122 SPORTING MIRACLES. 



for their Proprietor, an elegant engraving of which we find in Mr. Daniel's 

 Rural Sports. 



Many merry jokes have been passed in our hearing, by Sportsmen, on the above 

 nccount, with the view of promoting the cause of ridicule, comparing it with 

 another still more marvellous and well known, given on the authority of a grave, 

 and most respectable member of the Priesthood. For our parts, we really believe 

 both the possibility and probability of the staunchness of Pluto and Juno, as just 

 related ; and although Gilpin, cannot be referred to, as having quitted, we hope, 

 for a better, this painting and plastering world, there are yet survivors, to whose 

 authority an appeal may be made. It remains to back the above story, with the well 

 known one, but the repetition on this occasion will be pardoned, of the Rev. Theo- 

 philus Verity. On a certain Christmas-day, this Gentleman was riding his nag 

 from his Parish Church, which was at considerable distance from his dwelling 

 House, and his way laid over the most private spot of a secluded and neglected 

 heath. In the deepest recess of this wild, he espied a Pointer by himself, standing 

 at a covey of birds. He looked, admired, pondered on the wonderful and 

 inscrutible instincts of the brute creation, blessed himself, and passed on. The 

 cares and studies necessarily attendant upon his calling, however, soon expelled 

 every vestige of this occurrence from his mind, until he was awakened to fresh ad- 

 miration and benediction, by a renewed and stupendous view of the same objects. 

 Exactly, on the above day twelvemonths, passing the same way, his second astonish- 

 ment was far greater than the first, for he saw upon the selfsame spot, the dog pointing 

 at the birds in precisely the same attitude he had left both parties twelve months be- 

 fore ; with this difference however, that they were then living and breathing, one 

 party treacherously circumventing; the other apprehending, whereas now they were in 

 a state of skeleton, fit for a lecture in anatomy, and doubtless, as the Rev. Gentleman 

 supposes, the partridges were held to their destiny, by the well proved and well 

 known power of fascination, emitted from the eyes of the dog. Now we particu- 

 larly request that, no light minded person will attempt to make a joke of this, well 

 convinced as every rational man ought to be, that there are wonders of which, never 

 having had the experience, he can have no adequate conception . 



