rein-deer. But, in the present instance, it is not the reviewer, but the friend, that writes. The volumes under notice are the first production of one destined to be heard of again. They are blossoms that give promise of rich fruit. We have read them with an interest as earnest as i was independent of the present esteem in which we hold their author. Mr. Ross has given a simple narrative of a pleasure excursion, in which three gentlemen embarked, with no view beyond that of passing a few summer months in a healthful and exhilarating sport. How they carried that object into effect will be found in his pages recorded in a spirit full of the essence wherewith Shakspeare has made charity doubly blessed. Go on thy way rejoicing, friend of our best hopes and wishes. For others continue, as in these thy pages philanthropic and philosophic, still to find tongues in trees, and books, with morals in them, in the running streams; and-forasmuch as thou dost merit well for thyself— good in every thing." We have made the following extracts merely as samples of the style of this "Yacht Voyage." We do not think the reader will content himself with the specimens only.

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“R▬▬▬ and P― were still slumbering, and I was lying under the tent, on the ground, reading the Adventures of Peregrine Pickle. The sailors who had formed the boats' crew were sauntering about along the banks of the river; and the cockswain, who generally on such excursions as the present performed the part of cook, was seated on a piece of rock which projected into the bubbling stream, busily occupied in the preparation of dinner. Whistling and humming, by fits, one of the sea-songs of his country, he wore the time away while peeling some potatoes, which, one by one, as his large knife, slung from his belt by a piece of yarn, deprived of their jackets, he threw into an iron pot, having rinsed them previously in the flowing river. Within his sight, lay, on a white towel, a leg of lamb, bewitchingly sprinkled with salt, all prepared to be cooked, but only waiting for the potatoes to bear it company to the fire. Absorbed in my book, I paid little attention to what was passing around me, except by an occasional glance, until I heard a loud, shrill scream, and then a louder rustling of feathers, as if this was the noon of the last day, and Gabriel having blown his trumpet without my hearing it, had actually reached the earth. I jumped up, and running out of the tent, saw the cockswain standing like a nautical statue, motionless, gazing upwards, and with a stick grasped firmly in his hand. Following his example, I turned my eyes reverentially to the skies, and distinguished from the blaze of day, a most lusty eagle, making the best of his way to the residence of Jove with the leg of lamb in his beak; and, as if conscious of the superiority his position had given him over us, waving the white towel, grasped with his talons, hither and thither in the air, like a flag moved exultingly by conquerers after victory.

"It's gone, sir,' said the sailor, lowering the uplifted club, and, blow me, if I ever heerd him coming.'

"On Monday morning, when I went on deck, I found that we had entered the Bukke Fiord; and the same ravines, chasms, and cascades, identified the sublimity of the scenery with that which I have already attributed to the other Fiords. As we sailed along, the Fiord would expand into the broad surface of a lake, and anon diminish to the narrow breadth of a river hemmed in between two rocky banks. Smiling and still as a sleeping child, and calmer than the watching mother, the water, undisturbed by a breath of wind, lay without a ripple; and no cloud on the pure sky above us intercepted the vertical rays of the sun, that descended with intolerable heat; and, while panting between the piercing beams, we turned towards the snowclad mountains, and strove to bear the warmth by looking on their glistening summits; but the tantalization was still greater to see large patches of

snow lying low down beneath the crevices and deep glens-places where the sun had never shone, and to feel no breath of cool air come to refresh us. Not a human habitation rose to the sight, and no living creature, not even the gull or smallest bird, broke with its note the solemn stillness.

The pilot told us that this Fiord had never been fathomed, and he supposed it had no bottom. This was intelligence sufficiently interesting to rouse all on board into activity; and a lead line of eighty fathoms was nimbly brought on deck.

"I have heard say, my Lord,' observed the sailing master to_ R—, 'that if a bottle be corked ever so tightly, and lowered to a certain depth in the water, the water will find its way into the body of the bottle. Is that true, my Lord?'

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Of course it is,' replied R

“D— rather hesitated in his credulity, and to persuade him of the fact, a bottle was tied to the line, and sunk in the water. At seventy fathoms it was drawn up, and to D- 's astonishment the water had nearly filled the bottle to its neck. He took the bottle in his hand, and peering at the cork, which had been driven to float on the water inside, said that some trick had been played.

6.6

6

"I don't think, my Lord,' observed D-, the cork was large enough; and of course the weight of water, at any trifling depth, will force it inwardly.' "You are incredulous as Didymus,' said R- Here, bring a cham

pagne bottle.'

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A champagne bottle was brought, cork and all.

"Will you be satisfied now, D--?' continued R▬▬. It is quite impossible that this cork can be too small; for you see, the upper part of it overhangs the lip of the bottle.

"I see, my Lord,' answered D--; 'that's all fair enough.'

"And D- took a piece of yarn, and lashed the cork at the sides and over the top, having previously with a small stick rammed his handkerchief into the body of the bottle, and wiped it perfectly dry.

"Let it go,' said R to one of the men, who made the bottle fast to the line, and did as he was commanded. D- challenged the mate with an equal shilling that the bottle would be water tight; and the mate, like a sage, accepted the bet. As balance to the overlapping cork, we gave the champagne bottle the whole length of the eighty fathoms; and then, drawing it up, found the cork had not been moved an iota; but the bottle was full of water.

"D

shook his head, and paid the shilling.

'I do not think D- will ever doubt any phenomena again; as he is ready to admit the hardest truths of Science, however whimsical they may appear, or sound to him. Indeed he believes most things, and only mistrusts shoals and lee shores, to which he never fails to give a wide berth.

"Now we are about it,' said R—, ‘let us try and find the bottom.' "When King told the pilot what we were going to undertake, the old man laughed, and said we might try; but the Fiord was as deep as the mountains were high. Another line of a hundred fathoms was joined to the one with which we had been making the experiments to shake the infidelity of the heterodox D, and lowered. No weigh was on the cutter; and two leads, being fixed to the line, were thrown over the quarter, and leaving a perpendicular track of froth, descended, hissing through the water. The whole hundred and eighty fathoms ran out; and we seemed as far from the bottom of the Fiord as we were before we commenced. Some idea may be conceived of the amazing depth of these Fiords, when I say that the yacht was not one hundred and twenty yards from the shore, and the entire breadth of the Fiord about two miles. The pilot again came aft, and through his interpreter, King, informed us that the Fiord had never been plumbed, although the endeavour had been made very frequently by scientific men and Danish naval officers."

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS OF THE METROPOLIS.

"And if the means be just, the conduct true,
Applause in spite of trivial faults is due."

РОРЕ.

Exertions of no ordinary kind are being made to restore the drama to its pristine state. The example of countenancing theatrical entertainments evidenced by the Queen in commanding a number of performances at Windsor during the approaching holidays, surely will not fail in having a beneficial effect upon the fallen fortunes of the drama. Then, again, the praiseworthy and determined efforts of the managers of the Haymarket and the Lyceum to produce the works of England's bard in becoming manner must assuredly have a tendency to the consummation so devoutly to be wished. These endeavours of managers to deserve success cannot but be appreciated; and if in the attempt to charm the sense all should not be perfect, it must be borne in mind— If the means be just, the conduct true, Applause in spite of trivial faults is due."

"The Lady of the Lake" has been reproduced at COVENT GARDEN and the VICTORIA. Greater success has attended the resuscitation of this opera at the establishment in the New Cut than at the building in Bow-street. The reason is perfectly obvious: at the latter house remembrance of the singers engaged in the opera, and the general style that distinguished the appointments, must be certain to suggest comparisons that operate anything but in favour of the present version at Covent Garden. The prices have been reduced; but the audiences have not increased

"The cry is not they come."

It is no matter of surprise that there should be an antipathy on the part of the public to give their money in exchange for old operas and mouldy, used-up, antiquated, and worn-out ballets, remarkable only for the pirouettes and curvettings of some sprightly dame from the boards of a minor transpontine house of amusement.

Jullien is performing wonders at DRURY LANE, where the admirers of

"Dulcet music, power enchanting!"

freely disburse their shillings, and muster strongly nightly to greet the entertainment so liberally provided by the enterprising conductor of the Promenade Concerts. The effect produced by the united powers of the "five bands" in "God save the Queen" is witheringly powerful and imposingly great. The arrangements of the promenade are particularly pleasing, and evince an amount of taste not to be met with every day: the idea of providing a reading-room at the remote part of the stage is an extremely felicitous one. Just imagine, Mr. Reader, your listening to the quadruple orchestra, the delicious warbling of Miss Miran, and, in addition, being enabled to glance at all the papers and periodicals of the

day, including the Times and our own Sporting Review-and all for one shilling!

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Twelfth Night" is running a prosperous course at the HAYMARKET. Mrs. Kean, Webster, Wigan, and Keeley, as Viola, Malcolio, The Clown, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek deserve honourable mention for their praiseworthy exertions in their several delineations. "The Jealous Wife" has afforded Mr. Kean an opportunity of exhibiting his power in comedy, with a result highly flattering to the actor. "The Knight of Arva" is a production from the clever and prolific pen of Mr. Bourcicault. Hudson is exactly suited with a character which he personates with much humour and exceeding ability. Miss Reynolds acts with great case and piquancy in this amusing piece; the success of which is well merited.

Madame Vestris has made her first appearance this season at the LYCEUM as Mistress Ford, in the "Merry Wives of Windsor." In the duet of "I know a bank," her tones are as sweet and melodious as ever. Let those ninnyhammers who have declared that Charles Mathews cannot perform Shakspeare "hide their diminished heads ;" for his Master Slender, always a rich piece of acting, is considerably improved since the comedy was brought forward during the Vestris management at Covent Garden. Speaking of improvement, the Falstaff of Mr. Granby must not be lost sight of as an agreeable advancement on the Falstaff of the same actor some two or three years ago. Meadows is an excellent Sir Hugh Evans in every respect. The last scene is perfectly picturesque; and what is more, it is admirably and artistically painted. "An Appeal to the Public" is nightly made by Mr. Charles Mathews from the stage, and is heartily responded to by laughter-loving audiences.

"Cousin Cherry" has met with a very favourable reception at the OLYMPIC indeed, so favourable that Mrs. Stirling, as the representative of Cousin Cherry, will appear in that character "every evening until further notice.' The company at this pleasant little house of entertainment includes many of the most clever and amusing performers of the day, amongst whom may be mentioned Compton (the most legitimate comic actor of the age), Leigh Murray, F. Vining, Mrs. Tellet, and Mrs. Stirling. It is seldom we have seen a piece better performed and put upon the stage in the manner which distinguished the production of "Patronage" at this house. Leigh Murray and Mrs. Stirling are deserving of every praise for their excellent acting; and the manager is entitled to that which he has brought so prominently forward-Patronage.

Buckstone and Mrs. Fitzwilliam have appeared in "The Flowers of the Forest" and "The Rough Diamond," at the MARYLEBONE. "The Flowers of the Forest," from frequent exhibition in the Adelphi, is rather faded by this time; but "The Rough Diamond" still sparkles with its wonted brilliancy. Buckstone's Cousin Joe is a most efficacious antidote to the "blues." Laugh you must-you cannot help it-to hear him in this humorous farce. The lessee of this establishment is as successful with the pen as he is undoubtedly with the wand of management, judging from the unequivocal suecess attendant upon his new farce, which has been received with every token of satisfaction by the audience of the far west." Our Friend the Duke" has been received most cordially at the

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STRAND. This Liliputian house is at present closed, but will be opened with novelties at Christmas.

At the POLYTECHNIC Dr. Ryan is lecturing "On the Philosophy of an Empty Bottle;" but a juice-of-the-grape-loving friend of ours declares it to be a huge mistake in supposing that there can possibly be any philosophy in an empty bottle.

STATE OF THE ODDS, &c.

The opponents of the "sweep" system are getting more determined than ever in their endeavours to "put down," as Sir Peter would say, this now attractive employment of time and capital. We don't kuow but in our "heart of hearts" we go the whole hog with them; at any rate, it is not into a flash public-house, on the night of a grand draw, that we should go to pick out a sportsman; and if there is one more horrible thing than another, it is a bad imitation of a sportsman. The evil, though, gets beyond this, on the plan of the frog who burst himself in trying to equal the ox in importance; and, however well some of our friends may talk of the poor man being allowed to lay out his money as well as the rich, we fear the fable may be too often carried out. When Mr. Tattersall was examined before the "Gambling Committee" of the House of Commons, he said he always prevented, if he could, any small tradesman from becoming a member of his room, explaining it was not the place for him. We need not say how thoroughly we concur in this excellent and disinterested advice; and it is with the same uninfluenced feeling we now speak. Clerks and small shopkeepers have no business to make a second sort of business of "legging;" while racing, we are convinced, cannot but suffer from such questionable and obtrusive a support.

Lord Stanley has purchased the yearling Sir Thomas, by Ithuriel out of Poll Maggot, for two hundred; and the colt has joined John Scott's string at Malton. Mr. G. Simpson, of Stedmere, has bought Gunpowder, by Lanercost out of Sally Warfoot, of Mr. C. Peck.

We have to record the decease of Mr. G. Lane Fox, a gentleman known for many years as a consistent supporter of the northern turf. By his death, which resulted from a cold caught in hunting, a great many nominations become void, including Slashing Alice for the Oaks, &c., &c.; Post Tempore for the Great Yorkshire, &c., &c.; with some yearlings entered at York and other places.

The Richmond Cup has been awarded to Captain Harcourt, who ran second with Ellerdale, Mr. Dinning's The Railway King having, in mistake, carried a stone under his proper weight. The Hunter's Stake at Bedford has been confirmed for Mr. Wesley, who ran home first for it with Royston Gower. In the conditions it reads as a kind of farmer-huuter half-bred stake; and so, of course, an "objection" was the natural consequence. We have heard it proposed that these stakes should be run on the donkey-racing principle, every man on an opponent's horse, and the last home the winner; the pure cocktail weight-carrying John Trots might get a turn then. The open weather, and the steeple-chase meetings that have fol