with those of Milford. The principal fattening beds are in the neighbourhood of Colchester, Pelton, and the banks of the Hampshire Menai. The spat is collected from the natural beds, and transplanted to the mud and slime which accumulates in these tide rivers here the oysters soon grow large, and become very fat. That engendered on the Essex coast has hitherto been esteemed the best, and it is carried and deposited where the Colne forms a number of arms and small creeks, peculiarly adapted for this concern near Colchester. The Dutch, who have for centuries taken the lead in the fisheries, dig pits on the sea shore, furnished with small sluices for the admission of sea water to a certain height at spring tides into these the oysters, when sufficiently fattened, are thrown, and left to undergo another process. The stagnant sea water soon becomes green, and the oysters assume the same colour. These in Holland are called groen boardges, and the oysters so served are esteemed as possessing superior delicacy. Similar pits are formed on the banks of the Colne and the Thames, and denominated greening pits. It has been a question how this colour is produced? Some have asserted, it is owing to green copperas: but this in any quantity would destroy the fish; others have attributed it to the marine plants, the ulvas and tremellas, particularly to a species of the latter genus, tremella lactuca, which in English, from this vulgar error, is denominated oyster green. But since the oysters are observed never to acquire this colour but in summer, it would rather appear to be occasioned by heat producing some decomposition of the salt contained in the sea water, and the decomposed ingredients coming in

contact with the sebaceous substance of the oyster, thus producing green fat like that of the turtle in tropical climates, which it nearly resembles both in appearance and flavour. Whatever may be the cause, it is highly probable the fish during this greening process suffers considerable pain, since in these pits the oyster has been observed to exhibit some signs of locomotion, shifting sides and lying when the tide flows with the convex side of the shell downwards.

While on the subject of luxury, my friend, I cannot help making comparisons. It has been observed, that the state of any nation may be known by an attentive examination of the progress of luxury; and that it may be inferred, whether it has yet arrived at, or passed the meridian of its greatness, and thus be foretold its future increase and glory, or declension and decay. Greece and Rome have been produced as examples to confirm this doctrine, and the latter nation has been proverbial for its extravagance of appetite. The ancient satirists have often employed their wit on this subject, and their historians entered into detail on the objects of their luxury. Aulus Gellius recites a curious fragment from Vazzo, in which he enumerates the delicacies of the table, and the proper items for a Roman feast; and then subjoins that all people of taste would procure at any price the respective articles, from those places most famed for producing them in perfection. "Peacocks from Samos; woodcocks from Phrygia ; swans from Melica; goats from Ambrocia; tunny from Chalcedon; lampreys from Tortesia; cod from Tessinantia; oysters from Tarentum; cockles from Chios; sturgeon from Rhodes; scar from Cilicia;

dates from Egypt; chesnuts from

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nuts from Thrace; Hyberica, &c. &c. After such an enumeration (and the list might have been greatly enlarged) and when it is taken into the account that many of these places were far distant from Rome, and the procuring them consequently difficult and expensive, we cry out, what folly! what luxury! what ridiculous and wanton profusion, to pamper and pall the corporeal appetite! No wonder after this if we hear of her decline and fall. Whether we are arrived at the zenith of our power, and the acme of our greatness, time only can discover. Do we not talk of our Cambridge butter, our Norfolk turkies, our Milton øysters, our north-sea cod, our Welsh mutton, our Severn salmon, our Worcester Lampreys, our Dutch tongues, our Westphalia hams, our Parmesan cheese, our French olives, our Messina oranges, our Tokay and Cape wines, our Jamaica rum, our Leeward Island turtle, &c. &c.

"Nomine mutata de te fabula narratur."

I am, Yours, &c. J. E.

LETTER X.

DEAR SIR,

A Circumstance peculiarly striking meets the

eye of the observant traveller on his entering the county of Pembroke; which is the difference in the dress, manners, and language of the inhabitants from those of their immediate neighbours. I before observed, that a colony of Flemings had been planted here by the policy of the first Henry; and

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another of the same people, incorporated with them by the sagacious Henry II. To these were occasionally added numerous Anglo Normans from the English armies, as well as marauding adventurers on this newly acquired territory. At first they were confined to the hundred or commot of Rhos; which still more particularly retains the appellation of Little England beyond Wales. But the numbers accumulating with years, they soon spread along the whole coast, from the lordship of Comes to the mouth of the Tave. This country is still divided into what is called the Englishery and Welshery; the latter containing the original inhabitants, consists of the cantreves of Comes, Cilgercan, part of Arberth and Cewisland: the former comprising the other part of Arberth, the cantreves of Rhos, Castel Martin, and Dougleddy. In the former are many great families, which still preserve their descents and inherit the ancient seats and demesnes of their ancestors for although it is asserted that Comes and Cilgerran were conquered by Martin de la Tours, and nominally so, at a subsequent period by Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke; yet as they appear to have possessed the same spirit displayed by their neighbours on similar occasions, their resistance was noble and determined, and their submission more the effect of compromise than conquest. So that many of them were permitted to hold their estates and live in the exercise of their laws and customs, which was not the case in many other parts, where immediate confiscations took place, the inhabitants driven out, and Normans and English placed in their room. That the men of Comes obtained more eligible terms from the invader, evidently appears to have been owing

to the spirited opposition he met with here, for he was induced to shelter his violence under a pretended right derived by his marrying, for this very purpose, Angharad daughter of Rhys, Prince of South Wales. This was the only step which could have prevailed upon them to have accepted any terms, however liberal, at the hands of an usurper. This marriage acted as a salvo to the consciences of the irritable but unsuspecting Welsh, who considered this not as a submission to the descendant of the rapacious Norman; but to the blood royal of their lawful and hereditary princes. Respecting Dewisland, this being granted to the bishop of St. David's, the military considered it sacrilegious and an impious offence to attempt any thing either hostile or oppressive against the possessions of the church: therefore the inhabitants of this district remained quiet, while their neighbours were grievously harassed and distressed.

The Flemings were generally considered as a hardy, industrious, and adventurous people, well skilled in trade and addicted to merchandise; and monuments still remain of their knowledge and industry. From the very commencement of their career, they were from necessity engaged in warfare with the natives. Constant antipathies would therefore arise, and national prejudices be confirmed; and though for centuries they have been united by law, yet they still continue two distinct people: while their language and manners form a striking contrast, they appear determined to exhibit their different origin in their modes of dress. That of the women in the Welsh part is a jacket and petticoat of checked worsted, or lindsey wolsey stuff, with a cap tied under the chin, and a large, broad brimmed, high-crowned, beaver

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