seen a fox stealing away through a plantation on the top of the hill. Getting on his line with all possible despatch, we crossed the Tarbes road into the first-rate country which borders it on each side, several purls diversifying the amusement of the chase, and, after a long check in a lane, and then some cold hunting, the sun being most powerful, called off the hounds. Before, however, going home, the huntsman having proposed to try Idron, threw in the hounds, and to our joy soon heard a challenge from Venus, which being at once taken up and followed by a rattling tally-ho from Dupont (our huntsman), proclaimed a find, and no mistake. The fox first headed for the Tarbes road, then doubling back, tried the earths at Lée; then down into the abovementioned patch of underbrush, out of which the "field" had the satisfaction of viewing him; up the hill again, across the high road to the South, and, after more doubling, twisting about, and short running than nine out of ten British hares would be guilty of, we came very near losing him when, receiving information from a retired snip, grown rich in the exercise of his craft, and consequently become a small "proprietaire" that a hare had been seen to enter a little plantation of trees close by, we decided nem. con. that this hare was our fox, and sure enough, on putting in the hounds, they at once confirmed our surmise, and we had the doubtful satisfaction of seeing them streaming away full cry over the meadows in the valley losing no time in scrambling down the almost perpendicular hill, we did our best to overtake them. Here one of our small " field," a new comer "out" for the first time, got his horse on his back in a ditch at the foot of the hill. Sending two peasants to his assistance, we were forced to leave him to his fate; regretting, however, that such a catastrophe should have befallen him at a moment when we felt instinctively that we were killing our fox. Ten minutes more of the most beautiful" finish" sufficed to enable the hounds to pull him down in the open, and that most fortunately just as the thick shades of night were stealing over the earth. I promise you not a particle of this fox was left behind; even the brush was only reserved from the ravenous hounds after being torn into two portions, which, on our way through the town, were sent to the unlucky sportsman alluded to above as a token of our success, and some slight consolation for his mishap: time, 2 hours 35 minutes. Here was a run to try the patience of hounds!—a short-running fox, and no scent. But how they ran into him the moment he got on moist ground, and held a straight course! Several of the "field," who had gone home after the second fox was lost, were most sorely disappointed at their ill luck, and it became necessary to show the bloody pads to convince them we were not hoaxing them. More than one made a vow, from that moment never again to give it up while a cover remained to draw. However, not long after, on commencing operations in the same covers, in which we chopped a fox with a broken shoulder, more than one- -forgetting their wise resolution, and allowing themselves to become discouraged at not finding at "Las Cledas,' nor at "La Madelaine," nor yet immediately on entering Pau wood-turned their horses' heads homewards, and thus missed one of the best runs, if not the run, of the season; for old Freedom," getting on the drag of a fox, although near three o'clock (a smart shower had fallen in the morning), we little by little hunted up to our fox, which evidently had never be

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fore been alarmed by the cry of hounds, and put him up, in sight of half the "field." He first breaks away upon the Landes, then running back into cover, goes all through it out to the "Madelaine," and breaks again, but being headed back, returns through Pau wood, and finally takes to the open, crossing the Landes, and runs through Mr. Manescan's fine farm of the "Bezet," over the Bordeaux road into the covers back of the kennel, to the earths at the mill, which for a few anxious minutes we fear he is going to enter, but he evidently does not know them; he then comes back, traverses and skirts some of the small covers with which this part of our country" is thickly studded, and is finally pulled down within twenty yards of the Bordeaux road, and within a stone's throw of the kennel. Upon the huntsman bringing him out upon this noble highway, we behold the most enormous dog fox we had almost ever had the satisfaction of looking upon. His head alone was quite a surprising weight. An American lady driving up at this juncture, the beautiful brush is gallantly presented to her fair young daughter, and the "field," congratulating themselves upon their sportsman-like patience which had enabled them to participate in so glorious a run, slowly regain the town, some two short miles distant.

I could give you accounts of many more capital runs (the celebrated "Park run," for instance, in which we killed our fox in sight of several score of promenaders) which really deserve to live in your pages; but I feel I have already trespassed too long on your limited space, and will therefore for the present, at all events, break off my long yarn. I trust I have not failed in the main object of this epistle, which, as I said above, is to prove to you that most excellent sport may be obtained here-sport such as a stranger could scarcely be prepared for, and which it would really be a pity should not be proclaimed to fox-hunting invalids through the medium of your extensively-circulating pages.

I will now conclude by informing you that our pack will shortly be most effectively increased by a fresh draft of some eighteen couple of hounds, which our huntsman is now busily employed in collecting in England. From all I hear, they are a very superior lot: eleven couple from the "Warwickshire," the rest from Sir R. Sutton, Assheton Smith, Mr. Foljambe, and Lord Yarborough. I am not quite certain, however, that the pack will not be removed to Tarbes, some ten leagues distant, which was the original head-quarters of that first-rate sportsman, Sir Henry Oxenden, who, on his return to England, presented ten couple of his best hounds to the English at Pau. The country around it is better supplied with covers, but is infinitely inferior to ours for riding over. Pau, 15th May.

Yours, &c.,

CELEBS.

LITERATURE.

THREE YEARS WITH THE DUKE ; OR, THE PRIVATE LIFE OF WELLINGTON, AT PARIS, VIENNA, WATERLOO. By an ex-Aid-de-camp. Saunders and Otley, publishers, Conduit Street.

Among the numerous lives and memoirs of the illustrious chief whose loss a nation mourns, there is no work that will be read with

greater delight than the one we are about to notice, The author's object has been to show Wellington not alone in his public, but private career; and he has proved himself fully competent to the task. The companion of the Duke from London to Bergen-op-Zoom, to Brussels, (twice) to Paris, to the Congress of Vienna, would have produced an interesting book if he had merely confined himself to a simple detail of the journeys; but when we add that the writer has collected anecdotes that delineate the public and social character of the warrior and the man, it at once gives that sterling stamp to the pages which will make all classes anxious to peruse them. We strongly recommend this work to every reader. The military man will find the Duke on the field of glory; the statesman will, in his "mind's eye," see the patriot among the assembled Congress at Vienna; the curious will be gratified with a graphic description of the hero's journey through Holland, Belgium, France, and Germany; the civilian will read of Wellington in private life; the sportsman will follow him with the stag, wild boar, and foxhounds; and every one that peruses "Three Years with the Duke' will be grateful to the author for the good taste and amiable feeling evinced throughout. As a literary work it is of no slight importance, but perhaps its greatest charm is the truthfulness and unaffected style in which it is written, and which proves the ex-Aid-de-camp to have had a thorough knowledge of the character of his chief,

engraver.

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We omitted last month to notice a very capital addition to the attractions of Messrs. Fores' Piccadilly Repository. The subject itself is a famous one; and it has been done equal justice to by both painter and The town man will know it directly we give the titleMay and December'-and such of our country friends who have not had a run up during the late frost may guess something of its story by the same key. May, a high-spirited, larky, but lady-like looking girl, with a well-rounded arm that might make any of us envy old December -a gentleman, alas! "somewhat advanced in years,' but who, nevertheless, is imprinting with the most palpable relish a mighty kiss on the fair fingers he has in his keeping. The whole thing is full of humour, The thorough relish and high appreciation of "the old swell" for his happy lot, and the comical surprise of his fair friend at the extreme ardour of his attentions, tell famously on each other-backed as they are by the many attractions of the lady herself. Mr. Lamont Brodie, as the artist, and Mr. W. H. Simmons, as his seconder in black and white, have the joint credit of a production that has the best recommendations for popularity.

From the same house we have a continuation of Alken's contrasts twixt the road and the rail-" The Driver of the Mail in 1832," and "The Driver of the Mail in 1852." Everybody will have his own notion of how this is worked out let him get the pair and prove it. They are in every way worthy of such of the series as have already appeared, and that we have had just occasion to commend.

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PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS OF THE METROPOLIS,

"I belong to the unpopular family of Telltruths, and would not flatter Apollo for his lyre."-ROB ROY.

The success which had set in with the Christmas entertainment having passed away, the different theatres begin to show the absence of that which often finds a place in the bills-if nowhere else" attractive novelty." It is true some of the theatres have followed up holiday cheer with other fare, but with a far different result. Amongst these, perhaps the honour of heading the list may be accorded to the comedy of "Not so Bad as we Seem'-not altogether a novelty, it having done duty for the company of amateurs, whose literary excellence, it may be said, 'id more for Sir E. Lytton's play than the "regular" This being understood to be the last managerial attempt on the part of the present lessee, it is to be regretted that the final effort of one who has been identified so long as Mr, Webster has been with the fortunes of the HAYMARKET should meet with so slender support.

The Shaksperian revival at the PRINCESS's appears to rest claim to notice more on account of the dresses and decorations than the acting; although Mrs. Kean's picture of Lady Macbeth is different than when last looked at, and moreover the change is for the better, and that is more than can be said for all changes. A striking instance of this appears in the bills, which have been enormously magnified by the addition of Mr. Kean's elaborate account of his researches. Surely he might consult as many "authorities" as his infinite wisdom might prompt, without inflicting the result on an audience that seeks entertainment.

Another case in point, at DRURY LANE, where the change from "Gold" to "Louis the XIth," from the pantomime to " Black-eyed Susan," is not for the better--at least, to the lessee. Still, he is not content to rest on his oars; for novelty is in preparation, the interval being filled up by the performance of Mrs. Mowatt's piece, which some time ago received a favourable fiat in the remote regions of Marylebone.

Although the Carpet Bag has been carried to the SALLE ROBIN in Piccadilly, there is no cause for further change, as there is always a freshness about Mr. Woodin's entertainment which at all times pleases. Indeed, nothing can be more amusing than the variety of character here displayed. Far better are these than his imitations of performers. And you'll incline to this opinion, particularly with the impression made by his servant out of place, whose " young man" was not a "follower," as he was her first cousin; and the lady with a bad memory, whose specimen of vocalisation is beyond all musical attempts on record.

Change without ceasing has characterized the FRENCH PLAYS, novelties having been brought forward in rapid succession. Mons. Ravel, having convulsed all St. James's with his various eccentricities and amusing delineations of character, now gives way to an actress with full

honours from the Gymnase, hight Luther. An extra night is given on Saturdays until the commencement of the Opera season.

The period for which is close at hand, and still there are doubts about the opening of HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE, the ill fortune which has for so long attended this leviathan temple of the Muses having received its coup de grâce in St. Stephens, by the legislators refusing to countenance, for the present at least, "limited liability." In the mean time active preparations are being made for the opening of THE ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA; Mr. Gye having, in addition to the re-engagement of favourites of long standing, made arrangements for the appearance of several celebrities of the highest continental renown.

NOTES OF THE PAST MONTH.

A week or two's frost, like a slight check in a fast thing, has been very gratefully received by both man and horse. It does not threaten either, as with some of our late winters, to last too long. If the weather keeps as open as it just now promises, we shall have hounds in full swing again by St. David's festival. We fancy even the most determined Nimrods will not complain of the short breathing-time allowed them. To the steeple-chasers the interruption has not been so apropos; their season was just beginning in earnest, and three or four rather important meetings having been adjourned day by day out of the week for which they were originally fixed, have now been altogether postponed. The engagements will have to be made again as de novo. Of those run off during the month, the most remarkable has been at Bath, where the grand event of the meeting was gone through without any judge in the chair to decide it. The horse first home was the property of an Irish gentleman, and ridden by an Irish jockey. One may so easily fancy the shindy that ensued on the stewards deciding the chase must be run over again. On the opinion of Admiral Rous, they ought to have declared the race void. In any case, the discussion as to the first heat being decisive is simply ridiculous. If Ringleader had been half a mile in front instead of half a neck, how could he claim a stake which there was no authority to award to him?

The "Winter Spring " flat races have suffered, as well as their crosscountry contemporaries. In fact the majority of them go together, and a trial stake of a mile or so clears the way for "the grand and lofty tumbling.

The New Forest country is again vacant, and the committee will be glad to treat with any gentleman who may feel inclined to try his hand in it.

The papers record the death of John Winter, huntsman to the late Mr. Ralph Lambton, with whom he lived for fifty-seven years! Such an epitaph is indeed a character.

The New York Yacht Club has issued the following challenge :"New York Yacht Club, New York, Feb. 4.-At the first general meeting of the club for the present year it was resolved :-That this club offer a prize of the value of 500 dollars, to be sailed on the 13th of October next (1853), open to yachts of all nations, provided one