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hate this way of doing things, and think it always better in such cases to give the solitary bird some coin, but not the whole; and either let the subscriptions be added to the ensuing year, or put into some Stakes that require augmentation.

The day's amusement finished with a Sweepstakes of 15 sovs. each, 5 ft., with 25 added-one mile, 5 subs.-Lord Wilton's Bras de Fer, Mr. M. Stanley's Lady Constance, and Mr. Greville's Adam Brock, the aspirants. Lady Constance was the heroine of the drama, and performed her part to admiration, without being once prompted; but as a play is nothing without a hero as well as a heroine, Bras de Fer stepped forward and performed the part so well as to out-do poor Constance, and gain the applause of the audience, with Lord Wilton in the saddle. All three placed, and a sharp affair from the distance.

Friday, and the last day (weather tol-lol, company brilliant), began with a Match for 50 sovs., h. ft., half mile, between Mr. Hobson's Winton, 11st. 11lb., and Mr. Tongue's Vigornia, 10st. 4lb., both 4 yrs.-a good piece of strife, won by Winton, led by Mr. Kent's knowing hand.

The Claret Stakes (handicap) of 15 sovs. each, 5 ft., one mile, 5 subs. For this started Lord Wilton's Bras de Fer, 10st. 3lb., Mr. Hobson's Winton, 11st., and Mr. Greville's Adam Brock; and a very severe combat it was from end to end; won by his Lordship's slipping in his courser by a head only.

The Gold Cup, value 200 sovs., given by the Town of Manchester, added to a Handicap Stakes of 15 sovs. each, 5 ft., St. Leger

Course, 30 subs. The owner of the second received 20 sovs. out of the Stakes. This being the lion of the Meeting, brought to the scratch a large array-Mr. Houldsworth's Vanish, Lord Wilton's The Chancellor, Mr. Sadler's Jocko, Lord Wilton's Bras de Fer, Sir J. Gerard's Prince Eugene, Mr. Cosby's Hindoo, Mr. Ferguson's Kangaroo, Mr. Wormald's Bullet, and Sir T. Stanley's Laurie Todd. Such an assemblage of real bits of stuff put us all on the qui vive for the result; and Messrs. Irby and Hornby having handicapped with such judgment, the Gentlemen of the give-and-take sort were feelingly alive, speculating not a little. After a few pranks (which generally occur with numbers) and a false start, they were brought to the right-about, and sprang away, Laurie and Bullet going their best up to the stand, when the latter found he had shot ahead as far as he could, and having dropped his ball, Bras de Fer took it up, and went merrily to within half a mile of the post. Lord Wilton then led The Chancellor forth, looking as if the game was his own; but there is many a slip, &c., even in racing, which was proved by Mr. Kent flitting away on Vanish, and, after a superb struggle for place, gaining the day. Never was a race better contested, or jocks more up to their business than the two Gentlemen above-named. None of the others were placed-they could not live the rattling.

One Hundred Pounds, given by the Noble Steward (Lord Chesterfield), added to a Handicap Stakes of 10 sovs. each, h. ft., once round and a distance, 10 subs., brought to book Mr. Cosby's Sketch Book,

10st. 6lb., and Mr. Johnson's Jupiter, 12st. 91b. The Thunderer, from some cause or other, lost this cause by three quarters of a neck; the winner persuaded in by his worthy owner. The following composed the group which had not an introduction to the Judge Mr. Hoyle's Wanderer, Mr. Gully's Tranby, Lord Wilton's Rough Robin, Mr. Jodrell named Victim, and Mr. Hobson's Winton.

Handicap Stakes of 5 sovs. each, with 25 added, one mile, 31 subs. This being a wind-up to the Meeting brought a full field of eight horses-Mr. Houldsworth's Circassian, 9st. 9lb.; Mr. Cook's filly by Catton out of Orphan, 9st.; Lord Derby's Mumper, by Tramp, 4 yrs, 9st. 121b.; Mr. Weatherill's Taglioni, 4 yrs, 9st. 9lb.; Mr. Henderson's The Peacock, 4 yrs, 10st. 71b.; Mr. Turner's The Nabb, 4 yrs, 10st. 10lb.; Mr. Wormald's Bullet, 11st. 21b.; and Mr. Johnson's Jupiter, aged, 12st. 8lb. Orphan bounded off, but was overtaken by the Circassian dame, which from the gallant Orphan obtained the precedence her charms merited-she won by a length, guided by Mr.

Molony. There were the only two placed.

Thus ended races, which, from the manner in which they were conducted, the style of the company, situation, running, &c. were such as must have given pleasure and satisfaction to every beholder. To Lord Wilton, for giving up his magnificent park, no adequate thanks can be returned. If his Lordship is an admirer of female charms, his best reward must have been in beholding so many lovely women enjoying the delightful spot appointed for their peculiar gratification. Of the Gentlemen pilots, I have only to say they all did well; and such general satisfaction has been given by this meeting, that the good folks of Manchester have proposed more new stakes for the ensuing year; and the spirited proprietor of the Albion Hotel, and his friends, have determined to commence a subscription of 100 sovereigns for a Plate. If all things work well, I hope next year to be enabled to give you as favorable an account as the present, and remain, yours, SLASHING HARRY.

Albion Hotel, Manchester,
October 8, 1831.

REPLY TO MR. WILKINSON, ON THE PARABOLIC BREECH.

WHEN last I had the pleasure, Mr. Editor, of addressing you, I was on the point of leaving that scene of noise, dirt, and discord, London, after a longer sojourn than usual in it. That desirable consummation was effected in safety; and I now write to you from my sanctum sanctorum, in which I have been domesticated (following my usual quiet

occupations) for some time. Here I enjoy that solitude and leisure which are certainly the true luxuries of existence. Seated in my easy chair by my window, through which steals the delicious perfume of the woodbine, with some chosen volume before me, always looking forward with the greatest anxiety for the arrival of the Magazine, I assure you I envy

no man on earth. The time for riotous amusements is past for me: I have literally sown every wild oat, and have no pleasures now left me so great as those which my books and my gun afford.

A-propos of guns: I must entreat you will allow me a little space to answer a letter addressed to me in the September Number by Mr. Wilkinson, from the tenor of which I imagine he considers himself injured by some former remarks of mine. I have allowed a month to pass ere I answered it, and in the meantime have read, marked, and digested both what I had said, and Mr. Wilkinson's reply. Ere I proceed I must say it was far from my intention to wound any man's feelings by the remarks I made in my letter. No! rather would I condemn my goose-quill to eternal banishment than be influenced by such unworthy feelings. Mr. W. has shared the fate of his fellow gunsmiths, who all most politely allowed me to inspect their works, and if I have found anything to condemn in his I am sorry; but my love of truth and dislike of flattery compel me to speak of things" as I find

them."

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When I visited this Gentleman's Magasin, I begged the favour of looking at his newly-invented breeching, which I had seen advertised. This was brought forward, with some guns which he said had been sent to have the parabolic removed, and the invincible counter put in its stead. Is it likely, after the pains taken by Mr. W. to prove the immense superiority of his invention................ is it possible, I say, any man could be so thick-headed, such a perfect noodle, as not to know which was which? We all know it doesn't do to cry 66 stinking fish ;" and none seem more aware of that fact than Mr. Wilkinson, who positively overwhelmed me with the praises of this said gun. was asked, amongst many other things, if it was likely Gentlemen would send their old guns, made by other makers as well as himself, to have the counter affixed, if not convinced of its virtue ? To this I answer, New brooms sweep clean." Men are whimsical beings, and apt to be tempted by a new invention. I once knew a Gentleman who made a point of buying every lamp that ever came out, and piqued himself always most amazingly upon the newest purchase, till time and a still newer invention brought forth its defects. I should be sorry to be too positive, but I have some idea this clever invention is not so new as Mr. Wilkinson would have us suppose, and that it was, as I before observed, once tried by Mr. Nock, and abandoned. Mr. W. says it was applied to mortars, and is so still: but here I must again be rude enough to contradict him; and if he will take the trouble some fine morning of conveying

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himself to Woolwich, he will have ocular demonstration of the fact. A gun of that pattern is to be seen there, which is kept merely to shew that such things have been. It was in truth "weighed in the balance, and found wanting." The mortars of the present day, I can assure Mr. Wilkinson, are cast in a totally different way; and I would venture a trifle, that in no arsenal in Europe are they patronised; and further, that men of science would ridicule the invention altogether.

It is admitted on all hands that the grand object of combustion is to impel the object from the centre with equality and force. This being the case-and even Mr. W. will not deny anything so obvious-how in the name of fortune can his chambers (which, like a jack-boot, are small at each end and large in the middle) be perfect? It is as plain as the nose in your face that the charge, from the circuitous route it has to travel, must exhaust its force very considerably. In my opinion, were Mr. Wilkinson to have, instead of this one narrow outlet, two of the same dimensions, the power would be increased by the additional vent. In support of this argument I shall again refer to the large and small syringe. Put into both an equal quantity of water, and it will be found the large one, from the superior vent allowed, will be exhausted first, and with greater force. Again, were a vessel, having but one outlet, to be filled with air and covered with a weight, the pressure from within would be insufficient to lift that weight; but if two holes or outlets of the same dimensions were formed, the air,

having a greater vent, would be able to disengage itself from the weight quickly. This is exactly the case with guns.

Another disadvantage in Mr. Wilkinson's chef-d'œuvre—and a very great one too-is, that you are absolutely compelled to shoot always at the same distance. Now, all sportsmen know that different sizes of pellets require different charges of powder. Thus, in the early part of the season we use No. 7; but as it advances, and the game grows strong and wild, larger sized pellets are indispensable to bring down your bird. In the gun in question no alteration can be made; you must neither increase nor decrease. If the former were attempted, the powder would get above the shoulder of the breech into the barrel, and cause a double action, which would do away altogether with the invention: if the latter, the chances are very much in favour of the gun's bursting in your hands (a thing rather to be avoided than not), upon the principle of the fixed air. I may be told there is no difficulty in putting in the whole charge. There may be no difficulty, and yet it may frequently not be done, for neither sportsmen nor Mr. W.'s guns are infallible. Many little things may at times occur:-for instance, some of the powder may hang about the barrel, from frequent discharges; or the top of the flask may not be full when it is poured into the gun; thus lessening the charge, and consequently weakening the explosion: for it stands to reason the powder cannot ignite with so much strength under such circumstances as when confined in a body.

I trust I have explained to the satisfaction of my brother sports men, if not to Mr. Wilkinson, that the chambers constructed by that Gentleman are not such as will enable a man to shoot in every way. If Mr. W. has the peculiar tact of knowing the gun's best shooting, I can only say he is more gifted than any of his fraternity from Brummagem to Madrid.

On the subject of recoil, the Pall Mall Gentleman professes not to understand me. I am sorry his organ of comprehension should be so weakly defined-for weakly indeed must it be if he can fail to understand me when I say, "the air which instanter rushes down the barrel cannot discharge itself," &c. Does Mr. Wilkinson suppose recoil is mainly occasioned by the discharge of the load? If he does, God help him, for he can know but little of the principles of resistance of air. All

guns constructed with an outlet into the barrel smaller than the opening at the breech must occasion a greater recoil from the violence with which the air rushes through the small opening. If this is too abstruse for the faculties of Mr. Wilkinson, I will make it plainer by asking him, whether he ever had the misfortune to sit by a door that had been left a-jar? If he has suffered this little misery of human life, he will know that the wind, having so small a vent, is collected into a body, and rushes with great violence through the aperture, bringing to the unhappy personage near it certain cold or tooth-ache; but, had that door been thrown wide open, the air having so much more room to

wanton in, would have wafted itself so gently as scarcely to be felt. Is it not so, Mr. W.?

I feel infinitely obliged to this Gentleman for his condescension in informing me of the power of percussion powder; but (with deference be it spoken) I think, had he kept it to himself, it would have been better for his cause. He has, to use a simile quite in keeping, suffered his weapon to recoil upon himself; for a stronger argument against his chambers he could not have advanced. I again repeat, no chamber ever constructed has so great a chance of having its charge weakened and lessened as this must have, from its palpable imperfections. "There is but one step from the sublime to the ridiculous;" and really Mr. Wilkinson comes very near the latter, when he circulates a letter containing such modest observations as these:-" Having read much on these subjects, and experimented more, I think I am aware of all that has hitherto been done."--"It is not my intention to enter into such an explanation as may enable those to succeed who have hitherto failed in their imitations."

I should be sorry to disturb the pleasant feelings Mr. W. seems to entertain of himself; but I cannot help remarking, that true genius is ever modest and humble, feeling no vulgar pride, but rather shunning than courting observation. There is indeed a spurious sort, which may pass with the multitude for pure ore; but, if submitted to the crucible of the connoisseur, will quickly lose its shining qualities and appear what it is, mere dross.

I have now done. The only

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