252 THE TROUT 



rhyme about the fasting of the jovial monks of 

 Melrose. He asked the Doctor if he remembered 

 the old stave. 



'The Doctor remembered no such thing. His 

 attention was given to more substantial doctrine. 

 " Sir, I should not be surprised if they possessed 

 the original receipt a local one too, I am told for 

 dressing the red trout in this hereditary house of 

 entertainment ? " : 



' Never doubt it, man claret, butter, and spiceries. 

 Zounds, I have eat of it till it makes my mouth 

 water yet. As the French adage goes, "Give your 

 trout a bottle of good wine, a lump of butter and 

 spice, and tell me how you like him." Excellent trout 

 in this very house got in the Friar's Cast, man, the 

 best reach of the river. Let them alone for that. 

 Those jolly monks knew something of the mystery.' 



It says much for the full flavour and rich essences 

 of the red trout, that a refined epicure like the nabob 

 deemed them improved by such prononct treatment 

 as red wine and spice. Yet we are told that ' the 

 stewed trout had ceased to be a luxury to him,' and 

 we cannot wonder that with long familiarity they 

 had palled on his palate. Good trout, like salmon, 

 are less likely to pall when they are dressed with 

 severe and Arcadian simplicity. For permanent 



