we are bound to be grateful to the Sister Isle. Mr. Coghlan's profession has been sketched in so masterly a manner by the leader-writer of the Times in the memorable Gemma Di Vergy's trial at Oxford, that it is impossible for us to improve upon it; while his narrative of his misfortunes in court, which affected him to tears, and the audience to laughter, proved what powerful control he had over the human faculties, and how well he could use them for his own purposes. For near twenty years has Charlie been connected with racing and steeple-chasing, sometimes up in the world and sometimes down; realizing the words of the old song of his countryman— "When we are rich, we ride in chaises; When we are poor, we walks, by Jasus !" And from his skill in conducting negociations he has been happily named "The Irish Ambassador." Of Irish humour he has an abundance, and his powers of mimicry equal those of Woodin himself, so much so that for a railway journey a pleasanter compagnon de voyage cannot be. Like Mr. Clarke, he was a chancellor of the exchequer to the administration which went out two years back; but more fortunate than his compeer, he got Gemma out of the wreck, and with him he did some good, although poor "Gemmy" was so "bill o' saled" till he was as much puzzled about his ownership as a donkey is of his father. Like "The D'Orsay" our friend has not a bed of roses to lie upon, and his creditors in the ring, under a mistaken belief that he has funds at his command and will not fail, resolved at a general meeting to accept no compromise, and take nothing less than the full amount, and as he cannot "take the benefit" in the inclosure, he is always to be found "looming in the distance" watching the struggle, and carrying on through his commissioners the speculations which he hopes may enable him to abandon discounts, warrants of attorneys, bills of sales, sixty per cent., and take to the more legitimate sphere of commercial life either in this or the New World. A "NE EX EAT." ENGRAVED BY E, HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY A. Cooper, R.A. The rabbit is the very child's primer of the sportsman. When he drops his coral and dismounts from his rocking-horse, he is certain sure to take to a "bunny." He will have "a bargain" from his elder sister, or goes into partnership with Bill the stable-boy, on terms which should make the speculation a profitable one, considering papa finds all the oats, bran, and greens. It is a business, in fact, with a clear profit attached to it, whenever, at least, the too affectionate owner can find heart enough to send his favourites to market. But he gradually grows out of this. There is a brown, broken haired terrier lately introduced into the happy family, who is perpetually suggesting a turn-up with a certain old black buck, renowned for his size and ferocity. And the turn, too, comes at last. "The guvner," as Bill calls him, is gone to meet hounds no end of a way off. Mamma and his sisters are safe for a call on the clergyman; and the joint proprietors, thinking far more of the fun than the value of their property, agree to have it out. The coach-house is cleared for a ring, the black one shook out of his hutch, and "Venom" let go at him. But, alas! it is no fight; like the valiant Benjamin, poor" bunny" is easily satisfied and dead, almost before the little bitch has hold of him. There is another of the seven ages played out. Master Harry's and Bill's eyes are equally opened, and their affections at once fixed upon Venom. The rest of the rabbits are sold at once, "without reserve,' as they say at the Corner, and a red-eyed, long-bodied, insidious-looking ferret soon has all the house to himself. It is no longer fine fun to keep rabbits, but to kill them. How tame the monotony of one pursuit compared with the excitement of the other! Even Miss Marian is tempted into sharing such a day; while Bill's friend, "the guvner" himself, occasionally superintends a siege of the copse side. Manifold and important, though, are these preparations-the laying of nets-the placing of dogs-the borrowing of spades, and the continual commands, like a noisy Boxing-night, for "silence,' are all but necessary overtures to putting the ferret in. Cruel as the nature of that curiously-formed creature may be, he has certainly his fair share of suffering. The knowing manner in which he is kept that is starved, the decision with which he is handled-that is nearly squeezed to death, and the fiend-like refinement of tyranny with which, when raging with hunger, his mouth is sewed up, are but too often considered only correct rules and regulations of the sport. It may not, either, even end here. When the fun is just at its height, the rabbits bolting right and left, and the poor wretch evidently doing his duty as manfully below as if he was paid for it-if, just then he should make his appearance unannounced and unexpected, it is quite even betting that, in the excitement of the moment, the white terrier gives him a nasty "nip" across the shoulders, or Bill aims savagely at him with the spade. We have been staying only this very week with a rare sportsman in Berkshire, who has just killed his favourite ferret and a rabbit at the same shot-the one coming up in close pursuit of the other. In fact, if he is a good one, he is always in danger; and if he is a bad one, he picks out the cosiest corner of the whole burrow, goes quietly and calmly to sleep, and gives a two hours' job to dig him out again. But Master Harry is " growing a man," more than ever inclined to laugh at little boys and unamiable youths who keep tame rabbits and pigeons, and kiss their sisters. Even ferreting is too slow for him now, and the third era dawns on him. With his new double-barrel and two brace of rough-and-ready ones, he gets his snap shot-one, two-across the ride in the cover, not over particular, perhaps, whether it really be a hare or a rabbit; while even a fine full-tailed cock-pheasant-flying low, of course has somehow or other, before now, been mistaken for the mere vermin," as the farmers call them. But here we take a pull; having made the running so far, we fall back, and let "Auceps" go in front with his pleasant paper on rabbit shooting, which will be found, as the M.P.'s have it, in "another place." 66 By the time this notice appears in print, a new sporting work, "The Master of the Hounds," from the talented pen of "Scrutator," will have appeared. Messrs. Hurst and Blackett have shown their foresight in bringing out this work, which, if rumour speaks correctly, will be followed by one from the prolific pen of Lord William Lennox. 66 Messrs. Longman, Brown, and Co. have just published a new edition of Blaine's "ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RURAL SPORTS," forming a complete account (historical, practical, and descriptive) of hunting, shooting, fishing, racing, &c. In addition to the 600 woodcuts that formerly adorned this standard volume, 20 illustrations by J. Leech, have been appenede. We have not yet seen the new work, but from the a liberality of the firm, we have no doubt but that it will be produced in superior manner. FORD'S THEORY AND PRACTICE OF ARCHERY" was out of print when we sent to Mr. Buchanan, of Piccadilly, for a copy; but the moment we receive the volume we shall devote a notice to it. From sporting we proceed to other books, and first we shall notice "HERALDRY." By Ellen J. Millington. Chapman and Hall.. Messrs. Chapman, who have recently published Carlyle's" Frederick the Great" (without expection the most successful book of the last half century), and through whose hands the works of Dickens, Thackeray, Lever, and other notabilities, male and female, have been brought before the public, do not think it beneath their notice to undertake matter equally attractive, but of perhaps less literary weight, and have produced a most delightful volume on the history, poetry, and romance of heraldry. We strongly recommend it to our readers, both as an amusing and instructive record; it is graphically written, and beautifully illustrated, reflecting the greatest credit on the talent of the authoress, artist, and the good taste and liberality of the firm.. "THE NEW EL DORADO; OR, BRITISH COLUMBIA." By Kinahan Cornwallis, Esq. Newby. No wonder that this book has gone through a first edition, when we consider the importance of the subject, and the admirable manner in which it is handled. Truthful delineation of the state and resources of this newly-discovered treasure-land is its great characteristic. As a useful and almost necessary appendage to the emigrant, this work is entitled to the highest praise; while to those who live at home at ease," we can cordially recommend it, as containing the most animated and interesting descriptions of a country which ere long may vie with, if not eclipse, the golden regions of Australia and California. He s We lately noticed, in most eulogistic terms, a poem by the same author, entitled "Yarra Yarra ;" and happy are we to find that in Mr. Cornwallis's case it is not poetas et præterea, nihil. "The new El Dorado will outlive all ephemeral productions of the hour, and become a book of reference in the standard library of travels. |