rom the Greeks, so did they, in some measure, their piscine
appetites. The eel-pout and the lotas's liver were the favourite fish
dishes of the Roman epicures; whilst the red mullet was esteemed as one
of the most delicate fishes that could be brought to the table.

With all the elegance, taste, and refinement of Roman luxury, it
was sometimes promoted or accompanied by acts of great
barbarity. In proof of this, the mention of the red mullet
suggests the mode in which it was sometimes treated for the, to
us, _horrible_ entertainment of the _fashionable_ in Roman
circles. It may be premised, that as England has, Rome, in her
palmy days, had, her fops, who had, no doubt, through the medium
of their cooks, discovered that when the scales of the red
mullet were removed, the flesh presented a fine pink-colour.
Having discovered this, it was further observed that at the
death of the animal, this colour passed through a succession of
beautiful shades, and, in order that these might be witnessed
and enjoyed in their fullest perfection, the poor mullet was
served alive in a glass vessel.

215. THE LOVE OF FISH among the ancient Romans rose to a real mania.
Apicius offered a prize to any one who could invent a new brine
compounded of the liver of red mullets; and Lucullus had a canal cut
through a mountain, in the neighbourhood of Naples, that fish might be
the more easily transported to the gardens of his villa. Hortensius, the
orator, wept over the death of a turbot which he had fed with his own
hands; and the daughter of Druses adorned one that she had, with rings
of gold. These were, surely, instances of misplaced affection; but there
is no accounting for tastes. It was but the other day that we read in
the "_Times_" of a wealthy _living_ English hermit, who delights in the
companionship of rats!

The modern Romans are merged in the general name of Italians,
who, with the exception of macaroni, have no specially
characteristic article of food.

216. FROM ROME TO GAUL is, considering the means of modern locomotion,
no great way; but the ancient sumptuary laws of that kingdom give us
little information regarding the ichthyophagous propensities of its
inhabitants. Louis XII. engaged six fishmongers to furnish his board
with fresh-water animals, and Francis I. had twenty-two, whilst Henry
the Great extended his requirements a little further, and had
twenty-f