34 THE COMPLETE ANGLER 



And it is observable, not only that there are fish, as 

 namely the whale, three times as big as the mighty 

 elephant, that is so fierce in battle, but that the mightiest 

 feasts have been of fish. The Romans in the height of their 

 glory have made fish the mistress of all their entertain- 

 ments ; they have had music to usher in their sturgeons, 

 lampreys, and mullets, which they would purchase at 

 rates rather to be wondered at than believed. He 

 that shall view the writings of Macrobius, or Varro, 

 may be confirmed and informed of this, and of the in- 

 credible value of their fish and fish-ponds. 



But, gentlemen, I have almost lost myself, which I 

 confess I may easily do in this philosophical discourse ; 

 I met with most of it very lately, and I hope, happily, 

 in a conference with a most learned physician, Dr. 

 Wharton,* a dear friend ; that loves both me and my 

 art of angling. But, however, I will wade no deeper 

 in these mysterious arguments, but pass to such observa- 

 tions as I can manage with more pleasure, and less fear 

 of running into error. But I must not yet forsake the 

 waters, by whose help we have so many known 

 advantages. 



lawful for them to eat, and what fish they should not touch. In 

 respect to flesh-meat he does the same. Leviticus xi. 9, 10, Moses 

 orders, " These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters : whatsoever 

 hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, 

 them shall ye eat. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, 

 and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living 

 thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you. 

 In Deut. xiv. 9, 10, the great law-giver repeats his fish-eating 

 clauses : " These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters : all that 

 have fins and scales shall ye eat : and whatsoever hath not fins and 

 scales ye may not eat ; it is unclean unto you." The modern 

 Hebrews heed very little the edible interdicts of their progenitors. 

 They are, in England at least, great consumers and the very best 

 cooks of fish without scales of plaice, soles, turbot, cod, barbel, 

 tench, etc. If the sumptuary laws of Moses were observed by them, 

 the economic luxuries of the fried-fish shops would be lost to myriads 

 of Jews and Gentiles. E. 



* Dr. Thomas ^"harton, an eminent physician and excellent 

 anatomist, and Gresham professor of physic. He lived in Aldersgate- 

 street, London, and died 1673. 



