The best class of persons we shall encounter here in any noticeable numbers, consists of the knowing hands to whom I pointed your attention as we were entering the place. Their costume need not be described, because it varies but little, excep in a want of precision, from that of the preceding class; of which in fact they are but a variation after all—many of them having formerly belonged to that class, and purchased that experience there which enables them to retail it back again to the rising generation of the said class. The only striking difference between the members of these two classes is observable in their faces-those of the latter having usually a something about them which cannot be mistaken-a mixture of shrewd cunning and seeming carelessness, steeped all over in what, for want of a better word, I must call slang-which cannot be met with any where else. The air, halffamíliar, half-respectful, with which one of these persons comes up to a probable customer, with his left hand in his hip pocket, his right hand swishing with a bit of ash the inside of his right boot, and his eyes casting down a sidelong glance at the operation,-announces to him that he has "just picked up the nicest little mare in England, &c. I say, the air with which he does all this is a unique thing, and one which even you, Frank, can have no notion of till you see it. It is peculiar to a London horse-dealer; and the coarse, clumsy, clodhopping cunning of your York lads (though perhaps quite as effective) is vulgar in comparison. If one is to be taken in, by all means let it be done with an air.

But we have only just left ourselves time to go through the stables, before the auction begins. The management of the stables, like all the rest of the arrangements appertaining to this fine horse-market, is cleanliness and propriety itself. But I suppose I must not detain you with any detail of this; for you'll not admit that we Londoners can teach you any thing on this point; and if we pretend to it, will not be easy till we have paid a visit to some of the racing and hunting stables in your own Riding. Suffice it that here are stalls for nearly four hundred horses, and standings (not in sheds and out-houses, but in galleries au premier) for five hundred carriages; and that the whole are so arranged that you can in a moment learn all the particulars concerning them, by applying in the office, and that any person may so apply at any hour of the day, and have any of the horses shewn out and tried before him, or try them himself, without fee or reward.

Finally; and this is the principal feature of the establishment, and that which, if strictly adhered to, would entitle it to supersede all other modes of horse-marketing, every thing is done by commission; so that the interest of the seller is confined to his per centage on the price of the thing sold. To be sure, the tongue of scandal (which will not admit that immaculate virtue is to be found even among horse-dealers) does say—and so I must say it after her-without however answering for its truth-that some of the, so called, "SALESMEN" (see the prospectus which I send you) are no other than, not "Knights Templars in disguise," but owners of the horses which they are employed, by themselves, to shew.

"If it be so and so 'tis put on me,

And that i' the way of caution,"

why I'm sorry for it, and there's no more to be said.

It only remains, Frank, to introduce you to Mr. George Young, the ostensible projector, proprietor, manager, and multum in parvo of this model of horse-markets. And where can I do so to better advantage than as he occupies his auctioneer's throne, and wields his little ivory sceptre, on his Wednesday and Saturday levee days? Behold him, then, standing in his pulpit, (which by the way has the demerit of reminding one a little too much of Punch's perambulating theatre,) at the farther end of the avenue where the sale takes place :-his person not unlike that of this great predecessor in plans-that prince of projectors-Napoleon; with the exception, however, of his face, which is as little imperial or imperious as can well be, and pleasant in proportion. He is about to "offer to your attention lot 32," and this is the mode in which he does it :-" Now, gentlemen, my instructions are to offer you this Bay Gelding as six years old, quiet to ride, quiet in harness, and warranted sound. Go down!" the stablemen-ostlers are exploded, runs him down the avenue, and back again; and just as he's turning, the whole yard rings with the never failing smack! of the attendant's whip at the opposite end. "Gently with him! Now, gentlemen, what price will you name for the bay?-Is he worth sixty? -Sixty guineas for the bay?-Fifty-five ?-Fifty?-No one say fifty? Young-quiet to ride-in harness-sound. Forty-five? Go down again.""Five and thirty's bid-six-seven-eight-forty-go down at forty-there's action and courage, gentlemen-forty-one-good colour, good condition-forty-two-three-four-forty-four guineasthat horse ought to carry a light weight to hounds-forty-four-five -forty-five-he's a well-bred 'un too-forty-five-no one say more than forty-five?—The hammer's up at forty-five. Forty-six, run him down once more at forty-six.-Young, quiet, sound, and forty-six guineas are bid for him-forty-six-the hammer's up at forty-six-for you, sir, at forty-six.

I have nothing more to add, Frank, but that this extensive establishment is under the immediate management of a multiplicity of managers," (see the Pros. again); who are themselves under the immediate management of the above-named supreme manager; who, if report speaks truth, is himself under the immediate management of another manager still more supreme, who stands behind the throne, but, being rather tall, is not quite concealed by it, and who need not wish to be concealed while he himself consents to be managed by the Magna Charta which he has so wisely, not to say concisely, laid down, in the form of fourteen closely printed quarto pages; and who, moreover, may henceforth, for more reasons than one, and in particular for the extensive influence he contrives to exercise over his various subjects, without being ever seen by them, take upon himself the arms, style, and title of KING "MAB.” Ever your's,

TERENCE TEMPLETON.

GOOD NEWS FOR THE LADIES.

"What fire is in my ears!-can this be true?"-SHAKSPEARE. NOTHING is so provoking as the nonchalance with which certain phlegmatic animals of the male species occasionally receive a piece of news which appears to the narrator of the last interest and importance. When Charles the Twelfth of Sweden was told by his Secretary that a bomb had fallen close to them, he merely enquired what that circumstance had to do with the subject upon which they were writing; and when a friend ran into Budé's study to inform him his house was on fire, he coolly exclaimed-" You had better tell my wife, for I never meddle in domestic affairs." Thus have I been running the whole morning up Regent-street and down Bond-street, seizing my acquaintance by the button-hole, and pouring into their ears the glad tidings that the affairs of the Opera-house were arranged, and that it would infallibly open in February; when, if I might judge by their inert and stolid countenances, I might as well have revealed to them the marvellous fact that the citizens' shops would be shut on the ensuing Sunday. Looking to the signs of the times, and the spirit of the age, recollecting that we are no longer stunned with horns as we walk along the streets, and the hoarse vociferation of "Great news, bloody news!"-adverting to the fact that the Morning Post can no longer issue a third edition to inform the public that the important intelligence contained in the second had been ascertained to be totally destitute of foundation, I did certainly expect, in this dearth of stimulating novelties, to elicit a more goggleeyed amazement in the look, and more ecstatic interjections in the speech of my button-detained auditors. But the plodders had no music in their souls, and were consequently absorbed in the stratagems and plots of the club and gaming-houses of the West, or the gold mines of the East, receiving my revelation with that sort of " very glad to hear it," which like the "very glad to see you," of people who hurry past you in the street, is rather significant of their being still more glad to get away from you.

Very different was my greeting, when, upon perceiving Lady Charlotte- 's carriage at Owen's door, I communicated to her and her friend of the Spanish olive complexion and glossy ringlets, the welcome tidings. What an eager and delighted audience I instantly obtained! with what a sparkling and kindling vivacity they interrogated me! with what a bustle of animated glee they hurried off to spread the joyous news, and take instant measures for securing the best boxes! To men in general the Opera is neither a business nor an amusement: to women it is both. The modern hours and habits of society keep the votaries of fashion in such a whirl and vortex of dissipation, that the males have really no time for making love, or any thing but hasty calls; while the distressed damsels, as they hurry from rout to rout, catch more colds than husbands, and are for ever getting on without once getting off. Almack's, from its jealous exclusiveness, is notoriously unfavourable to match-making; and though our clubs have multiplied, they no longer give such crowded balls, that a fortunate nymph, like the beautiful Lady -, may hope to obtain a titied husband hy having his foot thrust through her silver muslin gown. Many of the fair dancers at White's envied her that lucky accident at the moment: per

haps they may be now congratulating themselves upon their escape! The Opera, or at least the crush-room, which we are happy to inform our fair readers has been diminished with a view to their special inconvenience, will at least afford a sufficient want of accommodation to justify many hymeneal rencontres of the same nature; and the theatre itself uniting both publicity and privacy as each may be required, the loll from the front of a pit circle-box to chat with a succession of beaux, or the lounge at the back in a palpitating tête-à-tête with the favoured one, has ever been considered productive of as many marriages off the stage as on it. Who indeed with the provocatives of melting music, winged hymens, and rosy Cupids, bewitching ladies' looks and still more fascinating badinage, would not feel himself irresistibly prompted to commit matrimony? Not I for one; and so I shall in all probability say on the very first night of performance.

We feel not a little gratified at having it in our power to divulge a few theatrical secrets as to the plans and prospects of the approaching season, relying upon the customary discretion of our fair readers that they shall not go any further, and convinced as we are that the mapagement of the new directors will finally silence all cavils and competition. As to the hackneyed objection that the dialogue is in a language which few understand, and still fewer can distinctly hear, it is sufficient to answer with the gloomy Cromwell-"So much the better, for whatever is in an unknown tongue cannot corrupt the morals of the people;" a praise by the by which cannot be conceded to the Beggars Opera, Tom and Jerry, and similar abominations. In vain may Pope exclaim, in allusion to the approaching reign of Dulness

"Already Opera prepares the way,

The sure forerunner of her gentle sway:

Teach thou the warbling Polypheme to roar,

And scream thyself as none e'er scream'd before!"

To this unmeaning spleen of a bard who had either no ears or very long ones, may be opposed Voltaire's praise of that entertainment : "Ou les beaux vers, la danse, la musique, L'art de tromper les yeux par les couleurs, L'art plus heureux de seduire les cœurs; De cent plaisirs font un plaisir unique."

But a truce to the bards whose talent is in their heads, and come we to their saltatory rivals who achieve immortality by their heels. The success of the opera is now rendered certain by a very simple expedient -that of shortening the petticoats and lengthening the dances. No bishop will be admitted unless he can give security for not objecting to any increase of his see, and prove himself not to be under petticoat government. A committee of six knights of the garter are to have the regulation of this delicate matter, with power to fix the ne plus ultra of the muslin skirt, as well as the diaphaneity of the material. meet the great demand for pirouettes of longer continuance, figures dressed like dancers will be made to spin round by means of machinery, until the conclusion of the piece; and to gratify the rage for extraordinary jumps, Signior Kangarooni from Piedmont has undertaken to leap so high, that he shall not come down again until the audience particularly desire it.

To

Every one has read of the celebrated chorus in Berenice, an opera

brought out at Padua, which consisted of one hundred virgins, one hundred soldiers, one hundred horsemen in iron armour, forty cornets of horse, six trumpeters on horseback, six drummers, six ensigns, six sack buts, six great flutes, six minstrels playing on Turkish instruments, six others on octave flutes, six pages, three serjeants, six cymbalists, twelve huntsmen, twelve grooms, six coachmen for the triumph, six others for the procession, two lions led by two Turks, two elephants by two others, and sundry two and four legged and nondescript beings to complete the list of the choristers. With the exception of the hundred virgins, which number for particular reasons they will be obliged materially to reduce, the committee propose to rival this celebrated display; and whereas Handel availed himself of kettle-drums and the firing of artillery, it is their intention to introduce upon the stage a company of Macadamisers, breaking up real stones with bona fide hammers, and to terminate with the explosion of two gasometers. If Amphion built up stones by music, it is surely allowable to break them to pieces to the same accompaniment; and men may easily be found to risk their lives in managing the explosion, if they be properly encouraged by small annuities to be doubled in case of death.

It has been thought by some that Handel pushed imitative harmony too far when he attempted to suggest by sound the creation of light and the mercy of Heaven, as well as the hopping of frogs and the buzzing of flies; while in Joshua he has endeavoured by the harmony of one long-extended note to express the arresting the great luminary of the universe, or in other words to make the audience hear the sun stand still. But the committee have engaged a composer who pledges himself to surpass all these exploits, and not only set a tooth-ache to music in such a manner that every one shall instantly recognise it as acutely as if it were in his own jaw, but distinctly to impress upon the ear the hypothenuse of a triangle, and excite a very lively impression, by sound alone, of the peculiar smell of the shape of a drum.

The lion in Hydaspes, that fought and fell to the accompaniment of the orchestra, has received his meed of praise in the thirteenth number of the Spectator; and a recent writer relates that in the Opera-house of San Moise at Venice, he heard the famous David sing a bravura during his combat with the Cretan Minotaur, towards the conclusion of which the monster expired. This song was constantly encored, and the Minotaur as constantly revived without ceremony, and fought and died over again, with increased vigour and proportionate acclamations. This too, admirable as it unquestionably is, will be eclipsed in a forthcoming serious opera, the name of which we are not at liberty to reveal, but from one of the passages we have, as a special favour, been kindly allowed to make a diminutive extract.

The scene represents a dark wood in all the murkiness of midnight, which will however be rendered distinctly visible from all parts of the house by means of additional lamps.-(Adagio movement to express that the moon is behind a cloud, but may shortly be expected to rise.) Enter Florello-whose speech we have translated into English for the benefit of country readers.

"No sound is heard." (Trombones, bassoons, &c. growl their lowest notes to imitate the profundity and depth of the silence.).

"No human form I see." (Here he stares earnestly at a numerous