They started at 200 gs., and ran merrily up to 600 gs., when Mr. Weatherby cut it," and Mr. Tattersall, who was apparently "full of running," went another 20 gs., and won easily. The half-sister to St. Ronan was very big, but by no means coarse; indeed the King John's, taken as a whole, were wonderfully promising. After this there was nothing very remarkable except the filly by Marsyas, out of Agra, a very nice chesnut indeed, with immensely powerful quarters. And when lot 52, a degenerate Saunterer, had been sent back, failing even to realize the stipulated 66 pony," and we had time to strike a balance," we found that nine yearlings had averaged 1,035 gs., a fact wholly without precedent. We strolled into the paddock to see the parade of the stallions, and then slowly wended our way homewards, reflecting that times must be bad indeed, when pluck and perseverance, combined with an unsparing outlay of money, and great science and knowledge fails to be rewarded.

It is a common remark that it is Mr. Blenkiron's prestige which secures him such uniformly good averages. Doubtless this is true to a certain extent, but Lord Portsmouth's annual sale, which took place two days after that at Middle Park, proves that really good yearlings will command a remunerative price, no matter where they are bred. The eight which his lordship sold, averaged 373 gs. ; while one of them by Trumpeter, out of The Chase, and, therefore, half-brother to Robin Hood, who ran a dead heat with Student, at Stockbridge, and then beat him easily at Newmarket, made 1,550 gs. Thus, within the last two or three weeks three Trumpeters have averaged 1,366 gs., and the best we can wish for the youngsters is, that they may go as fast as Lady Elizabeth, and stay as long as Challenge. The Sydmonton's seem promising, and one of them made 500 gs., and an own brother to the tough little Pâté realized 300gs. more. Prices did not rule very high at East Acton, where, however, twelve yearlings from the Cobham stud, several of them unfashionably bred, averaged 177 gs. A filly by Wild Dayrell out of Swallow, and therefore own sister to Nightjar, and half sister to Wheatear and Ortolan, made the top price, 700 gs. Her dam occupied the same position among the nineteen brood mares, as Mr. Blenkiron took her, with a foal by St. Albans, for 1,000 gs. We do not know whether this foal was a colt or filly, but it is a little remarkable that she should have thrown four fillies in succession. Mr. Blenkiron also bought Reginella, by King Tom out of Flax, with a foal by Macaroni, for 820 gs., and the nineteen matrons averaged 205 gs., so that there seems to be plenty of money still in

the market.

We are quite sure that if there is a match for the billiard championship about every two months people will soon begin to think that it is not "good enough" to pay a sovereign for a seat. In fact a great many seem of that opinion already, for the two last contests have been quite a failure in point of attendance. Having seen the big concertroom at St. James's Hall crowded from floor to ceiling on the occasion of the first ever-memorable match, the younger players seemed to think that they had only got to challenge the winner to secure a share of a highly profitable "gate," quite forgetting that many circumstances combined to render the antagonism of Roberts sen. and Cook exceptionally interesting, and to draw together such an assemblage as

may never be seen again at a billiard match. We were not present when Roberts jun. defeated Cook, but we can say with truth that anything more monotonous than watching the Champion "slaughter" poor Bowles cannot be imagined. We were much disappointed at the hollow result, for report spoke highly of the Brightonian's powers, and, in practice, he was said to have made upwards of a hundred off the balls, a feat which no one has yet accomplished in public on the new tables. There was a quiet air of confidence about him, too, before he began to play, but as soon as the balls were broken he seemed to grow a little nervous, and missed a lot of easy shots. His cannons were the most marvellous we have ever seen, no matter whether they were simple, off three or four cushions, or with a long follow, it seemed all one to him; and we think we may safely say that he did not miss one throughout the entire evening. He also played some extraordinary "losers," using very powerful side, and running through the object ball with wonderful precision. To set against this, his ordinary winning and losing hazards were certainly not up to the mark, and if he was compelled to use a screw" he frequently overdid it. It is only fair to state, however, that during the second half of the game his form improved greatly, and had he played in the same style throughout he might have made a pretty good race of it; at the same time there is little doubt that he was overmatched.

Roberts displayed even more than his customary nonchalance, he seemed to feel that he had a "good thing," and played like a winner throughout. His wonderful power of nursing the balls, and bringing them together again after a stroke, never appeared to greater advantage, for it is just in these points that Bowles's game is weak. Of course, owing to the ridiculously small pockets, both men missed many apparently easy shots. We have seen both the Robertses, Cook, and Bowles, fail at it several times. The most extravagant odds were laid on the winner almost from the commencement, and when the Champion was barely a hundred in front 20 to 1 was actually offered, which he took himself as a cheap "hedge." A very favourite double event was "Roberts wins the game, and Macgregor the Derby; " but no one seemed to care to lay even money against this. Neither man made a break of sixty, and we hope that the new table, having been tried and found wanting, will be abandoned, and the spot-stroke again become of paramount importance. We understand that Cook has determined to make no attempt to regain his lost laurels. We should fancy he will reconsider this decision, for the title of Champion gives a man a very strong position, and enables him to have the pick of all the best exhibition matches. The ensuing contest between Roberts jun. and Joseph Bennett ought to be very close and exciting, and we are sure they will best consult their own interests by reducing the prices of admission to ten and five shillings.

The recent Dog Show at the Crystal Palace, in spite of the formal protest of the disappointed exhibitors against the judging of the mastiffs (rather a bad precedent by the way), was a decided success, and was perhaps the best that has ever been held in London. The Palace is well adapted for an exhibition of this sort, as the dogs can "bay the moon" to their heart's content, without causing the least annoyance to anyone, and the arrangements on the whole were excellent, though on

the last day the place began to smell uncommonly strong. We spent several hours there, but only got through three classes-the fox terriers, Dandie Dinmonts, and Bedlingtons. The first-mentioned are in tremendous force, nearly everything of note being shown; but as we hope shortly to visit the principal fox terrier kennels of England, and give an account of them in this magazine, we shall not say much about them now. It seemed almost a pity to send up old Trap and Jock, as they have certainly "had their day," and well deserve a rest. Indeed, it must have been the respect inspired by his previous performances that induced the judges to give the latter the second prize, as his show days are over, besides which he was a little mangy, a disease from which several of Mr. Murchison's dogs seem to have recently suffered. Trimmer is a very taking dog, with immense quality: we should, however, like him better if he were a couple of pounds heavier, and he does not look as much like work as Mr. Sale's very clever pair, Hornet and Tyrant. Mr. Gamon suffered a great loss, as Chance, a very nice long-headed dog, and winner of many prizes, was found dead in his basket, probably from suffocation, on his arrival at the Palace. Among the bitches, Grove Nettle greatly disappointed us. She was so heavy in pup to Rival that it was unwise to send her, and we could form no opinion of her shape and make, but her marking is very ugly. Nectar, an almost undefeated bitch, was passed over without notice; as was Bellona, a very pretty little thing, but too much like a toy; and our principal breeders seem inclined to sacrifice strength and utility to elegance and symmetry, which we cannot but think is a mistake. We did not notice anything very remarkable in either of the puppy classes, though M. P. will probably furnish into a nice, powerful, dog. In the Dandie Dinmont class, the Rev. S. Teunison Mosse's Shamrock, for whom the preposterous stud fee of 5 gs. and a puppy was asked, on the strength of his late victory at Maidstone, was passed over without notice; and we should fancy he will now come down to a reasonable figure. We were not at all impressed with the class, and fancy that Dr. Grant's Teddy would have made them all look very mean: but the otter hunting season has begun, and he has "sterner work" to do. We at last made the acquaintance of the "cherry-nosed Bedlington," which has been such a fruitful source of wrangling for the past few months. We were not impressed ; he may be " a devil for to go"; he certainly is "a rum 'un for to look at," and as he cannot be gamer, harder, or a better worker, than a really good Dandie, while there is no comparison between them on the. score of beauty, we do not see how he is ever to become very popular.

A few months after the events related-Jemmy Wadham having long previously been summoned to England by his loving and impatient uncle-there might have been seen daily promenading on the Royal Esplanade at Dieppe two visitors of most distingué "get up,' being remarkably à la mode to the turn of a hair, and fashionable in the extreme, according to Fashion's laws, which, unlike those of the Medes and Persians, changeth monthly.

Both of them young and happy looking, they were the admiration of every one, and were sought after, and surrounded by a bevy of acquaintances, or hangers on, whose courtship of their favours was apparently warm and sincere; although their elegant and liberal enter.. tainments might have been set down by the envious or uncharitable as the chief cause of this glaring homage: certainly they spared no expense to make themselves popular.

Had you seen the male-for these sea-side lions consisted of a male and female-dressed in their morning negligé, whiffing his Havanah with Count Hornem, chatting with the Marquis de Malpaiovere, or ridiculing the world with my Lord Consequential, you would immediately have perceived that there was evidently more in him than the roar of an ordinary lion of the Boulevard des Gants, for he listened to their flattery with utter indifference, and received their compliments with an air of perfect nonchalance. It happened that the weather was magnificent, the company brilliant, and beauty predominant-three most essential necessaries to make a sojourn at a dull watering-place endurable; the season was consequently a great success.

The amusements chiefly in vogue "pour passé le temps," in plain English, to "kill time," were the bath, warm or cold; a loungejto the reading-room, as an excuse for a gossip; a ride or drive; pic-nics for match-making, and flirtations for the unmarriagable; pistol-shooting and private gambling. In all of these the young lion led the van, and was accounted a perfect master of the arts. After these had been got through, came a promenade en grand toilette, then the theatre, concerts, or a bal at the establishment, with whist for old fogies, and polkas for young couples. La lionne did not in general show so much in public as his majesty; she either walked alone with her beautiful little girl in the town, shopping and flower buying, or drove her in her elegant

"turn out," usually accompanied by a female acquaintance, to view the neighbouring scenery, or ramble over the ruins of some ancient château. Nevertheless, whenever she did appear she was most superbly dressed, and, above everything, was distinguished for her variety of costly jewelry. Thus it was apparent on the face of it to all, that they were people not only of ton, but also of considerable wealth and good taste. They were the talk and mystery of the watering-place, as somebody always must be.

It is not much to be wondered at therefore that an inquisitive and cynical party should soon spring up from the ranks of those not admitted within the circle of this very select clique. It was a strong opposition, whose object was to pull down, and pull to pieces, as much of the Palais Royal pretensions of these "exclusives" as they could, either, as is usual in such cases, by fair means, or foul words; not allowing, under any circumstances, their inventions, or disrespect of truth, to lie idle, or in any way to interfere with their determined discovery of a flaw in the fair fame of their adversaries. By some of these microscopic observers it was reported that the young lion himself was a descendant, a left-handed one of course, of the great Manchester millionare, Lord Cottenhall; by others that he was heir to Lord Landsup, of countless estates all over England, and part of Ireland. Many, however, knew for a certainty that the Lion had but recently been imported from the West Indies, two of the islands at least of which colony were every inch his own, niggers, and all included. A few of the knowing ones, and they were nearer the truth, quietly insinuated that they knew "all about him," and that he would neither shake his mane, or wag his tail, much longer to the tune he was enjoying; in fact, that he was a lion that had adventured too far out of his own lair.

As for the character of the lady, the sisters of charity on the opposition side, whispered-nay, even dared to hint, that she was no better than she should be, and that she would, without doubt, sooner or later "come to a bad end," and that her jewels "were as false as her heart and face," with other sour sayings and doings of no importance to anyone but the utterers. Still there were two people not much consulted, feelingly or otherwise, upon this scandalous detractation, and they happened to be the chief actors in the drama of the Dieppe exposure: they were the happy couple themselves-and either of them could-if asked-have relieved the minds of their gossipers, as I hope I now do that of my readers-by simply explaining that these magnanimous and magnificent lions were no less personages than the thoughtless and unlucky Guy May and his charming little Sally, who had sought distraction and health from the high-pressure of Paris dissipation and gaiety in the more reasonable and regulated pleasures of a sea-side airing.

Now would not anyone reasonably suppose that under such circumstances-everything being couleur de rose-with the bright prospects of further sunshine looming in the horizon of the next coming Paris season-that the unreflecting Guy May and the charming, artless Sally -contented in the possession of their first love-should have been, what is called, perfectly happy. With no wish ungratified-no want unsupplied-money more than sufficient and hearts, outwardly at least, united-what could be the link missing in our chain of happiness,