A LETTER FROM MR. JOHN LAWRENCE.

SIR,

IN reference to that part of your Address to Correspondents, in which my name is implicated, I can assure you I have no desire to renew the controversy to which you point; and I think I may venture to say confidently, I have no need so to do. It only remains for me to make a remark or two on that most curious note which illustrates and adorns page 433 of your last Number. A bird's-eye view is there given of my former "pursuits." According to that chronicle, "the greater part of my life was spent in business in London." This "greater part" consisted of about nine years in the vicinity of London, during which period, from an early and ardent attachment to the horse, and indeed to rural concerns generally, the foundations were laid of those books which have been long before the public. But enough of this.

With your and his leave, I must speak with OBSERVATOR, whose sarcasms and jokes are thrown in so gentlemanlike, decorous, and pleasant a way, that their object, if he have common sense, may derive benefit from them, and yet remain unaffected by the smart of the lash. The universally-accept able communications of OBSERVATOR and SOUTHRON do indeed combine the utile with the dulce. OBSERVATOR Says (page 431), "Mr. J. L. perhaps can tell why Eleanor was beat at Huntingdon, and afterwards won at Egham." Poh! poh! Mr. O., there is no perhaps in the case. I was certainly in the way to know it; and with all your joking, you cannot possibly

be ignorant of it. You must recollect, that not only the mare had the tooth-ache from catching cold in a sweat, and, as if that had not been sufficient, was jockeyed by a raw young lad from the stables, who had not that kind of know about him to enable her to win. Can any thing be clearer or more convincing?

OBSERVATOR has got up a new edition in a pleasant style of a cross on both sides, in old Frampton's days, calculated, with subsequent examples, to shew, that so it was in the olden time, so it is in ours, and so it is likely to continue with our heirs and successors. I have conversed with a sportsman, who was an elderly man when that famous cross took place. To shew how inferiors profit by example, two stable boys, within my time, who rode exercise on two famous horses that were matched, found an opportunity of trial, kept their own counsel awhile, and profited by it in their small way. This at length getting to the ear of one of the proprietors, he demanded of young wicked why he had not communicated the intelligence to him? The boy with much simplicity replied, he should know

better another time. To be serious on that which has been a serious subject to too many whom I have known, I repeat, there must be secrets and pulls, and there are legitimate stratagems on the turf, as well as in love and war; but, to use the language of an old friend, who has been out of training some years, let us have "no fair cheats and dead robberies:" dead robberies:" I could wish OBSERVATOR correct, that such generally originate with the limbs.

I have already troubled the public so much and so often on that foul national disgrace of making a

sport of cutting up the race-horse alive, that I always dread to retouch it. The wanton, useless, or interested abuse of poor helpless animals embitters my existence. There is something damnable, cowardly, and mean, in abusing and treading upon beings endowed with feelings similar to our own, which are completely in our power, and have no means of resistance. Why should I be a hypocrite? I will freely own I am never so much affected by the cruelties perpetrated by one human being upon another; because the victim has always a resource, ei ther in himself, or the interposition of others, with whom it is a common cause. Even in the case of slavery, the slave holds his destiny in his own hand, either by the sacrifice of his tyrant or himself. I wish I could join OBSERVATOR in the supposition that spectators do not take pleasure in seeing horses whipped and spurred at a race, But why need we wonder at this, since our grave didacticians teach that we lie under no obligation of justice towards beasts, but that their treatment must be conducted solely on the principle of human interest? What an excellent lesson for those who have an interest in covering foul play, by inflicting the most lancinating and heartbreaking tortures upon a poor horse!

Whatever might be the faults and peccadilloes of the late Sir Charles Bunbury-and who was there to throw the first stone at him?--he was a man of a naturally benign, compassionate, and friendly disposition; and his plan of treating the race-horse, without suffering him to be abused by the whip and spur, which he laboured so long and stedfastly, though unsuc

cessfully, to make general on the turf, ought ever to be remembered to his honour. I have heard suspicious insinuations on this point; but if, after so many years, I knew any thing of the man, they were totally groundless. I have often desired to know at what period this plan of his commenced; but for a peculiar reason I declined asking him the question.

The false starts, I think, in old and quaint political phraseology, have increased, are increasing, and ought to be diminished. That they have been now and then got up for the occasion, I have long known. I formerly submitted that an order of the Jockey Club should make the third start final.

It is an old opinion, that it must be indeed a capital Newmarket horse to win a great race in the North, and vice versa. It seems, Mameluke's thighs were pronounced too thin; however, according to his portrait, with which you have favoured us, what of muscle he wants iu his thighs, appears to have been made up to him in his loins.

JOHN LAWRENCE.

P. S. Our gracious and benevo lent Sovereign, whose feelings are alive to the sufferings of the brute creation, within these few days sent a horse to his last home, that he might not drag out a life of constant torture and misery. The case was incurable tenderness and lameness in the feet. The groom had strict orders to see him killed, and to take back two of his feet. At the nac house, that true hell above ground, the animal, in the highest condition, was styled most beautiful, "round as an apple," and judged worth one hundred and fifty pounds; and great pains were

taken to smuggle him into the stable. When the horse was knocked down, tears were observed in the groom's eyes. Surely the mode of slaughter of these miserables by pithing would be more convenient and less alarming to the victims, the bitter cup of suffering to which has been generally already filled to the brim; but the hell-hounds engaged in this office are true cousin-germans to those below. This intelligence I received from an eyewitness-my purveyor for cat's meat and my cat Button, and constant companion, which four teen years since was suckled and reared by a terrier bitch, and is now breeding away as fresh as a four-year-old, had the honour of dining off fine and fat royal stable beef.

Several years past I read in a newspaper a serious assertion that the cat had naturally an ear for music. Having long since earned "vere adeptus" in feliology, and attached to the purring race, it seemed strange to me that I had never discovered in them that property; but we live to learn. Some day last year, two young ladies, acquaintance of my daughters, called in, and were introduced into my room, where I was writing. They rank high as singers in private company; and I, ever captivated by the female voice divine, as a matter of course requested the favour of a chaunt. Button was lying upon the hearth-rug. She had never been introduced to these ladies, and is excessively apprehensive of strangers; however, she did not bolt, as we expected. On the commencement of a beautiful duet, the cat suddenly raised her head, her ears pricked up and expanded, and her eyes were directed

to one and the other singer, alternately. She seemed, at first, all attention, and then perfectly enchanted. Getting up from her couch, she gently approached the lady nearest to her, and setting her paws upon the singer's knee, caught hold of one of her hands and squeezed it, looking up in her face with the expression of extreme delight. She then proceeded to the other singer, and performed the same curious and grateful ceremony, her admiration and delight never cooling or pausing throughout the continuance of the several songs. It will be easily conceived this scene was the subject of much mirth and curiosity to us all.

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P.S. the second. I humbly crave pardon of the hell-hounds, above honored with a notice, so far as their merit may extend. I have this moment been informed that the horse was blinded, but I fear, merely out of respect to his quality. Were blinding general in the nac and slaughter house, the necessary exit would be divested of, indeed, all its terrors; but pithing has still every advantage, that most important one consideredsaving time and trouble. It is universal on the Continent; and notwithstanding its rejection by the Windhamites twenty years ago, the practice has been during several years of late gradually climbing the hill of common sense and humanity in several parts of this country.

A FEW LINES FROM NIMRODCHANGES IN HUNTING COUNTRIES.

SIR,

I Have received your favour of

the 18th instant, and in compliance with your request will give