The Sportsman

tion, to the cold walls and empty benches of the theatre, she must have felt as dreary as Marius amid the ruins of Carthage.

The HAYMARKET is as gallic as ever (we wonder when our own repertory will be considered effective). Caught in a Trap" is still found an excellent bait for the public. Miss Julia Bennett improves rapidly as an actress. We trust success will not spoil her. A novelty in "The Trumpeter's Daughter" was lively enough to bring out the liveliness of our friend Webster to advantage. Madame Celeste sustained with effect the principal character. This stirring trifle is written by Mr. Stirling Coyne. The Haymarket is one of those theatres always entered with pleasure. Its management is good; its whole effect that of a deservedly successful speculation. It is not ambitious of gew-gaw spectacles like some of its neighbours, but it presents to us a succession of performers the best attainable, and of pieces the best produceable, without ostentation. The "Provoked Husband" made quite a festa here after the imitations from the French that drag tediously along with the audience, whatever may be thought of them in the green-room. Mrs. Nesbitt and Miss J. Bennett were both highly successsful in their parts; the latter as the romp, the former as Lady Townley.

The LYCEUM is the most popular place of amusement of the season. It is always full, and satisfies the most fastidious tastes equally with the less refined, in its varied and always well-performed selections. M. Jullien is certainly a model of orchestral leaders.

The STRAND, SURREY, and ASTLEY'S Theatres are too grand in their Christmas doings to be described in this short notice. We leave them and all the pantomines for next month, in the meantime go and judge for yourselves of their fun.

The PRINCESS'S THEATRE is new in the "Marriage Certificate," where Mr. and Mrs. Keeley are the very fairies of fun. Their inexhaustible comicalities freshen up common-places into matters of mirth. "Borrowing a Husband" is another lively trifle here. The operas continue an undiminished attraction in this pretty and wellmanaged house.

The ADELPHI presents us a novel feature in a favourably received actor Mr. Forman, from the York Theatre. "Husbands, lovers, and wives," a piece that was tried on the audience but seemed to fit them badly, has doubtless disappeared from the theatrical wardrobe. This has been a great month for concerts. The veteran vocalist, Braham, and his sons, have, both in the Queen's concert rooms and at the St. James's Theatre, delighted numerous assemblages. For our parts, we have a suspicion that Braham has sealed a compact with the powers of darkness, for the youth of his still magnificent voice.

We have before said we cannot do justice to the grand winter spectacles in our present limited space, and therefore adjourn our

notice.

STATE OF THE ODDS, &c.

The Newmarket meetings for the present year will take place as

follow:

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The Directors of the London and South Western Railway have some idea of constructing a branch line from Kingston to Epsom; if such is to be the case, a long adieu to the glories of the journey down.

Mr. W. Lockwood, well-known in the north as judge, clerk of the course, and keeper of the match-hook at York, and officially connected with other race meetings, died in the early part of the past month.

It appears that Mr. Plummer, through the advertising system, has found a new tenant for his celebrated mare Alice Hawthorne in Sir R. Bulkeley, as she has lately joined that gentleman's string at Malton-the rint no doubt is a vast improvement upon last season.

The Irish sportsmen have lost one of their very best brood marcs -Taglioni, by Whisker, the dam of Retriever, Tearaway, Fireaway, and Fanny Callaghan; she was the property of Mr. Higgins, and died from slipping a remarkably fine colt, by Harkaway.

Our notice of Professor Flatman's practice, in the last number, was limited to the home circuit; though, from the words "over Newmarket" being inadvertently omitted, it might perhaps have been taken for the grand "tottle." This, however, comprised one hundred and ninety-two races, three of which were dead heats, and in sixtytwo he proved triumphant. By multiplying the winning rides by five, and the losing by three, this year's work somewhat exceeds £700; but as Nat in many instances engages himself at a certain salary, we will venture to say that the actual amount exceeds this considerably.

Mr. Graydon has been weeding his stud to some extent, and we should imagine at some sacrifice, many of the lots being knocked down at sums varying from three to ten pounds each.

Mr. Osbaldeston has changed his trainer, in consequence of having been deceived by Stebbings-at least so for a time, said rumour; fortunately, however, "the Squire" has just discovered that "the front and head of the offending" rests on his having deceived himself, and has accordingly publicly declared his belief that his late trainer is "a good one, honest, and a trust-worthy servant."

The late Lord Lynedoch, both before and after his heroic achievements in the field of battle, was passionately attached to the sports of the field-racing and hunting more particularly; and, only a very short period before his decease, made a stake for 1845, stating at the time his wish to establish a race which should come off when he

was 100 years old. Lord Lynedoch had generally a horse or two in training, and his stud is announced for sale at Tattersall's, on Monday, the 8th inst. In Mr. Meynell's day his lordship was a leading man with the Quorn, and is thus introduced into the well-known Billesden Coplow:

"Next vaulting Tom Graham, on a horse taking whim,
So plunging and prancing, like the George at an inn,
Comes spanking through a hedge with a thundering crush,
And leaves half his brogues and his shirt on the bush."

The notorious Burke has sacrificed another unfortunate animal in one of his inhuman matches against time; the victim on this occasion was a pony-said to be an especial favourite!--and which died in attempting to beat the " Bedford Times," in three successive journeys between that town and London. Would that it was more generally known that such fellows have no claim to the name of a sportsman!

Betting during the last month has, like "Pedant's periods," been very inanimate and very round;" the two cracks are once more upon a par, there having been not the slightest difference between them during the whole time marked in our quotations. Loadstone continues gradually on the rise, and has established himself in the third position; while of those not placed, Leander, Running Rein, and Campanero, are perhaps the most fancied. Red Rover has added his name to Scott's lot, to balance which Lorimer has been taken out of training, and the Laura colt now figures under the title of Lancet.