his character so resplendently, that every one grew silent for fear of getting into a scrape.

As my business, however, is only with one subject, I shall enter into no particulars till the bottle began to circulate, when Bob chimed into a conversation upon field-sports, of which he seemed to know quite as much as he did of every thing else. He had killed more partridges, and had won more races, than any one present; and when they talked of fox-hunting, (of which country gentlemen have generally very marvellous stories) his exploits, though told in a quiet unassuming manner, which evidently under-rated them, surpassed all that had ever been heard of. I am sure if I or any one else, excepting Bob, had swam the Severn at the new passage, and leaped the Paddington Canal, the world would never have heard the last of it. But persons who have courage to do great things seldom have courage to boast of them. They are, moreover, remarkable for a disposition to make all due allowances for others. Thus, when Bob talked of the various hunts of Yorkshire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire, and was compelled incidentally to men

tion his own celebrity, and surname of Robert the Devil, he gave it as his positive opinion that there were others in the said hunts who could ride very nearly, if not quite as well as himself, whatever people might think. If he was wrong in his supposition, it must be remembered that he had enjoyed more advantages than the generality, having usually been mounted on the restive horses which his friends had been afraid to ride.

I saw instantly, by the eager looks of several of the gentlemen, that Bob would very soon be furnished with a stud; and one of them, who described himself to be a timid rider, put in a petition that he would hunt a young horse for him on the following day. The animal was a little too fresh and mettlesome for the owner, but perfectly au fait at his business, and just the thing for such a person as Bob. Bob would have modestly declined, but we had all such a longing to see a specimen of real horsemanship, that it was quite impossible for him to avoid distinguishing himself, and the worthy host engaged all the company present to dine with him

again after the hunt, and talk over the feats of Robert the Devil.

The next morning proved particularly fine, and I was up betimes, bustling about to caparison my friend. I had never been much of a sportsman, and was totally unprovided with the necessary equipments, for which I was obliged to despatch messengers in various directions, to levy contributions on my neighbours. It happened that I was particularly fortunate, and my couriers came pouring in-one with a red coat, another with a pair of leathers, a third with boots and spurs, and a fourth with a most noble hunting-whip. They all fitted to admiration, and my friend really looked so manfully that it quite did my heart good to behold him. Nevertheless, Bob did not talk much about it. He looked like a man whose resolution was made up to deeds of direful import; knitted his brows into a determined frown; and took nothing for breakfast but devilled kidneys and brandy.

-'s

groom, with

At last the arrival of Mr. Bob's horse, was announced. Bob took another

look in the glass, put the finishing touch to his resolution with another dram, and forth we went. Our horses were waiting at the door. For myself, I am ashamed to say, that my nerves never permitted me to mount any thing more formidable than a clever little shooting pony; but, oh! what words can come up to the majesty of the quadruped which was destined to immortalize my friend? His height was stupendous, his pedigree interminable, and his coat, which was a fiery chesnut, shone in the sun like the tail of a peacock. I thought, as he pawed the ground and champed the bit, I had never seen such a wild eye and terrific nostril in my born-days; but Bob laughed at my fears, and assured me that he would soon let him know who was master. With that he clambered up the saddle, and sat, to all appearance, as comfortably as a bird upon a bough. I could not help expressing my admiration, but Bob put on rather a scornful look, and bade me keep my praises till by and bye; whereupon, he smacked his whip, and dashed his spurs into the animal's ribs, by way of trying his mettle. The horse uttered a piercing squeal, laid down

his ears, and swang up his heels, as though he meant to throw a somerset. Bob, as the groom said, showed full three feet of daylight under him, that is to say, he vaulted up in the air three feet from his saddle, which I instantly conceived was by way of easing the horse of his weight, that he might kick the higher and astonish us the more. But this was not the most

admirable part of the performance, for, when Bob's specific gravity brought him down from his aërial journey, he very skilfully lighted on the horse's tail, which produced a similar evolution to the former one. Bob was determined to amuse us, for, in this ascent, which was a foot or two higher than the other, he scrambled with his hands and legs as if he meant to fly away, and then, to borrow another phrase of the groom, plunged chuck into the saddle as though nothing had happened.

"What do you think of that?" said Bob, with a triumphant look.

"Think!" I replied, “why, I think it is wonderful!"

We soon arrived at the scene of action. It was an extensive piece of furze, on the top of a