THE CARP. 67 



We are informed in the "Whole Art of Fishing," 1719, that the 

 " carp is a stately and subtle fish, called the fresh- water fox and queen 

 of rivers" queen of rivers, I suppose, on somewhat the same prin- 

 ciple as that on which St. Ambrose terms, the grayling " the flower 

 of fishes." In Heraldry, Randle Holme ; in his marvellous collection 

 of knowledge, " The Academy of Armory," informs us the carp indicates 

 " hospitality, and denotes food and nourishment from the bearer to those 

 in need." The associations of carp history are therefore redolent of 

 salutary lessons and good qualities, truly suggesting generally the 

 sacred ideal of being wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. 



The date of the introduction of this fish into England is not 

 quite satisfactorily proved. The old ryhme in Sir Richard Baker's 

 " Chronicle " 



Hops and tnrkeys, carpi and beer, 

 Came into England all in a year 



is of course not correct. Leonard Mascal asserts that he introduced 

 them, and Walton speaks of the circumstance as follows: "It is said 

 they were brought hither by one Mr. Mascal, a gentleman that then lived 

 at Plumstead, in Essex." This assertion is, however, not true, for 

 in 1486 Dame Berners says, "There be but few in Englonde," which is 

 of course equivalent to saying there were some, but not many. Mr. 

 Manley, in the work before quoted, says they were probably imported 

 from Persia and naturalised in the fourteenth century, but does not give 

 his authority a grave omission. Still, one may safely assume that the 

 carp was a foreign importation about that time. It was introduced 

 into Sweden in 1560, and has since become perfectly naturalised there. 



Shakespeare mentions it ("Hamlet," Act ii., scene 1), in Polonius' 

 advice to his son, and both Massinger and Ben Jonson refer to the 

 tongues of oarps as eatables. 



The artfulness of this fish is indeed remarkable. More than one writer 

 has paid a tribute to this quality. Duncombe translates Vaniere's 

 oft quoted eulogium in a capitally vigorous style : 



Of all the fish that swim the watery weed, 

 1* ot one in cunning can the carp exceed. 



She oft will dive 



Beneath the net, and not alone contrive 

 Means tor her own escape, but pity take 

 on all her hapless brethren of the lake ; 

 For rising, with her back she lifts the snares, 

 And trees the captive with officious cares; 

 The little fry in safety swim away. 

 And disappoint the nets of their expected prey. 



Another and more amusing poetical commemoration of the craft of 

 the carp has been extracted from the " Censura Literaria," and 

 published by Mr. Pinkerton. I have not space for more than a stanza 



F 2 



