Whatthenoughtingeneraltobesoplentiful，whatsocheap，asfish？Whatthensoproperlythefoodofthepoor？Soinmanyplacestheyare，andsomighttheyalwaysbeingreatcities，whicharealwayssituatednearthesea，orontheconfluxoflargerivers。Howcomesitthen，tolooknofartherabroadforinstances，thatinourcityofLondonthecaseissofarotherwisethat，exceptthatofsprats，thereisnotonepoorpalateinahundredthatknowsthetasteoffish？
ItistrueindeedthatthistasteisgenerallyofsuchexcellentflavorthatitexceedsthepowerofFrenchcookerytotreatthepalatesoftherichwithanythingmoreexquisitelydelicate;sothatwasfishthecommonfoodofthepooritmightputthemtoomuchuponanequalitywiththeirbettersinthegreatarticleofeating，inwhich，atpresent，intheopinionofsome，thegreatdifferenceinhappinessbetweenmanandmanconsists。ButthisargumentIshalltreatwiththeutmostdisdain：forifortolanswereasbigasbuzzards，andatthesametimeasplentyassparrows，Ishouldholdityetreasonabletoindulgethepoorwiththedainty，andthatforthiscauseespecially，thattherichwouldsoonfindasparrow，ifasscarceasanortolan，tobemuchthegreater，asitwouldcertainlybetherarer，daintyofthetwo。
Vanityorscarcitywillbealwaysthefavoriteofluxury;buthonesthungerwillbesatisfiedwithplenty。Nottosearchdeeperintothecauseoftheevil，Ishouldthinkitabundantlysufficienttoproposetheremediesofit。And，first，Ihumblysubmittheabsolutenecessityofimmediatelyhangingallthefishmongerswithinthebillsofmortality;and，howeveritmighthavebeensometimeagotheopinionofmildandtemporizingmenthattheevilcomplainedofmightberemovedbygentlermethods，Isupposeatthisdaytherearenonewhodonotseetheimpossibilityofusingsuchwithanyeffect。Cunctapriustentandamighthavebeenformerlyurgedwithsomeplausibility，butcunctapriustentatamaynowbereplied：forsurely，ifafewmonopolizingfishmongerscoulddefeatthatexcellentschemeoftheWestminstermarket，totheerectingwhichsomanyjusticesofpeace，aswellasotherwiseandlearnedmen，didsovehementlyapplythemselves，thattheymightbetrulysaidnotonlytohavelaidthewholestrengthoftheirheads，butoftheirshoulderstoo，tothebusiness，itwouldbeavainendeavorforanyotherbodyofmentoattempttoremovesostubbornanuisance。
Ifitshouldbedoubtedwhetherwecanbringthiscasewithintheletterofanycapitallawnowsubsisting，Iamashamedtoownitcannot;forsurelynocrimebetterdeservessuchpunishment;buttheremedymay，nevertheless，beimmediate;andifalawwasmadeatthebeginningofnextsession，totakeplaceimmediately，bywhichthestarvingthousandsofpoorwasdeclaredtobefelony，withoutbenefitofclergy，thefishmongerswouldbehangedbeforetheendofthesession。Asecondmethodoffillingthemouthsofthepoor，ifnotwithloavesatleastwithfishes，istodesirethemagistratestocarryintoexecutiononeatleastoutofnearahundredactsofparliament，forpreservingthesmallfryoftheriverofThames，bywhichmeansasfewfishwouldsatisfythousandsasmaynowbedevouredbyasmallnumberofindividnals。Butwhileafishermancanbreakthroughthestrongestmeshesofanactofparliament，wemaybeassuredhewilllearnsotocontrivehisownmeshesthatthesmallestfrywillnotbeabletoswimthroughthem。
Othermethodsmay，wedoubtnot，hesuggestedbythosewhoshallattentivelyconsidertheevilherehintedat;butwehavedwelttoolongonitalready，andshallconcludewithobservingthatitisdifficulttoaffirmwhethertheatrocityoftheevilitself，thefacilityofcuringit，ortheshamefulneglectofthecure，bethemorescandalousormoreastonishing。