entirely every trace of our hardy and graceful national dances. We were in the very heat of a glorious Irish jig, when, on a sudden, without a moment's notice, I heard the unlucky TIGHTS crackle most suspiciously, and, as often happens, in the very effort to save them, ultimately give way! I almost fainted with confusion, which was, of course, increased when I found that I put the set completely out, and suspected that all, or at least my merry partner, were as cognizant of the "accident" as myself!

I hurried to the close of the dance; and resisting, rather ungallantly, Jenny Joyce's mischievous proposal of a promenade, I conducted her to a seat; and, taking my place by her side, where a coldish sensation soon convinced me that my fears were but too true, I resolved to remain a fixture for the rest of the evening.

Of course my fair partner was soon claimed from my side, and it was only then, that by a downward glance, I became fully aware of the extent of my shame, and the certainty of my exposure. Fully a quarter of a yard of white linen was dangling from the seat of my

chair!

I was almost struck blind by the discovery. By degrees, however, I perceived, that it was not yet, at least much observed, and when I recovered consciousness enough to reflect on the means of preventing further exposure, I thought of gently drawing under me, the part of the luckless garment which had thus become visible, and which it was only the luckiest chance could keep even for a few minutes concealed. But I had hardly began to put my design stealthily into execution, when I saw my late partner dart a most searching glance at the place where I was, and perceived at once, that I stood fully and irremediably exposed!

But, bad as this was, how infinitely was my shame and dismay increased, when the mischievous little wretch, evidently enjoying my confusion, approached, giggling upon her partner's arm, and with a most provoking smile, requested me to "get up off her handkerchief!"

This was an awful consummation. But despair had given me courage, and I told her she was mistaken, and that I had not her handkerchief.

"Oh, sure I see it hanging down from your chair," said my unfeeling tormentor, "Can't I even read the letters upon the corner of it?"

With a sudden stoop, before I had time to anticipate her intention, the wretch had seized upon it, and was actually pulling at it with might and main !

Oh, the horror of that moment! I felt as though I could gladly sink through the ball-room floor! I sat with all my might, to prevent, as long as possible, what I but too well knew must come at last. But the pulled with such perseverance, that all my exertions were in vain,

I felt it going-going-going! At last, in despair, I relinquished all opposition, and flinging myself back in my seat, I exclaimed,

"Take it, then, with a vengeance!-The sleeves will stop you, at all events!"

Poor Jenny pulled, and with the violence of the pull, fell flat upon her back, with her own handkerchief in her hand."

My damage had been purely imaginary: but I was so heartily ashamed of the whole affair, that I rushed out of the room, and appeared no more for the rest of that evening!

Reader, never go to a ball in stolen pantaloons! Take my word for it, it is not lucky.

THE PRESENT GAME SEASON.

We are told by the newspapers, that on one day in the early part of the present grouse season, one Scotch steam-boat brought the amazing number of four hundred and seventy boxes of grouse, each box averaging about three dozen birds. The mere fact of counting them by dozens, tells us at once that it is a cockney paragraph, and more intended for the alderman than the sportsman; but this makes no difference in its statistical point of view. One vessel, among the many so employed, brings eight thousand four hundred and sixty brace of grouse! Now, averaging a pack at nine birds, which is a high average, here we have at once one thousand eight hundred and eighty packs swept off the Scottish moors. This gives us a pretty good idea both of the excellence of these moors, and of the present season; for, as I never heard of such an instance in any previous year, it cannot be attributed alone to the former. In fact, accounts from all quarters seem to agree that the breeding time was a most favourable one; the packs being both large and frequent, and the birds strong upon the wing. So much for one of the hottest seasons upon the hills.

We are not likely to hear of such a cargo of partridges, or pheasants, the supply coming from more near-at-hand places, and the carriage being chiefly inland; but there seems no reason to doubt their being equally abundant. The accounts of two or three men from two or three spots may be deceptive as to the general result; but by widening the circle of information, we become entitled to speak with confidence, and to pronounce the season to be an excellent one. So also is it with regard to pheasants, and, in short, with all other kinds of game. The same year, which will be looked upon by the farmer as a happy contrast to many preceding ones, will stand in a very similar relation to the sportsman.

The old opinion, then, appears to be the true one-that wet weather

is most to be apprehended in this country. Foreign travel has more than ever convinced me of this. Look over some of the wide, parchedup, corn growing districts of the Continent, where you may go for miles without either finding a hedge, a tree, a spring, or a rivulet; and, if the partridge will stand this, it is not likely to suffer from drought in England. The pheasant, again, comes originally from the arid east, and is not therefore likely to be burned up by a hot summer in the west; although I believe it stands more in need of water than our native partridge. But, whether on the mountain-moor, or the lowland valley, a plentiful supply of water is the privilege and the boon of our islands; and it is chiefly against its excess that we have to guard. I do not agree with those, who think that much havoc is made among our young birds by the violence of the passing thunder-storm; look at the protection which nature affords them beneath the parent wing; but it is when the ground becomes saturated by continued wet, cold and splashy below, cold above, chilling all around, that the mischief is done. Then when the young corn begins to look weak and languid, the young bird, that runs beneath it, droops and dies; whilst, singular as it may seem, that which would have saved the one, might have preserved the other-viz., the draining tile. If this appear a new, or a chimerical idea in game preserving, let some experienced agriculturist, in our heavy clay districts be appealed to. I think he will say that, as the land is drained, the increase of game about keeps pace with the increase of its crops; and that must be a sufficient answer. To be sure, this is a costly mode of rearing pheasants and partridges; but then audi alteram partem, and this expense may be more than counterbalanced in another way.

One consequence of the present good season will be the favourable opportunity of getting up a better head of game on such manors as have been over-shot, or not properly protected during former years. But there is another consideration, more important, and more imperative than this. On all well-preserved estates the head of game will be unusually large; it will therefore require unusual caution to guard it from the poacher, and more especially as the winter draws on. I will first endeavour to show how needful that caution is, and secondly, that its expense is chiefly imaginary. Were the poacher a mere wooden machine, that went about destroying hares, partridges, and pheasants, it would still be requisite to protect them from this wooden machine, but we must recollect that he is not. We must recollect, that the neighbouring peasant is a man-perchance a very poor, a very young, and a very uneducated one-and not, by our negligence, put temptation in his way. The legislature protects our property-even this wild property, while it is on our land-but it requires something from us in return; and we need not the learning of a judge to decide that prevention is better than punishment. I believe it was Serjeant Arabin

who some years ago read the London tradesmen a severe lecture upon the too common practice of displaying their goods outside their shop doors; and very properly so, for it was a temptation to crime. Much more so, however, is the wood, crowded with game, and inadequately looked after by gamekeepers. The depredator in the wood alike thinks himself more secure, and the crime he is committing, less; for, whatever county magistrates may tell them, the lower classes will draw a wide distinction between the pheasant and the barn-door fowl. I have lived in a country (North Wales) where people think nothing of sleeping with unlocked doors, but even there the neglected game preserve is not safe. I have lived in another country (Germany), where the severity of the law allows the poacher to be shot, if he do not surrender on the first summons, and there, I myself have seen all instruments of illegal destruction, from the treble wire to take a chevreuil, to the horse-hair noose for the partridge. Go where we may, good precautionary measures are the only effective protection for game. The battue system, which has increased so much of late years, has made these more than ever necessary in England; because in the preserve where two or three hundred head of game may be killed in one morning, the successful poacher gang may make a great prize in one night. The owners of such are therefore in duty bound to keep up a sufficient force of keepers, although the cost may appear somewhat heavy.

But I am now going to question that cost, and, unless greatly in error, shall be able to do so on principles, that will stand the test of the keenest inquiry. We will suppose one or more of our finest game preserves to be taken, on a mere speculation of trade, by certain London poulterers. Does any one imagine that it is to their lands that the poacher would look with the greatest confidence, although their little knowledge of rural affairs might seem a point in his favour? No, no, upon a mere calculation of profit and loss, these men would guard their well-stocked preserves effectually. Look to our Scotch salmon fisheries, some of which are let at such high rates,-is it along the banks of these rented rivers that the net and the spear of the salmon-poacher are most frequently carried? No such thing-it is upon those in the possession of the more careless gentleman. Several extensive moors in Scotland are, also, let upon speculation, and, though I am not likely to know any thing of them from experience, I understand them to be most effectually guarded. It should be admitted, however, that the efficient protection of grouse is a very different thing to that of hares or pheasants; but still, if the mere speculator is seen upon all occasions to attend strictly to this point in defiance of its expense, it must be worth while for the proprietor to do so likewise. If the latter do not sell his game, he considers it equally valuable. But there is another and still clearer mode of demonstration; for the

direct principles of political economy may be applied to this question. People engaged in poaching, like any other illegal traders, must make a profit of it, or it would cease; and not merely must the man, who kills the game, make this profit,-the still greater rascal who employs him, must do the same. Like the jew money-lender and the low attorney, they are bound together for mischief, and the unfortunate sufferer, who gets in their way, must pay for both. To elucidate this by example, we will suppose that in a certain village, in the neighbourhood of two good game preserves, there is a gang of half a dozen poachers. Now, the poacher almost invariably leads a dissolute life, and, except in his vocation, an idle one; his instruments of destruction have, also, to be paid for ; and then he only gets a very low price for the game he destroys. All these things taken into account, the havoc made on these two game preserves becomes partly manifest. Of course, they are not sufficiently guarded, or these depredations could not take place, and then arises the question-what would be the direct expense of an effectual guardianship, compared with this indirect expense of the poacher gang? The expense of preserving manors depends much upon their form and neighbourhood, but we will suppose in this case, that both circumstances are adverse, and that, therefore, it will require three additional assistant keepers on each, to protect them against the six poachers. The assistant keeper, also, is a servant, whose wages should not be given with a niggard hand, as he has to take his turn at night-watching, and confidence is to be reposed in him. But still, after these admissions, I maintain that it is alike cheaper and better to keep on foot this extra force, than allow the poaching to go on. Should either of the proprietors feel inconvenienced by the expense, the game, thus saved, may be sold, and it will cover that expense. Should it be remarked that pride may prevent his selling game, I say, in that case, don't call it pride, for it is mere vanity, and vanity of a low order, too. What is the sale of some hares and pheasants, compared with a system, that encourages immorality in the neighbouring hamlet? Faites votre bien, avec le moindre mal d'autrui, says an excellent old French proverb, and it may be most fitly applied here.

THE HEYTHROP HUNT.-Lord Redesdale has undertaken to hunt the Heythrop hounds this season, on a very liberal scale.

MELTON. The cub-hunting during the last few days, in the neighbourhood of Melton Mowbray, has been very good. Some most excellent sport has been given by the three packs, and as there are plenty of foxes, a most splendid season may be looked forward to. Melton is likely to be very full this season.