Thursday was a fortunate day for that liberal supporter of the turf, and indeed of all field sports, the Duke of Leeds. The Champagne Stakes were won by a colt by Waverley, belonging to his Grace, who took the lead at a fast pace. When at the distance Lye made an ineffectual attempt to bring out Colonel Crawford's Voltaire filly. Mr. Wormald's Fieschi then came up, and one of the finest struggles (contested neck and neck every inch of the way,) took place between him and Wrestler, and only won at last by Templeman's fine riding, by half a neck.

The Produce Stakes, which followed next, were won by a brother to Wrestler, named Rover, who made the running, as the duke's horses invariably do. Mr. Blakelock's Waverley filly lying next, Volney and The Bard two lengths behind. About the distance, Volney challenged, looked like a winner, and a most splendid struggle took place to the winning-post, which ended in a dead heat, after which the duke's colt walked over.

Eight started for the Gold Cup, comprising some good things, amongst others, Burletta, Florentia, Longinus, and Zohrab. Templeman on Zohrab, started off with the lead, at a very strong pace, followed pretty closely by Burletta, Florentia, &c., Longinus lying about fifth. In coming past the last turn, Longinus came more forward, and Florentia tried to get past but failed. At the stand, Longinus came up to Zohrab, and contested the race with him neck and neck to the winning-post, when Zohrab won by half a neck. His Grace has won the Gold Cup here since it was first established, in 1834; and long, loud, and hearty were the cheers which followed the event. Often may they be renewed on similar occasions; and long may we retain many such specimens of an English nobleman and an English sportsman, as we have in the Duke of Leeds! I have only just time to observe that the racing of this day gives us another proof, if proof be wanting, of the superiority of the Whalebone blood, Waverley's stock having won twice, and run second three times, at this meeting, (and the "sort" having been, as I observe, very lucky at the other meetings of this year,) confirming Nimrod's observation, that without this blood no man should ever attempt to breed. April 18, 1836. L. Y.

DURHAM.

THOMAS GREEN WELL, ESQ. Mayor of Durham.
JOHN HODGSON, ESQ.,

E. R. G. BRADDYL, ESQ.

Stewards.

"DURHAM stands on seven hills and is famous for its mustard," says the Gazetteer, and if the races keep improving in the ratio that those of the present year have over the races of past, we may some day or other have to record that it is also famous for its patronage of the turf. Joking

apart however, the meeting just over presented a most creditable assemblage, whether we regard the character of the horses, the style of their running, the appearance of the jockies, the arrangements of the meeting, or last, though not least in importance, the company that attended to witness their performance. For this the inhabitants of Durham are mainly indebted to the exertions of Mr. Hodgson (one of the Stewards), who not only subscribed most liberally to the stakes himself but procured subscriptions from many of his friends, and attended with a numerous party on each day. To this gentleman the public are also indebted for several judicious arrangements relative to the subordinate amusements of the meeting, particularly that of having the Ordinary and the Ball on different days. The former of these entertainments took place on the Thursday, and between thirty and forty gentlemen connected with the city of Durham and the neighbourhood sat down to an excellent dinner at the Waterloo Hotel, Thomas Greenwell, Esq., the Mayor of Durham filling the chair most ably, having for his Vice President Mr. Green, who officiated as Steward in consequence of the unavoidable absence of Mr. Braddyll. The evening passed off with the utmost satisfaction to the party. The Ball on the following evening boasted one of the greatest assemblages of beauty and fashion that has ever been congregated within the precints of the Durham assembly rooms, but the Durhamites in imitation of their southern brethren did not begin to muster until long after ten o'clock, a piece of refinement which, considering that the majority of the company had dined before the races, savoured rather of affectation. After a long and patient wait, the Ball was at length opened by Mr. Hodgson and Mrs. Brown (the newly married and lovely daughter of Sir W. Chaytor, Bart.); and dancing was kept up with great spirit until three o'clock in the morning.

But to the course.

The racing commenced with a Hunter's Stakes, for which four horses started, and which was won easily by Capt. Potts' The Cornet.

The Gold Cup, or what was better, £100 in specie, produced a pretty race, though won without much effort at last, by Sir W. Scott's The Count, beating three others. Mr. Orde's Bee's-wing was entered for this race, but having been rather lame since his running at Catterick, did not appear, which left the field pretty well matched.

The sports of the first day were closed with a Maiden Plate, which brought some three year olds to the post, the whole of whom (rather an unusual circumstance) appeared in each of three heats. The race was won by a Jerry colt of Mr. Hutchinson's, who took the two last heats in good style, the first having been won by Mr. Heseltine's br. c. by Waverley.

On Friday three two year olds came out for the Trial Stakes, which

was won by Abraham Newland, his first victory, and judging from appearances probably his last, all three being very indifferent cattle.

The Members' Plate was won in three heats by Durham, who ran second for the Cup. The second heat was won by the Jerry colt, who won the Maiden Plate, and would in all probability have won the third heat in this, but the jockey (Cartwright) forgetting that he was perpetrating the barbarity of a race in three mile heats, pulled up after going twice round, and did not recollect himself till his chance for the race was gone.

A Match was got up between the horses that ran second and third in the Hunter's Stakes the day before, who having nothing else to run against, succeeded in coming in first and second on this occasion.

The great interest of the day, however, appeared to centre in a pony race, which was won by a tailor, who rejoices in the euphonious appellation of Tiplady. Betting, 6 to 4 on Snip.

The legitimate racing concluded with the second day, but for the amusement of the market people on Saturday, a Hurdle Race was knocked up, followed by the usual consequence of a few hurdles being knocked over, and aspiring horsemen having to knock under. Mr. Hutchinson's ch. h. Fireaway led throughout, followed by Camel (the winner of the four-mile race on the previous day, and a winner in the Hunter's Stakes on the Thursday), between which there was a fine struggle; Mr. Flintoff's gr. m. Ben Ledi, third, and Mr. Mills's wh. h. (late the property of Captain Richardson), last. Mr. Mills's horse was the only one that took the hurdles fairly, but he had not speed sufficient to enable him to keep the advantage of his superior jumping in the open. The race afforded infinite amusement to an immense concourse of spectators. The weather throughout the three days was cold, accompanied by frequent and heavy showers.

A Boat Race concluded the sports.

The stewards for next year are Sir W. Scott, Bart., of Anram (whose success at the present meeting we hail as the commencement of a fortunate career on the turf), and Sir W. Chaytor, Bart. of Witton-castle, whose great popularity in the city of Durham cannot but essentially promote the interests of the races in 1837.

NEWCASTLE.

We are happy to say that this meeting, which has been for some years improving, presents this year a fair prospect of resuming its old station at the head of the races of the North. The inhabitants have found out that the only way to compete with Liverpool, Manchester, and other places where large sums of money are given away, is to take a leaf out of the

book of their competitors, and to offer as liberal prizes as are to be met with elsewhere. Acting on this system, and possessing a very superior course to either of the other places, and at least equal, after the recent improvements, to most in England, we are not surprised at the bill of fare which lies before us of the engagements for the present year. The meeting is fixed for the 20th of June. We gave in our last a letter from a correspondent, in which he alludes to the interest excited by the Newcastle St. Leger, in which nearly all the chief Doncaster favourites are entered, and there are several other races of scarcely inferior consequence. For the Northumberland Stakes twenty-three horses are entered; and the entry for the Cup is numerous and superior.

Sunderland Races are fixed for the week after Newcastle, and the amount of the plates augurs favourably for the success of this meeting. The course has been considerably improved through the liberality of that true sportsman Mr. Skipsey, on whose property it is situated, and who is one of the stewards this year.

SIR,

FLY FISHING.

In this fly-fishing age when men of all ranks, professions, and even trades are positively angling mad, it appears to me somewhat strange that so little practical information is to be gleaned from the numerous publications on Angling which have made their appearance during the last quarter of a century. Would not a work answering in some degree to such a title as "An outline of the first principles of Fly-fishing as practised at the present day by the first artists of Ireland and Scotland," be more acceptable to a tyro than the descriptions of picturesque scenery, poetical quotations &c., with which the angling world is at present drugged? It may be said in reply, that anything which can now be written on angling must of necessity be a mere compilation. This I can hardly believe to be a fact; the works of the old writers might be all very well in their day, when trout were to be met with by the dozen at every turn of a stream, with perhaps little more than the same number of rods in a county; but now that the case is in a great measure reversed, more knowledge is required to enable a man to hide the bottom of his panier than can be found in Cotton, Best, Taylor, and Company, as a citizen would say.

The word citizen reminds me that in some of the best modern works on fly-fishing are to be found several cruel and unprovoked attacks on Cockney anglers. Why in the names of Walton and Cotton should feather and lead not live in peace! It is anything but Christian-like to endeavour by quizzing to prevent an unfortunate man, doomed to pass

NO. LXI.-VOL. XI.

I

the best part of his life in a dark lane, from inspiring his dominical dose of gas containing some little portion of oxygen, on the banks of the Lea, and there enjoying his six hours sit with the delightful finish of a fry of gudgeon at the Templum.

After all, should the shots aimed at bottom-angling take effect, and induce some of its professors whose pockets allow of it to make "a tower to the ighlands," all the good resulting from the measure will fall to the share of the inkeepers, whilst the natives of the country where the Londoners commence their operations, seeing what may very possibly appear to them fine gentlemen, possessed of undoubtedly fine rods and lines, who have travelled some four hundred miles for the sole purpose of fishing, will naturally be tempted to try their hand at it too. Now if they cannot take fish by fair means, they most certainly will by foul; the fish so captured by them will, as a matter of course, be purchased by the unsuccessful Cockneys. Thus will a taste for poaching be introduced into the country, obliging the laird to cause to be pasted on some conspicuous wall of the inn a polite request to gentlemen not to fish in the burn. Papers to that effect I saw at several of the Highland inns five years ago. If the laird be indifferent about fishing, or too good a fellow to spoil a stranger's sport, the river will in the course of a very short time be completely cleaned out. The streams of Wales bear ample testimony to the truth of what I have just written, at least those which are not strictly preserved.

To return from this long digression to the more immediate purport of my letter-that of drawing out some experienced fly-fisher (no matter whether an Addison in expressing himself or not), and inducing him to favour me and my brother tyros with as much elementary knowledge as can be communicated in writing. But, mind, he must neither produce a guide to the lakes, nor a teatise on moral philosophy; we have had enough of such works already, admirably written as far as composition and quotations go, but giving their readers credit for more practical knowledge than most of them possess: it is morally impossible that gentlemen so completely au fait at turning a period, can be deficient in the art of raising, hooking, turning, and landing a twenty-pound salmon.

To my certain knowledge there is in each of the counties Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, and Donegal, more than one man well qualified to "teach the young idea how to fish." In the sincere hope that my letter may be the means of inducing some of my Irish friends to forward you a line on salmon and trout-fishing,

I remain, sir,

Your most obedient servant.

France, March 10th, 1836.

EXUL.