"Mark, mark cock!" But the warning was scarcely given by the watchful Map, when down tumbled a woodcock before Tom Merryweather's gun.

"Tom never misses!" exclaimed my friend, in a tone of admiration. "A sad dog that Tom-ha! ha! ha!"

Another rabbit jumped from the wood, and stood for an instant with fear at seeing us. The yelping of a pursuing spaniel soon determined his wavering inclination. Away he ran with the fleetness of wind. I levelled my piece, and the charge cut a deep furrow in the ground, five feet at least behind the fugitive. Bang! went the remaining barrel; but on fled the nimble rabbit, pursued by a yelping dog.

"Now I'll strike a light at him," coolly observed my old friend, as he brought his gun to bear. The echoes rang upon the surrounding hills as the rabbit leaped into the air from the unerring noisy piece.

"That's a long one," said I.

"Fetch him-that's a lad!" he said to the dog, who brought the rabbit, and laid it at the feet of his master. Squire, that's what I

call a wipe o' the eye, at something like eighty yards off." "How could I miss such a chance?"

"I'll tell you how. You didn't hold him straight," replied he, with a chuckle. "Now, here come some beauties for you."

I looked down the middle of the cover, in which there was a narrow break, and towards us flew a brace of pheasants, almost side by side. I pulled at a long distance, and down fell both. "A long shot for ever!" exclaimed my friend. once, though. Keep cool, and you'll bag all."

"Too many at

The game, being driven to the corner of the wood where we were standing, now rose momentarily. Flash after flash succeeded each other, as the birds tumbled over to the earth. Rabbits and hares rushed from the skirts, and, before they could fly from the more-tobe-dreaded men than dogs, were bagged as lawful spoil. Few, comparatively speaking, effected an escape. The sportsmen selected by my host for this yearly "battu were the crack marksmen of the county, and not one but would deem a "clean miss as a very annoying and almost an unaccountable incident.

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Every head out, sir," said Map, crashing through some thick boughs into the open space where we were standing.

"Any gone back?" inquired his master.

"Not many doubled, sir. Most have made for the Hill-Moss copse that had the chance," replied Map, putting much emphasis upon the conclusion of the sentence.

"Now, then, gentlemen!" hallooed my friend. "Tom Merryweather, I say, Tom!"

"Over!" cried a voice which cheers the horse to fly a rasper. "Here I am!" said Tom, clearing a hedge like a harlequin, and bounding close to us, with eyes bright with excitement, and glowing cheeks.

"Have you had your share, Tom?" asked the host.

"Five brace o' long tails, leash o' Sarahs, two couple and a half of conies, and a cock," enumerated Tom.

"How many muffs?"

"Missed a rabbit, because I didn't see it."

"Well done, Tom.

That excuse shall pass muster."

We were now joined by the remainder of the party, who had enjoyed excellent sport. All were in high spirits, and eager for a continuance of the glorious amusement. The crew of bumpkins were all chattering and haw-hawing at the various anecdotes each was relating of the others. How one threw himself face downwards into a bed of stinging-nettles, to avoid the shot flying thirty yards above his head. That another tripped over a stout prickly bramble, and bawled out that he was in a steel-trap. A third, upon seeing a weazel, called out, "Mark, hare!" A pheasant, rising close under the foot of a fourth, so frightened him with the sudden whir-r-r-whiz! that, turning white as chalk, he began climbing a

tree.

A half-clad urchin was seen approaching us astride of a donkey, evidently as reluctant to a quick movement as the rider was desirous of one. He held a basket of capacious dimensions, covered with a cloth white as mountain snow. The other arm clutched a stick of weighty material, which was being applied vigorously to the slowlyinclined animal.

"Here comes Jack," said our host, "with the indispensables. Confound that boy! how he thrashes Dick!"

"He's used to it, sir, and doesn't mind a straw about a lickin'. Use is second natur'," philosophically replied Map.

We prepared for the anticipated arrival of the Mercury from the larder by sitting in a ring upon the grass, under the widely-spreading branches of a chestnut tree. The spaniels and beaters spread themselves out upon a mossy bank in our rear, while Map stood with folded arms à la Napoleon, waiting for the messenger with good tidings, with anything but stoical indifference as to the "come off" of the event. The indignant voice of Dick's rider, with the smart thwack from the cudgel, were now very audible.

"What are you so cruel for, Jack?" asked our host, as the two at length effected a terminus of their journey.

"He won't mind me, zur. So I puts it on to 'em," replied the dismounter. "I wants to break 'em of his bad ways, so I cracks 'em well, zur."

"He's too old to mend his ways."

"The parson says we can't be, zur. So I 'spose jackasses can't," replied Jack with confidence.

We roared with laughter at Jack's unanswerable argument; but he looked quite serious, and wondered at the reason of our mirth. Divers quantities, as a lawyer would say, of tempting delicacies were abstracted from the hamper. Cold chickens of delicate complexions, tongues, ham, bottles of milk-punch, claret, sherry, and, lastly, but not the less to be appreciated, a capacious stone jug of

the admirable ale.

With sharpened appetites we discussed the early luncheon. Merry was the jest, and loud rang the hearty laugh through wood and vale. Never was there a set of lighter-hearted fellows. Upon the conclusion the liberal remainder was transferred to the expectant boys and spaniels, who effected a rapid demolition.

"Shall we make for the Hill-Moss copse, sir?" asked Map. "Yes; and from there to the kiln shrubbery," replied his master. Upon a gradual elevation, in the middle of acres of golden stub

ble, was a small coppice of nut-wood. Through it murmured a narrow and deep stream of transparent water, full of fine perch and roach, which could be plainly seen at the bottom.

"Oh! for a bright worm and a hook!" exclaimed Tom Merryweather, as he espied a perch of a good pound and a half weight gently sculling his tail, like a coquette with her fan.

"Take your places, gentlemen," directed our host; "I expect we shall drop upon 'em here."

In went the beaters and dogs, accompanied by Map, and I, with my friend, stood at one end of the copse, close to the verge of the stream. Hardly were the whole of the starters in, when "Mark!"

was shouted by Map. At the same instant the report of a gun, and

plump into the stream fell a cock-pheasant close at our feet. My old friend looked at it, and whispered, "That's Tom's for a hundred. Right through his head." A little active spaniel rushed through some reeds, and, seizing the bird, hurried off to obey the loud call of the keeper to "Fetch him here, Chloe!-fetch him!"

A wood-pigeon darted through the branches of a tree. I saw the quick pinion as he flashed in the sun, and snapped at him; but he was past just as the shot rattled among the trees, cutting the leaves off by scores to the ground. Again roared the long gun close to my startled ear. I heard a slight flutter.

"Another wipe, squire. I've crippled him!" exclaimed my host. "Hush! look out!'

A fine large hare cantered leisurely towards us, with ears erect, as if not seeing or caring for our proximity. She passed within eighteen yards of us; and, throwing back her long ears upon her back, rattled away at her best speed.

"Give her distance, and shoot forward," said my friend. Head over heels she toppled as I pulled, and laid without a struggle.

66

Fairly killed. Better miss one than hit the quarters. Always aim forward at a Sarah," said my host.

The quick succession of reports told that all were having good sport. A brace of hens sailed over our heads just as I had charged. I took the right; my friend the left; and down they came with a simultaneous plump.

"Mark covey!" shouted a boy; and five barrels, one after the other, clanged through the wood. Like bullets the remaining partridges whistled past. I pulled both triggers at the leading-brace, killing the second bird, and in my hurry missed the first; but, before he flew ten yards further the charge from the roaring gun of my "eye-wiping" host was driven into him. Like an arrow he rose high in the air, losing the power of guidance, looking like a soaring lark, and with the velocity of one seeking the earth, he bounded, feet from the ground, falling dead as a stone.

"That was a towerer," said my friend, reloading.

"They are hit just on the lower part of the spine when they mount so," replied I.

"Generally just behind the wings," said my host.

The spaniels were now yelping with all their power, in full chorus. Their musical cry echoed through the cover. Now and then one might be seen rushing through the tall grass, in full chace of a fugitive. Sometimes they would leap out upon the field, and snuff the ground eagerly for the scent, thinking the pursued had

vacated. Not finding, back they doubled; and, picking it up, off they rattled again merrily.

"Something extra here," said my host in a low voice, and screwing up his left eye, "I know we shall see."

Scarcely had the words escaped his lips when out burst a fox with a cub in her mouth. No tally-ho escaped us; but it was the first I had seen without giving the view-holloa. Away the careful mother went with her little one over the hill as fast as she could travel. Occasionally she turned her head to see if the dogs were in view, and then continued straight forward. Out burst the noisy team just as she was on the top of the hill; and it required all our exertions to whip off the ardent dogs, so that the fond mother might rest her fears from the barking pigmy pack. After several severe cuts from our pocket-whips the presumptuous spaniels were driven back into the copse to resume their more successful task of springing birds than running a fox.

My friend was standing with his back towards the stream, close to the edge of it, when a rabbit whisked past. Over and over it rolled as his never-failing charge struck it through the head. At the same moment a pheasant towered high over the trees. Raising his gun, without taking it from his shoulder, the outstretched neck of the gay bird fell backwards between his wings, and down he fell crash into a hawthorn-bush. While he was covering the victim his hat fell off, and rolled into the water. Quickly it floated upon the rapid stream; and, throwing down his gun, away ran my host in full chase. Now he stoops to snatch the broad brim; but, no; it escapes, and on it whirls. A bed of rushes holds the fugitive. Now he must recover it. Upon his knees he falls; stretches out his ready hand; his fingers are upon the brim; they clutch the edge; his balance is lost, and in he dives head-foremost into the water.

After much splashing, and amid roars of laughter from the whole party, who had just concluded beating the wood in time to witness the involuntary bathe of our host, he scrambled, hat in hand, upon the bank. Shaking the water from his clothes, no one enjoyed the joke more than himself. His red, fine, hearty cheeks, seemed ready to burst with the loud merriment which swelled them. But, casting his eyes into the soaked hat, in an instant the laugh ceased. He peered into it, and poked his fingers about the interior with a singular stir up, as if what he saw required the more convincing proof of touch. Holding out the hat, he approached us with looks. of pride, and hallooed

“There's something more than any of yon grinning youngsters can say. I've bagged a rabbit, a long tail, and an eel, all at once, as you may say."

It was true enough. At the bottom of the hat was a small eel of about four inches in length, which was scooped by strange chance from the water when our friend accomplished his successful dive.

The sun was just setting as we wended our way towards our host's old-fashioned farm-house. When we arrived the contents of the bags were spread upon the lawn before the door. By the side of lots of hares and rabbits, lay fifty-three brace of pheasants, three brace of partridges, and a couple of pigeons.

"That is a tolerable fair bag," said Ï.

"Yes," replied our host; "putting in the eel."

THE DANDY OF THE PRESENT DAY

AND

THE BEAU OF FORMER TIMES.

How do you distinguish a dandy? His face is so composed and plastic, that a sculptor wishing to represent complete repose and apathy might make it his model. His hair is artistically raised, or else curled according to the fashion of the day, not a lock being out of its place. His eyes have not, indeed, the fish-like expression of a Dutchman's; but they form a striking contrast with the sparkling roving eyes of the native of the south. His lips are a little compressed. His coat, without a plait, and of an elegant fit, is so little remarkable for show or ornament, that it might serve as an example of the levelling spirit of the times; his linen is spotless; his bearing seems careless and negligent, but is nevertheless studied. His demeanour is cold, and always the same; so that, as a modern author remarks, if a thunderbolt were to strike the wall of his room without destroying it, he would order his valet to replace the mirror necessary for the business of the toilet. His accent and voice are modified in a manner peculiar to the English language; he speaks quick, but monotonously, scarcely opening his mouth, and keeping his tongue close to his teeth; he gives utterance to his thoughts in as laconic a manner as possible, as if time, his most important capital, were not to be wasted. He is sometimes fastidious, and sometimes careless in the choice of his words; but he has no great variety of them; so that if English were one day to become a dead language, a gradus ad Parnassum, founded on the conversation of a dandy-like gentleman, would be very poor in the epitheta ornantia ; for the word capital always expresses his satisfaction, and the word odd his displeasure. The voice of the dandy is rather effeminate ;* as if the speaker still feared the reproach of coarseness directed against the English language in France under the ancien régime, might still apply to the modern gentleman's varied tone of voice. Compare him with the fashionables of former times, the lively cavaliers of Charles the Second, and the English beaus of the last century. What a contrast do they present! How would a Chandos be shocked, if he saw his great ancestor,-whom, as a Tory, he must honour, the Duke of Buckingham, — Villiers, the witty roystering minister of Charles the Second, who invented the word cabal so frequently employed at that time, revelling in taverns, or, with Shaftesbury and Rochester, rescuing his mistresses from the gay good-humoured Charles the Second! Even a modern Mr. Stanhope would perhaps find his great ancestor, Lord Chesterfield,

• From the following conversation, which once took place in a coffee-house, we must conclude that Foote spoke with a loud thundering voice, and the dandy in a weak lisping tone:

"DANDY. Waiter, a cup of coffee, weak as a lady falling into a swoon, and cool as a zephyr.

"FOOTE. Waiter, a cup of coffee, hot as hell, and strong as the devil.

"

'DANDY. Pray, waiter, what is the gentleman's name?

"FOOTE. Pray, waiter, what is that lady's name?"