On the Naturalisation of Fish, 321 



positive (lisbeliefof the very facts; while the far greater number 

 have been persons, whose entire ignorance of every requisite 

 point of physiology, natural history, and chemistry, must, of 

 course, have rendered their objections sufficiently unworthy of 

 notice, though not sufficient to restrain the confidence with 

 which they have been urged. The satirical writers of the day 

 view this as the character of the age : the more obvious aspect 

 which this disposition presents, is the feeling, as if he who at- 

 tempted, by suggesting an improvement, to render a service, was 

 meditating an injury, and was an enemy to be opposed at all 

 hazards. I must permit you to settle metaphysical and moral 

 questions so profound as to exceed my own ingenuity. 



But I cannot avoid regretting that Mr. Arnold is not the rich 

 and idle proprietor of some of the tens of thousands of acres of 

 fresh water, whether Scotch or English, in which a ' sea-fish 

 cannot possibly live,' or * would certainly not be eatable :' and^ 

 in addition, that, instead of a not very opulent ami very busied 

 * notary public,' he was not in possession of some five thousand 

 of these acres, with as much money, and as much leisure. And 

 I feel bound to add to this apology for what he has not yet 

 done, that the expense of such a course of experiments is con- 

 siderable ; at least in this comparison. A superintendept would 

 be necessary ; and for the purpose of taking and transporting 

 the fish, still more of drawing nets periodically and frequently, 

 to ascertain the progress of the transplanted fish, there must 

 be expensive assistance, for which, as yet, there can be no re- 

 turns ; while that, in addition to irregularities and rocks in the 

 pond itself, impeding the accurate drawing and examination, 

 must also be the apology for the imperfection of the present ad- 

 ditional report as to the success for certain fishes. It is plain 

 that, though ten or a hundred turbots were present in a pond of 

 four or five acres, the fact is not one that can easily be ascer- 

 tained. Let those who have money, leisure, and water, and 

 nothing else towards the investigation of this object, restrain, at 

 least, their incredulity and opposition ; as may also they, very 

 safely, who never saw a fish, except on the stall of a London 

 fishmonger. 



With respect now to some facts : it had been said that the 

 water was salt, because this pond was situated at a sea embank- 



