The Sun.
London, England, 1825-12-31 00:00:00

SPORTING.

HUNTING INTELLIGENCE.
MEETINGS OF HOUNDS TN THE ENSUING WEEK•

His Majesty's Stag Hounds, on Monday, at Langley Broom;
Friday, at Stoke Common.
The South Weld Subscription Hounds, on Tuesday, at
Thornton ; Thursday, at Wetton Mill; Saturday, at Tathwell.
The Somerset Subscription Fox Hounds, on Tuesday, at
Dunecombe Bottom ; Friday, at Crocombe Park Gate.
The Cheshire Hounds, on Monday, at Darnhall ; Wednes-
day, at Ithinshaw Hall ; Friday, at Oulton Lodge ; Saturday,
at Shipbrook Bridge.
The Gransden Hounds, on Monday, at Potton Wood ; Fri-
day, at Kaeesworth.
Sir R. Sutton's Hounds. on Monday, at Goltho ; Tuesday,
at Staplesford Moor ; Wednesday, at Saxelby ; Thursday, at
Lea; Saturday, at Colehy.
Earl Fitzwilliam's Hounds, on Monday, at Barnwell Told ;
Wednesday, at Abbots Ripton ; Thursday, at Old Weston
Windmill.

The Earl of Harewood's Fox Hounds, on Monday, at Clif-
ford Moor; Wednesday,
_at Spacey House ; Friday, at Sut-
ton Mill.

The Badsworth Hounds, on Tuesday, at Red House; Thurs-
day, at Fenwick ; Saturday, at Ferrybridge.
The Worcestershire Fox Hounds, on Monday, at Grafton
Wood ; Friday, at Bransford.
The Shropshire Hounds, on Monday, at Montfurd Bridge;
Tuesday, at Acton Burnell ; Wednesday, at the Fox ; Thurs-
day, at Sundorn ; Friday, at Cross Houses; Saturday, at Ac-
ton Reynald.
Sir R. Puleston's Hounds, on Monday, at Overton Cross;
Wednesday, at Sam Bridge ; Saturday, at Oteley Lodge.
Mr. Dewing's Hounds, on Monday, at Thernehhorpe ;
Wednesday, at Swanton Church ; Friday, at Twyford.
The \Vestacre Stag Hounds, on Monday, at the Kennel ;
Friday, at \%Tatton George Inn.
Mr. Muster's Hounds, on Monday, at Sywell Wood; Tues. •
day, at Althorp Park ; Thursday, at Brampton Wood.
The Duke of Grafton's Hounds, on Monday, at William's
Bridge ; Wednesday, at Beachampton Grove.
The Oakley Hounds, on Monday, at Halsey Wood ; Tues-
day, at Pick's Hill; Thursday, at Marston Thrift; Satur-
day. at Rox ton.
The Quorndon Hounds, on Monday, at Eaiston Park ; Tues-
day, at Howthorpe, Northamptonshire ; Wednesday, at Roller-
ton ; Thursday. at Easton Park ; Friday, at Frisby ; Satur-
day, at Widmerpool.

A GREAT MATCH LOST.—Captain PETERS,
.of Oadley,
near Leicester, lost his undertaking of 300 sovereigns, to ride
half way, and go on foot the other half, from Hoddesdon, Herts,
to the 160• mile stone, close upon Doncaster, on Thursday, in
18 hours. He rode his 71 miles upon eight horses, as follows :-
12 miles in 40 minutes, 10 ditto, in 34 minutes, 8 miles in 26
minutes, 10 miles in 33 minutes, 8 miles in 27 minutes, 11 miles
in 35 minutes, 10 miles in 34 minutes, and the remaining 2
miles in 7 minutes. The Captain then shifted into flannel and
became a pedestrian the other half the distance of 142 miles.
He went on regularly at'the rate of six miles an hour the first
36 miles, when he complained of a pain above the right ancle,
and a vein the size of a nut protruded stself. After performing
b 0 miles in 20 minutes within ten hours, and having no chance
of going on with success, he resigned, having more than 21
miles to accomplish in four hours.

EDINBURGH ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST
CENT II ItY.—About 200 yards eastward from the Nether-bow,
and directly opposite to the head of New-street, which there
branches off from the Canongate to the left, is an alley, now
designated the Auld.Play House Close, at the bottom of which
stood the house which served Edinburgh as a theatre previous
to the erection of the present edifice in 1768. To this obscure
retreat the liberal part of the gentry of Edinburgh, and the
most degraded part of the common people, (for of these classes
were the playgoers of Edinburgh then composed), resorted
to see such actors as Digges, Ward, and Bellamy ; and
many a night, as gossips tell, has this mean alley been crowded
with sedans, containing the most brilliant toasts who flourished
in Edinburgh at the middle of the last century. We have
heard a laughable anecdote related of the destruction of
this house, which serves to illustrate the popular feeling respect-
ing the stage in Scotland. The prejudice against theatrical
amusements amounted in the minds of the vulgar to absolute
superstition ; and we cannot wonder at the persecution which
Home met with from the clergy, when it is understood that the
devil was believed to be in league with the players, and that the
simplest stage-tricks were attributed to supernatural agency.
This absurd notion was so prevalent and so strongly rooted in
the public mind, that it at last caused the destruction of the
Canongate play-house. Upon one occasion, when the manager
broke faith with the public, by substituting the tragedy of
Hamlet for a play that had been announced in the bills, the
audience expressed their disapprobation and horror at so pro-
fane a play by the most outrageous declamations, and being
shortly joined by the disaffected people out of doors, from less
to more, proceeded at length to set fire to the house. To pro-
tect the peace of the city, the town guard were called out, and
marched to the spot ; hut though these veterans had found no
qualms in facing the French at Blenheim and Dettingen, they
had not courage sufficient to suport them in an attack upon
the frontiers of the Evil One. When ordered, therefore, by
their commander to advance into the house and across the
stage, the poor fellows fairly stopped short amidst the scenes,
the glaring colours of which at once surprised and terrified
them. Indignant at this pusillanimity, the captain seized a
musket, and placing himself in the attitude of a determined
leader, called out, " Follow me, my lands !" But just at the
moment that lie was going to push across the stage, and attack
the rioters, he happened to tread upon a trap-door, (which had
been left ajar, we suppose for the ghost, or perhaps for Ophe-
ha's grave), and in a twinkling vanished from the sight of his
men, who instantly retreated, and left the house to the destruc-
tion which they had been called to prevent ! It is further said,
that when their honoured captain re-appeared, the guard, who
had given him up for lost, received him in the quality of a
ghost, and could scarcely be undeceived even by his cursing
them in good Gaelic for a parcel of cowardly scoundrels I—
(Edinburgh Independent.)

Several serious fracas have taken place lately
among the troops in the garrison in this city (Canterbury.) In
one row, upwards of 200 of the men belonging to the 38th and
41st depots, were engaged, and several severely hurt.—(Kent
Herald.)

Christmas evening, a quarrel took place in
Madden's Tavern, Queen-street, Dublin, between a few of.the
Guards and some of the 731 Regiment. The picket interfered
and took them to the barracks; one of the Guards was wounded
in the head.