We have gentles in a horn,

We have paste and worms too; We can watch both night and morn, Suffer rain and storms too :

None do here

Use to swear;

Oaths do fray

Fish away:

We sit still,

And watch our quill;

Fishers must not Wrangle.

If the Sun's excessive heat

Make our bodies swelter, To an Osier hedge we get, For a friendly shelter; Where in a dike, Perch or pike, Roach or dace,

We do chase,

Bleak or gudgeon,

Without grudging;

We are still Contented.

Or we sometimes pass an hour
Under a green willow,
That defends us from a shower,

Making Earth our pillow;

Then we may

Think and pray,

Before Death

Stops our breath;

Other joys

Are but toys,

And to be Lamented.

J. CHALKHILL.

M

In 1683, when he was Ninety Years old, WALTON published THEALMA and CLEARCHUS, a Pastoral History in Easy Verse, written long since by JOHN CHALKHILL, Esq. an Acquaintance and Friend of EDMUND SPENSER: to this Poem he wrote a Preface, containing a very amiable Character of the Author. He lived a short time after this Publication, for during the great Frost on the 15th December, 1683, WALTON died at WINCHESTER, in the Prebendal house of Dr. WILLIAM HAWKINS, his Son-in-law. It was his express Desire that his Burial might be near the place of his Death, privately, and free from any Ostentation.

On the Stone which covers his Remains within the Cathedral of WINCHESTER, these Lines are yet extant:

Here resteth the Body of

MR. IZAAC WALTON,

who died the 15th of Dec. 1683.

"Alas! he's gone before,

Gone to return no more.
Our panting Breasts aspire
After their aged Sire,
Whose well-spent life did last
Full ninety Years and past;

But now he hath begun

That which will ne'er be done.

Crown'd with eternal Bliss,

We wish our Souls with his.

VOTIS MODESTIS SIC FLERUNT LIBERI."

In WALTON'S Book is also to be found many Directions for the

Cooking* as well as the Catching of Fish, so as to render them not only palatable, but more wholesome, for it seems to have been a long founded Opinion, that Fish as an Article of Food, needs some Precaution to combine the former with the latter Property. The preceding Pages have noticed the Excellence of the several Kinds most use, and which is derived, according as the Waters are running or stagnant, from whence they may be taken.

in

In Addition the following may be read with Interest, considering Fish as a great Augmentation to the public Stock of human Aliment, and the Arguments there mentioned, are in Favour of their nutritive Qualities.

Fish is thought not to be Food of sufficient Support for the robust Male, and hard-working Classes. It may be so, as a constant or frequent Diet; but to Children, Women, the Valetudinary, the Sedentary, and the Aged, it is well suited, and equally salutary and agreeable. That ancient and authoritative Regulation which made the Seas and Ocean tributary to the Christian Population of EUROPE, for nearly two-sevenths of the Animal food it should consume, was perhaps a well-considered political Combination, still more than a religious Observance, suited to secure Advantages to both. To it is probably owing, the Discovery of the Western half of the habitable Globe: to some Catcher of Sprats, or Fisher for Sardignes, or Anchovies, was first suggested the Hope of a more prolific, though distant Shoal, which the teeming Banks of NEWFOUNDLAND have so completely rewarded. Whenever the Madness of selfish Ambition, and the

* It may be computed to what a stretch the Ingenuity of Man has been exerted in the Culinary Art, when it is known, that the best Cooks in PARIS, regularly take Medicines, in order to preserve the Fineness of their Palate, that their Sauces may be properly composed.

Folly of national and inordinate Cupidity, shall be cured by Punishment and Suffering, or lessened by the light of Reason, and the due Influence of Religion, the Numbers of Mankind may be expected so to increase, that the vast Stores of the Waters, must be brought in Aid of the Productions of the terraqueous Soil, at least in EUROope. Let us begin at once to find and use them. FISH is not a Substitute for farinaceous Food, but its Use tends greatly to lessen the Consumption of Flesh-meats; which still limit, and compete too much with the produce of the Plough in this Island. In the Progression from the thinly scattered state of Savage or rude Society, Herds, Flocks, and extensive Pastures necessarily give way to the Plough and the Sickle; to the Cultivation of Grain and Roots, which on an equal breadth of Soil, employ and support so many more of Human Beings. At this Time, about 5lb. of prime fresh Fish might be offered to all Classes at the average price of 1lb. of Meat. SIR H. DAVY, and other ingenious Men, can consider the matter, and tell us whether they are worth having in this manner. Let it not be objected, that Fish is a Diet too democratic; it is true, that the poorest Parishioner of St. GILES's, or SPITALFIELDS, may eat his Mackerel in the same Perfection, and with equal Enjoyment, as the proudest Peer of St. JAMES's, or BLOOMSBURY; and that neither can find, nor need to seek, when in its Season and perfection of Freshness, a more agreeable or appetitive Refection. But Fish requires Sauce! — indeed, it more requires Sense. The River GANGES yields a Fish which the most luxurious Emigré to the epicurean City of CALCUTTA, eats greedily, with the simple Addition of plain hot-water, seasoned only with a pinch of Salt. With Mackerel it may be nearly the same; Butter, the only Sauce in use, is altogether unnecessary. Cod and Haddock, and all the simple white Fish, may, by the assistance of the Gridiron and the Frying-pan,-and still better, in the mode

of Bouilli and Soup, or when cold, in those of Souse or Sallad,-be eaten with sufficient, and indeed keen Relish, without expensive Adjuncts of any kind;-neither Butter, nor Oysters, Soy, nor Anchovies, are requisite.

The Second Person who remarks upon Fish Diet, says, in the present distressed State of the Poor, not only in the Country, but even in the Metropolis, occasioned by the high price of Provisions of every description, no Means should be left untried to alleviate their Hardships. Of all Relief, that must be the most efficacious, which goes more or less directly to remove the Cause of the Evils complained of. The pecuniary Assistance afforded by Private Charity or Public Institutions, can only be partial and temporary, and, in many instances, rather tends to increase than remove them. We are generally accustomed to ascribe the high price of Provisions to bad Seasons, and scanty Crops, and these, no doubt, are sometimes a Cause; but there are other Causes that operate more regularly, and more permanently. Of these, the most prominent in this Country is, without doubt, the increasing Consumption of Animal Food, which is every Day converting the best of our Soils into Pasture, and by that means not only diminishing the more necessary articles of Subsistence, but abridging the field of Labour and Industry, to the great Prejudice of the Poor, and ultimately, of the Population of the Country. It becomes a Question, therefore, of Importance, if there be any means of diminishing this extravagant Consumption, and if there can be found a Substitute. To this may be answered, that Fish is not only equally good, but in some respects superior; at least, a due Alternation of both is certainly most desirable. That Fish is not only innocuous, but as Food, exceedingly nutricious and conducive to Health, is evident, from the well known Fact, that