NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 319 



that seek sanctuary in solitary lakes. And as 

 he hates rambling far from home, so he abhors 

 correspondency with those that do ; contenting 

 himself with torpid streams, and hugs his fancy 

 in solitary deeps. Trent, I have observed, for 

 the race of bream, may challenge all England, 

 nay, all Europe, for ought I know, more espe- 

 cially near those streams that wet the ports of 

 Gainsborough ; where sometimes he washeth his 

 fins with the Eagre, and arrives there to that 

 amazing bigness, that I blush to report it, lest 

 the reader should suspect me. Indeed the bream 

 is an excellent companion, if you can but get 

 him into humour to bite, which may easily be 

 done, if you do but treat him with the compost 

 of paste ; for that will insinuate him into the 

 pie, where his bones will absorp, and his flesh 

 amalgamize with fresh sweet butter ; which be- 

 ing dissolved, will entertain you with a nutri- 

 cious liquor, that for phlegmatick humours is 

 both physick and diet. 



I never knew any angler (except it was one) 

 that singly devoted himself a whole day's diver- 

 sion, in order to court and entertain this fish ; 

 nor do I remember him inroll'd in the angler's 

 catalogue, among the first classis of dignified 

 fish. For that end, therefore, as I intend bre- 

 vity in his description, so give me leave to shew 



