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man in his constitution; but just as his intellect begins to expand and discover itself, it is grappled by the fetters of his country. I trust better days are approaching. The lower orders are no doubt fond of stabbing, as John Bull is of bruising; but there is no great harm in this, as it is the custom of the country; and the Spaniard, by rolling round the left arm his huge snuff-colored cloak, can as effectually ward off a thrust or stroke of the knife as John would a claret-yielding facer; and, seriously speaking, I doubt much whether the use of the knife or the fisty-cuff system has done most mischief to mankind.

If another party is formed, the following suggestions, by way of improvement upon the above excursion, are humbly offered. First, the party must not be got up on such a sudden as was the case in the above instance; the character of the men intended for the batido must be investigated as to their faith or trustworthiness, as instances have occurred of both deer and boar having been seen by designing beaters, who concealed the fact, and made no attempt to drive the animals towards the firing

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party, but went privately afterwards and shot them to answer their own selfish purposes. ticular inquiries must be likewise made as to the knowledge each individual has of the deer-ground, and of his being conversant with this species of sport. Secondly, the batido should have been composed of twelve men and twenty dogs, and the firing party of at least fifteen men. Thirdly, the field should be taken by the end of February or beginning of March.

In conclusion, I must observe, that although we failed in spilling blood in the above ramble after deer, will any one from this have the boldness to affirm that we experienced no enjoyment? Do ravines and plains clothed in all the verdure and luxuriance of spring and summer, and intersected by myriads of purling streams, possess no source of attraction? Such delightful and animating scenes, shedding health on both body and mind, were continually under our view both days, amply repaying us for not drawing a trigger. On witnessing the beauty and fertility of the earth's surface, man naturally rumina tes on the goodness of the Great N. Author of the Universe.

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causes of these bad habits, and to his remedy for their prevention. In the whole catalogue of evils to which the horse is liable (says Mr. Yare) there is none more distressing to his attendant, or injurious to himself, than that habit which forms the subject of the present paper. Many of your readers have no doubt seen a horse in the stable curving his neck and raising his head, at the same time making a sniffling noise; whilst another presses his chin or teeth on the top of the manger (without any attempt to bite), drawing air into his stomach, and making a similar noise to that of crib-biting. This is Windsucking, and is practised not only when standing or lying, but sometimes even in walking exercise producing in either case the same consequences as crib-biting; namely, flatulence, cholic, indigestion, debility, and an impaired stamina: and though he may be used, and useful, for the common purposes to which horseflesh is put, yet he will always be found to fail when increased exertion is required.

The windsucker (as Mr. Bracy Clark describes the crib-biter) will generally be found to be of an irritable nervous temperament, and may be known by a staring coat, an anxious countenance, and an attenuated frame. As a remedy for this vice, I commence by increasing his exercise. For three hours at least before breakfast I am on his back (weather permitting); and if he sucks his wind in his walking exercise, I ride him with a stable bit, with a small piece of list stitched on each side of the players, which is never out of his mouth, either in or out of the stable, except when feeding.

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The slight annoyance caused by this simple plan when in the stable, which is sufficiently evident by his efforts to get rid of it, turns all the animal's attention into another channel, and windsucking, which formed his sole amusement at other times, is neglected, and he ceases to inhale the air. In the afternoon, exercise again for three or four hours as before; and when the bit is removed for the purpose of feeding, I wash it well in cold water previously to replacing it. After the first fortnight I usually find I can remove the list from the bit, but not before; as by increasing the substance it increases his annoyance, and at the same time, being soft, does no injury to the general structure of the mouth. When the list is removed, I still retain the bit night and day until the animal is accustomed to and suffers no inconvenience from it; and when he stands perfectly quiet I remove it altogether. The time the bit may be left off varies according to the temper of the animal; but generally I should state that from one to two months is the average time to effect a cure.

Though the horse is thus far cured, I do not mean to assert, that, from changing his owner, the propensity will not occur again. In case it should, it will be necessary to repeat the same discipline.

During the whole of this treatment every care must be paid to the general health of the animal, and extra exercise must never be neglected. In the course of a few days-however mean the condition and appearance of the horse may be-the groom will be agreeably surprised by the rapid improvement this mode of reat

ment imparts to the condition and health of his charge.

The same course of treatment may be applied successfully to most other habits arising from nervous irritability: and in cases of Weaving I have practised it extensively, and always with good effect.

A horse is said to weave when he is continually moving his head from one side of the stall to the other, at the same time spreading his fore legs widely, shifting the weight of his body first on one, then on the other. This movement, which resembles that of a shuttle in a loom, gives rise to the term weaving, and it is a most appropriate one. I never observed any positive injury arise to the animal from an indulgence in this habit, further than that it is most disagreeable in a stall, as every movement produces a rattling in the halter-rings and logs, disturbing other horses, who will sometimes acquire the same habit. Many horses, especially hunters and those which are highly fed, will begin to weave immediately they see a saddle or bridle put upon another horse, evincing by their motions an anxiety for exercise themselves; and not getting that in the open air, they try to procure as much as they can in the narrow limits of their stall. Tired horses never weave; and

those who get exertion enough in a legitimate way are glad to seek rest in their stable, rather than increase their fatigue by continual motion.

The best way to subdue this propensity is to create a counter irritant by the employment of the bit, as in the cases of windsucking. The moment a horse, either from long continuance in the stable, or from any other cause,

begins to exhibit symptoms of weaving, one of these bits should be buckled to the headstall, and remain for seven or eight hours a day, except when feeding. This being in itself a sort of exercise will prevent him from following the propensity. Independently of this, the effect it has on digestion is absolutely surprising. A horse of tender and delicate appetite, or one who has been pampered by over-indulgence till he has become nice in his food, will eat heartily and with increased enjoyment after having been on the bit three or four hours; and it is such horses as these that generally imbibe those practices and vices which are among the numerous curses of good horseflesh."

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This simple treatment may perhaps excite a smile with those who have never tried the experiment; but its very simplicity is its best recommendation. Almost every bad habit to which a horse becomes addicted is the result of idleness; to remedy which there is nothing but exercise and bitting effective. The latter I know is but an auxiliary, but still it is a most important one, and the only succedaneum when plenty of exercise is not to be procured.It has also this advantage, that it can scarcely be made an instrument of excessive cruelty or torture to the animal.

In conclusion, I have only to add, that exercise is the Alpha and Omega in horse-treatment ; and he who combines judgment in carrying this into effect, together with kindness to the animal and attention to his stable discipline, has arrived nearly at the ne plus ultra of knowledge in the treatment of vicious propensities.-I am, Sir, &c.

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TO A LADY,

WHO HAD RATHER AN ANTIPATHY TO COCK-CHAFERS.

O had I but the power

Of choosing what I'd be,

I'd buz my sportive hour

A Chafer plaguing thee!

First up thy arm I'd creep,

Then o'er thy neck would crawl,

En papillote would sleep,

Mid locks luxuriant sprawl.

I'd hover o'er thy slumber,

No dreaming there should be,

Save chafers without number
All crawling over thee.

When walking, I would flutter
Each moment in thy ear;
At tea, mid bread and butter,
My image should appear.

Whilst drinking, ere you'd done
Into the tea I'd slip-

A living proof of one

"Betwixt the cup and lip."

As oft like Puss you'd linger,
To die not feeling wont,

I'd settle on thy finger,

And softly cry, "Please don't."

O, Lady, I would never

Far from thy footsteps flee;
But, buzzing round them ever,
Plague no one else but thee!

And seekest thou that Land

Where all is bright to view,
E'en, Lady, near its Strand
I'd fain be roving too.

There nightly round thy taper
I'd buz in spite of thee,

When there thou see'st a Chafer,

"O then remember me !"

A NATIVE.

IMPROMPTU

ON BEING CUT IN THE STREET BY A SHORT-SIGHTED FRIEND.

To those short-sighted to a friend,

In Ernest! or in fun,

A shorter cut I'd recommend,

It is to cut-and-run!

Oct. 28, 1831.

A NATIVE.

SPORTS AND PASTIMES OF THE PEOPLE.

"It is lawful to relax our bow, but not suffer it to be unstrung."-TAYLOR

SIR,

IN

Na work like the Sporting Magazine, whose pages are ever reflecting the bright enjoyments of rural life, I know of no more appropriate medium for giving currency to a remark or two on a subject which I am surprised has not long ago engaged the pens of some of your Luminous contributors. The subject to which I allude refers to the Recreations of the humbler classes, and to those rigid interdictions everywhere imposed upon the innocent, healthful, and necessary relaxations from weekly toil which have heretofore found toleration on the Seventh Day.

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Far be it from me, in what I am about to advance, to be thought as estimating lightly or irreverently that hallowed day-or to detract one iota from the sacred respect in which it should be held by all who profess and call themselves Christians to diminish aught from the fervour of our periodical duties to HIM who has consecrated it the resting day of Man. But when I look back upon the history of past times-upon those days when are told every rood of ground maintained its man:"when I find that even Royal Ordinances have been issued for the sanctioning of Seventh Day Recreations among the peasantry and the well-disposed :-when I know that these things have been; and contrast them with the clerical anathemas and magisterial domination of the present day, by whose decrees such indulgences no longer are what se

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That such a state of coercion is neither calculated to conciliate the tranquillity and obedience of the people, nor insure a stedfast regard for their superiors, cannot be more unequivocally manifested than in the many petitions which have been lately presented to the Legislature on the subject, and in the responses which those petitions have received from Legislators themselves. "I, for one, (said a Noble Lord who recently presented a petition from Scotland,) shall be always happy to encourage the innocent Sports and Pastimes of the People; and I should like to see the beershops and skittle-grounds of this country- notwithstanding the clerical denunciations that have been issued against them-introduced into Scotland."

Having alluded to certain Royal Ordinances which formerly permitted the rural classes to recreate themselves after their own way, my principal object in addressing you at this (perhaps not wholly an uneventful) time is, to bring under the notice of our excellent Councillors these gracious announcements, and to

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