456 THE FISHWIVES OF PARIS. [CHAP. x. 



are told of phantom lights and woeful demons that lure the 

 unsuspecting wayfarer to a treacherous death. 



The Parisian fishwives are clean and buxom women, like 

 their sisters of Newhaven, and they are quite as celebrated if 

 not so picturesque in their costume. About a century and a 

 half ago and I need not go further back there were a great 

 number of fishwives in Paris, there being not less than 4000 

 oyster-women, who pursued their business with much dexterity, 

 and were able to cheat their customers as well, if not better 

 than any modern fishwife. One of their best tricks was to 

 swallow many of the finest oysters under the pretence of their 

 not being fresh. Among the Parisian fishwives of the last cen- 

 tury we are able to pick out Madame Picard, who was famed 

 for her poetical talent, and was personally known to many of 

 the eminent Frenchmen of the last century. Her poems were 

 collected and published in a little volume, and ultimately by 

 marriage this fishwife became a lady, having married a very 

 wealthy silk merchant. The fishwives of Paris have long 

 been historical : they have figured prominently in all the 

 great events connected with the history of that city. A depu- 

 tation from these market-women, gorgeously dressed in silk 

 and lace, and bedecked with diamonds and other precious 

 stones, frequently took part in public affairs. Mirabeau was 

 a great favourite of the Parisian fishwives ; at his death 

 they attended his funeral and wore mourning for him. These 

 Poissardes took an active part in the revolution of 1789, and 

 did deeds of horror and charity that one has a difficulty in 

 reconciling. It was no uncommon sight, for instance, to see 

 the fishwives carrying about on poles the heads of obnoxious 

 persons who had been murdered by the mob. 



As I am on the subject of the foreign fisher-folk, I may 

 as well say a few words more about the quaint eel-breeders 

 of Comacchio, to whom I have already had occasion to allude. 

 According to M. Coste, the social life of the people at Co- 



