year-olds, 7st.; three, 8st. 7lb.; and four, 9st. T. Y. C.; beating Lord Exeter's Hamus by Sultan, 3 yrs, and Lord Berners's ch. c. by Emilius out of Spinning Jenny, 2 yrs. Three others started but were not placed.Two to 1 on Crutch, 5 to 1 agst Hamus.

19.-First Spring Meeting, May 10th.-CRUTCH, 8st. 11lb. was beat by Lord Tavistock's ch. c. Gondolier, by Merlin, 8st. 1lb. T. Y. C. 100, h. ft.-Two to 1 on Crutch.

20.-July Meeting, Monday 9th.-Mr. M. Stanley's CRUTCH, 8st. 6lb. beat Mr. Scott Stonehewer's Zany, by Morisco out of Bupta by Partisan, Sst. 4lb. T.Y.C. 500 sovs. 200 ft.

ZAIRE,

THE DAM OF CRUTCH, is a bay mare, foaled in 1819.-At the Newmarket First Spring Meeting 1822, ZAIRE Won a Sweepstakes of

SIR,

THERE are few things more

annoying to me than a regu lar rainy day at any time, but doubly annoying is such a day in the country during what we by courtesy call Summer. Such a day am I endeavoring to survive, not having a book but what I have read half a dozen times, barring an odd volume of Sermons, once the property of my grandmamma. I ventured out for half an hour, by way of airing my waterproofs, but was soon headed back, meeting nothing but long faces, and hearing nothing but grumbling about the weather-this being with us the middle of hay-harvest, and three days' rain has not been particularly favorable to the article. In fact I felt anything but happy as I ran to ground, having been rather a Job's comforter, not predicting a cessation of wet, of

which indeed there is no appearance, an old farmer growled out, "Well, Sir, I have one comfort, if my hay is spoilt, yon stack of old 'ull fetch a good price next winter." Now the anticipation of a rise in price in this essential article to a fox-hunter's comfort is to me particularly disagreeable, as I am far from getting rich, though I am growing old. Having nothing to read, what can I do better than write a few lines to the Magazine, just to let them know how things are going on in our country!

There have been no changes in the fox-hunting world hereabouts. Mr. Saville has succeeded to his brother, Lord Scarbrough's, title and estates. Possessing three or four superb mansions, he prefers his rented house at Edwinstowe, and will still hunt the midland part of

Notts. Mr. Dansey will return to his old quarters at Gunthorp next month, when he purposes beginning cub-hunting, having contracted, it is said, with Phobus and Co. for a large supply of sunshine during the next six weeks, which will not only for ward his hunting, but make him very popular among the farmers. By the way I may as well give you a sketch of this Gentleman and his proceedings during the past season-his first in this part of the world.

Mr. D. is a red-faced goodtempered looking fellow, not too heavy to ride when so disposed, and having no dislike to a bottle of Old Port when of the right vintage. His appearance on his arrival was not quite so jemmy as is customary in this country, where a man is in danger of being cut if the strings of his breeches are not tied à la mode de Rancliffe, who acquired the art from the abdicated Emperor of all the Dandies. We allow Naval Baronets, and Chairmen of Quarter Sessions, et id genus omne, to dress as they please: indeed some of them I think would not look any worse were they to appear in Highland garb-a fashion I do not despair of seeing adopted by a gallant sailor, whose boots and breeches display an antiunion spirit, only becoming the garments of an O'Connell. Mr. Dansey has, however, much improved his outward man, and does not now look very different from other people. His style of hunting, too, is rather old-fashioned, and would do extremely well, were it not for the perverse conduct of the Nottinghamshire men, who will ride close to the hounds, or within a field of them. were they to follow the example of the Master of the pack, and

Now

remain three or four fields behind, the dogs would always cast themselves, and gentlemen would then see what hunting was. "The science of hunting Mr. D. perfectly understands," I quote from one of your Correspondents. I will not gainsay this dictum, but will only express my satisfaction at his having engaged a huntsman, whose science, I trust, has been acquired in a different school. Mr. D. brought a pack of hounds with him, and made up another by means of draughts from the neighbouring kennels. The bitch pack, his own, were everything that could be wished, and I know no pack that I should more covet were I a master of hounds: they were very level, not large-a great advantage both in woods and in small inclosures, in both of which Notts abounds; were very handsome, fast, steady, and could pick out a cold scent better than (save one) any pack I ever saw. The dog pack contained many very good hounds, but being raised at a very short notice, only merited the negative praise of doing very well, considering it was a scratch pack. The two did not comprise more than thirty-five couple according to my guess I do not know the precise number; nor am I sure their master did. Mr. Musters always used to complain of a scarcity of foxes when he hunted the country. As Mr. Dansey did not kill many more than five brace, we must attribute the great number of litters this year to his having been so cautious in this respect. I cannot give you many runs, as I do not admire a chase without a kill at the end of it, unless it concludes in foreign parts.

Met at Lambclose House; found in High Park; ran towards Annesley, turned to the right

through the Park; Messrs. Close, Fox, and a person in green took the pales; ran towards Hucknall, and nearly to Bulwell Wood Hall, where he again inclined to the right, and was making for home, but was killed at Crow Hill-a very fast thing of forty-seven minutes over the worst country in England-woods, deep clay, small inclosures, all plough. Among the field I noticed Col. Gilbert, at that time staying a few days in Nottingham, Messrs. Barber, Musters, and Rollestone; but these latter gentlemen did not shine in the run, knowing the country so well that they knew the line the fox must take, had he not taken another.

Met at Flintham; found at Coronation Gorse, ran a ring, then straight for Stoke Park, and killed there—thirty-five minutes at a very fair pace, only three or four up at the death, whose names I forget, but among them was a whipper-in.

Mr. Dansey at the conclusion of the season took his hounds to his own place in Herefordshire, where they still are. I cannot, therefore, say what his entry of young hounds is. I am happy to say that there is an increased subscription for the ensuing season, and, having engaged a huntsman, Mr. Dansey's gentlemanlike manners and great affability will make him a general favorite.

There is one thing I should like to see altered; and that is, the practice of meeting at one covert, and drawing another six or seven miles off; so that one is either trailed back the road one has come, or taken to a place so much farther on, that a preferable pack might have been reached by going a less distance, to say nothing of always having a late find. does not answer the end proposed

It

that of avoiding the foot people; for those from Nottingham, when they see an appointment at Holme-pierre-pont, or Ratcliffe, move to Wilford Hills, as they know the trick, while the foot people collected at the place of fixture take their stations at some covert which they fancy will be in the fox's line. Nine times in ten they are right; so that, whenever a covert near Nottingham is drawn, there are two lots of foot people out instead of one.

When I said there had been no changes in the fox-hunting world, I forgot one which has lately taken place. Mr. William Ward, who filled the onerous and honorable station of whipper-in in the establishments of Lord Middleton, Messrs. Musters and Dansey, in a way which excited the admiration of every one, having only had one fall, and having taken during his sporting career upwards of a dozen fences, has just retired from public life by going into the public line. Anumber of the leading sportsmen of Notts assembled at his hospitable mansion at Calverton, on Thursday last, to pay at once a tribute to long tried worth, and to open the hotel with something of eclat. I regret to say I cannot tell you under what sign he flourishes. Not being able to attend myself, my report of the festivities must be brief; but I am fortunately in possession of a bill of fare, which when I have given, I trust I shall hear no more trash about dog cooks and French cookery. I know not in whose service Ude now is; I rather fancy Crockford's: if so, Mr. C. had better look out for another cook. If Ude has any bowels, he will die as soon as possible.

Enter course the first-a salmon and a quarter of lamb, flanked by