At Richmond, ridden by Johnson, she won a sweepstakes of 20 gs. each (9 subs.), for two-year-olds beating Mr. Ridsdale's Nonplus (2), Mr. Jaques's Sister to Ringlet (3), and Lord Kennedy's Brother to Don Antonio, Mr. T. Robinson's colt by Grey Walton, dam by Remembrancer, Mr. Palmer's Ballad Singer, and Mr. Vansittart's colt by Blacklock, out of the Doe, not placed. Even on Emma. At Northallerton, ridden by Johnson, she won another sweepstakes of 20 gs. (10 subs.), for two-year-olds, beating Mr. T. O. Powlett's colt by Ardrossan, out of Jack Spigot's dam (2), Mr. Tarleton's Sister to Whim (3), and Mr. Compton's Rose Julia, Mr. Armstrong's Charley, Mr. Palmer's Ballad Singer, Mr. Petre's colt by Abjer, out of Leopoldine, Mr. N. Wormald's filly by Grey Malton, dam by Remembrancer, and Mr. Joplin's colt by Abjer, dam by Jack-a-Lantern, not placed. In 1827, Emma ran second to the Duke of Leeds's Lunaria, for the Old Stakes at Catterick Bridge, her rider breaking his stirrup in the race: Mr. Johnson's Jupiter, Sir E. Dodsworth's May-fly, Lord Sligo's Roswal, and Mr. Gascoigne's colt by Smolensko, out of Olivera, also started, but were not placed. At York she again ran second to Lunaria, for a Sweepstakes of 20 sovs. each; Mr. Metcalfe's Flosicula running third and last. At Newcastle she was beaten by Mr. Baird's Sir Malachi, Malagrowther (1), and Lord Kelburne's Purity (2), for the Gold Cup. At Doncaster she was not placed for the Great St. Leger, won by Mr. Petre's Matilda. At the same meeting she ran third to Mr. Petre's Granby, for the Gascoigne Stakes; Lord Sligo's Pelican second, the Duke of Leeds's Moonshine fourth, and Sir W. Milner's Malek fifth. At the same meeting she was not placed in a sweepstakes of 20 sovs. each, won by the Duke of Leeds's Lunaria. SUMMARY OF EMMA'S PERFORMANCES. In 1826 she started four times, and won three : The above are the whole of Emma's performances while actively engaged on the turf, and from the result of which two seasons it may be gathered that she was considered no great phenomenon in the training stable. Here, however, as we have already intimated, was not the sphere in which she was destined to shine; it is to the stud rather than the stable, to her progeny rather than herself, that Emma owes her present fame and high position; and we, therefore, proceed to give her produce in full, from "The Peerage of the Houyhnhnms." In 1829 ch. c. Trustee, by Catton 1830 ch. g. Agnes, by Blacklock Mr. Ridsdale. Duke of Cleveland. 1832 ch. c. Mundig, by Catton 1836 ch. c. King of Kelton, by Priam 1837 br. c. Black Beck, by Mulatto 1838 ch. f. The Witch of Worley Hill, by Velocipede 1839 ch. f. The Lady of Silverkeld Well, by Velo- Mr. Bowes. Of this numerous and talented family the first sample, Trustee, was placed third to St. Giles (also the property of Mr. Ridsdale) for the Derby, won the Claret and some other things at Newmarket, and started in 1835 for Virginia. Agnes makes no figure in the calendar; she is now in the Burghley stud. Guardian was sent to Hungary at 3 yrs. old, and died there shortly after his arrival. All we need repeat of Mundig's history is that he won the Derby, and, proving himself equally valuable as a stallion (Mr. Westley's Counsellor to wit) has left for Russia, leaving a thousand of the Emperor's money behind him. Mickle Fell was not placed for the Derby, won a good Produce Stake at York, and started the same season for Prussia. Jagger won the Heaton Park Cup, with three or four smaller stakes, and embarked for Bohemia in 1839. King of Kelton, after a fruitless effort at Epsom, visited Ireland, where his doings were not great. Black Beck scarcely realized the expectations of his friends, being but a middling performer, though still lucky enough to pull through in a few of the numerous heavy stakes in which he was engaged. Of the two young ladies with the high sounding titles, the less said the better; while of Cotherstone has not a volume lately been said, sung, or written? all tending to make him one of the best, and by far the most fortunate nag of his age, although his success still has not invariably been equal to his merit; he is now the property of Lord Spencer, and makes his début as a stallion at Althorp, Northampton. As-you-like-it only appeared twice at two years old, when she was not placed for the Ham (won by Refraction), and ran a dead heat for second with Wedding-day for another stake (won by Britannia) at Goodwood; she is now in strong work for the Oaks, the last quotations on which price her at 20 to 1. Her "sisters dear" are, of course, as yet, but the children of promise; and, adding, what all the world will allow, that none could be more worthy of the glory she has gained him than Mr. Bowes, we conclude our chronicle, feeling the highest compliment we can pay her is a "plain, unvarnished tale." THOUGHTS ON FOX-HUNTING. BY OBSERVER. "After all is said and done, there's nothing like hunting from home!" So I exclaimed, as on Monday, the day of February, my servant entered my little dark bed-room at the Arms, and, after tantalizingly opening the shutters, informed me that there was a foot of snow on the ground. A foot of snow on the ground! and I at a wretched country inn in a wretched country town, lured by the representations of my cousin, Daniel Jenkins, as to the marvellous performances of "Sir Harcourt's hounds." "Curse the snow!" exclaimed I, coiling myself up in bed. "Curse the fool for calling me; and curse Daniel Jenkins for inveigling me down!" I then tried to compose myself to sleep again. What a nuisance it is to be thus victimized! Doctor Johnson said he pitied unlearned gentlemen on a rainy day. I pity hunting gentlemen on a snowy one. It is in these absences that the bright parts of home come out strongly. We see nothing but its beauties, find nothing but our wants where we are. If a foot of snow surprizes us at home-and a most grievous calamity it certainly is, even there we at all events have our rattletraps about us, and can turn from book to billiards, and from billiards to book, or venture out on skates, with dog and gun; see the ice-house filled, or some such seasonable amusement. But at a country inn, what is a man to do? How is he to kill time, but in bed? or by inflicting his tediousness on the sporting world generally, through the medium of a sporting periodical? Even then he writes with the pleasurable conviction that the editor may stuff his paper into the Balaam-box. Still, sleep or write he must. The concomitants of hunting are so numerousbreeches, boots, stretchers, glove-shapes, boot-trees, brushes, blacking, polish, red coats, black coats, dressing gown, &c.-that it is ten to one that that willing receptacle of miscellaneous "remanets," the carpet-bag, cries "Hold, enough!" long ere it comes to the book's turn to try for an inside; and even if you promise it a seat in your pocket, the chances are it is ejected at last to make way for something more important that you have forgotten, and can't do without. An inn library, like an inn larder, presents neither attractions nor enjoyments. "Blackwood's Magazine" used to be the favourite companion of fox-hunters; not, I believe, so much on account of its talent, as because it contained a great deal of matter; and perhaps the fulness of its close-printed pages operated beneficially as a narcotic. Certain it is, that it is printed in a most somniferous type; and works-" Ten Thousand a Year," for instance-read as differently in their novel, three volume garb, as wine relishes in a clear crystal over a cloudy, finger-dull'd, sideboard dust-catcher of an inn one. I remember in four fox-hunters' bed-rooms out of five, finding a number of "Blackwood" on the drawers or dressing-tables; but only two out of the four had any of the pages cut. In my previous communication, I noticed the influence of a pack of hounds upon society, particularly in promoting that cardinal virtue, hospitality; but I might have taken a higher position, and instanced the beneficial effect a pack has upon the aristocracy. Many of your readers, I doubt not, will remember a paper in the magazine I have already alluded to," Blackwood," called "Hints to the Aristocracy," which appeared some ten years ago, when the ocean of political life was not so tranquil as at present. It was a clever paper, appropriate to the time, but evidently written by a person who was ignorant of the equalizing influence of fox-hunting. After descanting on the exclusiveness of the aristocracy-their habit of associating entirely among themselves-studiously keeping their neighbours at a distance, the writer went on to say that the excitation of fox-hunting, battues, and exclusive society, seemed the great objects in life to numbers whose talents, knowledge, and principles fit them for better things. Now, with regard to battues, I take no exception. They are nasty, stupid, useless, namby-pamby things, seldom indulged in-never enjoyed by the class of persons it was the object of the writer to bring into communication with the aristocracy, namely, the resident country gentleman; but with respect to foxhunting, I fearlessly assert that there is no pursuit to be compared to it for bringing people together, and familiarizing the peer with every class of the community. It is in the fox-hunting field that rank is laid aside, and personal prowess takes precedence. Whoever saw a fox-hunting nobleman with the slightest degree of affectation or hauteur? On the contrary, I think I may say if there is one person more affable or agreeable in the field, it is the peer; for it is he who feels he has no false dignity that can be compromised by condescension, while his wider fields of observation and research give a zest to his conversation that the regular resident in the country seldom possesses. So far, then, from placing "fox-hunting" among the class vices of the aristocracy, the author should have urged the great men of every country to encourage it by every means in their power; if possible, by their presence; but if not by that, at all events by their purses, and the strict preservation of foxes. Battues and great game preserves, on the contrary, should be deprecated. The evil is increasing to a fearful extent; and I am much mistaken if a vicious taste for over-abundance of game is not at this moment doing more mischief to fox-hunting than all other adverse influences put together. By adverse influences, I mean the natural and legitimate drawbacks upon fox-hunting, such as population, cultivation, enclosures, railways, &c. Indeed, and greatly to the credit of the country be it spoken, I do not believe that fox-hunting has any real, systematic enemy. Even those who have neither taste, time, nor inclination for its enjoyment, readily admit its beneficial influence on national habits and the country at large. Strange then it will be, if it should meet its death at the hands of sportsmen. It cannot be denied that the frequent disputes we have about country with the too openly hinted at threats of recourse to the law, is calculated to do considerable injury; above all, coming as these threats sometimes do, from high quarters, they are very likely to be reiterated, if not put in practice, by some of the lower orders. The law, like a weapon, is a good thing to have; but it does not do to be always brandishing it. Moreover, law is not meant for gentlemen, particularly for fox-hunters, who claim a code of their own, somewhat at variance with what is considered law in Westminster Hall. It is high time that some individual or individuals of weight and position enough to insure the execution of their orders, should be elected for the purpose of regulating the arrangements about countries in a quiet way, without all the publicity and squabbling that now takes place. The quarrels are local, but the mischief they do is general. Mankind is prone to imitation; and many a person will follow an example who would never think of leading. There is one great error that fox-hunters commit--one very pardonable in itself, but which is detrimental to the general interests of hunting, namely, being frequently violent, peremptory, and unnecessarily severe upon all those who do not promote their sport in every possible way. Now, there is no doubt that to people who are fond of hunting, it is the very best and finest of sports-nothing can be compared to it; and when fifty or a hundred well-arrayed sportsmen assemble in the field, they are very apt to commit the mistake Peel's three Tamworth tailors did in styling themselves "the people of England!" Sportsmen, I say, are very apt to fancy the whole world is with them, and every person must give way to them, or use them badly in refusing; but let us look impartially at the case, and I think we shall find that so far from having to complain of the want of support and encouragement, it is really wonderful and highly creditable to the non-fox-hunting portion of the community that it meets with so few obstacles as it does. To the landowners and occupiers of land are fox-hunters indebted for the enjoyment of the chase, and yet how few are there of either of them who partake of it! Not one in fifty. Not one in a hundred, I dare say. Nor is theirs a mere passive acquiescence; for whatever damage is done (and that damage must be done, no one, we think, will deny), is done to them. Still, how seldom do we hear a complaint! A field of a hundred horses may smash over a turnip crop; a whipper-in may quarter a wheat field in pursuit of a refractory hound; a bevy of boys may flatten the fences with non-jumping ponies; down goes a gate under the accumulating weight of fat people, and yet a kind word-an expression of sorrow from the master or influential member puts all right; and a "Never mind, sir! never mind!" escapes the honest man's lips, as he hurries to open the gate to let the field through. I never see one of the honest fellows without thinking of the Berkshire farmer, who, when the master of the Craven hounds was cub-hunting one autumn evening, |