THE LIVES OF DR. JOHN DONNE, SIR HENRY WOTTON, MR. RICHARD HOOKER, MR. GEORGE HERBERT, AND DR. ROBERT SANDERSON. WRITTEN BY IZAAK WALTON. "These were honoured men in their generations." THE INTRODUCTION. IN a late retreat from the business of this world, and those many little cares with which I have too often cumbered myself, I fell into a contemplation of fome of those historical paffages that are recorded in facred ftory; and more particularly of what had passed betwixt our bleffed Saviour, and that wonder of women, and finners, and mourners, Saint Mary Magdalen. I call her Saint, because I did not then, nor do now confider her, as when she was poffeft with seven devils; not as when her wanton eyes, and dishevelled hair, were defigned and managed to charm and enfnare amorous beholders. But I did then, and do now confider her, as after she had expreffed a vifible and facred forrow for her fenfualities; as after those eyes had wept fuch a flood of penitential tears as did wash, and that hair had wiped, and the most paffionately B 2 |