Clean, wash, and wipe the fish, which should be a large one. Make a
stuffing of grated bread-crumbs, butter, salt, pepper, and sweet herbs.
Stuff the shad and sew it up. Lay it in the baking-pan, with a cupful
of water to keep it from burning, and bake an hour, basting with butter
and water, until it is tender throughout and well browned. Take it up,
put in a hot dish and cover tightly, while you boil up the gravy with
a great spoonful of catsup, a tablespoonful of browned flour which has
been wet with cold water, the juice of a lemon, and, if you want to
have it very fine, a glass of Sherry or Madeira. Garnish with sliced
lemon and water-cresses. You may pour the gravy around the fish, or
serve in a sauce-boat. Of course you take out the thread with which it
has been sewed up before serving the fish.