Let out the Water from your open'd Lake,
And all the finny race in Baskets take:

Victuals, is to restore the vse of Fish to the ancient Credit and Estimation: and hereupon Bodine taketh occasion to commend our Custome of England for obseruing Fish dayes in the Weeke. And for effecting of the like in Fraunce, he propoundeth the example of the Prince and Magistrate whom the People will imitate. We may wish that both the one and the other were duly executed or obserued, whereby Fishing would be better maintained, and most especially the Nauigation and Flesh would in some Seasons of the Yeare be vsed more commodiously, and better for the Health of Man. The great number of all sorts and kinds of Fish according to the obseruation of the Romaines (noted by Maister Bodine) ought to moue vs thereunto; Fish being so pure a Creature, that were it not, that we see the same subiect vnto Diseases, it wold be very doubtfull, whether the same amongst other Creatures was cursed for Man's Transgression, the Scripture speaking only that the Earth was cursed therefore: considering also the Prouerbe, as sound as a Fish; and if any be subiect to Diseases it is Fish of Riuers, or of standing Waters and Fishponds, which may be cured by strawing much Parsley into the Water. And because that Flesh and Fish are two principall things for the Food of Man, and that our purpose is not to omit any thing, that incidently may be handled for the Good of the Commonwealth, therefore will it not be exorbitant the rule of our methode to discourse somewhat thereof. The best Season of the Yeare to eate Fish is from September vntill March, if we will regard the Goodness of the Fish: howbeit that for the Increase of Beasts, we are commanded with great reason and consideration, to eate most Fish in March and Aprill, when he loseth his Taste. The fresh Fish of Riuers is of more Digestion, and better for sicke Persons; but the Sea-fish is of more Nourishment. All Fish being moist and cold of nature, is qualified by the addition of Salt, and being eaten

The Water rushes and the Dams and mounds
Remov'd, thro' Valleys and o'er Stones resounds,

with much Bread cannot do any hurt, especially vnto cholericke Persons, with whose Complexion it agreeth best. And whereas all other Creatures do first decay and putrifie in the Belly, the Fish doth first putrifie in the Head: for no otherr reason, but that hauing only one Gut the Meate doth easily passe the same, without Digestion or Corruption; which by staying long with other Creatures causeth Putrifaction: an Argument that Fish is more healthfull then Flesh, howbeit that (through the continuall vse) Flesh is more agreeable with our Nature." ENGLAND'S viévo, in the vnmasking of two Paradoxes: with a replication onto the answer of Maister IOHN BODINE, by GERRARD DE MALYNES, Merchant. Oct. 1603.

Numerous have been the Opinions upon the Salubrity of FISH as a Diet: Dr. HOLLAND, in his Translation of the Regimen Sanitatis Salerni, a Work supposed to have been drawn up about the Year 1099, by JOHANNES DE MEDIOLANUS, or JOHN of MILAN, with the Concurrence of the other Physicians of Salerne, then reckoned the most celebrated School for Medicine in EUROPE. It was formerly in such high Esteem, that it was called "The Flower of Physic;" and HALLER enumerates above twenty Editions of it, printed at different times, sometimes with, and sometimes without a Commentary; and has been translated into various Languages, into English by PAGNELL, of which Book, two Editions were published at London in 1579 and 1607. But the best Publication of it, is that from which this Extract is derived.

"The Fish of soft and biggest Body take,

If hard and little, do not them forsake.

Pike, Pearch, and Sole, are known for dainty Fish,
The Whiting also is a courtly Dish:

Tench, Gurnard, and a well-grown Plaice in May,

Carp, Rochet, Trout, these are good Meat I say.

F

Here with his much-loved Stream, his Life he leaves,
And his last parting Breath the Air receives.

but the greatest care should be taken to avoid swallowing the Bones, which are of a Texture so peculiarly hard, that they will not dissolve in the Stomach, and are apt to occasion Fistulas. This Fact is not so generally known as it ought to be.

"The Salt Water, are more salutary than River Fish, and furnish abundant Subsistence. Of these, the Herring, the Catching of which gives Occupation to Thousands, is the most important. The Cod is valuable, and when fresh supplies a palatable and good Aliment. The Whiting may be given to the weakest Digestion; the Haddock is more firm, and consequently less digestible; the Mackarel is drier, and not so Nutritive. The common Flounder and the Sole are tender, the Turbot and the Holibut more viscid. Mons. GOSSE discovered that the Solution of Skate was very tardy in the Stomach; and other Persons have found the Salmon and Sturgeon to be equally so.

"The Shell-Fish are usually deemed great Dainties, though not in general quick of Digestion; upon some Constitutions they produce Anxiety and Fever, and affording perhaps the most viscous Gluten of those three Kinds of Food, and should never be taken without Vinegar. The Crab is so heavy, that it is rarely tasted, without the Addition of Acids and Condiment. The Lobster and Shrimp are mostly used in Sauces; the Cockle

⚫ Dr. JOHNSON in his Tour to the Western Isles, says, it is held that the Return of the LAIRD to Dunvegan (in the Isle of SKY) after any considerable Absence, produces a plentiful Capture of Herrings; and that if any Woman crosses the Water to the opposite Island, the Herrings will desert the Coast. BOETIUS tells the same of some other Place. This Tradition is not Uniform. Some hold that No Woman may pass, and others that none may pass but a MACLEOD.

Lest the whole Breed should undistinguish'd die, Take the small Fish that at the bottom lie,

is rather tasteless, and the Muscle, though more savoury, is often attended with poisonous Consequences, which, it is asserted, may be entirely prevented by well washing them, in Vinegar and Water. The Oyster is a Delicacy, and vast quantities are Consumed in a raw state; they form also a very common Mixture as a Sauce to other Animal Food of an insipid Nature, both Fish, Flesh, and Fowl; they are more easily digested when raw, than dressed in any form whatever; are esteemed nourishing, without being heating, and are extremely proper in Consumptive Cases, or for People who are recovering from Sickness, where weak Stomachs will not digest Flesh Meat, &c. The ROMANS, observes Mr. WHITTAKER, in his History of MANCHESTER, first taught us the Art of fattening our Oysters in artificial Beds; the Feeding Pits being first invented about Ninety Years before CHRIST, and first constructed upon the Shore of BAIE, and even as early as the Reign of VESPASIAN, the British Oyster was deemed famous among the ROMANS, and thought worthy to be carried into ITALY."

The following Rules have been given regarding the Consumption of FISH.

FISH should be as fresh as possible, when tainted, even in

• So superstitious and ignorant were the ancient GREEKS and ROMANS, that they believed Oysters to grow fat with the two first Quarters of the Moon, and become lean with her Waning.-Ostries et conchyllis omnibus, says AULUS GELLIUS, contigit, ut cum Luna crescant pariter, pariterque decrescant: so says CICERO. GELLIUS quotes LUCILIUS, Luna alit Ostrea. HORACE also says, nascentes implent conchylia Luna. It is true they had some Taste respecting the Relish of Oysters, and knew how to distinguish well. What says JUVENAL of the nicely discriminating Gusto of an Oyster Epicure?

That he could tell at the first Taste whether they came from the Circean Rocks, the Bay of Lucrinum in CAMPANIA, or from RICHBOROUGH, in KENT County, in ENGLAND.

Into new Ponds the little Wand'rers place;
And there preserve the Hopes of all the Race.
They swim surpris'd, the vacant Lakes survey,
And all their Father's wat'ry Empire sway.

The Ponds now drain'd, the cautious Eel lies roll'd
Deep in the Mud, and wound in many a fold.
While here he lurks, conceal'd beneath the Ooze,
With griping hand the smooth Deceiver close* ;

the slightest Degree, they contain something very noxious to the Constitution; they should be Eaten quite hot, and in less Quantity, and not after other solid Food, and none, Oysters excepted, in a cold state. Fish, though alkalescent, like other sorts of Animal Food, yet as they are defective in Nutritious Qualities, they require more Condiment; thus Acids, fermented and even Spirituous Liquors, are often taken to assist their Digestion. Fish is certainly improved by the Use of Butter, yet at the same time, it must make it heavier, and hence those disagreeable Consequences arise, which render Drams necessary, and the Fish is blamed, when the Fault is in the Sauce. Of all Sea and River Fish, those are best that live in Rocky Situations, next to them, in Sandy or Gravelly Places, and in clear, sweet, and running Water. Those are bad, that are in Pools, Oozy Lakes, Marshes, and in any still muddy Water. The middle-sized Fish are most desirable, and the preferable mode of dressing, is to Broil them, secondly, to Boil them, and to Fry them is the worst.

* Sero sapiunt Phryges.

"The Prouerbe saieth, so long the Potte to water goes, That at the lengthe it broke returnes, which is appli'de to those, That longe with Wyles, and Shiftes, haue cloaked wicked

partes,

Who haue at lengthe bene paied home, and had their just De

sertes;