a middle aged couple, with a girl scarcely out of her tecus, all habited in the deepest black, were in earnest conversation with a young officer, who, from his bandaged leg, and pale emaciated face, showed that he was still suffering under the effects of a recent wound. As I approached the group I heard my name mentioned, and turning round recognised in the speaker my old Waterloo acquaintance, Caledon.

"Mr. Hamilton," he exclaimed, raising himself upon his crutches; "allow me to introduce you to Mr., Mrs., and Miss Wentworth; your kindness to poor Charles will never be forgotten."

At this painful allusion the mourners seemed quite overcome with grief, and being anxious not to obtrude upon their sadness, I took Captain Caledon aside, who, in our brief interview, informed me that for some months he had been affianced to, Agnes Wentworth, and that the marriage was to take place the moment the period of deep mourning had expired. After a time we rejoined the sorrowing family, who poured forth their gratitude to me for kindnesses long since obliterated from my mind towards my old Westminster friend, and we passed the remainder of the day in exploring the beauties of the gardens, wandering by the clear cool fountains, lingering in the beautiful walks amidst the fragrance of the varied flowers.

To return to the amusements of Paris. The disposition to carry out the manly sports of Old England abroad is the characteristic of our countrymen; no, wonder then that we read of races upon the plains of Abraham, near Quebec; at the Rock, the Cape, Sidney: in the East and West Indies. Nearer at home we find regular meetings established at Paris, Chantilly, Florence, Brussells, Loo; and a sporting event is shortly to come off between our horses and those of the Pacha of Egypt. Cricket matches have also been introduced in every place where John Bull has sojourned for any time, and the papers have teemed with one that lately took place in the Campo di Marte near Naples-Eton against the world. A pack of hounds have hunted the "Rome country, much to the astonishment of the natives; and latterly steeple chases have enlivened the sporting characters in La Belle France. Notwithstanding, however, these doings are common in the present day, owing to the increasing intercourse between ourselves and our foreign neighbours, they were novelties at the period I write of: no wonder, then, that a great sensation was created in Paris when, in October, 1814, the Paris and London Chronicle contained the following advertisement of the first English races ever held in France :-" Saturday, October the 21st., a Ladies' Cup, (given by the English ladies in Paris), will be run for on the flat of Neuilly, free for all horses, gentlemen riders, two mile heats. Same day, a Subscription Purse for the beaten horses." The late Lord Kinnaird, the present Lord Charles Manners, and Sir Andrew Barnard officiated as stewards. The Duc de Berri, Wellington, Lord Castlereagh, and all the distinguished visitors then assembled in the capital, attended the meeting. The races, which afforded much sport, were succeeded by a sparring match between two English pugilists, Fuller and Harmer. A purse was handed about for them by that well known character, the late Joe Kelly (I give the appellation he was alone known by in the army of occupation), and more than sixty Napoleons were collected, A regular school was shortly afterwards established for the sons of the fancy, near the Oratoire, and was greatly patronized by the

French, English, Russians, Prussians, and Germans then gathered in and near Paris.

1

The following is the description given of them in one of the French papers: Two English boxers have already given several representations in the Rue Neuve des Petits Champs. Persons of the most delicate sensibility may be present, for these boxers do not strike so, hard as to do each other any injury. In England, after every battle, one or two of the assailants must be declared hors de combat, and when they are obliged to carry him off the field in a wheelbarrow or on a shutter the pleasure is complete. At Paris we are not so greedy, we content ourselves with a few blows, and the demonstration of them is enough." At this period pugilism flourished, and was supported by men of the highest honour and character; so much so, that during the visit of the allied potentates to the Prince Regent in the previous year, a grand national fistic tournament was got up for their special entertainment. King of Prussia, the Prince Royal, Prince William and Frederick of Prussia, Prince of Mecklenburg, General D'York, the Hetman Platoff, and several of the illustrious visitors, attended a dejeuner à la fourchette at Lord Lowther's, the present Earl of Lonsdale. The most celebrated pugilists of the day were in waiting; Jackson, Cribb, Tom Belcher, Richmond the black, Oliver, Painter, and others. After breakfast the men put on the gloves, and showed some excellent sparring: and "by particular desire of several persons of distinction," as the playbills say, Jackson's wound up the day's play by setting-to with Cribb and Belcher: his quickness, dexterity, and great muscular powers were particularly noticed.

The

Among other sights that attracted the attention of those resident in Paris may be mentioned Les Montagnes Russes, an amusement then lately imported from the country of the Czar, one in which the partaker of it ran the risk of breaking his limbs, and all for the small charge of half a franc. Independent of the original Russian ones, à la barrière des Thermes, we had Les Montagnes Françaises at Beaujon, the Egyptiennes in the Jardin du Delta, Faubourg Poissonière; Les Suisses, Jardin de la Chaumière, in the aristocratic quartier du Luxembourg; and Le Saut du Niagara, at the Jardin Ruggieri, Rue St. Lazare.

We have dwelt too much upon the "life" of the gay city, and must return to more important matters,, By the second general pacification of Paris with the allies, ratified in the month of November, it was agreed that an army of occupation, amounting to one hundred and fifty thousand men, to be maintained in a great measure by France, should possess the frontier fortresses for a period of five years. The peaceable state of affairs in the spring of 1817 authorized the foreign contracting powers to reduce the number one fifth, and in the autumn of the following year to withdraw it entirely. In the mean time my brigade was stationed at Cambray, where the head quarters of Wellington were established. Cambray is a town of considerable importance, situated on the river L'Escaut, which rises from behind the gardens of Mont St. Martin, and is famed for its fine muslin, called in our country cambric, after the place where it is manufactured. The revolution of 1793, made sad havoc; out of the twelve churches which had previously existed only two remained; the infuriated mob not only wreaked their vengeance upon the beautiful cathedral, which they razed to the ground,

to destroy all the nice variety of colour in the fish themselves. Suppose, by way of change, Mr. Rolfe would arrange them now and then on a bit of basketing, a la Lance, or in the pantry on a delf plate, or with a piece of bright brown earthenware to bring them out. We only offer the hint, which we think, nevertheless, might help to bring him out too.

Our friend from the country is really getting so tired, and we have already said so much, that a word in passing for two of the most pleasant of all the exhibitions must be briefer than we could wish. We refer to the two water-colour societies, both, as of late, again abounding in taste and talent. In the new, as we have mentioned, Mr. Weir this season takes the lead, being ably supported by Mr. Laporte, who can paint a horse—a dandy hack, by the way-capitally. As partnership in painting now seems all the fashion, we should have liked to have seen him help out his brother exhibitor here in his portrait of young Hernandez, where the scene in the circle is all well enough with the exception of the horse-Hamlet, with the part of Hamlet spoilt. Mr. Corbould never could, and we fancy never will, paint a horse, though we fear, from the pertinacity with which he perseveres, that he has some idea himself that he can.

At the Old Water Colour, which by seniores priores ought to have first had our attention, but from the time it opens runs only second for it, we have Mr. F. Tayler ranking very high; we are not quite certain but he is the Landseer of the lighter or ladies' school of painting, as "the heavies" call it. His most remarkable performances now under inspection are a beautiful little pair of otter hunting, and hawking in the olden time, with a larger and very effective repose scene, introducing a white pointer and some pheasants and hares-hares that Mr. Herring might look at, as indeed he might at one of Mr. Hunt's in company with a finely coloured wood-pigeon, that only want something more of shade to throw them out, to be very perfect. Just one minute longer for a look at the same artist's curious taste and high excellence in bird-nesting— such lining and weaving-and another half glance at that magnificent failure the Harem, and, my dearly beloved rus-in-urbe, we are at your service.

And now, cab, "home ;" and now, waiter, "dinner ;" and let us feast our eyes on nothing more glaring than the cool tints of that brimming hock glass, or the rich brown of this dainty whiting, who seems half inclined to swallow himself. He appreciates his own excellence, no doubt; could we venture to say as much of the R. A.'s?

THE OLDEN TIME.

DESIGNED AND ENGRAVED BY H. BECKWITH.

Our second illustration this month is devoted to a pastime now suffered to remain in our schedule more by courtesy than from any passing claim it has to attention. We give it, however, with little hesitation, not only from the pleasing composition of the sketch, but as just a gentle hint to our modern reformers to ascertain what "the Hereditary Grand" is doing for his money.

We certainly should like to see hawking revived, if it be but for the