1828.) Notes for the Month. 295 
his tail, by the very way in which he breaks cover; and a fisher, who 
professed that he could throw his line blindfolded, and, the moment he 
gota rise, swear to the weight of the fish at the end of it, would either 
of them be considered in many companies to be “ using the sportsman’s 
privilege.” Sir Humphrey Davy, however, in his “ Salmonia,” throws 
all former performers of miracles into shade ; and we hope that his testi- 
mony will put an end to these heretofore injurious suspicions. The three 
fishers—Halieus, Physicus, and Poietes—are angling in the Colne; and 
Halieus—the adept—(understood to be Sir Humphrey himself)—has 
caught a trout, which the two others are admiring. The dialogue then 
continues thus :— 
« Porer.—This great fish, that you have just caught, must be nearly of the 
weight I assigned to him. 
«< Har.—O no; he is, I think, above 5lbs. but not 6lbs.; but we can form 
a more correct opinion by measuring him, which I can easily do, the butt of 
my rod being a measure. He measures, from nose to fork, a very little less than 
twenty-four inches, and, consequently, upon the scale which is appropriate to well- 
Sed trouts, should weigh 5lbs. 100z.—which, within an ounce, I doubt not is his 
weight. 
« Puys.—O, I see you take the mathematical law, that similar solids are to 
each other in the triplicate ratio of one of their dimensions. 
« Hat.—You are right. 
« Puys.—But I think you are below the mark, for this appears to me an 
extraordinarily thick fish. 
_ © Han. He is a clean fish, but, in proportion, not so thick as my model, 
which was a fish of 17 inches by 9 inches, and weighed 2lbs.—this is my 
standard solid. We will try him. Ho! Mrs. B.!—bring your scales, and 
weigh this fish. There, you see, he weighs 5lbs. 1030z.” 
The nicety of the gentleman in the play who calculates the expences 
of taking Breda.— Please your highness, it will cost you one thousand 
two hundred and forty dead on the field—six hundred and ninety-seven 
legs—three hundred and twenty-eight arms—a hundred and fourteen 
compound fractures—ninety-two operations for the trepan,” &c. &c.— 
was a trifle compared to the fractional accuracy of our friend Sir Hum- , 
phrey Davy. 
The Poor Laws in Ireland.—The author of a clever and tersely- 
written pamphlet just published, entitled, “ Fiance and Currency” 
[of England] “ for the year 1828,” desires to have the establishment of 
a system of Poor Laws in Ireland made one of the very earliest objects 
of parliamentary consideration. 
« Why,” he asks, “ should Ireland have the liberty of exporting her 
poor, and her produce, free to Great Britain, and yet herself be exempt 
from land-tax, small tithes, and poor’s-rate?” Why should England 
continue to uphold a system, “ which enables the absentee Irish landlord 
to extract to himself more of the produce of the land than the landowner of 
any other country, and that at the expense, and to the injury, of Great 
Britain ?” 
Now we are among those who take the English poor laws, when fairly 
administered, to be an incomparable advantage and relief, rather than a 
burthen to the country; and as far as the interests of humanity and 
public order are concerned in their existence, we should be extremely 
glad to find them capable of being introduced into Ireland ; but we think 
that those who expect that the establishment of poor laws in Ireland, will 
stop the emigration of Irish poor into this country, will find themselves 
