Those who wish to know more of archery, may refer to "The Archer's Guide," published by Mr. Hurst, of St. Paul's Church Yard. To that work, to Mr. Waring's excellent Treatise on Archery, to Moseley's Essay, and to Roberts's Bowman, I am here chiefly indebted.

N. B. Bows, arrows, and every article necessary in the practice of archery may best be had at Mr. Waring's Archery Ware-room, Caroline-street, Bedford-square.

(Those depending on Direction and Speed.)

HURLING.

HURLING was played by the Romans with a ball called harpastum, a word probably derived from harpago, to snatch or take by violence. The contending parties endeavoured to force the ball from each other, and they who could retain it long enough to cast it beyond an appointed boundary were the conquerors.

The inhabitants of the western counties of England have long been famous for their skill in the practice of this pastime.

Its modern name is derived from hurling a ball of wood about three inches in diameter, plated with silver, sometimes gilt, and having commonly a motto, "Fair play is good play."

There were two methods of hurling in Cornwall, at the commencement of the seventeenth century,

and both are described by Carew, a contemporary writer, whose words are these: "Hurling taketh his denomination from throwing of the ball, and is of two sorts in the east parts of Cornwall to goales; and in the west, to the country.

"For hurling to goales there are fifteen, twenty, or thirty players, more or less, chosen out on each side, who strip themselves to their slightest apparell and then join hands in ranke one against another; out of these rankes they match themselves by payres, one embracing another, and so passe away, every of which couple are especially to watch one another during the play; after this they pitch two bushes in the ground, some eight or ten feet asunder, and directly against them, ten or twelve score paces off, other twain in like distance, which they terme goales, where some indifferent person throweth up a ball, the which whosoever can catch and carry through his adversaries goale, hath wonne the game; but herein consisteth one of Hercules his labours, for he that is once possessed of the ball, hath his contrary mate waiting at inches and assaying to lay hold upon him, the other thrusteth him in the breast with his closed fist to keep him off, which they call butting." According to the laws of the game, "they must hurle man to man, and not

two set upon one man at once. The hurler against the ball must not but nor handfast under the girdle, he who hath the ball must but only in the other's breast, and deale no fore ball, that is, he may not throw it to any of his mates standing nearer to the goale than himself.

In hurling to the country, "two or three, or 'more parishes agree to hurl against two or three other parishes. The matches are usually made by gentlemen, and their goales are either those gentlemen's houses, or some towns or villages three or four miles asunder, of which either side maketh choice after the nearnesse of their dwellings; when they meet there is neyther comparing of numbers nor matching of men, but a silver ball is cast up, and that company which can catch and carry it by force or slight to the place assigned, gaineth the ball and the victory. Such as see where the ball is played give notice, crying ware east,' 'ware west,' as the same is carried. The hurlers take their next way over hilles, dales, hedges, ditches; yea, and thorow bushes, briars, mires, plashes, and rivers whatsoever, so as you shall sometimes see twenty or thirty lie tugging together in the water, scrambling and scratching for the ball."

This game requires quick eyes, nimble hands,

swift feet, skill in wrestling, and considerable strength, as well as good lungs.

"About the year 1775," says Strutt, "the hurling to the goals was frequently played by parties of Irishmen, in the fields at the back of the British Museum, but they used a kind of bat to take up the ball and to strike it from them; this instrument was flat on both sides, and broad and curving at the lower end. I have been greatly amused to see with what facility those who were skilful in the pastime would catch up the ball upon the bat, and often run with it for a considerable time, tossing it occasionally from the bat and recovering it again, till such time as they found a proper opportunity of driving it back amongst their companions, who generally followed and were ready to receive it. In other respects, I do not recollect that the game differed materially from the description given."