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ting up to the higher localities of the main river, 

 and its chief tributaries. 



We have often wondered, whilst wandering by 

 these rivers, what the ideas of the Eomans could 

 have been, as to the nature of Scotland south of the 

 Grampians, relative to its rich store of fish an arti- 

 cle of such sumptuous luxury in Rome and other 

 cities in Italy. We think they must have been 

 both surprised and delighted at the quantities of 

 their most expensive food, found in such varied and 

 rich abundance in every rivulet and mountain lake. 

 They must have had many a luxurious meal on the 

 salmon and trout of the Tweed, the Forth, and the 

 Clyde. They were, without exception, the most 

 extravagant people, in regard to fish, of whom we 

 have any record. The accounts of their Vivaria, or 

 fish ponds, are, to this hour, matters of surprise, 

 amounting almost to incredulity. To keep fish be- 

 came quite a mania of the wildest kind among the 

 nobility of the country. The most wealthy and dis- 

 tinguished characters wasted their time and fortunes 

 on these childish and insane projects of stews or 

 ponds, as we may learn from Cicero, who, ironically, 

 calls Lueulus, Hortensius, and Phillippus, the 

 " Tritons of the fish ponds." The folly extended to 

 such a pitch, that reservoirs for fish were constructed 

 on the roofs of dwelling-houses ; while others, again, 

 not daring to soar so high, contented themselves 

 with bringing river water into their dining-rooms, 

 where vessels for the reception of fish were so made, 



