business, essay to shake off the monotonous responsibilities of their different avocations by healthful recreation, there the character of the men receives a much higher tone; and, animated with an additional spirit by their presence, and by the smile of their encouraging approbation, cheerfulness pervades the sport. Long may the customs of our land suffer them to come amongst us, and long may the manliness of this noble game deserve their patronizing influence!

But we must to our purpose. Premising that our attitude of "Play" is accepted, we shall next proceed to prove the time and circumstances under which it shall be proper to assume the very useful defence of the "home block." If you know not the character of the bowling which you are soon to encounter, make what observation you can at some convenient distance from the wicket in different parts of the field; and if the ground be ordinarily good, you can almost make up your mind what is to be done when you reach the wicket. I gather this little hint from a remark which fell from the lips of one of the finest cutsmen that ever graced the Cricket-field. It chanced, some few years since, that entering Lord's Cricket Ground at the moment when a young man, nomine Lowth, was bowling, in a match, Gents v. Players, (those who were out were wondering how it was so, and those whose turn was soon to come were wondering how they were to remain when at the wicket,) I accosted Beagley (who was taking solo observations) with "Well, Beagley, how goes the match?" So absorbed was he in his meditations, that, forgetting the formality of a ceremonious greeting, he inquired of me, Bag pardon, Muster Falix, but how be oi to ploy that ere yong gemmun's bouling?" I felt flattered by such an appeal from such a Cricketer; and little thought that hereafter such a remark would burst in upon me, to be used for the benefit of those who might think proper to avail themselves of it. Every well-practised batsman knows there is a spot of ground-yes, there is a spot of ground-upon which if the ball should alight, produces an indescribable sensation; and this indescribable sensation seems to be caused by the difficulty of being able to decide at the instant whether or not you should lounge out to meet it, smother it and kill it, or take it upon the back play. For

when once you throw your body forward, in vain (should your judgment be incorrect) will you recover yourself time enough to overtake the ball.

When this spot of ground is haply hit upon by the bowler, it is wiser to take the ball upon the back play; for, by so doing, your eye, by travelling with the ball, obtains a clear sight of it. The discovery of this spot is not applicable to every batsman. A tall, long-reached man could make a fine forward drive off the very same ball which a short-reached man could take at home at ease." Bowlers of intellect will (if they discover your propensity to the forward play, of which we shall soon have to speak) drop the ball shorter and shorter, and lead you insensibly into error. Let this hanging guard therefore occupy a large share of your attention. Think of nothing but defending; the hits are sure to come,-of which anon.

It is scarcely worth contradicting, but it is a very common remark, that the ball, upon leaving the hand of a round arm bowler, takes a circuitous route. A strong side-wind may influence a slow-paced ball; but if a bowler were to run round the field twenty times, pirouette and polka, and turn how he pleased, the ball, upon leaving his hand, comes through the air in a straight line, and does not swerve until it reaches the ground, when, should it fall upon a perfect plain, it will then alter its course, and assume the bias given to it by the obliquity of its rotation as originally imparted to it by the bowler.

The precise knowledge, then, of your own power of reaching forward seems to be the acme of judgment, and the decision consequent thereon not the least astonishing; nevertheless, to be accounted a "safe wicket," all this-“ aye more "must be well understood, and steadily practised.

In adopting this mode of defence, be particularly careful that the bat hang in the perpendicular; raise it so that the top of the blade may be about two inches above the bails. Practise going (from the attitude of play) back quickly to the hanging guard, and notice if your bat hang well to cover as much of the wicket as it can. The wicket, from outside to outside, is eight inches wide, and the bat being only four and a-quarter, leaves plenty of room for a little mistake—which little mistake, in this important defence, is quite enough to satisfy the bowler.

The leg stump is usually, and justly, considered to be the most vulnerable; but, with careful practice off the Catapulta, it is astonishing how soon this difficulty vanishes. Take care, as our little vignette demonstrates, that you do not come back too far, nor hold the bat too loosely, else will the ball drive the bat against the wicket. The rest is soon told.

If possible, especially if you be a man of any weight, you should avoid digging the spike of your heel into your neighbour's instep. The consequences are likely to be loss of blood, and ditto of temper.

D

N our foregoing observations, we were compelled occasionally to allude to this manly, majestic, and masterly defence.

We shall now make it our study to show the use of this very important action; under what circumstances we should apply it; why the handle of the bat, when on the full extent of this lounge, should be held well forward; why the bat should be held close to the ground when so held forward; and last, and not least, why the upper hand should alter the nature of its hold whilst the body is in the act of advancing forward.

I cannot help repeating my advice, that you accustom yourself to decide what is to be done immediately the ball leaves the hand of the bowler. Of course, the faster the bowling, the more rapid must be your decision. By keeping your eye well fixed upon the bowler's advance, you will be enabled to judge something correctly as to the pace; and, as soon as projected, whether or not it will fall within your reach. If the ball come to you, a right-handed hitter, from a left-handed bowler, who imparts any twist, it will (unless something should alter the circumstance of its rotation) come from the off, and, upon touching the ground, will incline towards you. You must, therefore, take the necessary precaution of lounging out well at it; and, should it be pitched an inch too far, be sure to get out well at it, and smother it; otherwise you will encourage it in its mischievous intention: it will touch the