Virginia Water. 1 



THE FIFTH DAY. 



(Continued.) 



CHAPTER XX. 



OP FISH-PONDS, AND HOW TO ORDER THEM. 2 



Pise. Doctor Lebault, the learned Frenchman, in his large 

 discourse of Maison Rustique? gives this direction for making 

 of fish-ponds. I shall refer you to him to read it at large ; 

 but I think I shall contract it, and yet make it as useful. 



He adviseth, that when you have drained the ground, 

 and made the earth firm where the head of the pond must 



1 Virginia Water, which covers nearly 1000 acres, is well stocked with 

 fish of all kinds, and used to afford his Majesty Greorge IV. ample scope for 

 Ins favourite recreation. He had a most magnificent set of fishing tackle, 

 made by Ustonson, which was publicly exhibited for several days, in May, 

 1828. The daily papers of the time teem with its sparkling grandeur ; 

 gold, velvet, and even diamonds, being among its decorations. H. C. B. 



2 On this subject, the Hon. Roger North wrote an accredited work 

 entitled "A Discourse on Fish and Fish Ponds," 1712, which underwent 

 repeated editions ; and of late years we have had an admirable treatise 

 "On the Management of Fish in Rivers and Streams," by Gottlieb Boccius; 

 8vo. Lond. ED. 



3 This book, translated into English by Richard Surflet in 1600, and 

 corrected and enlarged in a second edition by Gfervase Markham, is extant, 

 under the title of the " Countrey Farm." London, 16J 6, folio. 



