THE FISHERIES. 23 



tion of all who have any curiosity to examine the 

 subject. 



Bouchette says, ff The daring enterprise of the 

 fisherman is known on this side the ocean, as well 

 as the other — it would be idle to dwell upon the 

 boldness, the activity, the extreme collectedness 

 and presence of mind, that characterize that class 

 of navigators, who apparently naturalized to the 

 elements, buffet the heavy swell of the Atlantic, 

 in their frail fishing smacks and vessels, and seem 

 to laugh the ocean storms to scorn." 



It might be enough to quote one foreign writer 

 against another, to show the absurdity of the alle- 

 gations of the French diplomatist — but who that 

 has seen upon the shores of New England, beau- 

 tiful villages springing up under no operating 

 cause but the " silver drawn from the sea," filled 

 with seminaries for learning and temples for the 

 worship of God — abounding with all the means 

 for social improvement and intellectual culture — 

 the wharves laden with the rich productions of the 

 ocean — the harbor whitened by the canvas of 

 the enterprising fishermen, and does not know that 

 the declarations of Talleyrand are the very reverse 

 of the truth ! Who does not know, that when 

 war swept the barque of the fisherman from the 

 ocean, that he was among the foremost to enrol his 

 name under the flag of his country — and gallant- 



