210 THE SALMON. 



towns to do likewise, for their own as well as their 

 neighbours' good. It was pleaded, however, for the 

 people above, that while they discoloured and defiled 

 the water, they did so with ingredients which, though 

 certainly rendering it poisonous to man, beast, and fish, 

 yet prevented, killed, or cured stench, and might be made 

 to operate more efl&caciously to that end. This plea was 

 practically allowed, neither party taking any account of 

 the fact that the ingredients (chiefly chloride of lime) 

 which are most effectual to prevent stench arising from 

 the water, are also most effectual to produce death to 

 everything under or even upon the water. Multitudes 

 of similar cases elsewhere may possibly be settled in a 

 similar way, the public in the matter of rivers content- 

 ing itself with saving its nose, to the deprivation of its 

 mouth and the damage of its eyes, to say nothing of 

 what there is much to be said about, the extirpation of 

 all the creatures to which the waters have been given 

 as a dwelling-place. It is a compromise which should 

 be discountenanced and resisted in the interest not only 

 of fish, and of all who catch fish, but of all who eat 

 fish, and all who value either the beauties or the edibles 

 which nature has provided. It is a device for making a 

 solitude, and calling it purity ; for depriving rivers of 

 life, and boasting that there is no corruption in their 

 wretched remains. Thus to kill or depopulate rivers 

 may be denounced as a violation of almost everything 

 sacred ; of justice, for it robs some men for the con- 

 venience of others ; of reason, for it is perpetrating an 

 injury which is at once enormous and avoidable; of 

 nature, and even of religion, for the command is, that 

 the waters shall bring forth abundantly. 



