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length of time he has continued in one service leaves me little doubt of his veracity; consequently the opinion I have formed is this: If on further trial, this invention really supersede the necessity of employing the barred shoe, an article liable to great, if not insuperable inconveniences, will be got rid of With the credit your correspondent gives to Osmer (p. 66), I fully coincide. It is just; for the book of Osmer proves him to have been both an experienced farrier, and a man of genius. No invention bearing more than the appearance of originality having made its debut since his day, at least that has been made public through the medium of the press, one cannot help deeming the assertions so frequently made of the great improvement that has taken place in shoeing horses within the last three or four years, apocryphal, to say the least of them. I at least can see none either in practice, or in books, as *yet.

And should this newest new shoe be gifted with the real virtues of originality and practical utility should it on trial be really what it is said to be--why, Sir, it will be hailed as a new and luminous star in the hemisphere of farriery, and welcomed with rapture by every veterinarian, whose understanding, Auttering and half suffocated in mediocritatis visci, sticks, and is likely to stick, as is unhappily the case with that of, Sir, yours, with much respect,

VETERINARIUS PEREGRINUS. Brighton, August 19, 1815.

P. S. I shall feel much indebted to VETERINARIUS SENEX, if he will tell me, through the medium of your Magazine, where Osmer's book is to be purchased, or if entirely out of print.

ON DEFENDING THE EARS AND FACE OF THE HORSE FROM · FLIES, AND ON POST-CHAISES.

To the Editor of the Sporting Magażine.

SIR,

IT has for some years been the

good custom to cover the ears of horses which are driven in gigs, &e. or ridden, in order to protect them from the flies in the hot season, which annoy hot spirited horses exceedingly, and in a day's journey of considerable length, contribute much to fatigue and take them off their appetite. Nankin, fitted close to the ears, is, I believe, the material most in use, as being both light and effectual, and I have, for the first time, seen this year tassels appended to tops of the ear covers.

The motion of the tassels must be quite effectual in driving off the flies, which being the case, I should suppose that with tassels, net would be sufficient, should other covering he deemed too warm. It is true, indeed, nankin is a light material, and at the same time a full defence.

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I was much gratified last week, at Caen Wood, to observe the horses in Lord Mansfield's team at work in the wood, with their faces defended from the flies by leather coverings, which, in particular, protected them immediately under the eyes, the part where horses are so liable to be galled by the briers, or flies of the woodlands. Nankin is, I think, preferable to leather, as lighter, and because also so easily washed and kept clean. Both horses and oxen which labour in the woodlands, are tormented almost beyond the possibility of endurance, by flies; and in former days, the matter was taken so much into consideration, that

many

many washes and unguents were invented for the body of the horse, which were pretended to be infallible for its preservation against the attacks of the vermin, and recipes for such may be seen in old books, but their disuse, granting they ever were tried, is perhaps the best proof of their worth, or their no worth. Motives of humanity should certainly induce people to do all they can, for the comfort and well-being of animals, which are not only of such indispensable utility, but which necessarily endure SO much; and they who have witnessed seriously the condition of a horse, perhaps naturally thinskinned, in a low meadow or wood. land, in the dog-days, particularly just before a shower, and obliged to stand still, will have a little compassion, if they possess any of that virtue; not to mention the abuse which the poor beasts often suffer from unthinking and brutal drivers, who will whip or beat them unmercifully for not remaining quiet under the goads of a thousand insects, one of which, lighting upon their own face, hands, or legs, will make them jump like madmen. It is curious to observe in this, and so many other cases, how little fellow feeling operates in the world. A close-woven net to cover the bodies of horses in such situations, would cost but a trifle, and last many years. But the poor plugtail cart horses are still in the most pitiable state, and the man who can be brute enough to have a colt docked in that way, for no other reason in the world, but that it is equally senseless and useless, actually deserves to be docked himself, in a place where he would be most sensible of the curtail.

Out of compassion to the poor borse who carries the post-boy,

and whose labour in course is doubled, I proposed in former days, that a cbair, or seat of cane, or light wood, should be placed in front, on the springs of the chaise. Upon that the post-boy might ride and drive, whenever the company within were disposed to be compassionate to a poor post horse, slaving ont its life to drag them along in ease and luxury. Since my recommendation many years past, I have had the pleasure to see some few of these, one of wood, the other day, which brought them again to my remembrance. The boys should always be directed to use these seats on every opportu nity, for if we find upon the turf, that only carrying seven pounds, more or less, makes such a great difference to a horse, what a difference must there be between carrying from ten to twelve, or even thirteen or fourteen stone, and no weight at all. For we too often see tall, lubberly fellows, of full that weight, riding post, besides being frequently awkward and heavy borsemen. By the by, it is somewhat strange that the keepers of post chaises should not be more solicitous to obtain men of light weight to ride, since it is obvious that would be a great saving of their horses, and keep them longer upon their legs. The return work, which upon some of the public roads is very heavy, contributes much to the destruction of horses, which thus labour incessantly out and home, the men keeping them long upon the road on purpose to pick up fares, and having loaded them as much as possible, drive furiously, in order to make up their lost time. How accounts of this kind stand between the proprietors and post-boys, I know not, but I think the former must at any rate, E e 2

be

be great losers in the damage nes cessarily done to the horses.

THE HORSE'S FRIEND.

ON ELIZA FENNING.

To the Editor of the Sporting Magazine.
SIR,

THE subject of this trial being a general one, and having interested all ranks and degrees of so ciety, although not precisely within your limits, permit me to make some comments which appear to involve one of the most important interests of humanity, on this, unfortunately not singular case in our country.

I have two separate views to take of this melancholy affair. I think a due consideration of the trial, its revisal previously to the execution taking place, of all attendant circumstances, and materially of the nature of the girl herself, must imbue every rational mind with the strongest persuasion of her guilt, Attentive observers of the buman, particularly the youthful female mind, and of many past horrible events, will not be altogether sur prised, nor incredulous to the probability of a new act of capricious atrocity. To follow the criminal to the gallows, convicted of a horrid crime, we find her there persisting in ber innocence in the most solemn manner, and with the deep est imprecations, whilst on the verge of eternity; there also we find a clergyman affording her the strongest and most solacing hope of forgiveness, and who has de clared since" he has every reason to believe she died in the faith of Christ Jesus, and is now a bright angel in heaven." But is this gentleman aware, how many have in the same way died persisting in

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their innocence to the last, which solemn asseverations have been subsequently proved by facts, to be mere deceptions and designing falsehoods? It may accord very well with certain views, to lay the utmost stress on those sudden con+ versions, but not with any intimate or impartial knowledge of human nature. Doubtless the hope of preserving life is the grand object with criminals, and they will, in consequence, assume that mode of conduct most probable to curry fa→ vour, and promote the end in view

a reprieve. And conscience probably stands but little in the way of forms, or of perseverance to the last, in the line of conduct adopted. The great boon of life is all which is considered; that de nied, all else is indifferent. I must acknowledge I do not feel myself altogether disposed to approve of the methods usually adopted with criminals in their last moments. A brother criminal looking on, says, exultingly, well he has had his day, he is gone; and with a good passport to the joys of heaven, to make him amends, he need not rés pine at the roughness of the pass sage.

I am still less satisfied with our convictions on circumstantial proofs only, and not less with the vindic tive severity of our criminal code, a spirit with which we seem to he personally and nationally, as well as legally infected; that is to say, we have improved but partially in that respect, since the original date of our laws. The idea of vindictive punishment not only carries with it marks of passion and obduracy of heart, but most decided ones of great ignorance in the science of nature. But to confine myself to conviction on circum.. stances alone, where especially the punishment

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punishment of death is to be the consequence; as Judges and Jury men, do we reflect gravely and feelingly upon what we are about to do What?condemn to an ignominious death a fellow creature, who may be possibly innocent as ourselves, with the knowledge and conviction too fully gleaming upon our minds, that such fatal error is not only possible, but has fre quently been committed? On principles of criminal justice like these, what becomes of the ancient and ever blessed axiom, that, many guilty persons had better escape unpunished, than one innocent suffer punishment a principle most just, humane, and wise in itself, of far more intrinsic worth than all the systems of superstition which the craft of man has ever invented.

I have already stated my thorough presumption, that is to say suspicion, of the guilt of Eliza Fen ning but am I infallible, aud can I take upon myself to say, there were no deceptious circumstances in the case, by which I may have been misled in my judgment? How then can I convict her of positive guilt; and if I cannot convict of positive guilt, on what safe ground do I punish? In short, had I been a juryman in such a case, I know not that I could have resolved to give other than a mixed verdict, unless indeed, the verdict of ac quittal; and I really think Eliza Fenning ought to have been acquit ted, and that she had better have lived guilty and have repented, than the dilemma to have been embraced, of her being possibly executed in nocent.

RHADAMANTHUS.

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ties throw their fingers above each other's head is the most common, but the most difficult to describe. Two or more persous stand together, bend their fists, and then stretch out, such a number of fingers at the same time as they please, and instantly cry another number. He that hits on the right number of fingers stretched out from both, or all the bands added. together, and cries it out first, is the winner. For example, I stretch out three fingers of my hand towards my adversary, and he two. to me, and I call out five; I have then won. When neither of the parties has hit on the right number, the fists are instantly bent again, and the hands opened and shut afresh. All this passes with great rapidity; and at the same time the players bawl so violently, that strangers, unacquainted with the game, would suppose then engaged in a violent quarrel. Here is also the tossing up of copper coins, and guessing which side will come uppermost in falling. Here too in the public places, even grown up men may be seen catching up a top while it is spinning, and pass it from one hand to another, and sometimes commit it to the ground without its stopping. The Lazaroni are also particularly clever in the management of kites, which are to be seen flying by hundreds in the air. Many of them let the kites rise from the flat roofs of the houses, and are not satisfied with the usual entertainment, but actually give it a species of interest by endeavouring to catch the breeze from others, and make one kite pounce at another like a bird of prey, in which case they succeed in driving their neighbour from his post. Cards are also very fre quently played in the streets, parti cularly on Sundays. Eight or ten

card

card tables may sometimes be seen set before the door of a wine house. Besides singers, or reciters in Italian, in the streets of Naples, another peculiarity is street preachers. A flag is seen flying in one of the streets, and behind it a crucifix is carried, followed by a venerable divine in his robes. He approaches the Mole, looks for a suitable place, gives a signal, and then the flag is planted at some paces from him. He mounts the first stone he meets with, or a bench is fetched from the nearest booth. The people immediately flock round him with their hats off, and these Ministers are said to have a very great influence on the lower orders; for which purpose government make use of them for party purposes. A person of the name of Father Rocco, was so much esteemed at Court, that he had a carriage kept for him, so that he could go expeditiously from one end of the city to the other. Being a furious zealot, he was more feared by the people than loved. He was once offended at seeing a puppet show with punch, more numerously attended than his pulpit, from which he jumped down in haste, and driving the showman from the spot with his cross, took his place. He how ever did some good, as the public were indebted to him for many lamps which burn before holy images. A kind of mountebank also lately pursued his trade upon the Mole, at Naples, a good looking man dressed like a Hungarian huzzar, wearing some medals about him. His name was Maura Guerra Gamba Curta. Professing himself a Prussian, he said his family had bad a balsam in their possession five hundred years, "My good Neapolitans,' he would say,

"I know there are

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excellent physicians and surgeons among you, and that I am a worm compared with them; but by the grace of God (here he takes off his hat, as do also the by standers) I possess a balsam which heals the deepest wounds in a moment. Do you think I am afraid to be taken at my word? Observe!" He now takes off his coat, shews his naked arm, draws his sabre, makes an incision in his flesh, lets the blood run plentifully, and then pours in a drop of his balsam, and invites the auditors to come the next day and see the wonderful effects of it. Here," he continues," is a water against the survy; and if all your teeth were so loose as to be shaken by the wind, like the bair of your head, you need only wash your mouth with this, and they will stand as fast as the pallisadoes in a fortification. This water is, as it were, the cardinal among my medicines; this salve on the contrary-the Pope bimself!” (Here he takes off his hat again.)" If you have an eruption, let it be ever so bad, rub yourselves with this salve to-day, and to-morrow, or the day after, adieu to your com, plaint. This medicine costs me 6s. 6d. sterling, there! take it, I desire nothing for it. Try it before hand, and then come and bear testimony whether Gamba Curta has spoken true or not." At length this poor fellow's eloquence produced no interest or confidence ; he even cut his arms, and roared himself hoarse to no purpose; he was, in fact, supplanted by another quack, who took up his station very near him with a punchinello, and who harangued the crowd with less volubility than his rival, but with sufficient effect to drive him off the ground.

SELLING

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