The Sun.
London, England, 1829-06-29 00:00:00

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

This affair took place on Saturday, and a very
foul affair it was, as all those who were at it well
know, and will not easily forget. But as there are
many worthy people who were not there, we will
endeavour to describe it, for their edification and
future government in such matters.
The weather, as everybody within twenty miles
of London well knows, was as bad as weather well
could be for any such out-of-door doings. The ba-
rometer stood at " Rain;" the welkin was wofully
overcast, and every thing betokened a regular soak-
jug day; but all this could not prevent the " Ga-

tliering"---ina-stritieh as the had been viid
for, and there was a c!m.nce tli.it the weather might
be kiml enough to ( lear up, which it certainly ought
to lifrve. done—if it had kid any gallart:ry or kind-
ness in it—for the ladies came forth in their best
and lightest fair-weather hire mudins and
satin ,andal., tratil,irunt eossnmer I.ats, stir-
mounted by noddile4 bompiets, finer thAti any
of Nature's makiag in Hie conserva!ory.
and woe are we ! to have seen what there we saw
—many a fair starched muslin skirt of six yards cir-
cumference reluved to a solvethiw: like a mere
clese-clipping dreadfully-damp chemise, in less than
one short hour ; and many 4, crisped, snaky lock.,
that made such t%atiton gambols in the wind," con-
vened in as short a time to heavy dangling rats'-
tails ! Your rain is a mortally relaxing enemy to
stan] and stiffening of all sorts.

With respect to the-number of personages, per-
sons, awl people, present and subjected to this;
tentwing °rest:, we cannot estinuee them. we
did hear that. seven thousand tickets were issued—
(tno thousand of them in One day at the. advanced
price"—two guineas each)—and, juilgitig from the
multitude of carriages outside, and the crowded con-
dition of those extet.sive gardens (tmards of ninety
acres), we should suppose every ticket was
brought in.

The delights prepared for this crowd of gay and
gallant intellectuals were, its usual, a breayitst at
four o'clock in the afternoon—a dejeune rt la four-
chette as the learned call it ; a superlatively beautiful
prornenoir (for such a young one); a dance on the
green sward (if agreeable): and a sort of 'ion con-
certo concert, vocal and instrumental, cis il and mili-
tary. The operators engaged to supply these va-
riot's delights were, first, for the breakfast, Mr.
Gunter—than whom no man knows better how l 0
break a fast,
"and, knowing, dares rrforw."
Sec mdly, for the dance, Wieppert's band ; and
Litolff 's ditto. Thirdly, for the concert 71072 con-
certo, Messieurs the bands of the Life Guards, the
Foot Guards and the Royal Artillery,—one band
of each denomination ; les Troubadours, and the
Rainers—the announcement of Mach latter might
possibly be considered by some folks as ominous of
the evreme raininess of the day. Thirdly, the pro-
»ienoir,- by the Horticulturals themselves;—smooth
shaven lawns and bowers and borders of all rare
plants, and gay marquees ; and many other very
pleasant appliances :—though we cannot say we
much admired the flowery device over the principal
gateway, nor the jets Wean on the Lilliputian lakes,
with which their lawns are beautified. The device
was pretty, and apt enough—a bee-hive surmount-
ed by a cornucopia, and the cornucopia surmounted
by a Royal crown, and the whole was very ingeni-
ously formed of closely woven roses and other
flowers ;—though there were some folks among the
company who likened the cornucopia to a pottle of
strawberries—oudgre the fire little bunches of
grapes which might plainly be seen in the mouth of
it. But the jets d'cau ! Oh, the fates deliver us
from such jets d'eau ! with their tiay-soused-gur-
net-looking cast-iron dolphins, in bright brass col-1
lars, inscribed " W. 11. Rowley, patentrc!"

And now for the eatables and the drinkables.—
These matters are always the most interesting Putt
of the business in affairs of this kind ; and the Com-
mittee of ;Management being now well aware of that
fact, had not only made ample preparations for the
" feeding," but they took especial care to point out
the scene of intended action by hoisting a number of
and ensigns, among which the Royal Standard
of England floated majestically above the rest. In
an open space, of nearly an acre in extent, and I
newly gravelled, the tables for the d(jeune a la Jim',
ebelie were laid out in squares, and quadrangles,
and. paralellograms, beneath white awnings fes-
tooned with green ; and those almost interminable
tables were abundantly covered with cold chicken
an 1 hams, spiced meats, and lobster salads, and pies,
jellies, Mane mange, and all other cold nourishment
of the best and most fashionable reputation; with
pot t, sherry, hock, claret, champagne, and many
other wines of excellent quali y and in _unbounded,
quantity ; but the whole was fenced in and guarded
by divers constables and artillerymen, so that those
for whom it was prepared could not get at it until
the proper feedingtime—half-past three o'clock p.m.
Close to this area was another, of less extent, but
large enough to contain two tables of sixty yards in
length, the one covered with the choicest fruits, the
other with preparations for tea, coffee, and ices, and
both covered with white awnings, festooned with
bright green. To this area the company were freely
admitted until three o'clock, in order that they might
see the exhibition of fruit before it was cut up, mid
a very beautiful exhibition it was. Fifty-seven noble
pines of every variety, interspersed alternately with
growing vines in full bearing, graced the middle of
the tal.le in long perspective ; and heaps of melons,
strawberries, cherries, shaddocks, grapes, in endless
variety, and of the finest growth, many of them the
contributions of noble and gentle horticulturists
in different parts of the kingdom, were set forth on
every side in the most lavish abundance. So much
for thefixd; and now for the feeding:—
Half--past three p.m. was the time stipulated for
throwing open the gates of the feeding places ; but,
for more than an hour before that time, the gates
were surrounded, five hundred deep, by the gaily
attired but hungry multitude, gazing over the fence,
with water in their mouths and mud at their feet,
beneath seven acres of umbrellaa—for during all that
time it rained incessantly. Great was the grumbling
of gizzards and of tongues at the delay; and dreary
were the drippings:of the umbrellas and parasols upon
the frills, furbelows, and frippery below ; whilst ever'
and anon, now here, and now in the distance, you
might hear small shrill voices demanding—" Why
don't they open the gates ?—Good Heavens ! why
don't they open the gates ?" Alack and well-a-day!
--the Heaven did open its gates more and more
every minute; and the rain descended therefrom
more and more heavily every minute; butt the keepers
of the feeding Lanier were inexorable, and stood
dry and comfortable behind their counters, looking
upon the dripping multitude with the most provok-
ing apathy. At length, two very stout gentlemen,
the foremost of the crowd, could bear it no longer;
—whether their bowels yearted for lobster salad—
whether they were impelled by hunger, anger, or
gallantry, or by all those motives of action com-
bined—we know not; but so it was that, rushing
forward through the broad border of rose trees
which surrounded the barrier, they seized upon
the barrier itself, and by dint. of much desperate tug-
ging and great loss of wind, they speedily effected a
bleach therein, and tumbled through it, amidst th,e,
" bravos!" of the crowd without, and the " shame!
of the waiters and constables within. At this awful
moment the rain began to come down in torrents—
yes, in cataracts; and hundreds of fair ladies, seeing
both food and shelter immediately before them, and
inspired by the courage of the two stout gentlemen,
rushed after them pell-mell through the breach, un-
mindful of the thorns among the roses and the tho-
roughiy-soaked soil through which they had to wade
their way ankle deep. Fine fun this, for the dress-
makers, shoemakers, and doctors ! The stuffing au-
thorities within, perceiving that the place was no
longer tenable, now ordered the gates to be opened
and in one minute every tent and awning was crowd-
ed to an overflow. Indeed there was not shelter
for one-half of the besiegers, and they were com-
pelled to retrace their painful steps through the
gravel, the mud, and the water, to seek refuge
where they might—among the tents and shrubs
on the lawn, or under their parasols and umbrellas,
and the storm all the while continuing to pelt them
most piteously. In fact, the scene, as we newspaper
folks say, beggared all description ; and if the reader
imagines the worst he will hardly come up to the
sad reality. Those who were leaky enough td en-
sconce themselves at the tables beneath the awnings
were but little better off, for whilst they were
putting food and claret down their throats, the
w:iter was running into their shoes—so unmerciful
did the eaves pour down their quota of the strum.
In the fruit and coffee tents the misery was quite as
great ; the ruin penetrated every where, and com-

fo: table „.„, a, I ply who could get an old basket
61, or a1;of to or e‘ e.: a brick-end, to stand
upon, winkt she munet,ed her slice or pine. The
p; .•. C tl (IA den 01,11 td iilmost before a matt had
.
time to say, Deltoid !---Act quick nice things come to
aii
end; told though these waq great repining, the
pines were not replace I. A upset-able pun that, but
yen- exett-,able in the tri.lq much misery.
The ra n continuing, slam iiitc:ozission, du re was
ro dame, no song, no. music no protnenading—
nothing but scrambling ffir food and p.helter, and
nothing but grumbling whether it was to be had or
not ; and thus the Horticultural breakfast went off
for this year.

(ANOTHER ACCOUNT--NOT OF TILE FETE, BUT OF
THE STATE OF THE GARDENS

It occurs to us that Hampstead Heath or
Greenwich Park, both dry WU! elevated situations,
might be as reasonably chosen by the Society as their
own grounds for the exhibit;on of the line fruits and
other productions of other soils and other people.—
We are aware of the impassibility of procurber, near
the metropolis, a tract of land suitahly situated, and,
at the same time, extensive enough for the cultiva-
tion .of all the objects of horticulture: we are in-
formed, also, Ow these grounds are new, and we
know that the situation is low and flat, and, of
course, moist. The range is sufficiently large withal
—arid the soil and situation might be adapted for
"isin4 specimens of almost every known fruit, and
flower, and vegetables—including the three great
divisions of gardening—viz. fruit, flower, and
kitchen gardens. It is in this way that the Society
call usefully p oomote the art of gardening—by beiug
more poetical and less didactic—by example more
than by preceto—by actual illustrations of their skill
in their own demesnes, and not by pecuniary pre
miums to a few ind viduals. It is not very difficult
nor very prai..eworth)—Ly the pomp and parade of
public premiums to encourage ambitions gar-
deners and amateur Lords and gentlemen to
force the growth 'of a strawberry or a cauli-
flower beyond nature's bidding. By such means
our horticulturis's may indeed produce pro-
dip,ies,—,omething like unto those enormous
beasts exhibited by our Agricultural Society, once a
year, near Smithfield, the appearance of which
creates, not delight in the beholder, but won der that
so much pains were taken upon such a subject. The
flavour of the fruit or of the forced vegetable is as
weak and vapid, though not so nauseous, as the
flesh of the monstrous brute of die cattle-show. Let
our Society trim at useful ends by natural means :
let them show, iii their own grounds, and under
their own superintendence, what skill and science,
and careful cultivation, may do in selecting the seed,
rearing the plant, and producing the flower or the
nuir. It is not our intention to repress proper en-
couragement to others, nor to disparage the speci-
mens of fruit sent by -them to this exhibition. On
the contrary, we admit that the pine-apples, though
small, wet e, with one or two exceptions, well-
flavow ed ; that the stapes, both white and
red, w ere as full and large as could be had in
any country on the Continent, but they, of
course, were forced, and had not the fla-
vour of even the small grapes of Fontain-
Wean. We also observed amongst the strawber-
ries, which really excited astonishment at tlwir
size, that the largest were deficient in flavour, and
that the moderate-sized were as agreeable to the
eye as Weil as to ulnae, and pleasanter to the taste.
The peaches, the nectarines, and the cherries, were
truly excellent ; of melons also there were various
Specimens. But a man could see all these produc-
tions in as good a state at Covent•garden mat ket any
morning at six o'clock. We should like to see
every society do that which by their title they pro-
fess to do. The gentlemen of this institution have
not yet done much more than strike a doubtful note
of preparation. Their pleasure-grounds, w )rich pro-
bably comprehend the flawer-garden, though with-
out much flowers, are in good forwardness. There
is only an appearance of a kitchen garden in the
shape of some squares of red earth, with some in-
verted glass frames; and as to the other essential
pat tof horticulture—a fruit garden—tlicre is scarcely
an appearance, unless the wall-fruit trees, without
fruit, are entitled to that appellation. We should
like to see in the pleasure-grounds of the Horti-
cultural Society of London, not only yard-wide
canals, and punch bowl lakes, and circulating
jets d'cau, but even grottoes and caves and
cascades, if they like, and precipices of rocks
and hollows of mountains, and irriguous foun-
tains and groves of pines—cool retreats, affording
shelter from rain, and shade from the raging heat of
them.
e do
s-star.We
ex__,B)eouttetdh,e sheo awroevietro: , t
on or iodf we
l;
oe xp e
vege-
table and of the fruit of the gardens. We wish to
find every species of the one and the other, from the
tpou
sttai
ttoatioo
o the
shlowoal pd
h ea and
at
college,
pomegranate.
to teach N Why t.
xnaout
12
p i
'Phis
0,l
as
well as by precept, and then encourage by premium
those who practise both best, and give the best
proofs proficiency in the art of gardening.
of science
t 0
00
boot-7170t, and the
L pleasureset tliefS:tticildielptryroafidt rsl

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

BUXTON RACES.

'fIiTURSDAV, JUNE 25.—The Noblemen and Gentlemen's
Subscription Plate of 50 sovs. for all ages. Ileats, two
iniles and a distance.
Mr. White's Granby, 6 yrs 1 1
Sir W. Wynn's Mc, 5 yes
9
Mr. Kerton's b. f. by Blacklock, 4 yrs 3 3
A Plate of 50 sovs. given by the Committee, tohlud to a
Sweepstakes of two sovs. each, for horses, &c. not
thorough-1m d.
Mr. Greaves's Jerry,4 yrs 1 2 1
Mr. Sybray's Musician, 4 yrs
Mr. Moore's St. Ann, 4 yrs
Mr. Muirhead's Bessy Bedlam, 6 yrs 5 4 4,
Mr. Hinde's Pope, 7 yrs 4 dr