272 RED SURMULLET. Class IV. 



The lavifh Have 

 Six thoufand pieces for a Mullet gave, 

 A fellerce for each pound. Dry den. 



But Afinius Celer *, a man of confular dignity, 

 gave a flill more unconfcionable fum, for he did 

 not fcruple bellowing eight thoufand nummi, or 

 fixty-four pounds eleven fnillings and eight-pence^ 

 for a fifh of fo fmall a fize as the mullet j for ac^ 

 cording to Horace^ a Mullus irilibris^ or one of three 

 poundsj was a great rarity -, fo that Juvenar% fpark 

 muft have had a great bargain in comparifon of 

 what Celer had. 



But Seneca fays that it was not worth a farthing, 

 except it died in the very hand of your gueft : 

 that fuch was the luxury of the times, that there 

 were^ ftews even in the eating rooms, fo that the 

 nfh could at once be brought from under the table, 

 and placed on it : that they put the mullets in 

 tranfparent vafes, that they might be entertained 

 with the various changes of its rich color while 

 it lay expiring f. ApciusX^ a wonderful genius 



• P//«. Lib. IX. c, 17. 



■f In cuhili natant pifces : et fuh ip/a men/a capitur, qui 



JIatifn transferitur in men/am : parum <videtur recens raullu* 



niji qui in connjiua manu moritur. Vitreis ollis inclufi offeruntur^ 



et cbfer-caiur morientium colc'y quern in multas mutationes luiiante 



Jpiritwvertit. Seneca Nat. Quseft. Lib.Wl^ c, i6, 



X Ad omTK luxus ingenium m'trui, 



for 



