where the horses pulled up, just when, from want of wind and exhaustion, I could not, for my dear life, have galloped over another rod, pole, or perch. Accordingly, except my trousers, which were torn into shorts,' I escaped without much damage-only a few scratches, and the fluster and fatigue to be expected after such a burst, with a full game-bag and a gun to carry, over ploughed land. It was some comfort after all to succeed the same day in knocking down a Bustard; a huge cock, as big as three turkeys rolled into one, and with moustaches quite long enough for a Prussian dragoon.

"Yesterday we had a battue in the neighbourhood of the pheasant park for an animal not yet mentioned-the Fox,—which commits enormous depredations amongst the birds. I seem to see nothing except the whites of the eyes of your Country Squires, and their five-fingered telegraphs making signs of admiration at the shooting of any Reynards at all; but begging the excuse of Mr. Lane Fox, and Mr. Fox Maule, it must be remembered that we are not within a long day's ride of a pack of foxhounds. So we killed five, and wounded two more foxes, which Mr. Nimrod will agree was quite enough for one brush.

"The Wild Boar hunting affords excellent sport, being very exciting, and sometimes perilous; for, unless you take care, the boar will perhaps save you the trouble and the sin of doing what Cato did and Addison approved,' with your own hands. If a description of the Boar-hunting would amuse you, it shall come in my next-but in the interval I must send off my present letter to Krotochin, or else by my bad jockeying it will be on the wrong side of the post."

So far my Prussian correspondent: but whilst writing out the above extract, it has occurred to me that, in a sporting article, it might not be amiss to give a slight sketch, by an Englishman, of a Shooting Meeting in Bohemia, in illustration of the princely style in which a battue is conducted in Germany.

"Early in the morning the whole party set off from the Castle in about fifteen or twenty carriages for the place of meeting. On arriving at the rendezvous, we had a magnificent déjeuner, during which the chasseurs of the Prince, in green uniforms, played beautiful pieces of music on their hunting-horns-the instruments, by the way, being of English manufacture. After breakfast we broke up again, and the shooting commenced, which was conducted in the following manner: About five hundred drivers encompassed an immense tract of ground, all at an equal distance from each other, and between the drivers the sportsmen were stationed; each gentleman having, like Robinson Crusoe, a couple of guns,- -some had three or four-and along with him two Jagers, one to load as fast as he could, and the other to carry the ammunition. At a given signal, drivers, sportsmen, chasseurs, in short the whole body, began to move forward towards the centre, which was indicated by a lofty flag-the circle of course becoming narrower at every step. The hares thus enclosed within a living ring fence, began to scamper about in all directions, and whilst attempting to break through the circle were shot by the sportsmen. Very few escaped; not above a dozen, maybe, out of six or seven hundred. In this manner we amused ourselves till dusk, and then the party returned again to the Castle, an

outrider preceding each carriage, with a huge lighted torch, so that at a distance we must have appeared like a procession. Your first reflection on the above will be, what a number of Hares, and how many Friends!' Indeed, I remember your surprise at the abundance of that kind of game, as well as of partridges, in some parts of Germanyà propos to which, be it known to you that I shot, for my own share, two hundred and four Hares during my trip to Toeplitz. In the last six days of my stay, there were killed, on the estate of Prince Clary, eighteen 'hundred and seventy-six Hares-fifteen Red Deer-eighteen Wild Boars-seventy-six Partridges, and twenty-one Pheasants. As to partridges, not less than three thousand six hundred were shot at Toplitz, during September and October. And now, as statistics are in fashion, here is an official return of the game killed in six days, on the estate of his Highness Prince Ferdinand Lobkowicz, at Byin, in Bohemia. Roebucks. Hares. Pheasants. Partridg. Bl. Cock.

Nov. 14, at Liebhausen...... do.

0

1241

15,

29

0

United States Tourist,
Passim.

FACT is stranger than fiction. There are no revelations so interesting as those which are made by the patient to his physician, or by the client to his lawyer; just because the two great human considerations of life and property supersede all the concealments and conventionalities of man, and turn him the " seamy side without," to the moralist's severest inspection. The following incidents, brought to light in a lawyer's chambers, afford a fresh illustration of the general truth.

Mr. Bouncer, when first we knew him, was an oil and Italian warehouseman, at the west-end of the town. For several years after the expiration of his apprenticeship-assisted by his wife, who had been a cook in a nobleman's family, he had figured in that humble form of commercial speculation, a chandler's-shop. He was a little rosy-faced man, with decided business habits, a blunt, honest manner, and so vehement a denouncer of tricksters and cheats, that he never could have been considered one himself, but for a peculiar and incessant winking in two not weak eyes, when, in course of conversation, they were expected to look a man in the face.

Possessed of these good qualities, it may be matter of some surprise

to the reader, as it certainly was with the neighbours, that Mr. Bouncer at the end of three years, demonstrated by sundry signs, such as backwardness in payment of his rent, and unsatisfied calls of a long list of duns, that he was not waxing wealthy by the business of his shop. Although his friends differed as to the cause of his ill-success, they concurred in voting it to be a blessed providence, that the chandler'sshop had no family; for Mrs. Bouncer, after a matrimonial experience of four years, still continued obstinately unprolific.

Sensible as the neighbours may appear to the shallow reader, for however great may be his natural sagacity, we defy him to see as deep into this history as we do; Mr. Bouncer, whom it chiefly concerned, seemed by his conduct to be of a different opinion; for although he had nothing to do, he sent for a nephew, at Liverpool, to help him to do it, and knocking out the old-fashioned front of his shop, he replaced it with one of plate-glass; and by dropping the abominations of bread, cheese, and red-herrings, dazzlingly emerged from the grub state of chandlery, to the full-blown splendour of an oil and Italian warehouseman. It is hard to say what fatal effects might have been produced in the neighbourhood by the wonder and curiosity these proceedings excited, capped as they were by the crowning event of all, the setting up a "one-horse shay,"-if Mrs. Bouncer had not kindly dropped among the gossips, hints about rich relations-wills-and Doctor's-commons; whereupon the said gossips sighingly declared, which is curious, as it is a cheerful idea, that it was a fine thing to have one's friends born before one; and all mothers and daughters who had previously been blind to the merits of the chandler's-shop, suddenly discovered that Mr. and Mrs. Bouncer were the nicest couple in the world, and, in almost every house, the nephew was requested to make himself quite at home.

This important nephew, Mr. Edward Goldsniff, was what steady old tradespeople term "an excellent young man"-one who united the activity of youth to the wisdom of experience, by wearing an old head on his young shoulders; and as he talked without tiring, about the business and the markets-put up the shutters of such rich old shopkeepers as would not keep a boy-spoke of theatres as haunts of vice, and felt uncomfortable when any thing prevented his going to chapel, it is not surprising that all mothers considered him a pattern for their sons, and a match for their daughters, and took to hating Mrs. Sheephead and her daughter Mary Anne, with a virulence as unchristian-like as it was maternal.

Mrs. Sheephead was the spouse of a neighbouring, very unwholesome, old baker, who always looked as if early in life he had suffered himself to get so completely beyond the influence of soap and water, that nothing but a very sharp-edged instrument could ever scrape him clean. He was a sort of dirty Dick the Second, and, strange to say, was reputed to be rich on that very account.

From the first moment Mrs. Sheephead had heard all about the "will" and Doctors'-commons, with the inspiration of genius and ginand-water, she had vowed to herself, that that good young man should have no other-than her Mary Anne. The old woman was not badly qualified for a match-maker-she was fat, flattering, and fifty

amazingly ignorant and vulgar, and deeply imbued with that low cun. ning which Lord Bacon has dignified by the title of "self policy:" so she lost no time in calling together a few friends to tea and supper, in order that operations should commence without delay.

There is no more familiar or favourite theme to domestic moralists, than the vanity and weakness of woman. We traverse not the fact, but why should men be the critics? Of all the matches that have taken place within our memory (and many of our schoolfellows have become Benedicks), by far the greater part have been brought about by the gentlemen first being morally satisfied that the ladies were suffering for them a concealed macadamization of heart, feminine delicacy not permitting a statement of the condition of that organ. Scarcely a reader will peruse this, who knows not of gentlemen in plenty who have committed matrimony, not only with those to whom they were utterly indifferent, but even with ladies to whose persons and manners the said Benedicks may at first have felt some degree of antipathy; and, although the latter may be quite unconscious of the moral fact, we boldly aver that this process is taking place within themselves: "she is plain -they say she is disagreeable, but I can't see it-she prefers me, and really she greatly improves upon acquaintance." A girl is intuitively mistress of this department of what may be called social metaphysics -improves the occasion with well-exhibited secret sighs, and a few mysterious tears, if the gentleman is long coming to, she has a fit of illness, and sends a friend to inform him of the fact, and tell him that he is a brute, and in a few weeks more the affair is complete. Let not men talk of the vanity of women after this.

To our tale. Mr. Goldsniff, at the time when Mrs. and Miss Sheephead commenced their joint operations on his peace of mind, was "fancy free." The evening arrived upon which Mrs. Sheephead had determined his affections should cease to be thus independent. She had invited a numerous company to see her reduce Mr. Goldsniff into possession. There were not only the wives, sons, and daughters of some of the most affluent tradesmen in the street, but there was an apothecary-a professional man-a young man who had played at a private theatre, and a real gentleman, as Mrs. Sheephead said, because "he wore the same clothes a week-a-day as he wore a Sunday;" and there, the ornament of this splendid circle, was Miss Mary Anne Sheephead herself, looking as irresistible as four hours' preparation could make her. She had washed her generally dirty facedone her hair into savilloy curls-practised the pathetic before her glass, and now sat by the side of Mr. Goldsniff, alternately sighing, and watching the effect. With the vigilance of a bailiff, the mamma was observing the progress of proceedings, and driven almost to her wits' end, in the arduous task of keeping off artful mothers, and their rival daughters.

At length one matron (with four singing daughters, who were accustomed to amuse their friends, by moaning as if under the severest stage of a miserable stomach-ache), excited almost to frenzy by the unsuccessful attempts to draw Mr. Goldsniff from his charmer, effected a diversion in her own favour, by proposing that they should have a little music. An excellent piano was in the room, which Mrs. Sheephead informed

the company had cost Mr. S-four pounds four shillings at a salea splendid bargain-an instrument which had been such a favourite with Lord Cram, that he had kept it seven years in his nursery for his children to practise on; and to this meritorious object, Mr. Goldsniff now, with the confidence of a lion, drew attention by exclaiming,

"Ah, there's the piano; suppose we do have a little music." Those who wanted to listen to a song, or laugh at a break-down, testified their satisfaction; whilst they who felt conscious of their ability to do some thing in this way-among whom were the Misses Bobson, looked utterly unconscious that such a proposition had gone forth. Mr. Goldsniff, however, glanced round the room, and again inquired, "what young ladies could sing?"

"Oh, we can't, it's no use asking us," exclaimed and giggled all the Miss Bobsons, simultaneously.

"For shame, Kitty and Amelia," (these were the two elder ones, and were to be got off first),-" for shame," exclaimed their mamma, in a virtuous tone of moral reproof, "you know you do sing." Then turning to Mr. Goldsniff, she continued, "they sing a little, Mr. Goldsniff; of course not exactly perfessional, but still pretty well;" (and then in an under tone, only intended for Mr. G-'s private ear) "and we shall be very happy, Mr. Goldsniff, to see you at any time. We're a very happy family-quite plain and comfortable. Kitty, why don't you sing when Mr. Goldsniff is kind enough to ask you ?"

"Nonsense, mamma; Mr. Goldsniff don't wish to be troubled with my imperfect performance," remonstrated Miss Kitty.

Thus had Mrs. and Miss Bobson, whilst Mrs. Sheephead's eyes were flashing forked lightnings, and Miss Sheephead was weighing the relative merits of a dashing display of hysterics, or a calm and tasteful fainting fit, thus had Mrs. and Miss Bobson effected their object of drawing Mr. Goldsniff to themselves. That gentleman, upon Miss Kitty Bobson remonstrating with her mamma as above reported, could of course do no other than arise from his chair, and extending towards the lady a hand redolent of an odour partaking more strongly of pickles than was agreeable to those who preferred more fashionable perfumes, simpered a "will you allow me?" upon which the fair vocalist in her extreme delight at granting his request, failed in her attempt at appearing overwhelmed, and moved towards the piano, with the tip of her white glove between Mr. Goldsniff's fingers, and with the sort of motion any woman would make, who had cut her feet off, and taken to running on treddles.

She was now seated at the instrument, Mr. Goldsniff standing behind, and perpetually knocking the music off the stand, in the gratifying delusion that he was making himself useful, whilst the general company sat round, doing nothing but listening, excepting a few diabolical glances, shot right from the eyes of Mrs. Sheephead, directly upon the amiable and apparently unconscious countenance of Mrs. Bobson, and some convulsive twitches of Miss Sheephead's hands, who might have been taken to be rehearsing the scalping the locks off some invisible head; which private performance considerably increased in vivacity as Miss Bobson's moan now began to inform her hearers that her light of other days was shaded, and all their glory past, but that