Why then,

assuming a very consequential look, I beg to inform you, that I did not come out here to be damned. Sir, you may go home, and be damned."

(SPORTING MAGAZINE.)

SEED CORN 2000 YEARS OLD. At the annual dinner of the Middlesex Agricultural association, Mr. H. Pownall produced a head of corn, which he said had been grown in the neighbourhood of his residence, and stated, that he had that day shown it to Mr. Sherborn, of Bedfont, who, on examination, immediately pronounced it to be Egyptian corn, which Mr. Pownall said was the fact, as it had been grown from seed found within the covering of an Egyptian mummy, within which it had been enclosed for upwards of 2000 years.-(FARMER'S MAGAZINE.)

་་

the

ANECDOTES TRANSLATED FROM THE PERSIAN.-A certain Sheikh said to his wife: "I wish to have such a one as my guest, naming one of the principal men of the city. We can ill afford, observed she, «to entertain a man of his rank; but if you must needs ask him, be sure to slaughter an ox, a sheep, and an ass. " « I can understand, said the Sheikh, priety of slaughtering the ox and the sheep, but I do not quite see what purpose is to be served by the ass. » When the great and the noble,» replied his wife, put their hand to your salt, it is fitting that the dogs of the quarter should likewise be regaled. »

»

a

"

pro

-Mansûr said to an Arab of Syria: Why do you not give thanks to God, that, since I have been your ruler, you have not been visited by the plague? God is too just, replied he, to afflict us with two scourges at once. » Mansûr was mortified by this retort, and afterwards found some pretext for putting the Arab to death.

GERMAN BOOKS. The booksellers' Leipsic this year, includes 3,977

(ASIATIC JOURNAL.) catalogue for the fair of works. The booksellers

themselves are 592 in number. Leipsic takes the first rank in the list, and Berlin the second. The Austrian states fur

nish collectively, only 285 works, 183 of which are from Vienna. Berlin, alone, has 423, and Prussia, altogether, 1.236. (LITERARY GAZETTE.)

PRACTICE does not always make perfect. Curran, when told by his physician, that he seemed to cough with more difficulty, replied―« That is odd enough, for I have been practising all night. " (THE OMNIBUS.)

CHINESE ARMS.-Lieut. Col. Knowles, commanding the detachment of Royal Artillery at present serving in China, has recently transmitted to this country a complete assortment of Chinese war-arms, with specimens of shot, and the costumes of the soldiers of the Celestial Empire. The whole of these articles, and a figure of a Chinese soldier in his tiger dress, have, within the last few days, been arranged in the Royal Repository at Woolwich, where the public have free admission to visit them. The following is an account of these interesting novelties:

The appearance of the arms of the soldiers who serve the brother of the sun and moon, contrasts strangely with the other modern arms in the repository; and harmonizes more with the antique fire-arms deposited in the building. Part of the Chinese weapons remind us of the ancient bows and arrows of Robin Hood (1) and his merry-men, while the ordnance pieces exactly resemble those used in the 14th and 15th centuries, similar to those which have been found and are said to have belonged to the Spanish Armada. The largest piece sent home by Colonel Knowles, appears to be about seven feet long, and is formed of pieces of iron welded together, and hooped with rings throughout its whole length, about four inches distant from each other. Another piece, with a plain musket-shaped barrel, is about five feet long, and is mounted on three legs, presenting a similar appearance to the telescope used in this country, only it has an additional moveable leg at the breech to regulate the elevation. The charge of this piece is placed in a separate iron chamber, which, when loaded, is inserted at the rear end of the muzzle, and fired by a matchlock. The Chinese swords appear formidable, and in the hands of good soldiers would be very effective. They are in the form of Turkish sabres, but with less curve, and the handles are

{') A celebrated outlaw of the 12th Century. Ed.

VOL. I.

24

about 15 inches long, evidently that they may afford room to
hold with both hands at once, and cut with tremendous force.
There are two swords of a different construction, the blades
being only about 18 inches in length, fixed on handles five
feet long, for cutting, or defending the men from the attack
of cavalry; or, as there is a small tuft of hair attached to
them, they may have been used to denote the rank of those
who used them, as the serjeants of the British army were dis-
tinguished by their halberts. A most singular arm of the Chi-
nese is formed exactly similar to the trident of Neptune, the
centre prong being straight, and the two outer prongs slightly
curved, but very sharp pointed. This weapon is fixed to the
end of a pole about 10 feet long, similar in thickness to those
used by British regiments of Lancers. The Chinese standard
is cut in a sheet of iron in the form of the ace of spades,
with a number of projections, representing flames of fire. The
standard is fixed upon the top of a pole, and immediately
underneath it is a circular piece of iron about six inches in
diameter, hung round with hair about 9 or 10 inches in length.
There are also, neatly arranged on the wall, two bows formed
of bamboo and horn, and the contents of a sheaf of arrows,
120 in number, about 3, feet long each. On the table be-
low are specimens of the shot used by the Chinese, very rude-
ly cast; the largest being only four inches, and the smal-
lest one inch, in diameter. The tiger dress of a soldier has
been stuffed with straw, and placed against the wall, and
'presents a singular appearance, being a second edition of Sir
John Falstaff, having nearly as substantial or bulky a corpo-
ration as that celebrated Knight. Attached to the costume,
which is from top to bottom all one dark red colour, with
fantastic stripes, painted black, to represent a tiger, is a hood,
made to cover the head quite close, and fall down over a
considerable portion of the face, with holes for the eyes; and
two projecting representations of the ears of an animal.
Amongst the articles is a dress, which belonged to an officer
of high rank, and although it is rather the worse for wear, it
still has the remains of finery about it, being of a dark ground,
thickly studded with metallic ornaments, and flowered with

4

embroidered figures in silk. It is intended to have this dress stuffed, to exhibit the costume of the Chinese officers; and altogether the articles transmitted by Colonel Knowles form a great acquisition to the Repository. (TIMES.)

STEEPLE CHASE.-A match for L200 a-side, made at Horncastle horse-fair in August last, between Mr. John Elmore's Gay Lad (formerly the property of Mr. Davy), and Mr. J. Anderson's Croxby, at 12st. each a-side, to be run over four miles of fair hunting country, came off on Thursday, the 2d inst. J. Hall, Esq., was the umpire, and Finchley was named as the rallying-point. The line chosen was well adapted for viewing the race from beginning to end, the start taking place from the second field from the church, near Mr. Parbury's, and extending along the side of the London road for about two miles, and then, after crossing the road, returning about the same distance to the winning-field adjoining the road, which was on a hill of difficult ascent for the nags at the end of their work. They had to cross the brook near Golder's Green, both in going and returning; and there were nearly 30 fences of ordinary character, but rendered difficult by the awfully heavy state of the ground, and the rottenness of it in the taking-off places. Flagging the ground and weighing having been settled, the horses were mounted, Mr. J. Mason appearing in a warm comfortable harlequin jacket as the steersman of Gay Lad, and Mr. W. M'Donough, in his usual colours, as the jock of Croxby. The latter horse, we hear, was not deemed sufficiently up to the mark at Newport Pagnell, and he was afterwards sent to Mr. Smith at Epsom, who brought him to the scratch, apparently in excellent condition. Gay Lad was severely hurt on the shin of the near fore-leg by getting into the brook at Newport, and it was thought by some that he would not be able to get through his work on this occasion the betting was in favour of Croxby at six and seven to four, a week since, but by the training and care of Mr. G. Dockeray, who bled and physicked him, and bandaged his damaged leg, he was brought to the post looking well, although a little wasted. About a quarter past two o'clock, the word go was given, the betting being abou

:

"

even.

Mason judiciously took the headland of the two first fields, his opponent lying in the heavier ground to his right: every fence was beautifully taken, according to the best of their judgment; no follow my leader, but each taking a line of his own, about ten yards apart. It was evident Gay Lad was best through the deep. They alternately led to where they crossed the turnpike road, over which Croxby got first; from this point Mason led to Hamilton's farm-house some lengths, but in jumping a fence Gay Lad rushed to the wrong side of the flag, and Mason was compelled to turn him again over the fence, which he accomplished with great skill. Croxby here got a lead of thirty or forty yards, but Mason put on the steam, soon made good his ground, and gave his opponent the go-by. The pace now became terrific, Gay Lad leading down the hill to the brook, which both cleared beautifully. M'Donough now set to work, but could not get the lead, Gay Lad beating him at every stride up the hill to the last fence, which was well done by both, particularly Gay Lad, who cleared it, with some yards to spare, into the winning field. A short struggle home, in which Mason made Croxby safe, and Gay Lad went in a gallant winner of three or four lengths. Gay Lad has thus proved himself a very stout horse through a deep and heavy country, nor was he distressed, while Croxby appeared dead beat. It may be remarked that Mr. Elmore showed his judgment as to the merits of his horse, for before they had gone two fields he laid Mr. Anderson L30 to L20 that he won, which Mr. A. of course lost. Both jockeys rode with great nerve and judgment, particularly Mason, who really appears to drop his horses where and how he pleases. Neither horse fell throughout the race, and every thing passed off well. The trial was for both horses most severe, and no one can doubt that the best horse won. (CHRONICLE.)