THE TENCH. 267 



man. This, he says, was done after an unusual manner, by 

 certain Jews. And it is observed, that many of those 

 people have many secrets yet unknown to Christians; 

 secrets that have never yet been written, but have been 

 (since the days of their Solomon, who knew the nature of 

 all things, even from the cedar to the shrub) delivered by 

 tradition, from the father to the son, and so from generation 

 to generation, without writing ; or (unless it were casually) 

 without the least communicating them to any other nation 

 or tribe ; for to do that they account a profanation. And 

 yet it is thought that they, or some spirit worse than they, 

 first told us that lice swallowed alive were a certain cure 

 for the yellow jaundice. This, and many other medicines* 

 were discovered by them, or by revelation ; for, doubtless, 

 we attained them not by study. 



Well, this fish, besides his eating, is very useful both dead 

 and alive for the good of mankind. But I will meddle no 

 more with that ; my honest humble art teaches no such 

 boldness ; there are too many foolish meddlers in physic 

 and divinity, that think themselves fit to meddle with 

 hidden secrets, and so bring destruction to their followers. 

 But I '11 not meddle with them any further than to wish 

 them wiser ; and shall tell you next, for I hope I may be 

 so bold, that the tench is the physician of fishes, for the 

 pike especially ; and that the pike, being either sick or 

 hurt, is cured by the touch of the Tench. And it is ob- 

 served, that the tyrant pike will not be a wolf to his 

 physician, but forbears to devour him, though he be never 

 so hungry. 



This fish, that carries a natural balsam in him to cure 

 himself and others, loves yet to feed in very foul water, and 



