CYPEINIDiE OR CAEPS. 271 



Nor hot, nor cold, 

 Nor young, nor old ; 



and this prejudice seems to be generally adopted at 

 home ; witness the constant practice of those mimerous 

 anglers who grab each liquid foot of Thames from Put- 

 ney-bridge to Twickenhamj and hold all else fish that 

 takes the bait ; but when (as sometimes happens even to 

 the clumsiest) they haul a noble barbel from the water, 

 having, with a view both to immortaUze themselves and 

 encourage others, weighed, registered, and frescoed his 

 ftdl-length portrait on the walls of the inn, they give up 

 the carcase to the landlord's cat, to divide with her feline 

 friends as she pleases. 



And who, as to tasting what each takes a pride in, 

 Would as soon think of eating the pan it was fried in ! 



Yet the barbel is not everywhere held so cheap, nor 

 was it always thus despised at home : in Elizabeth's day 

 they were in sufficient repute to be protected by statute 

 law : amongst the piscatory restrictions of her reign, it 

 is enacted that any one taking barbel less than twelve 

 inches shall ' pay twenty shiUings, and give up the fish so 

 wrongfully taken, and the net or engine so wrongfully 

 used ;' and, again, by another enactment, ' whoever, fish- 

 ing in the Severn, makes use of any engine or device, 

 whereby salmon, trout, or barbel be taken, under the 

 several lengths aforesaid, shall pay five shillings, and 

 forfeit the fish and the instruments/ By our Gallic 

 neighbours, who are some authority in these matters, 

 barbel are held in high esteem : at Tours and other in- 

 land places situated on rivers, ' Les trois Barbeaux' is a 

 well-known sign; and an abundant supply is always 

 ready for 'noces et festins' in water-cages under the 

 bridge. We beg, therefore, to assure citizen anglers, 

 and others who may be incredulous, that these fish, 

 simply boiled in salt and water, and eaten cold, with a 

 squeeze of lemon-juice, will be found by no means de- 



