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The Fish enters largely into human support and enjoyment. And just here a humorous phase of the subject flashes upon us. Some years since it was universally held and taught, that Fish diet was peculiarily nourishing and strengthening to the brain, and was so accepted by the popular belief. George D. Prentice, the celebrated writer, combatting the idea, said:—"it was nonsense to suppose Fish would strengthen the brain, when they themselves were not even caught 'till they were in seine," (insane.)
But to return to the serious consideration of the subject. I do not propose to load you with its consideration as a science, interesting and instructive as that might be made. For while the Fish itself is seldom dry, as a subject, he may by many be so considered, unless discussed on a plate at the table, in which latter case the Pass-over would prove the exception rather than the rule.
I propose rather taking a few suggestions pertinent to the subject, as a basis of a few practical deductions, interesting and instructive.
First, the Fish itself, as well as those who followed its capture, have played an important part in the history of our holy religion; an important portion if not a majority (and beyond all question its most distinguished champion, Peter,) of its first apostles were fishermen. Peter, James and John, sons of Zebedee; Andrew and Philip certainly, and possibly others, were called from seine hauling to be fishers of men.
The Fish has appeared as a prominent figure during the many ages of the Jewish Church. But I shall not go back of our Christian era. Beginning with that it is a little singular that among the little band following the Divine Master, there is no other animal food mentioned but Fish. It was the factor in at least the four noted miracles. The feeding of the five thousand was
