compressed into two acts; and from the manner in which it is now performed, it may be called any thing rather than Gay's Opera. And why should such a disgraceful representation still be tolerated; why are the admirers of this inimitable piece to be deprived of enjoying the whole of it in the manner it was written? On its appearance in 1727, its success was unprecedented, almost incredible, for besides being acted sixtythree evenings without interruption, and renewed the next season with success, it was played fifty times at Bath and Bristol. The ladies carried about with them the admired songs of it in their fans, and houses were furnished with it in screens; it has ever since continued a deserved favoutite, and the ardour with which it was received when entire, sufficiently points out the injustice of omitting any part of it. Many objections have been raised against it on account of its immoral tendency, but they are totally groundless, for it ought to be commended (as Swift justly says) for the excellence of its morality, which places all kinds of vice in the strongest and odious light. Again, it has been said that Macheath's escape would encourage other offenders, but it is the height of absurdity to suppose for a moment, that highwaymen would imagine they might rob with impunity, merely because he escapes execution. Here, again, is another proof of the impropriety of curtailing it, for if it was represented as written, we should hear the escape accounted for by the player, who says, that "in order to comply with the taste of the town, he must be reprieved, otherwise instead of being an opera, it would be a downright tragedy.

most

"When he censured the age, "Been prudent and sage," to avoid giving offence to certain vices, his work would never have met with the opposition that has been shewn to it; but as every vice is lashed by it, and the follies of all ranks, black, brown, and fair," subjected to its inimitable ridicule and exposure, it is not surprising that each should " cry that was levelled at me," when he finds his own faults thus held out to public detestation.

Sir, I repeat it is shameful in the

extreme

with me, at full twenty miles within the hour, upon a fine level carpet road, driven along at the utmost of her speed, she, from pure natural caution, avoided running over a boy attempting to cross, whom a heedless ΟΙ mad-brained horse would, under such circumstances, have dashed to atoms. In fine, I have seen hundreds of examples of her care to avoid treading on or burting the meanest animals. I rode her excessively bard it is true whilst she lived, but my care of her was unsparing and unceasing, and

To the Editor of the Sporting Magazine.

SIR,

WERE there more practical in

formation, and less convenient theory, in the positions of AMICUS EQUI, there could not subsist a shadow of difference in sentiment between him and me. I witness with a pleasure equal to his or that of any man, the sagacity of the horse-I have also taught a favourite backney a variety of tricks, in which she took. particular pleasure, gamboling with me and pursuing me up and down her paddock, with as much familiarity as a spaniel. Her natural sagacity and kindness moreover taught her very different and more important things. She was always particularly attentive to my safety, of which I had many proofs. Had I fallen from her, I am convinced she would instantly have stopped, the only assistance in her power to give me. Had I put her in barness, which I never did, I am well assured on any accident, she would, the moment of perceiving it, have remained still of her own mere motion, as much as to say, remedy this accident and we will then go forward. Trotting at the rate

desire with respect to mode of living or feeding, and even diversien. She was not haltered or

failed

tied up in her stable for many years, and had, beside, a paddock to walk about in whenever she chose, ber indications for the de sire of which were, knocking at the door or gate of her loose stable, with her fore foot, and neighing. The only thing I recollect, and it is now with regret, that in recompense to this most worthy and faithful of brute servants, was neglecting to put her in the way to become a mother, and which in me was arrant selfishness, as I could not spare her from the stable, nor prevail upon myself to ride any other hackney. Fortunately, every servant I had during the life of this mare, was strongly attached to her, as were several of my friends who took great pleasure in riding her occasionally.

I have been tempted into this digression just now, by reading of various accidents from vicious or scatter-brained horses used in bar

ness, and cannot help saying with a degree of spleen, that in my opinion, people of property, who have, the means of making a better choice, very frequently merit the

misfortunes into which they fall by riding or driving improper horses. A man puts a horse into his buggy, of the temper or quietness of which he has little, perhaps no knowledge. He drives his wife and child. A boy lets off a cracker on the road, away runs the horse to the devil, smash goes the buggy, the child is killed, the mother half frightened to death, and both husband and wife bruised and maimed. Now, Mr. Coachman, you had far better have ascertained before you started, whether your horse would stand fire, or if not, whether he had sufficient temper or training to be held under the influence of a fright. I had a farther temptation, to put readers in mind that some consideration is due to the feelings even of brutes, although I am not so romantic or childish in my old days, as to suppose that every man will set as much store by a good hack, as I did.

My agreement is intire and cordial with AMICUS EQUI, in the sentiment, that animals are most successfully trained "by indulgence and well-timed correction, never amounting to severity." On the same principle, I am an advocate for the demi manege, and agree with your correspondent farther, on the present excellence of our cavalry, and am convinced that it would be advantageous were horses in general broken under some similar discipline. In fact, were that the case, we should not constantly hear of so many unquiet and mischievous, or heavy-mouthed horses. But there is a wide difference between the ancient and high manege, and the present more moderate and expeditious riding school dressing, sufficient for every kind of military use, as the French have amply proved; more especially,

whilst the old grand manege re duced the animal to a mere automaton, cramping and almost destroying his speed and energy of action. It monopolized also too much of the horse's life, in pursuit of at last a shadow, it being held that no horse could be thoroughly dressed or fully master of all the minutia of the grand manege under three years, whilst great part of those minute qualifications were not only useless, but absolutely ridiculous and quixotic; but that which is much more to be lamented, acquired by the suffering horse from the most excessive and laborious pains, urged by diabolical cruelty, as I have been an eye witness. The same excessive cruelty is required to teach the horse or any other · brute animal too much, which is always the case with horses taught for stage exhibitions, with learned pigs, learned ducks, or dancing bears; that, in fact, however curious the exhibition may be, all such gratifications rightly considered, are contemptible and childish, and ought to be dispensed with, on account of the barbarity which necessarily attends their acquisition.

Little conviction or satisfaction indeed can result either to himself impartially reflecting, or to others, from the observation which he has hazarded, that he is inclined to think, the cruelty stated by me could never have taken place. I wish most heartily it bad been so, and it is with regret that I have a right to insist on the refreshed correctness and authenticity of my evidence, that of eye witnesses. Not that I depend for a judgment in the case, on the two or three insulated facts adduced, since I well know from universally concurring testimony, that it cannot

be

be otherwise, and never was otherwise, the nature of all brute animals rendering it utterly impossible to teach them these complicated and useless manœuvres, without the extreme of severity, generally administered too by ignorant and unfeeling wretches, to whom custom and their passions stand in the place of reason, and who have always at hand a number of cunning, low, and barbarous tricks, right or wrong, to enforce the end at which they aim.

The breaking of pointers I am convinced stands greatly in need of improvement, and in rational bands, instead of those of the ignorant and cunning, might be divested of the greater part of its present barbarity, utterly needless to so docile an animal, as may be seen in a very rational treatise on the subject, some time since analysed in the Sporting Magazine. How is it that A. E. could find no analogy between cruelty to the feline race, and cruelty to horses-is not cruelty still such, whether exercised towards horses, cats, or men?Wherever the principle is attempt ed to be divided and frittered away, injustice and self-interest are immediately apparent.

How eagerly this friend of the horse lays hold on rare and insulated examples of horses bought

declared he could not afford to keep a conscience, has, with his usual sophistry, controverted that most divine maxim, and doomed the innocent to death, as an example, cruelly and hypocritically adorning his bier with laurels, as having died to serve his country. Even as the Scotch Justice of the Peace, in the days of Sawney Bean, who could not be apprehended, bung up four innocent men, in terrorem, and for the public good! Heaven preserve modern judges and juries from similar feeling. There certainly can be no possible objection to the recovery of starved or diseased horses, sold to slaughter; I have myself been successful in one or two similar instances; but such singular examples have no more to do with the general question, than the lunar influence upon the tides. He must bave seen and reflected little, and felt less, who is unaware of the horrible, general, and careless cruelties inflicted upon horses justly past their labour, and sinking under the goad, the lash, and the bludgeon, as remedies for the decrepitude of old age and disease-they are enough to damn a world! Vox HUMANITATIS.

THE FERRADES,

SOUTH OF FRANCE.

THE increase of meadow land in

this part of the country, is attended with a great advantage, as thousands of horses, sbeep, and oxen, are hence found nearly in a state of wildness. At the same time the proprietor must mark those which belong to him; the ceremony on this occasion is called the Ferrades, and is attended by many thousands

thousands both of invited and unvited guests. For the purpose of marking, a circus is formed with carts upon a large new-mown meadow. Each cart is adorned with flags, streamers, and ribbons, and a scaffold is made around them for the spectators. One one side the circus, a large fire is lighted for beating the marking iron. On the opposite side is an opening through which the cattle may be driven. The marking of the bulls is at tended with the greatest difficulty; for as soon as the signal is given by the firing of two pistols, the guards on horseback, armed with threepronged goads, proceed to the inclosure, and let out from twelve to fifteen bulls. These bulls being driven directly up to the fire, they scarcely reach it when five or six of the guards spring on each of them, bring them to the ground, and bold them motionless, till the principal shepherd has pressed the hot iron upon their legs. The instant this is done they are let loose to run foaming, raging, and roaring round the circus. The guards, on horseback, seek the open place; those on foot save themselves in the carts which are often overthrown by the bulls, and the whole presents a truly tragi-comic scene. The bulls at length becoming weary, stand still, and quietly follow the cows to the meadow which are brought into the circus for that end. The former scene then recommences with another number of bulls, and thus not less than a hundred are marked daily.

WRAXALLIANA.

To the Editor of the Sporting Magazine, SIR,

THE perusal of Sir Wm. Wraxall's two volumes recently pubVOL. XLVI.-No. 276.

lished, intituled, "Historical Me moirs of my own Times," has afforded me so much amusement as well as solid information, by the multiplicity of various anecdotes and striking historical facts with which they abound, that desiring to see your Miscellany enriched by a selection therefrom, I take the liberty of making you a tender of as much as I have already selected. Should this plan meet your appro bation, you may expect to hear from me again in time for the next number. I remain, your obe dient servant,

AN ORIGINAL SUBSCRIBER,

Anecdotes of Marianna Victoria, wife of Joseph the First, of Por tugal.

And

The Queen of Portugal, though at this time [1772] she was consider ably advanced towards her sixtieth year, yet watched every motion of her husband, with all the vigilant anxiety of a young woman. in order the better to secure his personal fidelity, she wisely took care to remove from before his eyes, as much as possible, every temptation to inconstancy. The ladies in waiting, and maids, of honour, who attended their Majesties in public to the opera, must cer tainly have been selected for their want of attractions; and they were besides, too far advanced in years, to be longer capable of inspiring any sentiment except respect,

Nor was ber vigilance by any means confined to the opera. She displayed the same apprehensions, and took similar precautions, against any rival or intruder in the King's affections, whenever he went out to the chace. Whether the diversion was hunting, or shooting, or falconing, she was constautly at his side. No woman in

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Europe