man. By way of leading up to the "puff indirect," we have prefaced it by a few of the writer's general remarks upon the ugly brutes of Paris.

The ugly horses of Paris! What a wide field does this open to criticism! We might fill volumes with such a subject, and have only space for a few lines. We do not, however, intend to pry into those obscure stables, where the horses belonging to them do not obtrude upon the public notice, but do their work humbly and quietly; their excuse, however ugly, being "handsome is as handsome does." No; it is upon those fantastic riders-lions and tigers on two legsdandies and danizettes, who gallop by us on the Boulevards, and. parade their ill-looking and bad-conditioned steeds in the Champs Elysées and Bois de Boulogne that we shall make our comments; and even then we shall fly at the highest game, for who cares whether Messieurs Pierre, Jacques, or Baptiste exhibit themselves on lame, blind, or asthmatic horses? At the head of the list we must place the horses of the mounted officers of the Infantry; and certainly many of them might exclaim with the English nursery ballad, "I am so very ugly that they make me quite a show." The second rank indisputably belongs to the bay, black, and grey "screws" mounted by the Polish Lancers of the National Guard. Avaunt! butchers' horses, who, to quote from our neighbours, "are rum ones to look at, but devils to go." Avaunt! heavy brewers' horses, drawers of XXXX. Avaunt! tailors' horses. What do I see! Zephyr of pure English blood, reduced to do the drudgery of the ninth part of a man. I see your master, like yourself, has gone too fast: you have been taken for a bad debt, and now carry about the fashions to your owners' customers. Paris is inundated with horses harnessed to odd-shaped vehicles, puffing off the merits of English blacking, economical stoves, quack medicines, French patées, cheap stationery, patent waterproof coats, and velvet hats; but these ugly customers merit more pity than censure. Monsieur Curedent, the dentist, has, however, carried this puffing innovation so far, that he merits a specific notice. This "ivory polisher" has presented his wife with a caleche and pair of piebald horses. This equipage stops daily by chance, in one of the most frequented streets in Paris; a lady alights from it, tall, thin, and dressed in the extreme of fashion. The coachman decked out in a gaudy livery, the harness covered with silver, and the flaunty lady-all combine to attract attention, and with the assistance of an intelligent confederate, a crowd soon gathers round the vehicle. People now begin to ask what are those two horses that open their mouths so wide as to exhibit the enamel of their teeth. "What!" exclaims another confederate. "Don't you know the horses of Monsieur Curedent, the dentist, who lives No. 100, Rue de la Banque? Approach and examine, ladies and gentlemen. These horses are above a quarter of a century old, see how ugly and thin they are, they can scarcely stand; but only look at their mouths, and they are scarcely five years old. What teeth and gums! Many a biped would be proud of them. But, to be sure, Monsieur Curedent, dentist, residing at No. 100, Rue de la Banque, goes every morning into his stables, with his celebrated dentifrice, and there

files their teeth. It is affirmed that already he has filed off above fifteen centimetres of them. But far more splendid are his operations on men and women. Madame Curedent, that tall and magnificent female, who was just now in the carriage, formerly had teeth like ebony, now, thanks to the talent of her husband, they are like pearls. Oh! what a dentist is Monsieur Curedent, of No. 100, Rue de la Banque !"

We have wandered from our subject. As Byron writes—“Oh pardon my digression." Return we to our own country. How many of the above mentioned patents have only lived their hour -how many have been the means of ruining the inventors! Some have failed for want of funds, others from want of sufficient notice. Thus Winsor, who first introduced gas into London, died in penury, as the following extract from a popular work upon the metropolis will show:-"Birmingham, Halifax, Manchester, had employed gas as a means of lighting manufactories early in the present century; but London first adopted it in her public streets. Pall Mall was thus illuminated in 1807, and we certainly owe the application of the invention (although to the invention itself he can have no claim), to the sanguine perseverance of a German named Winsor. He raised

a subscription of £50,000 for his experiments, and not a penny came back to the subscribers. In process of time other companies were formed, and the metropolis now burns gas in every square, street, alley, lane, passage, and court." In literature, too, how often have many of the most popular productions failed at first to attract the confidence or excite the cupidity of "the trade." In the memoir of that soul of humour, the late James Smith, extracted from "The Law Magazine," we find the following paragraph :-"Pelham' was on the point of being returned upon the writer's hands, when Mr. Colburn chanced to glance over a few pages of the manuscript, and with instinctive sagacity divined the value of the prize. The "Rejected Addresses" (as the preface to the nineteenth edition informs us) had been rejected over and over again, in the literal acceptation of the term, when Mr. Miller offered to undertake the risk of publication, and share the profits, if any, laying (as James Smith used to say) a peculiar stress upon the if. At the appearance of the third or fourth edition, they sold their share to the same publisher for one thousand pounds.

Boswell, in his life of Johnson, gives the following anecdote :"I received one morning a message from poor Goldsmith, that he was in great distress, and begging that I would come to him as soon as possible. I sent him a guinea, and promised to come to him directly. I accordingly went to him as soon as I was dressed, and found that his landlady had arrested him for his rent, at which he was in a violent passion. I perceived that he had already changed my guinea, and had got a bottle of Madeira and a glass before him. I put the cork into the bottle, desired that he would be calm, and began to talk to him of the means by which he might be extricated. He then told me that he had a novel ready for the press, which he produced to me. I looked into it, and saw its merit; told the landlady I should soon return; and having gone to a bookseller's, sold

it for sixty pounds-It was 'The Vicar of Wakefield."" Thousands of instances might be mentioned in which works of art and science would have realized the fate of the flower so often quoted, as being "born to blush unseen," and would "have wasted their sweetness upon the desert air," had it not been for some fortunate chance, that brought their inventions under the notice of the public. How many men have wasted their health and substance in toiling day after day and night after night in the prosecution of some labour which has ill repaid them for their trouble and anxiety! Nay, more; how many have reaped the benefit of other's ingenuity, and, by dint of perseverance, and what is equally necessary, "a long purse," brought to public notice inventions that would otherwise have remained in obscurity. With these views, and without the slightest personal feeling in the question, we do not hesitate to call the attention of the readers of the Sporting Review and the New Sporting Magazine to two modern patents, and which, as far as our judgment goes, only require to be known to become universally popular.

We allude to Mr. Bencraft's Patent Elastic Saddle and Patent Hames. The former consists of an arched spring, introduced in the seat of the saddle, which diffuses the weight of the horseman over an increased extent of surface on the back, while the ridge of the spine escapes all pressure, thereby affording a great mechanical advantage over the common saddle, and enabling the horse to carry his rider with greater facility, and consequently with increased speed. The committee of the "Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals" have thus reported upon the above inventions. Extract from the annual report for 1844:

"Your committee, ever anxious to encourage and make known any inventions or improvements tending to lessen or prevent animal suffering, or to afford increased power for the performance of the labour required of that useful animal the horse, beg to state that they have recently had submitted to them, by Mr. Bencraft, of Barnstaple, in Devonshire, two improvements in harness. One, for the cure and prevention of galled shoulders, has been successfully tried in Devonshire on one of the horses working in the Launceston mail, between Barnstaple and Bideford, and which had constantly been driven for twelve months, with its chest and shoulders much galled. The other invention is in the construction of the riding saddle, by which the horse is much relieved, and enabled to perform his work with more ease and with greater freedom than with the common saddle."

Independent of the above quoted valuable opinion, we have that of Mr. Spooner, professor and lecturer of the Royal Veterinary College,

who thus addresses Mr. Bencraft :

"Dear Sir,-When you first exhibited to me one of the Patent Saddles, I was at once struck with the apparent simplicity of the spring apparatus, and convinced of its easy application to all saddles, without in any way affecting their general appearance and utility. I was also favourably impressed as to its probable beneficial agency in protecting the upper surface of the spine of the horse from pressure, and thereby effectually guarding against the evil consequences too frequently occasioned by the common saddle, and of the relief likely by it to be afforded to the rider. I, however, at that time withheld from you my opinion, being determined first to subject your invention to the test of practical experience; and I have now great pleasure in stating that four months' daily use of the Patent Saddle, on various horses, has fully convinced me that it is admirably adapted to effect all the purposes set forth in your circular. I may further add that, if any individual who has tried your saddle should still be sceptical as to the benefit

afforded to the rider, I nevertheless think that the easily demonstrative fact of the protection imparted by it to the horse's spine is, in itself, a sufficient recommendation for its general adoption. I am, dear Sir, yours, very truly,

"CHARLES SPOONER."

We now come to a right good practical opinion, of one whose very name must ensure attention and respect; for who that has ever hunted with the royal hounds can deny the qualifications of the writer, Charles Davis, huntsman to Her Majesty's stag hounds, to give a correct judgment upon any point connected with his vocation? That first rate sportsman writes as follows:

Its decided

"Ascot Heath, Chertsey, Nov. 25, 1843. “Sir,—Having given your Saddle a fair trial during two months' hunting, I have no hesitation in saying that I highly recommend it to the sporting world in general, particularly those who have long distances to ride to cover. advantage for ease and comfort over the common saddle is obvious; the seat of the former, being formed of steel, retains its elasticity; whereas the common stuffing in the latter, from long usage, wet weather, &c., becomes unpleasant to sit upon. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, CHARLES DAVIS."

The late gallant Lord Lynedoch, who was every inch a sportsman, compliments Mr. Bencraft by saying "that he very much approves of the invention, and that he shall not fail to continue to point out its merits to his friends, adding that, in the event of a long journey or a hard day's work, it must obviously be of essential advantage to both horse and rider." Lord Fortescue and other noblemen also give their unqualified and strongest testimonials of approval. Two modern Har palyces pass the warmest encomiums upon the comfort of the invention; and honest John Tilbury strongly recommends it both as regards the rider and the horse. In addition to the above favourable opinions, we have those of Mr. Hall, of the Albany Riding Academy, Regent Park; and of Mr. Turner, veterinary surgeon, of Regent-street; besides a host from gentlemen of known respectability in the country, all of whom agree that the saddle in question is one of the very best of modern inventions. In short, members of the veterinary college in town and in the provinces, officers of the army, sportsmen, hunts men, dealers, riding masters, equestrians of all orders, and-as poor Charles Matthews was wont to call them in one of his songs-Shequestrians, pronounce Mr. Bencraft's saddle to be the horseman's desideratum. In favour of the Patent Hames, the most flattering testimonials have been given, and we here give a sketch of them, as also of the skeleton of a horse.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE USE OF THE PATENT HAMES.

The draft should be thrown entirely on the top tug; the only use of the lower one being to keep the collar in its right place, and to give the horse a great increase of power over his load down hill in double harness. Upon this subject the talented inventor speaks as follows:

"A short trial of the Patent Hames will suffice to convince even the most prejudiced mind, that they not only possess the power of materially facilitating the horse's draft, and of effectually preventing galled shoulders, but the most demonstrative proof can be given of their having been applied to the collars of horses in regular coaching work, whose shoulders were at the time in an extremely abraded state; when the wounds have rapidly healed, without the aid of medical treatment, or the animal being subjected to one day's rest. A slight acquaintance with the conformation of the horse's shoulder will shew that the trace, as attached to the hames hitherto in use, has been made to bear upon the most objectionable part, viz., in front of the joint which connects the leg to the shoulder blade; thereby imposing upon it continuous pressure and friction, and, at the same time, greatly impeding the action of the fore limbs. It is evident that, in the horse, the shoulder, and that portion of the front of the spine which forms the withers should be the point of draft; but it is equally clear, both with reference to the economy of draft, and the ease and freedom of the progression of the animal, that, in the application of the draft, the motions of the shoulder joint should be as little interfered with as possible; and the inventor confidently asserts that, by repeated trials of his Patent Hames (the tugs being properly adjusted), it will be found that they generally diffuse the draft over the inner surface of bearing of the collar, giving it a tendency upwards; and thus, by relieving the shoulder joint from pressure, and setting at liberty the main muscles by which the movements of the fore limbs are effected, the progressive power of the horse is greatly increased, and his freedom and lightness of action materially improved; and he is thereby effectually