NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 339 



ROACH. 



As the roach is no costly fish, so is he not 

 over- curiously enquired after. He that seeks 

 him, without difficulty finds him as early for 

 breakfast, as the sun salutes the creation ; whose 

 habitation is found bordering upon banks, in 

 eddies, small turns, and meandring streams ; 

 and where there's a bush in the suburbs of the 

 streams, there you shall find him sheltring him- 

 self, when recruits of rain force down the 

 freshes, and drive the soil from off the fertil 

 fields ; for then you may fish him, and not go 

 far to find him : when at other times, more es- 

 pecially near the approaching winter, he houses 

 himself in the more solitary security of can- 

 docks and bull- rushes, in depths of the water. 

 But whilst we paraphrase and discourse the 

 roach, we but decipher and interpret the rud ; 

 since nature's laws are alike to both, for both 

 have but one fate and period, though of differ- 

 ent complexion in fin, having natural inclina- 

 tion to long and warm days, to small and tril- 

 ling streams, yet neither of them lovers nor ad- 

 mirers of travel : by which you may guess, that 

 seldom or rarely they are found far from home ; 

 for placing a content in their little confinements, 



