nly to an age which took its pleasures strenuously and knew nothing of squeamishness and delicate nerves. Not that we of the twentieth century are at heart one whit more humane.

for the amusement of the populace. Over the entrance of the ancient Butchers' Hall at Hereford, still hangs the bull-ring that was used on these occasions. It required the introduction of several fruitless bills into the House

m, near Waltha

s provided by nature the combat has a fearful interest for the modern British boy, as each spring new conflicts recur in the farmyard. But the art of the Elizabethan sportsman supplemented nature with a sharp spur of steel. A gra

o the legs of which a long spur, like a long needle is fixed, with which they know how to inflict damage on their adversaries very cleverly during the fight, but on which also they are frequently caught themselves, so breaking their legs. One bird of each of the couples which we saw fighting met with this misfortune, so that he was down in a moment, and unable to raise or to help himself, consequently his adversary at once had an enormous a

great patron of this sport, was entertained. Pope, whilst living with his father at Chiswick, took great delight in cock-fighting; all his pocket-

rived from the shrovetide cock-fights, when boys matched their birds against each other, and to the lucky owner was awarded a silver bell, which he wore in his ha

s, as at Widmore, near Bromley, have reference to hawking; so with Hawk and Bu

ntly. It is a disputed point whether the resilient virtues of the wood, or their use in Palm Sunday processions had most to answer for

et is usually in front of some leading inn; and hither when the run is over choice blades repair to recount the doings of the day. These inns abound in trophies of the chase, mounted antlers, stuffed foxes

st was his pace that a weight had to be slung round his neck to prevent him outracing the rest of the pack. On one side o

uple of Mr. Meynell's (ye Quorn), one of which was Richmond. Sixty horses started with ye hounds. Mr. Smith-Barry's huntsman, Cooper, was ye first up, but ye mare that

e race was run at full

en the memory of a splendid racehorse. The Smoker at Plumbley has nothing to do with tobacco. The portrait of the old horse, together with the arms of Sir George Lei

rred "in the year when Stickphast won the Derby." Although the Running Horse was a Hanoverian emblem, most of the houses of this name within a few miles of Epsom must owe their origin to the rac

the South of England is, we believe, that behind the Queen's Head at Hawkhurst, an old-fashioned house to be visited for its sweet situation and cosy arrangements-as well as for the almost unique collection o

o the same haven. Indeed, the public-house has contributed many of the best exponents of the national game. William Clarke, the father of modern cricket, and first secretary of the famous All England Eleven, kept the Trent Bridge Inn at Nottingham; Noah Mann, a famous Sussex player, and one of the heroes of the Hamblede

-pits-of course, now not utilized for the sport. Ratting survived cock-fighting for a time, the usual method being to turn a dog in with a number of rats, whic

trance fee of perhaps sixpence, group themselves on a platform at the end of the room, and remove their footgear which are put into a barrel, shaken up, and then deposited in a heap. The signal is given, ea

lbot has disappeared from Ashbourne on the Dove, but there are "other inns as good." The Isaac Walton Inn, on the Dove, has been for many years a favourite resort of anglers. On the banks of the Thames, Kennet, Arun, or Great Ouse, there are hostelries in which anglers much do congregate at eventide during the season; on their walls gigantic trout (

e "pit" which the players found there. Music halls have also grown up from the impromptu concerts in the taverns. The older music halls, like the Oxford, Middlesex, or Deacon's, were twenty

les, etc. The late Mr. Frank Churchill, of the White Lion, Warlingham, displayed in the ancient chimney-corner of that house gridiron

cts publicans are warned against harbouring games of any kinds. Even good old English

t driving young men into the political clubs where extravagant gambling and hard drinking, especially of spirits, was the fashion. Many promising careers had been ruined in this way-and this we may corroborate from our own experience in various towns. With tears in his eyes the old man confessed to us that h