mirable. "Box and Cox" still run their rollicking career- rather a lengthened one, too: more than 100 nights. Harley and Buckstone, as the jovial representatives of Box and Cox, extract as much laughter as ever from those who heartily rejoice in the vagaries of the twain comedians. The representations of the FRENCH PLAYS are graced by the presence of the élite of the land. The most courtly and aristocratic audiences highly approve of the untiring exertions of Mr. Mitchell to provide the best class of novelty in rapid order. Nathalie has charmed all beholders by her lively, piquant, and brilliant style of acting. In "Le Gant et l'Eventail" this irresistible artiste elicits the most favourable opinions from all around. Lafont is now to be the particular star of St James's. ASTLEY'S AMPHITHEATRE will be in the course of a week closed, preparatory to the commencement of the summer season, for which Mr. Batty is making exertions of the most extraordinary description. Improvement in every department is contemplated. The system of abolishing the afterpiece, and devoting more attention to the scenes in the circle, is a change of a very satisfactory kind. People never visited Astley's for the purpose of witnessing farces of antiquity performed by those who could not lay claim to powers of a very high order. your audience well-executed acts of horsemanship, Mr. Batty, and you will better please them, and do more to increase your receipts, than by playing musty, fusty interludes. Easter Monday will be the occasion of the re-opening, when Mr. Batty intends to treat his many patrons with fare of no ordinary kind. Give What a sorry state histrionic talent must be reduced to, if we are to accept for positive truth the announcement in the affiche of the OLYMPIC, of therein being assembled "the most powerful company of the day!" Mr. Brooke having seceded, there remains not one that would add dignity to a barn, or lend attraction to a booth. Mr. Aldridge, "The African Roscius," has appeared at the SURREY in "The Revenge," and as Mungo, in "The Padlock." He decidedly possesses greater qualifications for tragedy than for farce. His conception of the part of Zanga is undoubtedly good. His performance evidences great study, and entitles to be ranked as a man of taste and judgment. By all means let him eschew the comic business, for that unquestionably is not his forte. What a relief it was to the audience when the personator of Alonzo ceased to inflict tortures of no ordinary nature upon his hearers by a series of the most hideous and melancholy mouthings ever howled by man or beast. The late members of the Surrey company have taken refuge in the STRAND, and have formed themselves into a-we were about to addcommon-wealth; but from what we can gather, the state of the treasury anything but warrants the use of such a term. The CASINOS and the WALHALLA receive their share of patronage from those addicted to the dance, and to tableaux vivans. Lady Godiva is just as attractive as ever: not so the horse which Madame Wharton exhibits. It would puzzle that under any circumstances to draw. The PANORAMA of Vienna just opened is painted with that care and truth for which Mr. Burford is so celebrated. EMBELLISHMENTS. THE STEEPLE CHASE.-PLATE II. "NOW THEY'RE OFF."-ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY J. F. HERRING, SEN.; AND A MAY MORNING.-ENGRAVED BY J. WESTLEY, FROM A PAINTING BY W. KIDD. DIARY FOR MAY CONTENTS. Page. 297 304 311 319 324 INTERCEPTED CORRESPONDENCE FROM NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. A PEEP AT THE PROVINCES; OR, THE CRACK PACKS OF THE RIVER TAY.-SALMON FISHING IN THE TAY, PERTHSHIRE. SPORTING INCIDENTS AT HOME AND ABROAD (FROM THE MS. THE BEAUFORT HOUNDS.-BY A MEMBER OF THE HEYTHROP HUNT VARIETY IS CHARMING.-FOX-HUNTING AND STAG-HUNTING A MAY MORNING.-BY OXONIAN A SCRAP OR TWO ON RODS AND GUNS. THE LATE DUKE OF BEAUFORT'S HOUNDS IN THE HEYTHROP LITERATURE. THE CHESS-PLAYER'S HANDBOOK.-THE OUT STATION; OR, JAUNTS IN THE JUNGLE FINE ARTS.-" WINTER IN AN ENGLISH FARM-YARD" PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS OF THE METROPOLIS 7 S Second Sunday after Easter.r 4 23 8 M MULLINGAR STEEPLE CHASES 9T NEWMARKET SEC. SPR. MEET. r 4 20 10 W SHREWSBURY RACES. 11 T Lymington Fair. 0 48 2 25 2 45 3 10 3 35 s 7 29 311 5 3 55 4 20 s 7 32 s 7 35 12 F Easter Term ends. Chelmsford F.s 7 38 9 2 13 S Old May Day. r 4 1310 2 14 Third Sunday after Easter. s 7 4211 2 15 M Thetford Fair 16T BATH RACES. 17 W Ashford Fair 18 T 19 F St. Dunstan, 20 S Little lean Fair 26 10 45 11 15 4811 50 no tide 21 Fourth Sunday after Easter. r 4 22 M Sherborne Fair 23 T EPSOM RACES 24 W THE DERBY DAY. 25 T Emmergreen (Dorset) Fair 26 F THE OAKS DAY 27 S 28 Rogation Sunday. 0 10 0 35 0 55 1 15 1 35 1 55 210 225 2 45 3 0 3 15 3 30 3 504 5 29 M R. T. YACHT CLUB-1st MATCH r 3 5326 2 1910 5011 20 THE RACING IN APRIL. BY CRAVEN. ""Tis sweet to win-one's money."-BYRON. We have entered upon a racing season rich beyond all precedent in patronage, popularity, material, and money-that subtle property, which makes the mare go, and eke the horse and his rider also. The Derby of 1848 will be a fortune for the winner. In '48, "strings" as long and strong as squadrons of cavalry are common to our public training-stables; private persons-not to say gentlemen-have their studs ranging from twenty to three scores; crowds rush in thousands to race-courses, whither they are wont to saunter by dozens; and as for speculation, there is before me a London weekly journal of the 16th ult., wherein Sweeps and Lotteries are announced to be drawn forthwith, whose prizes exceed thirty thousand pounds! Opinion is divided as to the effect of these new devices upon the prosperity of the turf. The legs complain that they take the money out of the ring; the patrons of the sport, that they entice people to public-houses, and promote idle habits. There is, however, no longer any question as to their social fitness or legal standing. In reply to a question recently addressed in the House of Pears by Lord Littleton to Lord Lansdowne, the Lord President of the Council answered, he was not prepared to say the Government had any intention of interfering with them, Such being the case, there can be little doubt that they will become especial agents of private enterprise, The principal metropolitan thoroughfares will present their flaunting magazines and bazaars, interrupted by sober plate-glass windows and folding-doors of mahogany, superscribed "RACING LOTTERY OFFICE." This shall do the state some service. At a time when the general voice is hoarse in calling for a remission of taxation, these Sweeps and Lotteries come as real blessings to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He will find more customers at five per cent. for his licences than he can accommodate. He will of course require securities for the fulfilment of the contract proposed between the lottery promoter and the public-there will be stamps upon these, say two-and-a-half per cent., ditto for the licence to trade five per cent.-why shouldn't he squeeze out two-and-a-half more in extras? Here, then, we have ten per cent. by means of a tax doubly blessed; an impost that secures those whom it affects, at the same time that it saves their pockets-to say nothing of their morals. Your tailor's foreman is determined to have a shy at the Chester Cup." He sends his wife to the nearest office for a ticket, which she pays a sovereign for, and receives a chance in a scheme-" £100 to the first horse, £20 to the second, £10 to the third, and £1 10s. a-piece for the starters." He loses his sovereign-I had almost said naturally, but we will assume most likely. There's an end of it. In lieu of this, he repairs himself to the nearest public-house where there is a |