latest "affairs of honour" in high life, should have called to the field father and son, viz., Lords Londonderry and Castlereagh. CRICKET. This manly game is now in full play in every corner of the island where it is practised, and its popularity "grows with its growth." Some highly interesting matches have already come off at Lords', that between the Marylebone Club (with Pilch and Wenman,) against the county of Sussex, being decidedly the most influential of the season up to the date of its occurrence, the 10th, and 11th ultimo. The result of the score was-Sussex, first innings, 89, second ditto, 59; Marylebone, first innings, 68, second ditto, 81; the latter thus winning with seven wickets to go down. CRICKET. The South Hants Club played their first public match at Oakley's new cricket ground, on Thursday, the 6th of June, against the Isle of Wight Club, which terminated in favour of the South Hants. It seems the Southampton races are not to take place this year,—it is to be regretted some one did not come forward to take an active part in promoting a subscription; surely there could be no difficulty in such a town (were some pains taken), in getting a sufficient sum to make it worth while for people to send horses, and though the racecourse is not the best in the world there are many worse, and it is capable of great improvement: this, of all years is not the one for Southampton to be wanting in any thing that would benefit the town. ROWING. The long talked-of Regatta of Oars at Henley-onThames, came off on the 14th ultimo, with great eclát. Not only as a water-pageant was it an exhibition of great interest and splendour, but the contests lay between, probably, the best crews of fresh-water oarsmen to be found in Great Britain. The regulations of the racing were all carefully framed, not the least claiming our approbation, being that which declared, that "no fouling be permitted." The floating equipages from London, Oxford, and Cambridge, were eminent for their beauty and style of workmanship; and, taken all together, old father Thames has rarely seen a gayer or braver scene enacted within his silvery dominions. The first heat for the Grand Cup, was won by the Oxford Etonian Club beating the Brazenose College crew, and the second heat by the Trinity Club, Cambridge, beating the Wadham College, Oxford, Club. The third and deciding heat now brought together the winners of the first and second, and produced as fine a contest as ever was seen ashore or afloat. It was won by the Cambridge men, by half a boat's length, and nothing to spare. There was a race for a Town Challenge Cup, won by the Wave, (a local crew,) and an Oars Match for London Watermen, won by H. Campbell and J. Phelps cleverly. It is understood that this Regatta is to be an annual festival. DINNER TO SIR JOHN BARKER MILL, AT HURSLEY, NEAR WINCHESTER, ON THE 10TH OF MAY.-Sir John Barker Mill having decided on giving up his hounds, owing to the annoyance he has met with, from the destruction of foxes in some of the best coverts in his hunt, the gentlemen and farmers, who have been in the habit of hunting with him, entertained him at dinner, at the King's Head, Hursley, (near Winchester,) on the 10th of May, for the purpose of expressing to him their thanks for the sport he had shewn them during the two last seasons, and presenting him with a gold snuff-box (of the value of fifty guineas,) as a small token of their recollection of the gentlemanly and liberal manner in which he conducted his hunting establishment, during the time he kept the Mottis font Hounds. LITERATURE AND THE FINE ARTS. DESULTORY THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS, by the Countess of Blessington. London: Longman, Orme, Browne, Green and Longmans. Paternoster Row, 1839. It was the crystal twilight of one of the loveliest days of the past month that we selected for the perusal of this little volume; not all unconsciously, for thou wert present to our memories, fair fountain of these gentle thoughts and reflections, as once we saw thee in a distant land; and soothly we deemed "That heavenliest hour of Heaven was worthiest thee !" And whence was the lore gathered that was here detailed? Surely not from the actual experience of one, whose cheeks the winds have never visited roughly! Have sentiments such as these been acquired by rote, or literally learnt by heart? HAPPINESS. Happiness resembles the bird of Paradise, which is said never to be seen but at a distance. THE PAST. The past shews us but the tombs of our buried illusions and hopes. Some of the aphorisms are of a higher character of philosophy, and so beautiful of conceit that we cannot refrain from selecting a few, albeit sadly hampered by scantiness of space. YOUTH AND AGE.-Youth resembles a Claude Lorraine glass, which imparts to all objects its own beautiful tints; but age is like a magnifying lens, which leaves no defect unseen. CONFIDENCES.-Confidences are more frequently reposed in persons through a want of discretion, than from excess of friendship, and are oftener betrayed through incontinency of speech, than from motives of treachery. SOCIETY.-Society punishes not the vices of its members, but their detection; like the Spartans, who punished the discovery of theft, and not the crime. LOVE.-Humboldt notices that the streams in America run languidly in the night, and await the rising of the sun to quicken their flight. Love is to the heart what the sun is to the American streams; it moves languidly in its absence. POETS.-Poets, it has been said, form the aristocracy of intelligence: they are also the chymists of sentiment, who analyze and purify it. FLATTERY.-Strabo asserts that a species of honey was produced at Pontus, which, owing to the bees having fed on aconite and hemlock, was poisonous. May we not liken flattery to this poison-sweet but destructive. FRIENDS-It requires sunshine to see our friends, for they become invisible when our horizon is clouded. GRIEF.-Grief lengthens our nights, but shortens our days. COSMETICS.-Cosmetics are to the face what affectation is to the manners; they impose on none, and disgust many. Thus might we quote from page after page, and find all good; but there is a conventional duty attached to these notices from which we may not depart. And here comes to our aid an apology, whilom sung by a clever compatriot of her we seek to conciliate, ere we enter on our office : "If wit and loveliness could charm, A galaxy of praise should shine." But to our task. All perfect as the prose flows from the pen of our to lameness? noble authoress, whence comes it that her Muse occasionally halts, even Carelessness, sheer inconsiderateness of metre, we'll Now had her ladyship bestowed a second glance on wager a ducat. the lines "How many in the married state we find As when the living chained were to the dead We bet thee pounds to shillings she would have written Unnatural union! fraught with as much dread As when the quick were fettered to the dead It is not in these pages, nor by this pen, that justice can be done to the truly admirable spirit which breathes in every line of Lady Blessington's elegant little manual of familiar philosophy. He who reads and applies but a single axiom gleaned from it to his rule of life is safe to become a wiser, a happier, and a better man. SUPPLEMENT TO THE HISTORY OF BRITISH FISHES, by William Yarrell, F. L.S., V. P. Z. S. Illustrated with wood cuts. In Two Parts. London: John Van Voorst, Paternoster Row, 1839. Among modern naturalists not one has attained a higher reputation as an ornithologist and icthyologist than the author of this work. In the latter department of natural history, to borrow a fanciful but expressive figure of Byron's, he has certainly earned "posterity;" for his history of British fishes will live as long as the language in which it is written. It is probable that the present supplement is only the first of a series; matter for which, no doubt, will constantly be furnished by his own zeal, as well as the researches of men of science in all parts of the kingdom. There are many contributions so supplied to the volume before us, of a most curious and instructive nature. We purpose giving some extracts from it in a future number. GAMONIA; or the Art of preserving Game; and an improved Method of making Plantations and Covers explained and illustrated. By Lawrence Rawstorne, Esq. With fifteen coloured Drawings, taken on the spot, by J. T. Rawlins. London: Rudolph Ackermann, 191, Regent-street, 1837. The author of this book has turned his attention to a subject that has hitherto but little occupied the consideration of sporting writers. The purpose which he had in view principally, if not altogether, was to chalk out a system, or rather a code of systems, applicable to all cases in which it might be sought to lay out manors, or other tracts of land for the preservation of game. This he has done as a practical observer uniting experience with care alone could do. As a work for constant reference, wherein he may be sure of gleaning something for his profit and instruction, it is one that no country gentleman should be without. Scarce a month passes in which some scheme of alteration, does not occur to him, or happen to be suggested by a friend. If such have only for its design the promotion of the picturesque, he has no lack of authorities on Landscape Gardening, and the like, to furnish him with hints, or to help him to bring his own conceptions to maturity. If, however, he would desire to combine his rural changes with the best appliances to induce or increase a stock of game, he cannot take a better man to his counsels than Mr. Rawstorne. This is our opinion, and it is the opinion of those whose judgment we respect. For that reason we recommend Gamonia as a volume that should have a place in the library of every country-house. THE LOVING BALLAD OF LORD BATEMAN, illustrated by George Cruikshank, Tilt, London; and Mustapha Syried, Constantinople. Here ye are, George Cruikshank, once more, and as fresh on your pins as if you had never started. Why, the man has been to Constantinople for fun, and produces his store even on the title-page. Foote was wont to say that his natural turn for satire was such that (particularly if among disagreeable people), he could never avoid taking himself off. So with our friend, facetious George, his very handwriting in the preface is a caricature of his proper name, worth buying the book for. The cruel usage of Lord Bateman among the Turks, which, in days gone by, was wont in childhood to deluge our piteous cheeks with tears, is here travestied in a fashion to avert the razors from the throats of the Bloomsbury sufferers. Buy the book, oh men cooked upon the Derby, or done to tinder by an unlooked-for Deception! So shall your hearts be glad, and yourselves of long days in the land. Some may fix their affections on the touching scene between the Lord and his ladye-love in the cellar; but give us the proud young porter. The fancy that embodied him should live for ever; such another we may never hope to see. The score of a soul-splitting ditty is given, so that it may be sung or said according to individual taste. FINE ARTS. BLOOMSBURY, Winner of the Derby Stakes at Epsom in 1839. London: Rudolph Ackermann, 191, Regent-street. With the spirit that characterises every thing connected with the Fine Arts, more especially the sporting department of them, undertaken by this enterprising publisher, we find him first in the field with an exquisite likeness of the winner of the late Derby, from the pencil of Mr. Chas. Hancock, the celebrated animal painter. A more admirable portrait than that of the horse there cannot be, neither a better of his jockey,-Templeman having sat for the purpose. It is with much pleasure we announce the intention of Mr. Ackermann to publish in future a regular and uniform series of the winners of the Derby, Oaks, and St. Leger, (in every case by especial permission, as he has reason to hope, from the distinguished patronage already afforded him,) a work, as yet, unattempted, the only means by which engravings of the winners of those great races were to be had heretofore, being though plates issued from different establishments. The public will, we are assured, feel the importance of having one uniform and complete set of portraits of the most distinguished horses of their years, emanating from a house of such distinguished character as the Sporting Gallery in Regent-street, and accord it a patronage due to the enterprize in which it originates. TURF REGISTER. It is not thought convenient to give the details of the running at the Minor Meetings. CURRAGH (IRELAND) APRIL MEETING. MONDAY, April 22.-Capt. Macquarie's b. c. Magpie, by Blacklock, four-years-old, 9 st. beat Ld. Milltown's ch. c. Leprechaun, two-years old, 7 st.; Connelly's mile, 100 sovs. h. ft. Free Handicap of 10 sovs. each, for two-years old, with 25 sovs. added; Rathbride post (five subscribers). Mr. Watts's br. c. Monasterorris, by Blacklock, dam by Filho, 7 st. 4 lb. 1 Mr. Hunter's b. c. Plantagenet, by Skylark, 7 st. 4 lbs. Mr. Hutchin's gr. c. Cregane, by Young Lottery, three-years old, 7 st. (carried 21b. extra) Mr. Knox's ch. c. George, three-years old, 7 st. Ld. Milltown's ch. f. Cruiskeen, four-years old, 8 st. 2 lb. Post Produce Stakes (fourth class) of 25 sovs. each, for two-year-olds; Connelly's mile (seven subscribers). Mr. Cunningham's br. c. Roscius, by Turcoman, out of Miss Foote, 8 st. 1 lb. Mr. Pottinger's b. c. Hazard, by Lapwing, out of Zoe, 8 st. 5lb.... TUESDAY, 23rd.-Her Majesty's Plate of 100 gs. for mares; three-year-olds, 7 st. 12 lb. ; four, 8 st. 8lb.; five, 8 st. 13 lb.; six and aged, 9 st.; four miles. Mr. J. Sherlock's b. f. The Queen of Larks, by Skylark, three-years old Madrid Stakes of 25 sovs. each, and 5 ft. if declared, &c. for two-year-olds; second horse to save his Stake; Rathbride post (twenty-one subscribers, nine of whom paid 5 sovs. ft. to the winner of the challenge). Mr. Johnston's ch. c. by Recovery, out of Taglioni, 8 st. 3lb. Mr. G. Graydon's ch. c. Clinker, by Turcoman, dam by Humphrey Clinker, 7 st. 2 3 The following also started, but were not placed: Mr. Holmes's br. f. Mustard, by Philip, 7 st. 9lb.; Mr. Barry's ch. f. Prudence, 8 st. 3lb.; Mr. Osborne's b. c. Wings, 8 st. 3lb.; Col. Westenra's br. c. The Cob, 7 st. 13lb.; and Mr. Hutchins's b. f. by Vestris, 7 st. 13lb. WEDNESDAY, 24th.--Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, h. ft. with 25 sovs. added; second horse to save his Stake; Connelly's mile (six subscribers). Mr. J. Murphy's ch. c. by Napoleon, dam by Dandy, four-years-old, 9 st. The following also started, but was not placed: Mr. Henchy's ch. g. Frank, four-years old, 8 st. 101b. Wellington Stakes (handicap) of 30 sovs. each, h. ft., and only 5 if declared, &c. Three-yearold Course; second horse to save his Stake (fourteen subscribers, two of whom paid 5 sovs. ft. to the winner of the challenge). Capt. Macquarie's b. c. Magpie, four-years old, 9st. 2lb. Mr. Burke's b. f. Alba, three-years old, 7 st. Mr. Knox's ch. c. George, three-years old, 8 st. Col. Westenra's b. f. Blush, three-years old, 7 st. 7 lb. The following also started, but was not placed: Mr. Watts's br. c. M. P. three-years old, 8st. 3lb THURSDAY, 25th.-Her Majesty's Plate of 100 gs. for horses, &c.; two-year-olds, 5 st. 7lb.; three, 8st. 61b.; four, 9 st. 6 lb.; five, 9 st. 121b.; six and aged, 10 st., four miles. Mr. Hutchin's gr. c. Cregane, by Y. Lottery, three-years old Mr. Ferguson's ch. c. Harkaway, four-years old FRIDAY, 26th.-Challenge of the Madrid Stakes of 25 sovs., and the 5 sovs. ft., Rathbride post (three subscribers). Challenge of the Wellington Stakes of 30 sovs. each, and the 5 sovs. fts. course (two subscribers.) Three-year-old Capt. Macquarie's b. c. Magpie, four-years old, 9 st. 81b., walked over. |