The Sun.
London, England, 1821-01-04 00:00:00

SPORTING IN.TELLIGENCE:

HOUSTON GYMNANTICS IN. HAMPSHIRE.

R. A. Blunl:rt, Esq. of Nllll-end, HantS, in.coming into
possession of the valuable Houston estate, gave a full.day's
play of sport to the gentlemen and rustics in rations amuse-
ments, the first of which was a shooting-match at 2i pigeons,
for a silver cup and cover. Tuesday was toe day appointed
fur the spells, which commenced with the Shouting-match at
21 birds each, fur which 12 candidates entered, atta subscrip•
lion of two guineas each, to be distributed for other minor
prizes. The Shooting-match was. decided as -follows
Mr. Jemmet killed 18 birds from the 21—
Rms - - Mr. liillinghurst
•Toid - 17 I Notting
King - 17 Bird -
Arbuthnot - . Ito rtensliaw
.10 ,es - - 16

-
16
- 15
14

- 14

- 11

In sho.tuig. oil the tie, Iklr:feint-act. killed his fifth bird,
and won the cup, value 20 guineas; Mr. Ross's fifth bird
Darin;; Wien nr,re than 100 yards from the trap.
ThreeW; est ling Matches next took place for 5 guineas each.
'fire first was won by Horner, heating Gibbons.

The second was won by Eames', beating 'Glossop.
The tint.] was won by )oungliellhorse, beating Cruise, the
gYl'cuY•
A Cudgeling-or Backs cord Match next took place for five
guineas, in threes, which was won bi• John Dore, from
'Cornwall. . •• .

A decorated Chemise and other paraphernalia was next run
for by damsels of the Houston Hundred, which was wun by
:Mary :11ulford. A half-mile heat. _ .

The last match was between six boys of the Hundred, with
their hands tied behind, catching-oranges from a huge tub of
'water with their mouths, which .i:reated much diversion.

. .
In the evening the Gentry were entertained at. Houston
Halt, and the rustics were niade happy.

SPORTING EXTRAORDINARY.--A match which
stands unequalled in the annals of sporting, was decided in
the High-street, Hammer,mit It, -about 3 o'clock last Monday
afternoon. A master baker living in the town bad. boted
a guinea with his-. neigh hour that he and his mastiff would
draw hi, *read-harrow, with in quarter') loaves in it, a mile
and a half, and do the, ground in less -time than any. stage-
coach that passed through the town (the baiter to have his
choice.) between I and 3 o'clock, provided Ibe horses did not
break into a gallop. The.baker started Against the last coach
(the Blue eyed Maid), to the infinite amusement of several
hundredspectators, and surprize of Jarvis, wll6 was trot in the
secret:, and who, determined not to be heat by what be called
an ass and a dog, drove on lot ionsly ; but his horses iniaria-
bly broke into a gallop, when he was requested. to stop a.nd
canter, that being the terms of the agreement. He.good ho-
mouredly complied; but the ground which he so lost enabled
the baker to get so far a-head thateoachee could not osertake
him, and he finally travelled the gruand in a much shorter
time, and won his na;.er.

THE THEATRE.--MiSi BARRY, the new Vio;
lante at Drury-lane Theatre, repeated her, per-
formance last night, with confirmed success.—
Her representation was throughout marked by
ease, spirit, humour,, and sensibility, and she re-'
ceived abundant proofs of general approbation.—
ELEASToN was again lively and effective in Don
Felix, and the Comedy, from the general merit of
the performance, is likely to regain no small por-
tion of its former popularity.
Mr. HENRY HARRIS has left town for Dublin,
to accelerate the completion of the new theatre,
which he is determined to effect within -the pro-
mised time. Bets to a considerable amount are
depending upon the result. -

The Misses FITZCLARENCE have returned to
town from the seat of Sir CHARLES POLE, in
Hertfordshire, and had an elegant party last
evening at their house in. South Audley-square.
The Duke of CtARENCE entertained a party
of distinguished personages to dinner yester-
day, at his residence in the Stable Yard, St.
James's : among whom were the Earl and Coun-
tess of GLASGOW.

SERJ EA NT V A UGHAN.—The piece. of .Plate
(value 150 guineas) voted by lbe Corporation to Mr. Sergeant
VAtto►IAN, the late highly re,pected Recorder of the Borough
of Leicester, has been presented to hint, 'find the following
Inscription, exp►essive of the feelings and seuti►cents of the
Corporation, engraved upon it

TI)
JIHIN VAUGII AN, Esquire,
Oue of his Nfajesty's Serjeauts at Law,
THIS/PLATE
Is PRESENTED By
TIIE CORPORATION OF LEICESTER,

In testimony of the high serve which they entertain of his
• talents, and of the dignified, able, and impartial manner
in which he administered the Law us the
• BuRoUGH OF LEicEsTEit,
And discharged the-important duties of the office of
RECORDER
Dnring an eventful period of -23 years.
•

AsTftoNomy.,---The lovers of Astronomy 'will
shortly have a favourable opportunity of observing the new
planet Vesta. By a paper laid before the Astronomical Soci-
ety of London, it appears that she will be in opposition be-
tween Gemini and Cancer on the evening of the 13111 of Jan.
By the assistance of a map of the constellation Gemini, this
planet. may be readily found wilh a good telescope, and her
progress. watched for upwards of two months.
RECENT FACT.—As illustrative•of the effects
of the new system of education in a small country village,
".Mary," said her Mistress to a servant girl who had been
brought up at a-school of this description, " what is this, that
you have given me warning ? I knows not of any words as has
tak,u place between us, Mary?" " Nor do 1, Madam," re-
turned Mary, " hot I have come to the resolution not to live
with any lady who can't speak grammar."
NATURAL IlisTorty:—The Dean of WEST-
MINSTER has recently given directions to have the interior
of the Abbey cleansed, as front the number of bit ds which
had congregated at the top of the gothic pillars, where they
had built their nests, much inconVenience had been expe-
rienced in the choir.—ln effecting this labour, upwards of 7u
nests of different birds were discovered, together with the
remains of a number of the feathered tribe that appeared to
have died of old age.—Among other birds found in this situa-
tion, was one with a very brilliant plumage, somewhat similar
to a kingfisher. The plumage was in excellent preservation,
but the flesh was completely dried up. It was conveyed to the
eau, by whom it has been preserved.

COWARDLY ASSASSINATION IN PARIS.—A young
man from Nantes came to Paris in order to make
some purchases for his approaching marriage, and
went one evening to the Play. lie was there
insulted by a person next to him,because he took
snuff out of a snail-box with the charter on it. A
third person interposed and offered himself to be
second in combat. The young man who was in-

suited, consented to have no other person present.
When they came to the ground in the morning
the aggressor, favoured by the lot, drew first,
and missed his adversary. The latter was about
to fire in his turn, when the wretch who played the
part of second tired a pistol at him which be had
held concealed. Some Gendarmes ran up at the
time,and found the victirnof an imprudent loyalty,
almost expiring. The young man survived five
hours and was able to make a declaration sufii,
ciently circumstantial to make 'us hope that
the assassins shall not escape ' the vigilance
of justice. They .fled so quickly that the gen-
d'armes could not perceive them. Some papers
state, that the young man was rob4ed at the
same time ; others state, that the assertion is
without foundation.—(Paris Paper.)
Tut: BIBLE,---In the year 1541, the Bible was
first printed in, English, by !?royal perinisSioa,
granted to R. (lit-AFTON, Printer, of Lobdon.