thoroughly so, of the nature of the wild animal he hunts, as also of the country hunted over and its people, and then he will be enabled to judge to whom he may look for truthful information. And if our gracious Monarch should judge fit even in a slight degree to support the hunt, and aid in the preservation of the deer in the only portion of her English realm where they now run wild, and the sportsmen of our fatherland add their mite, Exmoor Forest, as in olden days, will echo to the huntsman's horn far and wide.

Captain West's horses, of which I saw a dozen, principally bred by himself, are of a good stamp, and well suited to moorland hunting: and his hounds well-bred, well-sized, and fast, possibly somewhat out of condition, but they had been severely tested, having had some unusually long and trying runs; moreover, a strange fact, meat they had scarcely tasted for a fortnight, this necessary food having been unusually scarce.

At Cloutsham we did little, nothing as regards chasing; but we sunned ourselves on a charming spot, which overlooked the woodland vale in which the tufters were at work, to which the sparkling waters of the Bristol Channel and the Welsh mountains in the distance formed a lovely background. Several hinds broke, and at last a barren hind, with a last year's calf in attendance, made for the moor; this, however, the master of the hounds objected to hunt, in deference to the opinions, whether right or wrong, of some who swore by the sun and moon that the coverts still held a stag as big as a hippopotamus, I fancy, however, it was only the shadows of their imaginations: the substance certainly never became visible. Late in the afternoon the pack was thrown into a small covert, from whence they broke on the cold scent of the hind, and ran with a glorious head across the moor; but the shades of evening came o'er us, we were stag not hind-hunting, and the gallant pack were stopped; a pleasant ride home of sixteen miles by moonlight then terminated the day. Neither at Hele Bridge nor on the Haddon meet did we secure a positive run; on the former day the pack got away with a hind, unknown to two-thirds of the field, who were admiring the beautiful woodland prospect, and some possibly the brilliant eyes of the fair equestrians who honoured us with their company, possibly to add freshness to their charms in anticipation of the ball. The hind, however, took soil in the river Exe, and was unaccountably lost.

The ball, which commenced on Friday night and terminated about sun. rise on Saturday morning, admitting of two hours' repose, saw a gallant field once more in the saddle, apparently as fresh and eager for the chase as if they had not been hunting all the week and dancing all the previous night, to say little of iced champagne, cold pies, and pines in abundance, and, above all, the effects of bright eyes and fair forms, many of whom graced the meet, thereby, I must admit, adding considerable beauty to a scene already unrivalled. Gloriously the autumnal sun shone forth on woodland vale and moor, high in hope and courage beat the hearts of all true sportsmen; for a gallant stag was harboured, and with one general acclamation it was echoed, To-day a stag must die." And a stag would have died, had the word of a bright-eyed lady been taken, who certainly had no reason to declare she saw an antlered stag had the animal been a hind. The hounds broke splendidly across the moor; swift

as the flight of an arrow they raced through the high and blooming heather. The eyes of the few close to the pack sparkled with excitement. A plucky yeoman, eager to see the first two miles of the chase in company with his horse, cut a somerset, and fell soft in a heathery bed. Sam gave one of his delightful "At him, my darling bu-o u-oys ;" and I, the writer of these pages, felt as men do feel in the hour of excitement and anticipated delight, an all-over-ishness amounting to a species of delirium at the hope of seeing Brendon in an hour, when a, I beg his pardon, an individual in rustic attire came like a will-o'-the-wisp through the rough ground, and having seen double what the lady saw, halloed that the stag was no stag, and others who had been pounding down a road at hand, possibly their wrong road home, declared it was a hind and a calf. And thus ended a splendid run, inasmuch as ere the day closed a stag was reported to have been seen precisely on the line we were hunting; and thus ended as joyous a week as sportsmen could desire to take part in.

A word of advice, ere we part, to those who may visit the hunt and have not been entered to stag-hunting. Having watched the tufters until such time as they find, looked on the splendid scenery, and paid the usual courtesies which pass among sportsmen at the covert side, proceed at once to the spot where the pack are located; never mind how long you remain : if you desire to see sport, smoke, ruminate, read, or what not; but there remain till the pack is called for, and set on the scent of the deer which has then quitted the woodlands-moreover, never lose sight of them again, if you can help it, till the animal is taken. Be not, however, puffed up with your equestrian abilities: if the line be over the forest, follow some leading man who knows the country, or perchance you will remain for the day, if not for ever, in a bog. "Gambado " himself could not ride close to a flying pack over the forest, nor you, whoever you may be, without you are mounted on an eagle. And make friends at once with Mr. Toms of Bampton, whom I thank sincerely for his great kindness and courtesy in having twice mounted me on firstrate horses. The hunt have much to thank him for. May he live long to enjoy the sport he is ever ready to share, and more than share, with others!

I could write on this subject for a fortnight, but my tallow candles are burnt out, and that rare specimen of liberality, the Russian despot, has already caused an advance in tallow; moreover, my illustrious friend, the proprietor, to whom the world owes a deep debt of gratitude, inasmuch as he induces pleasant fellows like Linton to cater for their pleasure and information, declares-and he is lord and master of sporting periodicals -that short and quick runs, with a kill, are always preferable to articles abounding with sentiment, but very little fox scent, and he is right.

As a parting word, let me add that it is the intention of the gentlemen of the Tiverton Hunt, as also of some gentlemen not members, but who nevertheless thoroughly admire his character, to present the master, Mr. Carew, with his picture; and I can truthfully assert he is worthy of the honour, which will doubtless be fully appreciated by his family and

friends.

ERNEST ATHERLEY;

OR, SCENES AT HOME AND ABROAD.

BY LORD WILLIAM LENNOX.

CHAPTER XXI.

"She plunged an honourable husband into misery: she ran away with a villain." -B. THOMPSON. TRANSLAted from KotZEBUE.

A modern Mrs. Haller-" Guilt will out "-Arrival of two unexpected guestsA legal consultation; result thereof.

When the fatal intelligence reached me, that my Kate-my once beloved Kate --had eloped with one calling himself my friend and counsellor, how truly could I have exclaimed, in the words of that deeplytouching play, from which the lines that head this chapter are taken"Oh! what are the chains of death compared to the tortures of a deceived yet doting husband!" My head became dizzy, and I should have fallen from the car, had I not fortunately at the moment attracted the attention of Doctor Slow, who was seated in a carriage close to the procession.

"For heaven's sake stop!" cried the medical man; "Captain Atherley is seized with a violent fit!" It required little to corroborate this statement, for as he spoke I fainted away. Convey him to my house," continued the practitioner; "in the mean time, let him smell these salts. Despatch a messenger to the Earl."

The triumphal car was now exchanged for a litter, upon which I was carried to Doctor Slow's surgery; and there, after the usual applications of sal volatile, burnt feathers, and brandy, I speedily recovered my

senses.

"I am happy to see that it is no worse," said the M.D.; "I was fearful it might have been an attack of apoplexy, which is often produced by over excitement of the mind. I was about to use my lancet, for as that disease arises from an effusion of blood or serum into the ventricles of the brain, or upon its meninges, bleeding, in a moderate degree, from the temporal artery or jugular vein, often proves serviceable. Cupping the occiput is equally good-in many instances better." I groaned inwardly-not, as my kind attendant thought, from bodily, but mental suffering. He proceeded :

"In such cases I recommend blisters, and warm fomentations on the head, spine, and extremities; a large caustic on the neck; mustard cataplasms on the feet. Inwardly I prescribe acrid cathartics, extract of aloes, resin of jalop, calomel combined with scammony or colocynth;

and to restore the strength, cinchona bitters and chalybeates are highly efficaceous."

My father and General Warburton were now announced, and the Doctor, after assuring them that there was nothing in my case to alarm them, withdrew.

"I have made excuses for you," said the former, "on the plea of indisposition, and you will not be expected to attend the election dinner. Fortunately your illness has been attributed to over-exertion in the cause of your constituents."

This was the greatest relief to my mind; and I was about to stammer forth that business required my presence in London, and to enter into the cause of it, when Warburton saved me that bitter pang by remarking that my parents were already acquainted with the painful event that had occurred. As the town was still in a great state of ferment and excitement, it was determined that I should remain at Doctor Slow's until the evening had set in, when I was to return to the manor-house. In the mean time, my mother had joined me, and from her kind and eloquent lips I heard every particular of the circumstance which had well nigh bereft me of my senses. How true it is that all subluuary pleasures are evaneseent! The morning sun saw me elated at my triumph, and rejoicing at the happiness it would confer on the partner of my choice; the evening sun beheld me bereft of every joy that gladdens life.

To resume. No sooner had I left home, than Walsingham, with honied accents, whispered in my wife's infatuated ear a thousand protestations of love. The inward struggle was great; but passion yielded to principle the accomplished seducer felt his power; Kate had listened and deliberated; the sequel he too well knew. Taking advantage of the ascendancy he had gained over her mind, he implored her forgiveness, declared that at all risks he would break the fatal spell and return to India, urged her successfully to see him on the following day, to bid her farewell for ever, and withdrew. Other eyes and other ears save those of the infatuated pair had witnessed this interview, and heard the declaration of unhallowed devotion; for both O'Shea and his wife had been listening at the doors of the drawing-room. How to communicate this intelligence to me without exposing themselves in the despicable light of eaves-droppers puzzled them not a little, when a circumstance occurred which relieved them from the difficulty. It was my wife's custom to write me a few lines every day, enclosing the letter under cover to my father; and upon the day in question, no sooner had Walsingham left the house, than my wife, confiding in his honour, addressed a few lines to him; she had also written a hasty note to me, when, upon being called out of the room, Mrs. O'Shea made the best use of her absence, and after some little difficulty, succeeded in deciphering both the epistles; to exchange the envelopes was the work of an instant; and upon her mistress's return, she informed her that the postman would pass almost immediately.

"I have one letter for the country," said the unsuspecting writer, sealing the fatal document, "and another for the twopenny post, which I will put in the box as pass Oxford-street this evening."

The bell was heard, and the appeal made to the heartless seducer was deposited in the bag, addressed to the Earl of Atherley. No

sooner had my father become acquainted with the all-important secret, for rumours had previously reached him upon the subject, than he at once consulted my mother. She, kind-hearted creature, anxious to give the accused the benefit of the doubt as to actual criminality, dictated a few words, entreating Kate, as a wife and mother, to give up the society of one who was about to plunge her into irrevocable ruin, and urging her immediately to join her husband at the manor-house. In the mean time, Kate, with that restless anxiety which ever accompanies guilty or clandestine actions (except to the most seared consciences), was desirous of reading over the lines she had addressed Walsingham, and opened the envelope for that purpose; great, then, was her consternation when she discovered, too late, the fatal error she had committed: to recal the letter she had already posted was impossible; not could she consult any friend upon the subject, save one, and her pride revolted from appealing to him to extricate her from the exposure principally brought on by her own carelessness. The wretched creature returned home, but shortly felt that it was no home for her. After wandering about the house, seeking in vain for the lost writing, which at one time she fondly hoped might have been left in the blotting-book, she determined to seek the aid of Walsingham's counsel; so, waiting until the evening had set in, she enveloped herself in a cloak, and ordered the hackney-coachman to drive her to the Clarendon Hotel, where she remembered the Major was to take an early dinner. A few hasty lines, saying she was at the door, and anxious for a few moments' conversation, immediately brought him to her presence. Kate, with tears in her eyes, declared that she could never again enter her husband's roof; the result may be readily anticipated: in less than an hour, the guilty pair were on the road to Dover,

"I would fain have spared you the pain of this recital," said my mother, with a look that proved too well how much she felt for my agonizing grief; "but it is better that you should know all; and if I refer further to the subject, it is to prove to you the struggle your poor wife had within herself.'

This reminded me of the letter which Kate had written, and I hastily asked to see it.

"Be calm, dearest Ernest," continued my kind parent; 66 we must make some little allowance for an open-hearted, unsuspecting creature, who has fallen a victim to the wily machinations of an accomplished seducer."

Kate's well-known writing was placed in my hands, when I read as follows:

"DEAREST,-Reflect upon the words we heard last Sunday at Doctor Marsham's. What is the use of attending church-what the use of reading good books-what the use of religion, unless it helps us in our hour of need and temptation? It avails us but little that we listen attentively, acknowledge the truths we hear, appreciate the blessings and the mercies bestowed upon ns, unless we exert ourselves to make our religion a practical one, and bring it to bear upon the events of this life. I beseech you, before leaving home to-day, that you will shut yourself up in your room, and quietly and, if possible, calmly reflect. With the most earnest desire to be strong, I am weak; tempt me not, then, beyond my power to bear. Let me owe my peace of mind, even if it arises from merely the shadow of virtue, to your generosity and real love. K. A.

"P.S.-I seek to lull myself into false tranquillity; but, alas! the still small voice,' which must and will be heard, whispers agony to my distracted mind."