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now carried on in the obfcure receffes of our prolific river, by which means we fee brought to market, what is not only in itself unwholefome, but injurious to the commerce and advantages of this corporation.

N. B. The season is now altered; it commences the 30th of January, and ends the 30th of October.

Qu. IV. What is the general price of falmon at Berwick?

Anf. As to the price of falmon at the river fide; in the beginning of the feafon they are very high; a good found fifh (for fome at this time are not fo) will fetch IS. IS. 3d. and is. 6d. per pound if a veffel is ready to fail for London, with a fair wind, for every thing here points to the metropolis, the buyer will fpeculate very high, and even advance upon 1s. 6d.

Moft of the time that falmon is fent away fresh, the prices are from 9s. down to 5s. per ftone, dependent on the profpects of a fair wind for London, and the plenty of fith caught.

When the hot feafon comes in, and falmon can no longer be fent fresh up to town, and even pickled falmon is lefs in request there, we have it here fold for 12d. 10d. and 8d. per stone, which is lefs than one halfpenny per pound, as a ftone of falmon is 181b. 10 oz. Avoirdupois; for 4 ftone, or 561b. Avoirdupois, is only 3 ftone, or 42 lb. fish weight. Though I muft obferve, that this laft year they were never less than 16d. a stone, and moftly 2s. and 2s. 6d. through the year.

[P. S. Jan. 1788. For fome years paft the Tweed Fisheries have been thought to be on the decline, but this laft feafon has lighted up joy and chearfulness on the banks of the Tweed. They have taken more fish; but, for thefe twenty years, in a good season, they never had better prices.]

Qu. V. Are not what we call falmon-trout the young falmon?

Anfw. I am now to answer your inquiries on our trout, which you commonly call Salmon-trout, from a jopu

lar opinion that they become salmon, This idea is univerfally deemed illfounded. They are called here Whit lings, and are certainly a diftinct fpecies of fish. The proprietors of our London fmacks fend them thither in the wells of their veffels, being apart, ments fo conftructed in the bottom of the ship as to convey them to Billings, gate alive.

The whitlings are contracted for by the feafon with the farmers of the fishing waters, at the rate of 6d. a piece, large and fmall, when they provide covers, or fmall hulks, full of holes, to lie at the water's edge, for the fish ermen to keep them in, till they are fent for by a double, or boat with a well in it, to convey them to the fmack's well, which they do not fail to do once every day, if not every tide.

The whitling is like the falmon in the fcales, fhape, and colour of the fish. Their flavour, when fresh taken, and well-dreffed, is most delicious; and, I am told, much fuperior to any trout in this kingdom; the much-talked-of Fordwich trout, of the Stour, near Canterbury, not excepted. They are thought here to be peculiar only to the main body of the river Tweed, and not generated in, or frequenting its branches, as they are feldom feen in the Whitater, the Till, or any of the higher branches of this river.

There is in the Tweed another kind of trout called the Bull trout, of a large fize, and proportionably longer than the whitling. This trout is only found in the months of January and February; it is often a dozen pounds in weight, and is fold in London, in thefe early months, for falmon. It is inferior in quality to the whitling, being lefs firm, and of a paler colour.

From the above sketch of the history of the falmon, it would appear that he arrives at a ftate of perfection and ma turity in twelve mouths. To accomplifh which, he goes down twice to refresh and lepurate himself in the fea; firft, as a fmowte, he becomes a gilfe;

fecondly,

fecondly, as a gilfe, he becomes a fal

mon.

Studious as I am of informing myfelf from the old and judicious fifhermen, I do not find that it can be queftioned, whether a fish of a year old is not mature enough to ftore the river with its own fpecies? This at beft is matter of conjecture only: But, were it not the cafe, when we confider the

torrents of rain, hail, and fnow, to which our northern climate is expofed in the Winter months, and during which thofe beds of half-formed embryo are fo liable to be fwept away, it must be many years before our rivers could be replenished. May not the bad feafons we have formerly had be attributed to the injuries the river has fustained in the Winter?

I

SIR,

To the Publisher.

BELIEVE it is generally allowed by philofophy, that the thare of each mans felicity is very inferior to its concomitant mifery; but it is at the fame time univerfally acknowledged, that by far the greater part of our anxieties is of our own creating, and that a few trifling vexations which occur daily, embitter our lives more than material misfortunes. Whoever then attempts to cure these evils, must let the remedy be, as their difeafe is, altogether imaginary. Every individual must think himfelf highly indebted to any other, who can add any thing to the fmall fhare of his happinefs; therefore I do not doubt but that I fhall receive the bleffings of all of your readers, fince they can all become happier by treading in the path which I have followed, and by attending to the admonition which I fhall give.

looks of my mamma, and the fourer
looks of a birch rod, I was encouraged
by the falutation of "that's a good
boy;" I had my request granted, and
got a penny befides. This circumftance
of my life was fixed fo indelibly on
my mind, as to furnish me with many
reflections, which have proved very ef
fential to my happiness fince I grew
up: I foon found I had the admirable
fecret of pleafing others and of making
myfelf happy, or, to fpeak with a me-
taphor, that I had the power of con-
verting lead into gold. When I was
at fchool, I had frequent opportunities
of trying the effect of this fecret, and
ufed to flatter every scholar with whom
it was my intereft to be friendly.
I wanted any thing of him I would
praife his generofity, but if I knew him
to be ftingy, I would praife his econo-
my; if fullen, I would praife his fo-
lidity; if a bully, his courage; and if
idle, his jovial temper, always endea-
vouring to adapt my baits to the fifh I
would wish to catch.

If

In the earlier ages of infancy, when I might be fuppofed to act, as it were, only by inftinct, I remember to have been whipt by my mamma, for not making ufe of the word pleafe, when As I always endeavour to please oI asked fomething of her. I was furthers by flattery, fo I cannot always prifed that the omiffion of one word thould be attended with fuch difagreeable confequences, and refolved to fay pleafe an hundred times rather than experience the like again. Accordingly the next time I had occafion to make any requeft to her, I did not fail to premife that fearful word, when, happily for me, inftead of the four

avoid being pleafed with it myfelf; for I cannot at this day help reading any book that is addrefled to the candid, benevolent, learned, or pious reader, unlefs it be fome musty folio or quarto, and even then my vanity prompts me to read the part thus dedicated.

I am withal very charitable, and make it a material point never to fpeak

ill

ill of any one, unless it is in the com-
pany of ladies, or a rival, and even
then I am very cautious, for I let
them begin the flander, and then I am
fure it is only good breeding to fay
yes to what they fay. If any one of
my neighbours buys any thing, I praife
his judgement extravagantly; an in-
ftance of it occurred of one who bought
a horse: "Ah, neighbour (fays I) I
find
you have cut your
hind teeth."
If I go to the fhop of a mechanic, I
praife his ingenuity, and always ex-
prefs particular wonder at any contri-

To an

vance I know to be his own. aftronomer I can talk in raptures of the stars; to a musician of the powers of found; and even the barber of the village looks upon me as a man of vaft penetration, because I once obferved to him, that he handled his razor with amazing dexterity.

But above all things I lay it down as a rule ever to be obferved, to laugh, or at least smile, at every piece of wit I hear, although heard an hundred times before; and to lend an attentive ear to every anecdote or ftory that is told me, even if it should be the story of Jofeph and his brethren, or the fmart fpeeches of Buchanan the king's fool. I mention, that this rule is one of my moft valuable ones, as it procured me the privilege of being fet down in black and white, in a certain piece of parchment, carefully kept by a good old uncle of mine.

But there is one picce of flattery which I once committed, that I look upon as my mafter-piece, as it excels every thing or piece of deep contrivance that I am mafter of, and which I honestly confefs I relate as much from motives of vanity as from a defire to benefit mankind by it. I be long to a fect of Chriftians who look upon it wrong for any of their members to intermarry with thofe of any other perfuafion: my father coincided in this opinion with the greateft ftriétnefs: I perceived it, and determined to make my greatest advantage by it.

For this purpofe I became acquainted with a young lady of family, fortune, and understanding, but who differed from us in religious principles: it is true, I never thewed her any marks of peculiar fondness, but I avhifpered it about as a mighty fecret to two or three female acquaintances, hoping by these means it would come to my fa ther's ears: meanwhile I looked dejccted, and fpoke but little in the old gentleman's prefence, and counterfeit ed the fymptoms of love as well as I poffibly could. My father at length heard of it, and thought the news confirmed by my behaviour. It was with a great deal of concern that he asked me the truth of it: I pretended I could not deny; but, as an excufe, I praifed her beauty and mental accomplishments, and hoped that he ap proved of my choice. He answered, No-that the difference of religion was an unfurmountable objection. I begged leave to retire, promifing to retura in an hour. I went out, and having adjusted my countenance to the deepeft defpair, and appeared before him again at the expiration of the time, I told him, I confented to refign all pretenfions to the lady, rather than give him any uneafinefs; fince the reйection of ingratitude to a tender and affectionate parent would damp all the happiness I could hope to enjoy with her. This had nearly ftaggered the old gentleman's refolution, for he de clared he would fcarcely deny any thing to fuch a loving dutiful fon; and at length his rigidity gave way to his paternal affection, and he confented that I fhould marry the young lady, provided the acted up to the principles of her own religion. This last had nearly ruined all; yet I pretended to be overjoyed at his condefcenfion. I refolved, however, to try whether 1 could not gain her affections, in which I happily fucceeded, by a vigilant perfeverance, and a liberal ufe of my fecret. Her father was next to be atIfirit gained his love by my repeated

ached.

repeated and well-timed affeverations of my refpect for him, and I afterwards gained his confent to our union by a few compliments on his univerfal charity. This is the artifice that united me to my dear Sophia, who is one of the finest and worthieft of women. I have pleafed my father by fuch an undoubted proof of my filial love and duty; I have obtained a genteel competency from him, and now rest affured of his entire love and confidence in me. And, finally, by thefe innocent means, I have procured happinefs for four worthy perions, and without do

ing the leaft injury to any individual.
-Thus, Sir, I have given you a few
anecdotes of my life, which more fully
confirms my assertion, that flattery is
a more ufeful and neceffary means of
happinefs, than all the fine-fpun argu-
ments of logic, with which I acknow-
ledge I am not well acquainted; and
I am fo affured of the innocence of
pleafing others by it, that I would
even attempt to flatter you, were it not
that I know you are too wife to be
flattered. I am, Sir,

Your humble Servant,
SAMUEL SMOOTHE

Two Original Letters from Dr Johnson to Mr Baretti, when at Milan.

SIR,

How

London, July 20. 1762.

OWEVER justly you may accufe me for want of punctuality in correfpondence, I am not fo far loft in negligence, as to omit the opportunity of writing to you which Mr Beauclerk's paffage through Milan affords

me.

I fuppofe you received the Idlers, and I intend that you fhall foon receive Shakespeare, that you may explain his works to the ladies of Italy, and tell them the story of the editor, among the other strange narratives with which your long refidence in this unknown region has fupplied you.

As you have now been long away, I fuppofe your curiofity may pant for fome news of your old friends. Mifs Williams and I live much as we did, Mifs Cotterel ftill continues to cling to Mrs Porter, and Charlotte is now big with the fourth child. Mr Reynolds gets fix thousands a year. Levet is lately married, not without much fufpicion that he has been wretchedly cheated in his match. Mr Chambers is gone this day, for the first time, the circuit with the judges. Mr Richardfon is dead of an apoplexy, and his fecond daughter has married a merchant. VOL. VII, No. 40.

My vanity, or my kindness, makes me flatter myself, that you would rather hear of me than of those whom I have mentioned; but of myself I have very little which I care to tell. Laft Winter I went down to my native town, where I found the streets much narrower and fhorter than I thought I had left them, inhabited by a new race of people, to whom I was very little known. My play-fellows were grown old, and forced me to fufpect that I was no longer young. My only remaining friend has changed his principles, and was become the tool of predominant faction. My daughterin-law, from whom I expected moft, and whom I met with fincere benevalence, has loft the beauty and gaiety of youth, without having gained much of the wifdom of age. I wandered about for five days, and took the first convenient opportunity of returning to a place, where, if there is not much happiness, there is at least such a địverfity of good and evil, that flight vexations do not fix upon the heart. į

1 think in a few weeks to try another excurfion; though to what end? Let me know, my Baretti, what has been the refult of your return to your own country: whether time has made Ii

any

any

alteration for the better, and whether, when the first raptures of falutation were over, you did not find your thoughts confeffed their difappointment.

Moral fentences appear oftentatious and tumid, when they have no greater occafions than the journey of a wit to his own town: Yet fuch pleafures and fuch pains make up the general mafs of life; and as nothing is little to him that feels it with great fenfibility, a mind able to fee common inci dents in their real state, is difpofed by very common incidents to very ferious contemplations. Let us truft that a time will come, when the prefent moment shall be no longer irkfome: when we shall not borrow all our happinefs from hope, which at laft is to end in difappointment.

I beg that you will fhew Mr Beauclerk all the civilities which you have in your power; for he has always been kind to me.

I have lately feen Mr Stratico, Profeffor of Padua, who has told me of your quarrel with an Abbot of the Celeftine Order; but had not the particulars very ready in his memory. When you write to Mr Martili, let him know that I remember him with kindness.

May you, my Baretti, be very happy at Milan, or fome other place near er to, Sir,

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tions about peace and war. The good or ill fuccefs of battles and emballies extends itself to a very fmall part of domeftic life: we all have good and evil, which we feel more fenfibly than our petty part of public mifcarriage or profperity. I am forry for your dif appointment, with which you seem more touched than I fhould expect a man of your refolution and experience to have been, did I not know that ge neral truths are feldom applied to par ticular occafions; and that the fallacy of our felf-love extends itfelf as wide as our intereft or affections. Every man believes that miftreffes are unfaithful, and patrons capricious; but he excepts his own miftress and his own patron. We have all learned that greatnefs is negligent and contemptuous, and that in courts life is often languifhed away in ungratified expectas tions; but he that approaches greatnefs, or glitters in a court, imagines that deftiny has at laft exempted him from the common lot,

Do not let fuch evils overwhelm you as thousands have fuffered, and thoufands have furmounted; but turn your thoughts with vigour to fome other plan of life, and keep always in your mind, that, with due fubmiffion to Providence, a man of genius has been feldom ruined but by himself. Your patron's weaknefs or infenfibility will finally do you little hurt, if he is not aflifted by your own paffions. Of your love I know not the propriety, nor can eftimate the power; but in love, as in every other paffion, of which hope is the effence, we ought always to remember the uncertainty of events.

Y is indeed that fo

that I have paffed all this time without writing to my Baretti. I gave a letter to Mr Beauclerk, who, in my opinion, and in his own, was haftening to Naples for the recovery of his health; but he has flopped at Paris, and I know not when he will proceed. Langton is with him.

I will not trouble you with fpecula

feduces reafon from her vigilance, as the thought of paffing life with an amiable woman; and if all would hap‐ pen that a lover fancies, I know not what other terreftrial happinefs would deferve purfuit: but love and marriage are different ftates. Those who are to fuffer the evils together, and to fuffer often for the fake of one another,

foon

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