180 



In our monthly reports, and in several other papers published in the 

 Belief Correspondence laid before Parliament during this eventful 

 period, these facts, their causes, with some of the measures proposed 

 for their remedy, were put forward. 



Whilst the deep sea fisheries were injuriously affected by the with- 

 drawal of boats and tackle, left to rot on the shores, or in pawn offices, 

 and by the fishermen themselves resorting to the more certain and 

 ready means of public works, and soup kitchens, for the bare support 

 of life; the inland fisheries were materially injured by the increased 

 infringement of the laws, passed for their protection and improve- 

 ment. 



The close season prohibitions were openly violated, when it was felt 

 to be difficult to enforce regulations, that were met by the plea of want 

 of food; and it is much to be feared, that in consequence, a general 

 disregard for the most useful regulations of the law, has supervened to 

 an extent that has caused much mischief already, which it will require 

 much time to correct and remove. 



Whilst such were the depressing results of the famine in the first 

 instance, there are still strong grounds for hoping that those very 

 results, by exposing the unsound and undeveloped state of one of the 

 most valuable (and which at the same time it would be easy to render 

 most available) of the resources of the country, will have their good 

 effects. 



The fact of great numbers of persons dying from want of food (or 

 such profitable employment as would enable them to buy it), along the 

 shores of a sea abounding in fish, and which was calculated to afford 

 remunerative employment in its production, has established beyond all 

 controversy, the necessity for permanently developing and relying 

 upon the fisheries in this country as a source of industry and trade, 

 and consequently of food. 



XII. 

 THE RIVERS OF IRELAND. 



Edmund Spenser, if not a follower of rural sports, was a keen ob- 

 server of them. The allegoric passages drawn from that of Hawking, 

 so frequent in the ' Faerie Queene,' are depicted with the accuracy of a 

 practised falconer. 



In his poem of ' Epithalmion,' he invokes the water-spirits of the 

 river Aubeg, or the ' Narrow-water,' the stream passing under his 

 residence of Kilcolman : 



Ye Nymphes of Mulla, which with carefull heed 

 The silver scaly trouts do tend full well, 

 And greedy pikes which use therein to feed ; 

 (Those trouts and pikes all others doe excell ;) 

 And ye likewise, which keepe the rushy lake, 

 Where none do fishes take. * * * 

 And eke, ye lightfoot mayds, which keepe the deer, 

 That on the hoary mountayne use to towre ; 

 And the wyld wolves, which seeke them to deroure, 

 With your steele darts doe chace from coming neer ; 

 Be also present heere. 



