. Also the Arts and Misteries of Riding, Racing, Archery, Cock-fighting. To which is Added, the Game of Basset, ...

The Compleat Gamester; Or, Instructions how to Play at Billiards, Trucks, Bowls and Chess ... Cards ... Dice, To which is Added the Arts ... of Riding, Racing, Archery, and Cockfighting [by Charles Cotton].

Containing I. Scarronides, Or Virgil Travestie. II. Lucian Burlesqu'd, Or the Scoffer Scofft. III. The Wonders of the Peake. Illustrated with Many Curious Cutts ...

The Genuine Poetical Works of Charles Cotton, Esq

Or, Contemplative Man's Recreation, Being a Discourse on Rivers, Fishponds, Fish, and Fishing. With Notes Biographical and Explanatory, and the Lives of the Authors

The Compleat Gamester: Or, Full and Easy Instructions for Playing at Above Twenty Several Games Upon the Cards; with Variety of Diverting Fancies and Tricks Upon the Same, Now First Added ..

Charles Cotton

Books

Your next favorite book is out there