NOTES OF THE MONTH. 463 



for the names of four villages in that county, attest the performance 

 of a similar, and one may say, perhaps, an equally extraordinary feat. 

 Tradition informs us that a stranger, some years ago, to escape 

 punishment from some one, his name did not transpire, sprung upon 

 a sorrel mare, who made three wonderful bounds, and having saved 

 her rider, expired ! The place of mounting is called to this day 

 Mountsorrel. The extent of her first leap, which is about ten miles, 

 is called WANLIP ! the second is about eight; the creature suffered 

 from this exertion an inward eruption, and here is situate the 

 village of BURSTGALL ! she made one more bound, however, of seven 

 miles and three quarters, and reached the spot where now stands the 

 town of BEL-GRAVE ! the name of the courser was Bell. To be sure 

 the rider was no other than Behebub I 



CATS AND CATAMARANS. We lately quoted a Treasury order 

 for the discontinuance of a reckless allowance of threepence per 

 week to the cats of the storehouses at Woolwich. We then re- 

 marked the feline distress occasioned by this abrupt but patriotic 

 reproof of Tory extravagance, by their liberal successors in office. 

 We now beg to introduce another instance of the unflinching dispo- 

 sition of Ministers to economy, by displacing an equally meritorious 

 class of public servants without notice or compensation ; but what 

 renders the matter really reprehensible, is the gross partiality exhi- 

 bited in the reduction. 



ECONOMY. It has been the custom for years back to employ in his 

 Dock-yards from forty to fifty old women, generally taken from the parish 

 workhouse, to repair and mend the colours and flags belonging to his 

 Majesty Navy. The earnings of these poor women used to amount from 

 sixpence to eight pence per day. Within the last few days orders have been 

 sent down to Chatham, Woolwich, Debtford, and all the dock-yards in the 

 kingdom, to discharge all the old women so employed, and that for the 

 future such work is to be done by contract ! This reduction it has been cal- 

 culated will effect a saving to the country of from thirty to forty shillings per 

 annum ! 



Here is a triumph for the people ! They have clamoured long 

 enough for a proof of economy, and they have got it. But we would 

 humbly suggest that it is hardly of a sufficient comprehensiveness 

 that if the order had been more general, it would have been more 

 satisfactory. If his Majesty's Government had determined that all 

 state business at present so monopolized by old women and paupers, 

 should in future be done by contract, what a much more considerable 

 saving might be effected what an unjust partiality would be 

 avoided ? But no ; their selfishness in this particular cannot be 

 disguised it is obvious and disgusting. The humbler and more 

 intellectual grade of this venerable class, must be deprived of meal, 

 that their more crafty superiors may luxuriate in malt. The eyes of 

 John Bull are to be dazzled by the sacrifice of a few antiquated 

 paupers, that the adroiter beldames may securely pick his pockets. 

 Seriously there must be some bitter wag in the camp some Tory 

 in the cabinet, to suggest such absurdities. If economy could be 

 practised where there is scope, we might reap both credit and advan- 



