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Afcot Heath.-Cocking Intelligence.

129

mention a circumftance that would have caft a gloom on the feftivity of the day, but for the active interference of the fur

the bones of the woodcock, which I bird they must be trained to flush. Whether, gentlemen, this antipathy is dictated by instinct, or if it arifes from being domeftica-rounding multitude. It was in ted, is a problem I must confefs myfelf unable to folve. Probably fome of your ingenious and entertaining correfpondents may give us Tome further information on this head, which will greatlynutes, extremely perilous: how. oblige your admirer and conftant reader,

Exeter,
June 21, 1794..

ASCOT HEATH,

W. W.

HE races at this place com

confequence of the horfes belonging to an open landau, wherein were the Princess Elizabeth, and two others, taking fright, and made their fituation for two mi

ever, by the exertions above alJuded to, they were happily extricated, to the general joy of every one prefent.

COCKING INTELLIGENCE.

N

menced on Tuefday tO Monday the 23d inft, was

TH

the

24th inftant, with their ufuai fplendour of rank and confe quence among the foremost, their Majefties and the Royal Family, difplayed their accuftomed benignity, and mingled with that degree of affability among all ranks and defcriptions, as plainly evinced the confidence they entertained of the people's affection. A defcription of the race, and the amufements which at intervals occupy the attention of the frequenters of it, are fo well known to most of our readers; and, indeed, have been fo often defcribed, that a repetition would be fuperfluous: we fhall therefore, only ftate, that His Majefty's Plate of 100gs was won by Ld Egremont's b. h. by Trentham, beating three others; and the fecond year of the Prince's Stakes was won by Mr. Vernon's gr. f. Fancy, by Dungannon,

As the different racings will be particularly noticed in our Calendar, it will be unneceffary to mention them here. We fhall only, by way of conclufion, juft

fought at Egham, the annual cock-match between the gentlemen of Richmond and Farnham, for 5 guineas a battle, and 100 the odd, 17 by the inain which was won by the latter, 7 battles a-head. Goldfmith, feeder for Richmond, and Gladdifh for Farnham.

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DROLL, COMICAL, GROTESQUE.

will not be unacceptable to our readers:

"A noble Florentine had ordered a crane for dinner; but his cook's fweetheart coming in hungry, he cut off a leg for her, and fent the bird to table with but one: his master in a paffion called him up, and asked him if cranes had but one leg? No, fir, (re

130

Anecdote of the Bishop of Raphoe.

plied the fellow with great prefence of mind) and your excellency never faw thofe animals with two.''Did I never, indeed, (faid my Lord, ftill more provoked) order the carriage to the door directly.' The open chaife was brought, and the cook put into it by his master's direction; who, feizing the reins, drove him to the neighbouring lake, three miles from the palace, where ftood numbers of cranes by the water-fide, as is their custom, upon one leg, with the other drawn up under their wing. Now look, fir, (faid the cunning fellow) they are all fo. you may perceive, not one of them has more than one leg.' • You are impudent enough; (replies the nobleman) we will fee prefently if they are all lame,' and fuddenly crying hoo, hoo, away fcampered the birds on as many limbs as they could mufter.

Oh! but my lord, (returns the droll cook, comically) this is not fair; you never cried hoo,

in particular with Mr. Sheldon, a Roman-catholic, who lived in the county of Gloucefter. With this gentleman the Bishop ufed to bunt much in the north part of that county, where the divifions of the fields confift of dry ftone walls, a fort of fences very ins commodious to fportfmen. However, our good lord of Raphoe, who was a light, agile man, and an excellent horfeman, furmounted all difficulties with the greatest eafe, and often left the boldeft riders behind him. Mr. Sheldon's huntfman and whippers-in were astonished at the abilities of the prelate: and, with a mixture of envy and admiration, exclaimed, "that they never faw fuch a fon of a b~h of a bishop for riding in all their lives."

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Defcription of a Modern BULL-
FEAST at Madrid; &c. by the
CHEVALIER DE BOURGOANNE.
HE bull-fights are what prin-

THE

hoo, to the crane upon your difh, cipally feem to be fome re

or who knows but he might have produced two legs as well as thefe ?'

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to

mains of barbarifm in the manners of the Spaniards, but at the fame time they are fufceptible of apology. Thefe combats, which the Spanish nation has the ftrongest attachment, though highly repugnant to the delicacy of the rest of Europe, are confidered by many Spaniards as one means of preferving, in their nation, the energy by which it is. characterised; from the habit of exciting violent emotions, which are difagreeable to none but weak minds. For my part, though I wish to refpect a tafte which I confefs is by no means in unifon with my own, I have never been able to comprehend what relation there is to ftrength and courage, in a fpectacle where thofe prefent

are

Defcription of a Modern Bull Fight ut Madrid. 131

more

are expofed to no danger; in, fummer, becaufe in this feafon which the actors prove, by the fpectators may remain in the open rarity of accidents, that the ha-air, and the animals are zard they run is not of a nature to excite much concern, and in which the wretched victims that are fatisfied, have nothing to expect but a certain and painful death, as a reward for their courage add vigour.

Another proof that this fpectaele has no influence on the mind is, that I have feen among the fpectators children, young women, the aged of both fexes, men of every age, clafs, and character, in whom the habit of frequenting thefe bloody entertainments corrected not their weakness or ti midity, or changed the foftnefs of their manners.

Thefe diverfions are very expenfive, but very profitable. The price of the loweft place is two or four reals, according as they are exposed to the fun, or in the fhade. The highest price is a great piaftre. After the value of the horfes and bulls, and the falary of the Torreadores have been deducted from the money received, the remainder is commonly dedicated to pious ufes; at Madrid it forms the principal funds for the fupport of the hofpital.

vigorous. Privileged, breeds are condemned to this fpecies of facrifice. As foon as the bull appears in the circle, all the connoiffeurs name the breed he is of. There are twenty benches round the circle, and that only which is moft elevated is covered. The boxes are in the upper part of the edifices. In fome cities, as in Valladolid, where there is no particular place fet apart for the combat, the principal square is converted into a theatre for the purpofe. The balconies of the different ftories are continued across the ends of the streets, which there terminate; the fight of the people of every clafs affembled round the fquare, expecting the fignal for battle; and exhibiting in their countenances every fign of joy and impatience, has in it fomething interesting, if not pleafing.

The exhibition begins by a kind of proceffion round the fquare, in which the champions, as well, on foot as on horfeback, who are to attack the fierce animal, make their appearance; after thefe, come two alguazils on horfeback, gravely advancing in wigs and black robes, who go to the prefident of the combat (the governor or the corregidor)

Though the cavaliers who are thrown Tometimes receive contufions, yet, during almost four years that I was prefent at bull-for an order to begin. The figfights, I knew but one torreador nal is immediately given; the who died of his wounds. A animal, until then fhut up in a prieft, however, provided with kind of cabin, the door of which the viaticum and holy oils, is opens into the circle, makes his conftantly prefent in a kind of appearance. The agents of Thelatticed box, where he is not feen mis, who have no quarrel with by the fpectators: a precaution him, prudently haften their rewhich, notwithstanding its inu-treat; and their fear, but ill fe tility, has been preferved, like many other human inftitutions, merely by the force of cuftom.

Bull-fights are mostly given in

conded by their horfes, is the prelude to the cruel pleasure which the fpectators are about to enjoy. '

The

132 Defcription of a Modern Bull Fight at Madrid.

The bull is received, and ftun- f upon him, which feize him by

ned with the cries and noify
expreffions of joy. He has first
to combat with the horfemen
(picadors) who, cloathed after
the ancient manner of the Spa-
niards, and, as it were, faftened
down upon
their faddles, wait
for him armed with long lances.
This exercife, which requires ad-
drefs, ftrength, and courage, has
nothing in it degrading. For-
merly, the greatest among the
nobility difdained not to take a
part in it; at prefent, even fome
hidalgoes folicit the honour of
combating on horfeback, and
upon occafion, are previously
prefented to the people under
the aufpices of a patron, who is
generally one of the principal
perfons of the court.

The picadores, whoever they may be, open the fcene. The bull, without being provoked, frequently attacks them; from which circumftance, when it happens, all the fpectators conceive a great opinion of his courage. If, notwithstanding the pointed fteel which repels his attack, he again returns to the charge, the cries are redoubled, and pleasure, then becomes enthufiafm; but if the animal be pacific, difconcerted, and cowardly runs about the circle, avoiding his perfecutors, murmursand hiffings refoundthroughout the theatre: all thofe within whofe reach he paffes, load him with blows and execrations. It feems as if he were a

common

enemy, who has a great crime to expiate, or a victim whofe facrifice is of confequence to all the people. If nothing can roufe his courage, he is judged unworthy of being tormented by men; and the repeated cries of perros, perros, bring on him new enemies.

Great dogs are then let loofe

the neck and ears. The animal now finds the ufe of his natural weapons: the dogs, thrown in the air, fall ftunned, and fometimes lacerated upon the ground; they rife again, renew the combat, and ufually end by overthrowing their adverfary, which then perifhes ignobly. On the contrary, if he has prefented himself with a good grace, his career is more glorious, but longer and more painful. The first act of this tragedy belongs to the combatants on horfeback: this is the most animated, but the moft bloody and difgufting part of the whole; the irritated animal braves the fteel which wounds him deeply in the neck, falls furiously upon the innocent horfe that carries his enemy, gores his fides, and overturns him with his rider.

In this cafe the latter, upon the ground and difarmed, is in imminent danger, till the combatants on foot, called Chulos, come to his affiftance, and provoke the animal, by fhaking before him ftuffs of different colours.

But it is not without danger to themselves that they fave the difmounted horfeman : the bull fometimes purfues them, and they are obliged to put in practice their utmost agility: frequently, however, they efcape, by letting fall the ftuff, which is their only weapon, and upon which the fury of the deceived animal is exhaufted. But it fometimes happens that he is not thus to be impofed on, and the champion has no other refource than that of leaping over the barrier fix feet high, which forms the interior of the circle.

(To be concluded in our next.)

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