18 BARBEL. 



continent of Europe, but it appears to be common in the south, 

 although it finds no place in the ancient works of Greek and 

 Roman writers. Ausonius alone among the last-named refers to 

 it; but this he does in a slighting manner, as being (for the 

 table,) best in the failing portion of its age. Yet there is some 

 difference of opinion in this respect, and Dr. Badham, in his 

 amusing book of fish-tattle, among others, speaks favourably of 

 it; but this gentleman adds, that the precaution should be 

 taken before cooking of removing the roe, as a very small 

 fragment will produce serious internal derangement. This indeed 

 was known at least so long since as the time of Gesner, if not 

 referred to in the Book of St. Albans, and has been experienced 

 since on numerous occasions, so that the rule regarding it 

 should be to abstain; and yet it is reported to have been eaten 

 sometimes with impunity. But as it is known that several 

 symptoms of a choleraic kind have been occasioned by eating 

 the generally wholesome roe of the Whiting, so it is probable 

 that the generally unwholesome roe of the Barbel may occasion- 

 ally be found safe. Life should not be risked in such a 

 hazardous way; nor in another matter concerning this fish, 

 regarding which we extract the following note from the already- 

 quoted Book of St. Albans, in the quaint words and antique 

 spelling of the writer: — "The Barbyll is a swete fysshe, but it is 

 a quasy meete and a peryllous for mannys body. For comynly 

 he yeuyth an introduxion to ye Febres. And yf he be eten 

 rawe, he maye be csrnse of mannys detlie; whyche hath oft be 

 seen." 



The advice here given concerning the eating of raw fish 

 will appear less strange when we refer to the custom of the 

 Israelites in the time of Moses, of eating the flesh of the lamb 

 in an uncooked condition; the indulgence in such a luxury 

 being specially forbidden (Exodus, c. 12,) in the case of the 

 lamb of the Passover. Again, in the book entitled "The 

 Governayle of Hclthe," printed by Caxton, are these lines: — 



"For helthe of body cover for cold thy head, 

 Eat no raw meat, take good hede thereto." 



But such a relative custom of our ancestors would not perhaps 

 have been remembered but for this reference to it in the case 

 of the Barbel: and vet with the light thus afforded to us, we 



