10 17 . 30 TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS THE QUORN HOUNDS, ETC. BY "NIMROD" BRITISH ART, AND BRITISH ARTISTS, Illustrated by E. LANDSEER, R.A. THE FOREST OF PISA, AND THE GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY'S STUD REVIEW OF THE RACING SEASON, 1840, BY UNCLE TOBY, Illustrated by THE CHASE-The Queen's Hounds-The North Warwickshire-The 1 MARMION, BY PATERSON, AFTER C. HANCOCK 2 DEER STALKING, BY FINDEN, AFTER E. LANDSEER, R. A. 5 THE SQUIRE'S MATCH AGAINST TIME, BY LANDELLS, AFTER WILDRAKE 6 A 46 DANGEROUS" SPREE, BY LANDELLS, AFTER ALKEN 47 TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS. Our Glasgow Correspondent has been unavoidably crowded out of this present Number; he shall find place in our next. "Toho," in our next. His wishes respecting the pictures have been attended to. To "N." add an "O." "N. W." in our next. "The Legend of Leixlip."-Shortly. "Vaslyn," came too late for this month. We wish his very pleasant contribution had more "Sporting" in it. It certainly is sportive, and shall have place, if possible, next month. We hope to hear from him again shortly. "The Indian Con uror' story lies at our Printer's. After the 20th of the current month, our Magazine is always so far settled, as not to admit of any Articles, excepting of such as would "spoil by keeping." This, to all our Correspondents, many of whose favours reached us on the 24th and 25th of the month. Work Received.-Etching of the Portrait of John Mytton, Esq. Proof Impressions of the Plates may be had at our Publisher's, 191, Regent Street, price One Shilling each; or beautifully coloured, at Two Shillings. 3 THE OPENING OF THE BUDGET. OUR budget is opened.-Its contents are before our readers. What we have to say to them is short. We hope to have many opportunities of saying it much longer. This, the First Number of a "New Series,"-is offered as an earnest of the way in which we shall conduct ourselves for the future. Old friends are rallying around us. To meet-we hope-many, more new :-none, less firm, and constant. We have essayed to interest a new Class of Readers, by combining Agriculture, and the Raising and Treatment of Stock, with our Rural Sports. Henceforth, in our work, they will go hand in hand, and step by step, together. The style of Illustration here adopted, will, we hope, gain general approbation. Our Artists will, in every case, endeavour to embellish the papers of our several writers. Far better this, we think, than working "Ovid's Metamorphoses," on thread-bare subjects, without aim, and without end. The Almanack appended, we have thought, a new and useful feature, well worthy to be annually continued. "Most potent, grave, and reverend seigniors! May we not also make us bold to add, SUBSCRIBERS! THE COMPLIMENTS OF THIS MOST FESTIVE SEASON TO YOU ALL, Writes your most humble, And devoted Caterer, THE EDITOR. BY W. MEYRICK, ESQ. Ar this period, when everything connected with the "olden time" seems to be clothed with a peculiar charm, a few remarks upon the Old English Blood-hound, an animal so intimately associated with the sylvan sports of "Merrie Englande," in days gone by, may not be deemed uninteresting. That a distinct species of hound of this kind existed, and that its peculiar properties were appreciated and called into play by our ancestors, at a very early period, is abundantly proved by the tales. related of their keen sagacity, and matchless strength, by the old chroniclers. But as Great Britain advanced in civilization, the use of the blood-hound, for any other purposes than those connected with the sports of the field, gradually died away. The "hot blood" has long since become cold and been forgotten; the breed is now nearly extinct; and the legends connected with their former exploits are almost regarded as so many fabulous inventions. Notwithstanding this neglect, the blood-hound is still occasionally to be met with in something like its former purity; and although their powers are seldom tried, well-authenticated instances, even at this present day, shew us, that the faculties attributed to them by ancient chroniclers were no more than the truth fully warranted. Amongst many other instances, the correctness of which I can vouch for, I may mention, that it is not more than twelve months since a hound of this description was mainly instrumental in discovering two men from the neighbourhood of Buckingham, who were subsequently tried and transported for sheep stealing; the hound having traced them from the spot where the sheep was slaughtered to the cottage in which, as well as in a pond adjoining, portions of "the lost mutton" were discovered. The principal breeds of blood-hounds, which have come under my own observation, are those of Mr. Lowndes, of Whaddon-hall, the Duke of Grafton's, Lord Tankerville's, Lord Bagot's, and Sir Clifford Constable's; and I lately saw a most promising puppy, belonging to Her Majesty, which I understood came from the New Forest, a spot where the breed might have been expected to remain perhaps longer than in any other, owing to the Forest having so long preserved its integrity as a royal chase. But I have every reason to believe that the breed is nearly extinct even there, having myself made most diligent enquiries on the point, when in the Forest a few months back. Marmion," whose portrait illustrates the present number, is perhaps the purest and finest specimen of the breed now in existence, NO. I. VOL. I.-NEW SERIES. C |