LITERATURE AND FINE ARTS. Lon We THE YACHTMAN'S ANNUAL AND GENERAL REGISTER. don: Orger and Maryon, 174, Fenchurch-street. 1845. received this work too late last month to notice it. It contains useful lists of probably all the yacht clubs in Great Britain and Ireland, and as a manual for those who are interested or engaged in aquatics, will be found of service. But it certainly does not belong to the elegant family of annuals which are wont at this season of the year to make their appearance, embellished "regardless of expense." Surely the subject afforded more matter, both for author and illustrator. We should be better pleased to see the Yachtman's Annual in a more worthy form another year. A FEW PLAIN FACTS FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE JOCKEY CLUB. A pamphlet bearing this title has been sent to us, with a note from a gentleman signing himself Phillip Herring, dated from the Queen's Prison. It contains a charge against a member of the Jockey Club of not paying a debt of honour, which, being totally ex parte, we cannot be expected to pub. lish. Mr. Herring complains, that having put his case before the Stewards of that Club, they refused him any redress, by declining to go into it. By their law of the 12th of October, 1842, they resolved henceforth to take no cognizance of any disputes or claims in respect of bets." But surely the most direct means of bringing his dispute to an issue are available to Mr. Herring. The gentleman, against whom he states he has a claim arising out of the Derby of 1841, attends all the principal race-meetings. Mr. Herring has but to report him as a defaulter to the stewards of Ascot, Goodwood, or Doncaster, to insure an investigation of his case, and having justice done to him. This, moreover, would be a more popular course than publishing a hard pamphlet, which may or may not contain "the whole truth." THE INDIA SPORTING REVIEW: (Published Quarterly).-There are confessedly few more energetic or able sportsmen, taking them in round numbers, than those "dear friends" the call of the drum or of duty leads into the Indies. Sport itself, indeed, so far from suffering from the lazy luxury of the climate, gives the offer to grifs and veterans of displaying more vigour, activity, and determination than. they might ever have the chance of exhibiting in Merry England. The sportsman's feats and the sportsman's habits, in short, are almost as great a feature in Indian society as that rank-and-file form and ceremony the perhaps more ostensible occupation of the militaire have so strongly imbued it with. Under these circumstances, the establishment of an Indian sporting periodical might be looked upon as something very like a matter of course, particularly when we re collect the education and talent which marks the majority of the old country's exports to that quarter. Of late, however, we must confess that "the good cause," from some reason or other, has been scarcely done justice to; the Indian records being, in plain terms, little more than a recapitulation, in both plate and print, of what had already been rehearsed "in our own shire." Though this objection conveys a direct compliment to all us stay-at-home workmen, we would still have a leetle more of the sayings and doings of John Companya little more pig-sticking, tiger-twisting, amateur race-riding, and so forth; matters which, to be sure, our friend Master Harry does occasionally "the memory of the past renew," by talking most wonderfully over, but as to the gospel of which we in vain look for a wrinkle from the scene of his many and magnificent exploits. The good practical sportsmen of India, then, evidently wanted "stirring up," a job that the proprietors and editor of this new work, the "India Sporting Review," have set about with plenty of spirit, judgment, and we may add, with the third number now before us, effect. The "India Sporting Review" does treat on the sports of India, in all their varieties, and regards them very properly as its grand point of attraction and success. In proof of this we need but mention that, among other illustrations, the last number which has reached us contains no less than seven original, full-sized, coloured prints, in support of an article detailing some close work with gours, leopards, tigers, bears, and other agreeable companions in the chase and chased. The portrait gallery of celebrated Indian sportsmen is another recommenda. tion in the pictorial department, better carried out-the seven scenes being more attractive for quantity than quality. This, though, it is but fair to say, the Editor promises to amend by the joint assistance of Father Time and English agents. The literary matter, too, shows there is still an ample allowance of "stuff" left for the pen as well as the spear of the sportsman, a run with a tiger having as many variations as one with a fox. In a word, we have great pleasure in shaking hands with a fellow-labourer, whose youth is his worst fault, and whose acts "to this date" promise him to become a right worthy representative of India's sports with England's sports men. FINE ARTS. "GONE TO EARTH." From a picture by T. Woodward, in the possession of Mr. Westley Richards. London: Messrs. Fores, 41, Piccadilly. This is a coloured print, after the fashion of that walk of the art wherein the works published by the above gentlemen tread hard upon the kibes of oil painting. In its sporting relation it is full of life and character, as well as of interest for the fox-hunter; not the less because a couple of his old friends are seen grieving for the loss of their sport, as, peradventure, he may at no distant time wail over the decay and fall of his own. Alas! that this should seem a prophetic case of " Gone to Earth!" "IN LUCK." "OUT OF LUCK." Painted, the former by Bromley, the latter by Earl; both lithographed by Fairland, and coloured. Fores, 41, Piccadilly. These companions make a seasonable débût they are capital winter studies--the former to incite our imitation, the latter our commiseration, at this time of gentle charities. They are brought out in the style of excellence which characterises all the works issued by the Messrs. Fores. "REBECCA AND MULEY MOLOCH." Painted by Herring, and engraved by Charles Hunt. This is another of the admirable series of coloured engravings, entitled "The British Stud," in course of publication by the Messrs. Fores, of Piccadilly. The name of the gentleman by whom it was drawn is a better guarantee for its excellence than any eulogium of ours could be. From the dreadful things in flagrant red, and blue, and yellow, known as coloured prints a few years ago, have grown the present rivals of the best oil paintings; like the finished man of fashion, of May Fair, from his tattooed ancestor the savage of ruddle and ochre. Thus is improvement ever on the march! Who shall say where it may lead to? Is the artist to become a second Frankenstein? Phidias was said to make his marble breathe. Are his successors to make their's take to its heels? "THE HORSE IN HEALTH AND DISEASE," "RECREATIONS IN SHOOTING," 66 MILES ON THE HORSE'S FOOT," and other works, received too late for notice in the present month, will be attended to in our next number. TOWN AND GOWN ROW, OXFORD. (From "The English Spy" by C. M. Westmacott, Esq.) SIR,-In your last number, your contributor, GELERT, has very unhandsomely (to use a mild phrase) extracted an entire chapter of. seven pages from my work, "The English Spy," two vols., published in 1826, without acknowledgment of title or authorship; and has, moreover, affixed his literary cognomen to the head of the article, as if he had written the whole, instead of a paragraph of nine lines to introduce it. Permit me to say there is something very unworthy in this pilfering of an author's cream, and converting it into marketable butter. I am, sir, yours, &c. Kingston, Surrey. C. M. WESTMACOTT. [We readily give insertion to the above letter, although we can scarcely go the extent of the writer in indignation. The insertion of seven pages from his work, in a common point of view, would be taken as a compliment, especially as the gentleman who forwarded the extract to us never for one moment attempted to pass it off as his own original. The only way in which he erred was in omitting to name the work from which he copied it; and this, we can assure Mr. Westmacott, was more from ignorance than wilful intent. With regard to our own share in the affair, we can but state that the author's note was the first source from which we learnt the author's name, and that we simply "told the story as 'twas told to us.— EDITOR]. 138 STATE OF THE ODDS, &c. PROSPECTS OF THE APPROACHING RACING SEASON.-The first of January, we need scarcely remind such of our readers as are wont to turn to this part of our work, is no whole holiday in Old Burlington-street. Many, we may say the majority, of the great stakes close on that day; and it would be amusing to observe how methodically some of our learned turfites put off an avowal of their intentions until the very last moment. Old hands allow no surer sign of the improvement or depression in the racing world than the number of nominations sent into the different stakes; and with that as the authority, they have at present every possible reason for mutual congratulation. The official advices from Newmarket, Doncaster, York, Chester, Ascot, Liverpool, Newcastle, Bath, Wolverhampton, Eglinton Park, and other places of sport, are almost all highly favourable as regards the established stakes, and but little less so in the support already afforded to some whose titles are altogether new to us. Of the whole number of races closing on that same day-in all about sixty-we must perhaps give the preference to the Chester Cup, for which there are forty-eight more subscribers than there were last season, making it consequently the largest entry ever known; while of the meetings, generally-that is in the welldoing of every stake advertised-York promises to rank amongst the most prominent and permanent. The subsequent adjustment of some of these has not hitherto been by any means equally satisfactory; the handicapping for the opening meeting at Newmarket, and the Cup at Chester, above all others, giving rise to an uproar of complaint, which an impartial examination ef weight and merit will rather tend to increase. It is, however, to be hoped that, as we get little further into the season, matters will come and go more a evenly; so that by Epsom spring, The Grand Metropolitan Handicap (with we are afraid to say how much added by the sportsmen of this mighty city) may be aided with as much judgment as up to this date it has been with spirit. In sober seriousness, we have great pleasure in calling attention to the race about to be introduced as above, and to which, from all we can learn, at the very least three hundred clear will be added-a grand step towards making the first meeting of the year at Epsom a fit prologue to the second. The licensed victuallers and sporting sweep houses have, of course, been the first and best in receiving an idea which we believe originally emanated from one of the craft. John Day has just given Isaac Sadler two thousand for Venison, but has not "returned him to that place from which he came." The only alteration, in fact, of interest to the public, is in the subscription being lowered five guineas-from thirty to twenty-five-the number of mares being still the same. GREAT IRISH PRODUCE STAKE.-The following capital commencement has been published for a stake of this description, to be run for by two-year olds, over the Curragh, in the October of 1849:-"Sweepstakes of 10 sovereigns each, for the produce of mares covered by stallions whose owners have subscribed 25 sovereigns to the stakes, and to which sum so subscribed £100 will be added by the Turf Club;" weights, distance, time of closing, &c., &c., may be seen at length in the Irish sheet Calendar. The addition will amount to £375, eleven proprietors of stud-horses having qualified the undernamed ...... Kildare Freney, by Roller, out of Promise by Partisan ...... Standing at Curragh ... Mayboy, by Skylark or Roller, out of Guicciolli by Bob Booty .... .... .. Curragmore Ballinkeele .Aughnacloy .Curragh Mallow .Curragh ... Curragh By the way, may we inquire at what price these high-bred heroes hold out? to whom the world must apply?-with any other particulars we could give in our STALLIONS FOR THE SEASON, a correct guide, which will appear next month. Although business at the Corner is gradually getting brisker, its effect on the Derby and Oaks shows very little advance on our last report; the nominations and weights for the Chester Cup having given that race a precedence, which the acceptances will most probably, but still further increase. The nags, that we can pretty safely speak of as in demand for the event to which we usually give first place are the same we mentioned on winding up the old year-Sting, Brocardo, and Fancy-Boy, followed by the Traverser, Malcolm, and Ginger. The only change, in fact, of any import, is in the reappearance of Spithead, who has been backed all through the month with a steadiness and spirit that would seem to ably refute "the big spavin" with which his name had so lately been associated. Iago's price is still little more than nominal, and beyond the few and far between figures attached to the others, the only piece of intelligence we have to add is, that "Sharston" is the title determined on by Mr. Worthington, for his colt by Stockport, out of Manilla. On the Oaks, any gentleman, who has a filly in it, may very possibly lay out a few pounds; but to affirm the quotations we insert to be anything of a general character, would be risking our own for veracity. A few bets on the publication of the Newmarket Handicap promised at one period to make a thorough "register" race of it; but here, again, the ancient city of Chester has exerted its influence to a yet greater degree. At the time we write, the Clermont Course article is completely out of the market, despite an acceptance which must console the handicapper for the many hard words he has had |