countenance and a suit of rather seedy sable, who had it not been for his jockey whip and a certain indescribable slang look, would have passed off very well for an open air preacher.

"I hear your honour," he said, addressing me," is looking out for two good hunters, all I can say is, that two better never followed hounds."

"I was telling the gentlemen," interrupted Mr. Dowdeswell, "how Marmion carried your master last November in Warwickshire."

"Ah! that was a day; were you ever in Warwickshire, Sir ?"

"Never," I replied.

Well, Sir, I was riding Shamrock, master's second horse, and a brilliant day we had. We found in Smithem Gorse, ran from there to Thornton Heath, skirted Hazlewood Thorns, and Waverly Wood, then away to Duppa's Hill, crossed the Snowford Brook, where master and I set the whole field, including two of the hardest riders in Leicestershire, and ran into our fox on Houksted Common-an hour all but

five minutes-and straight as the crow flies. That was a fine day's sport."

Being a perfect stranger to Warwickshire, 1 could not enter into the merits of this farfamed, and far-fetched run as I afterwards found it to be, every place mentioned having been the invention of Mr. Sharpe's fertile brain, so I contented myself with saying, in the words of the great magician of the north, "Prodigious!"

The hunters were then walked and trotted before me, the leaping bar was put up, and in every respect they certainly both acquitted. themselves admirably. I now began to talk about the price, when the dealer requested I would walk into his office, where he would lay the owner's letter before me.

"Nothing like regularity in such affairs," said Mr. Dowdeswell, as we entered a small room, about six feet square, and begged I would take a chair. There was an air of neatness in this 'den' that raised the owner in my estimation; a fox's brush ornamented the mantelpiece of a small brightly polished stove, while

sundry pairs of antlers, fixed to a stand, covered with deerskin, formed pegs for hats, whips, coats, and umbrellas. A desk, a high stool, and a chair completed the furniture of this sanctum, the walls being hung with sporting prints, and the places of meeting of all the hounds in the neighbourhood of the metropolis. Mr. Dowdeswell now opened his desk, and taking from it a small packet of letters, neatly docketed, and tied together with red tape, proceeded to select one of the documents which he begged I would peruse, the contents ran as follows:

Regent Hotel,
Leamington, November 1.

"Sir,

"As the accident I unfortunately met with last January has entirely incapacitated me from again taking the field, I have ordered my groom to proceed to town immediately with the only two hunters left me; the remaining seven fetched good prices here; two which will reach. your stables Wednesday next at noon, were

bought in, and from their well-known characters, will, I think, realize their value in London. 'Marmion' is one of the best hunters that ever entered a field. In the famous run from Winnick Warren last year, he went so splendidly, that I was offered two hundred guineas for him. Price as I must dispose of my horses before I go abroad-one hundred and thirty guineas. Shamrock,' nearly thorough bred, full of power and blood, the finest fencer in Europe, witness my having set the whole field on him last February, at a park gate with a strong oaken slab nailed above the top bar, in the run from Upton to Witchford Wood. Price one hundred and twenty guineas. I should have sent the horses to Tattersall's, but after your handsome conduct to me last year respecting Pioneer' and 'Heart of Oak,' I wish to give you a good turn, and two such hunters must attract all the sportsmen now in London to your stables. You can place the money, less the usual commission, to my account at the Bank of England. I have sent you four brace

VOL. III.

of pheasants, two brace of partridges, and

three hares by last night's mail.

"I am,

"HARRY BEAUFORT."

P.S.-I enclose the pedigrees direct from

the breeders.

To Mr. Dowdeswell,

"Livery Stables,

"4, Prospect Place,

"Waterloo Road,
"London."

The letter being franked by one of the members for the neighbouring borough, gave an additional weight to the contents of it, and I felt more than ever disposed to purchase the Warwickshire 'flyers.'

"I hope I didn't say too much, Sir, upon the merits of the horses," said Mr. Dowdeswell, "I'd scorn to do sitch a thing."

At this moment, the ostler tapped at the door, and said he wished to have a word with his master.

"The young nobleman !" exclaimed the