The Sun.
London, England, 1831-10-01 00:00:00

MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

A rampant political diatribe, full of invective and
generalities, and the inspiration of which seems to
be impudence. It is, however, well written, so far
as style is concerned, `• The Speculator" is a very
happy sketch of character, drawn evidently from
life, by a keen observant judge of nature. " Sterne
and the Duke of Wharton" is a dramatic scene from
the pen of a gentleman, who is at least familiar with
the style and qualities of the quaint and over-rated
author of " Tristram Shandy." " Discos cries in
Africa" is a sensible, useful treatise, grounded on
the recent incalculably important discovery of the
Niger. " Proposal for abolishing the Ist of Sep-
tember" is smartly written, though with a little too
much attention to effect. If the writer laboured
less to be witty, he would be more successful. We
give a specimen, with which we must conclude
" I grew up more fond of sport than ever. My fathe r
had a considerable freehold property, with game preserves ;
hut although be was exceedingly fond of shooting, he
gave strict orders to the servants not to allow me on any
occasion to handle a gun. I was therefore confined to
bows and arrows, and other missiles, which teach ' the
young idea how to shoot,' and occasionally did consider-
able execution among the tomtits and other small birds.
This I soon grew tired of. I panted for higher game. I
tried to coax the game-keeper, but without success. I at-
tempted to bribe the other servants with as little effect.
Then I bethought me of a boy on the estate, who had a
gun for the purpose of keeping the rooks off the corn. He
was a poor half-starved, tattered rascal—in fact a living
scarecrow. He had a sort of den under the cover of a
thickset edge, at one extremity of the field. I got into
his good graces by bringing to him something more pa-
latable than his ordinary diet ; things I had stolen from
the larder for that purpose ; and while he was eating I
scared away the rooks by shouting at them. Things went
on admirably. He taught me how to load a gun and fire
it off, and allowed me to handle it. His was an old
heavy one, with a touch-hole wherein I could nearly put
toy little finger. I longed to shoot a hare, but he was
only allowed powder, apd I knew that without shot I had
but small chance of killing one. To supply the defect, I
picked up in the gravel-paths, a number of nice little
round white pebbles about the size of swan-shot; these I
kept in my pocket till a proper occasion for their use pre-
sented itself. One day when the boy had gone into the
next field to cut a turnip for a dessert after his dinner, and
had left the gun in my care, I put in nearly a handful of
these little round pebbles, rammed them well down with
stiff brown paper, put in plenty of priming, and then with
the gun upon half-cock, I went in search of game. There
was a path, on each side of which were plantations ; and
I knew I should find there hares in plenty, and rabbits out
of number. I got there with all speed, approached on
tiptoe along the grassy edges of the path, and beheld four
hares nearly within one shot, scratching up the gravel,
and then scattering the dust with their hind legs with the
greatest impudence imaginable. I hid myself behind a
tree, cocked my gun, and waited for thin: In a short
• time a fine jack-hare came within a few yards. I put the
gun to my shoulder—took aim—shut my eyes, and pulled
, the trigger. I heard a bang—and felt one, which sent
me nearly lifeless on the ground. When I recovered, I
t found myself lying in my own bed with a dislocated
shoulder."