Mr. Warde wrote a

them to meet one day at a celebrated cover of his own. polite letter to his Grace, intimating that, according to the usages of fox-hunting, he could not draw the appointed cover, although it was his own. The Duke altered the fixture; and on the first time of Mr. Warde meeting at the place in question, his Grace, with all his friends then staying at Woburn, attended. Now, then, for the finish-truly in character with the man whose name is dear to every British sportsman. Mr. Warde rode up to his Grace, and taking off his hat, as a mark of respect to his rank, addressed him in these words: "My Lord Duke, I am extremely sorry that my duty, as the present occupier of this country, compelled me to establish my right to draw this cover. Having done so, I now concede it to your Grace, so long as I hunt the Oakley country, and have no doubt it will afford you good sport. Robert (to his huntsman), take the hounds to NIMROD.

wood."*

PROPOSED SPORTS AT CREMORNE-HOUSE.

SIR,

ALTHOUGH it be a liberty to request you to favour my endeavours with your assistance, and, for obvious reasons, in your June number, I venture upon it unhesitatingly, although with many apologies, because I address an avowed and able promoter of all manly pursuits and exploits; one, more likely to further than to treat with indifference my humble yet ardent labours; the more especially, as they aim at arresting, to the utmost of individual and, therefore, feeble powers, the baneful change in national character consequent on, if not absolutely effeminacy, yet its parent luxurious excess. The only antidotes which hitherto have stemmed this otherwise growing evil, have been derived, principally, from the military and naval service; and from the voluntary cultivation (be it even in obedience to the force of example), of the chase, and of field sports generally. Racing also has had its influence; and (although not a cricketer myself, I feel bound to say it) the truly British game of cricket particularly has done much, nay, very much, and, therefore, deserves honourable mention; and so have rowing and sailing: archery, too, and more recently rifle shooting,-nay, even skating, and a variety of other manly exercises, have not been without their good effects.

I will not presume to point out to you, that to be familiar with danger is the surest way of commanding means of extrication founded on presence of mind; and that coolness, the impenetrable shield of courage, can only be acquired by exposure to danger and consequently familiarity with it; but I may beg to draw your attention to the policy, indeed necessity, of stimulating the cultivation of such initiating and also invigorating pastimes, in order to afford opportunities where those who, ranking as champions in peculiar spheres, may, by competition elsewhere and with superiors in skill, be urged to continued perseverance in improvement, for thus they may be made to blush at injurious self-applause, on discovering that it is easy to acquire the reputation of giants when among dwarfs. Now I feel anxious to organize a grand meeting for the display of manly games and exercises, and can I find a more suitable epoch for such an introduc

* I forget the name of the cover.

tion than the approaching coronation of our beloved queen? Accordingly, I propose that a whole week (either previous, or immediately subsequent to that proud and joyful ceremony) shall be devoted, in commemoration of it to competitions in skill, on a grand scale, not only in rifle and pistol shooting, archery, fencing, rowing, carousel riding, sailing, cricketting, and gymnastics generally ; but in any of the skilful and manly exercises, provided that a sufficient number of competitors will come forward without delay, to inscribe their names as candidates for prizes, to be presented to the victors in each of the classes; for thus alone can I be enabled to order suitable prizes in time. I therefore beg leave to invite competitors, for what may prove proud heir-looms, not only from all parts, but of all ranks, to enter their names here speedily, either in person, by proxy, or by post-paid letters, announcing a desire to be included in any of the lists now forming, for a splendid festival, to be called THE STADIUM FIRST OLYMPIC WEEK; for I intend that it shall be annual, on the anniversary of Queen Victoria's coronation.

Arrangements are now making at perfecting, if possible, a representation of an ancient tournament, in full armour, and in proper costume, the whole to be on an extensive scale, by way of conclusion; and thus will those members of societies, as also others from the country, visiting London in order to become champions during the Olympic Week, either as representatives of such associations, or as individuals, have the opportunity of seeing besides, and with little if any additional expense, not only the tournament, but even the coronation.

The earliest communication from such parties is indispensable to the superior execution of any and every of these measures; the more especially, as a committee of patronising noblemen, and others, most of them, I may say all, ranking first as to chivalric spirit, and knowledge, as well as fashion, is now increasing its numbers daily, as condescendingly as kindly to support (some even by evincing a desire to break a lance in the Tournament) the difficult and costly, yet, enviable object, of the heartily devoted labours of

Yours most obediently,

Stadium, Cremorne House, Chelsea, May 23rd 1838.

Varieties.

DE BERENger.

THE NATURE, CURE, AND ENTIRE PREVENTION OF HYDROPHOBIA. By Francis Eagle, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. Henry Renshaw, Strand.

This is a tract of somewhat lofty pretensions, but of exceedingly humble merit; and we notice it solely on account of the importance of the subject which the writer professes to discuss. He does not appear to have any knowledge of the disease derived from his own personal observations, and he merely theorises on the experience of others. The following is a summary of his pamphlet. He conceives that spontaneous hydrophobia in the canine species proceeds from absence of perspiration, and "sexual irritation ;" and he states, though he gives no authority for the fact, that "the female animal rarely originates the disease."

For the radical and entire prevention of hydrophobia, he proposes that all males of the canine and feline species-except a certain number sufficient to propagate the breeds-shall, by a certain process, be rendered exempt from "sexual irritation." How far Mr. Eagle may be correct in his opinions respecting the proximate cause of hydrophobia we do not pretend to determine; but from the following extract, relative to the dogs of Egypt, it would seem that the Baron Larrey, Napoleon's chief military surgeon, entertained similar views. It would be highly important and interesting to know if hydrophobia be of rare occurrence in Lisbon, where the dogs are left to themselves much in the same manner as at Cairo. The Baron's observations are to the following effect :-" Hydrophobia, though more frequent in warm than in cold climates, does not occur in Egypt; and the inhabitants assure us that they had never known an instance of this malady, either in man or in brute animals. This is doubtless owing to the species,* the character, and the manner of living of the dogs of that country. The dogs of Egypt are in a state of almost continual inaction; sleeping during the day in the shade, near vessels full of fresh water, placed for them by the natives. They only prowl at night; and their sexual propensities are only manifested once a-year, and then but for a short period. Their disposition is quiet and inoffensive, and they rarely fight with each other. It is possible that these combined causes may render those animals exempt from hydrophobia." +

The "theory of the cure" of hydrophobia in the human subject is, according to Mr. Eagle, "to restore the perspiration ;" and a person who has been bitten by a mad dog, and who feels symptoms of the disease, has only to excite copious perspiration, by means of a vapour-bath, to obtain a cure. If this theory were well founded, Mr. Eagle would deserve well of his country for promulgating it; but unfortunately it requires confirmation. In some of the cases cited by him, he seems to mistake the consequence for the cause; and the report of the French surgeon, M. Buisson, seems highly questionable. This gentleman, it appears, "having made a post mortem examination of the body of a female who died of hydrophobia, wiped his hands, which were covered with blood, on the handkerchief which the patient had used to receive the saliva during her life. He had at that time an ulcer on one of his fingers, but thought to destroy any ill effects that might otherwise ensue by sucking the finger, and washing it afterwards with distilled water. On the nineteenth day, while in his cabriolet, he was attacked with hydrophobia,"‡ and resolved to put an end to his life by suffocating himself in a vapour-bath. He raised the heat to forty-two degrees (of the centigrade

* The dogs of Egypt bear considerable resemblance, both in form and character, to the fox. It is said that the male of one species will couple with the female of the other.-Larrey, note.

† Mémoires de Chirurgie Militaire, et Campagnes du Baron D. J. Larrey, tom. 2; Campagnes d'Egypte, p. 226. At page 227, the Baron gives a curious account of a disease, similar to hydrophobia, to which camels are subject at certain periods: "Les chameaux, pendant leur rut, sont sujets à entrer dans une espèce de rage, mais qui n'est pas contagieuse; ils rendent alons une écume blanche, épaisse et abondante; ils mugissent sans cesse, ne boivent pas pendant ce tems, et paraissent avoir horreur de l'eau."

From this point we translate the remainder of the report of M. Buisson's case, which Mr. Eagle gives in the original, from the Revue Medicale, tom. iv.

thermometer, we presume), and was as much surprised as delighted to find the unpleasant symptoms cease. He left the hall cured, dined largely, and afterwards drank more than usual. Since that time, he says, that he has treated in the same manner upwards of eighty persons who were bitten, in four of whom the disease was developed ; all those, as he assures us, were cured, except a child of seven years old, which died in the bath.”*

Now, on the evidence of this report, we have no hesitation in declaring M. Buisson to be a very careless surgeon for making a post mortem examination with an ulcer on his finger, and for afterwards wiping his hands on a handkerchief saturated with the saliva of the deceased. He determines to put himself to death, in the usual style of French philosophic bravado; and, when he finds his life fortunately preserved, he leaves the hall and proceeds to dinner, apparently with the same goût with which an apothecary's apprentice sits down to a dish of oysters on returning from Astley's. The unsupported testimony of such a person we consider undeserving of credit; and we have further to remark, that not only are the cures performed by the Ormskirk medicine better attested, but that in an equal number of persons cured, the proportion of those in whom the symptoms of the disease were decided is also greater.

: We have noticed Mr. Eagle's pamphlet, that we might inform our readers of one more certain remedy for this frightful malady-" another and another still succeeds" and in the hope of directing the attention of veterinary surgeons and others to the assumed spontaneous cause of the disease in the dog tribe, and to the fact, uncorroborated, of its rarely originating in the female. As to the value of the proposed remedy, we hope that all physicians will take the pains to inform themselves: and we earnestly request that every reader of our magazine will ask the opinion of his medical adviser on this most important point. If he of the "gold-headed cane or the lancet knows nothing about the matter, and will not be at the trouble to inquire, give him his congé.

THE PHILIDORIAN; a Magazine of Domestic Games. George Walker and Sons, Soho Square.

This interesting and useful record of Domestic Games, we are sorry to perceive, is now discontinued as a periodical publication. The sixth number, published on the 1st May, completing a volume, is the concluding one of the work. The last number must be particularly valuable, not only to the amateur and student of Chess, but also to the bibliographer, on account of the full and interesting list which it contains of books published on that fascinating game.

Chess, as a matter of course, forms the grand feature of the work. English

* One of M. Buisson's proofs of the benefit of copious perspiration in this disease, is as follows: "A relation of Gretry (the celebrated author of the Essay "Sur la Musique") was bitten by a mad dog, as well as several others, who all died of hydrophobia. As to himself, feeling the symptoms of the malady, he commenced dancing day and night, saying that he wished to die pleasantly. He was cured." We should think that any gentleman who should in reality keep on dancing "day and night," for only twenty-four hours-allowing nine for sleep and meals-would feel his exercise "a toil of a pleasure," even without the consciousness of being bitten by a mad dog, and that his capering was only affected merriment. Men under such circumstances cannot kill themselves with excess of pleasure.

and Polish Draughts are explained with great skill and clearness; and, among other matters, there are some excellent papers on Whist and Ecarté. The positions in Chess and Draughts are illustrated with diagrams, which render the explanations intelligible even to the novice. The Philidorian ought to have a place in every sportsman's library.

A New Translation of the Tales of a Thousand and One Nights; known in England as the ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS: With copious Notes by Edward William Lane, Author of "The Modern Egyptians." Illustrated with many hundred Wood-cuts, engraved by the first English Artists, after Original Designs by William Harvey. Charles Knight and Co., Ludgate Street.

A good translation of this delightful work from the original Arabic has long been a desideratum in this country, where the only version that we have is from a French adaptation—a copy of an incorrect copy," the shadow of a shade.” For the task which he has undertaken Mr. Lane is eminently qualified; not only from his knowledge of Arabic, but from his personal knowledge of Eastern manners and customs. The notes contained in the first part, published on 1st. May, are highly interesting; but we suppose that in the succeeding numbers there will not be a necessity for their being quite so copious. Most readers, we are inclined to think, would be content with a good translation, accompanied by a reasonable quantity of explanatory notes, without desiring that a considerable portion of the "Nights" should be occupied in disquisitions de omni scibili. A lengthy commentary at the conclusion of a good story often sets the listener asleep; or, by wearying him and distracting his attention, spoils his relish for the next tale. We cannot perceive the necessity of publishing a Biblothèque Orientale with the Arabian Nights.

We earnestly recommend Mr. Lane not to make so many alterations in the spelling of Arabic names and words, which have become, as it were, naturalized in our language, and not to insist quite so much on his scheme of orthoepy, but to yield due obedience to the prescriptive and absolute authority on this subject, popular use,—" Quem penes arbritrium est, et jus, et norma loquendi." Greek and Latin proper names, or single words, ought surely to be pronounced correctly as well as Arabic; and yet the person who should-after the manner of Mr. Lane-attempt to indicate the different sounds of the vowels and consonants in any English translation of a classical author, would certainly be laughed at for his pains. We fancy that Mr. Lane will gain little credit by his attempts to apply Elphinstone's scheme of pronunciation to Arabic words when expressed in English charaters.

The illustrations, designed by Harvey, are singularly beautiful and appropriate. His women are Houris, worthy of Mahomet's Paradise; his men appear to be drawn from sketches made on the spot-lithy, active, wiry-looking personages. The most scrupulous attention is paid to costume, and the animals that are introduced are drawn with Harvey's usual ability. The grouping and arrangement are excellent, and the designs altogether display so much knowledge, taste, and imagination as to prove that no living artist is better qualified to illustrate the Arabian Nights than WILLIAM HARVEY.

The cuts are beautifully executed by the first English wood-engravers of the day; and we beg to direct the attention of our readers to the following, as half a dozen 3 L

NO. LXXXVI. VOL. XIV.