Indeed, in every past season, half-pay officers have been my greatest torments. How extraordinary and lamentable is it that men, the vital principle of whose profession is honour, from whom we always expect a greater sensitiveness and delicacy of feeling in all matters that affect the character of a gentlemen, that these should, above any other class of persons, be notorious for their daring invasions of another's property. As to the hacknied cant respecting the animals being "feræ naturæ," and the impossibility of acquiring a legal property in them, while unconfined, I should scarcely expect to hear the base defence resorted to in these enlightened days, even by the lowest mechanic. In the eyes of a man of sterling honour, at least, an indisputable property in their game, is vested in those who go to the expense of a keeper to protect, and, in many cases, even to feed these creatures, "feræ naturæ." Every single head of game that is reared on my estate, costs me at least half a sovereign. Is he, then, who enters my grounds without my permission, and purloins one of these creatures, reared and fed at my expense, a more respectable character than the petty plunderer of my domestic fowls, that don't cost me half that sum? Even in the infancy of society, he who first appropriated any wild animal to his own use, by confinement, acquired the sole property in it. Now, it is impossible for game proprietors to make any other or greater appropriation of the game on their estates, than they are at present in the habit of doing by means of their keepers, without destroying those peculiar wild and shy habits in the objects of the chace, which alone renders the pursuit of them interesting to the sportsman. And leaving honour out of the question, look at the justice of the case the poor industrious peasant, who has to plead in extenuation the temptation arising from the prospect of immediate gain, is declared a felon, and treated as such, for doing that by night, which the gentleman sportsman, as he is miscalled, claims to do with impunity by day. Too many of our half-pay officers, naval and military, who frequent the neighbourhood of most of the retired watering places and villages throughout the island, too tenacious of the license allowed in cruizing and campaigning, have long conducted themselves with such ungentlemanly and daring disregard of the laws of their country, in the pursuit of game, as to become proverbial grievances to every game proprietor in those neighbourhoods; and sadly to efface from the minds of their countrymen the remembrance of their services in the past war. One is apt to forget the brave defender of his country, in the ruffianly invader of the rights of property. I would it were in my power to circulate a friendly hint amongst them. Well assured am Ì, that if certain cases within my own experience were formally reported to the heads of the army and navy, neither he who answers a remonstrance or a notice, with scurrility or a challenge, nor his discreeter brother in arms, who evades the penalties of violated laws, by a precipitate flight, would long be suffered to disgrace their illustrious professions.

Thursday.-Took the coach this morning to A-, to consult my attorney as to my liability to an action for libel, in consequence of my advertisement. Found that my three men were but too correct in their law; and was informed, moreover, by my bookseller, that they,

or one of them, have ventured to publish a pamphlet, containing observations on my conduct in the preservation of game, in which they described me as a perfect hero; my informant adding, with an insufferable expression of countenance, (mem. to put this fellow down on my black list,) that the pamphlet has a great sale. Met Captain O'Bloodandthunder-always thought him a very cool hand. He had the impudence, on passing his poulterer's shop, to ask me to go in with him, as he wanted to purchase a hare, and a brace of partridges, although he knew me to be a game proprietor. Considered it infra. dig. to take offence on such an occasion, so I accompanied him into an inner room, the poacher's sanctum sanctorum. The game was quickly produced, and the captain requesting a warranty of its freshness, the foul dealer assured him it had but just entered his shop, directing him, for a confirmation of this statement, to look through a little curtained window, into a back room. I also, out of idle curiosity, little expectant of the sight that awaited me, took the liberty of a peep, and beheld, in the act of arranging a basketfull of game on the table, the quintessence of rascality in the shape of my own gamekeeper, who had obtained permission to go to town that morning, under pretence of visiting a dying relation, and whom I had always hitherto considered the most trustworthy of my menials. When the caitiff found himself detected, he stood at bay, and chuckled with delight while he told me that he had betrayed my confidence, and regularly plundered me, ever since he had entered in my service; and that all my other keepers had aided in his villainy, and shared in the plunder. Attempted to secure the scoundrel, but he escaped. Returned home in a state of mind bordering on misanthropy. Induced one of my keepers to confess against the rest, whom I immediately had arrested and committed.

Friday. Underwent a terrible trial of temper this morning, in an interview with the wives of my imprisoned keepers, who brought all their swarms of brats with them. Their tears and entreaties, backed by my wife's, had nearly overcome me; but a stern sense of my duty to society, to make examples of these atrocious violaters of the sacred rights of property, at length brought me through. Took a turn with my gun. In one of my very best preserves, found a little monster, of five years old, taking aim at something or other with a bow and arrow! How fearfully has juvenile, nay, infantile crime, increased in this unhappy country. Took the little prodigy before Rosyphiz. I was very moderate in my demands; only wished the varlet to be committed to the tread-mill for a month's hard labour, and that his parents should give security for his good behaviour for six years. The parson, however, actually refused to commit the culprit at all, and to complete the matter, affected to feel surprise at my preferring the charge. But his leniency and his surprise are easily accounted for, when I recollect that I have not, as usual, sent him a brace of birds this season.-Sir Priest and I have shaken hands for the last time. Found, to my great indignation, that some of the neighbouring villagers had, in the course of last night, taken advantage of my being without a single keeper, and plundered my preserves in the most audacious manner. And not content with that, they left a menacing

letter at my door, threatening to set fire to my house, and burn myself and family, unless I instantly liberated my traitorous keepers. Retired early to bed, in a fever of exasperation, resolving to sally out at night, and keep watch and ward in my preserves in propriâ personâ.

Saturday.-Awakened soon after midnight, by an alarm of fire. The incendiary writers of the letter, which had yesterday been left at my door, had, it appeared, been but too faithful to their word, by setting fire to several stacks of hay close to my mansion. The flames had communicated to an outhouse, and it was not till after some time, and great exertion, that they were at length got under. Above one hundred pounds vanished in smoke! But the agitation of my wife and children affected me much more than such a pecuniary loss. They seem to think, poor creatures, that not a night will pass without some attempt to burn us all. While engaged in extinguishing the flames, I had heard several shots fired on my estate, and dispatched James and Thomas, well armed, to reconnoitre. James, ere long, returned alone, covered with blood, and other marks of an affray with the poachers; and stated, that Thomas had been so severely beaten, that he could not walk home without assistance. This was more than I could endure. I rushed out with my double-barrel, heavily loaded, determined on desperate satisfaction; but I had scarcely set foot on my lawn, c'er a spring gun, which had been removed from a neighbouring plantation by the ruffians who had set fire to my house, laid me prostrate, the contents severely grazing my thigh; the stock of my gun having luckily intervened, to save me from a severer wound. The confinement which was the necessary consequence of this accident, gave me ample time and opportunity for sober reflection. When the catastrophes of the week, and every event which memory could recall, connected with my preservation and pursuit of game, and every pain of mind and body which it had caused me, passed in mental review, I saw the egregious folly and childishness of such ardent attachment to an idle pastime, and the culpability of needlessly throwing a strong temptation in the way of my poor neighbours, for the mere sake of selfish amusement, with a clearness of conviction, which, in vigorous health, had never struck me. In consequence of this conviction, made a solemn resolution, which I hope will not prove a sick-bed resolve, to employ the first hours of renovated health in exterminating every head of game on my estate. As to my keepers, I perceive I have been but too instrumental to their crime, by throwing a constant temptation in their way, of committing a breach of trust very difficult of detection. I shall not, therefore, appear against them; and they will soon be liberated. And from this time forth, nor bird nor quadruped, "feræ naturæ," on my estate, shall tempt myself or my neighbours to violate a single law, moral or municipal, please heaven!

N.

SIX MONTHS IN THE WEST INDIES.

(SECOND EDITION.)

[OUR readers will recollect, that we expressed our opinion of this work pretty decidedly, immediately after its first appearance. It would not have been noticed again, had not our correspondent been in possession of information and experience respecting one of the countries described by Mr. COLERIDGE, which enable him to speak to points not touched upon in the former article.-ED.]

IN expectation that a " Second Edition" would at least have attempted the correction of some of the gross errors and misrepresentations of which the first was guilty, and that the writer would either have discovered that a hoax had been played upon him, or would have had the good taste to perceive that he had sufficiently imposed upon his readers, I have hitherto refrained from any observations upon that chapter of this work which relates to" Madeira,” the only portion of the globe within the range of his research with which I am at prescut (I have some idea of following yet further his steps) acquainted, and the only part of the book, therefore, of which I can give you a matter-of-fact opinion; but as no such attempt has been made, I do not feel inclined to exercise any further forbearance.

The author (I am told) arrived at Madeira in the train of his relative the Bishop of Barbadoes, after a passage of seven days, during which time (according to his own account). he mastered the Portuguese language and sea-sickness! He resided at a city house of business during his stay-four whole days! He dined at the tables of three of the merchants. He was introduced to the Governor of the Island-not, he it observed, in propriâ personâ, but as one of the bishop's retinue! He rode once to the Curral, once to the Mount, once to the Palheiro, and once to Camacha, where he rested for an hour or so at a cottage belonging to Mr., at the season of his visit always uninhabited and uninhabitable, excepting by a fat swarthy scullion, his (credat Judæus!)—his "Rosa!!!" He also visited once, along with other strangers, the Convent of S. Clara, where he saw a comely, contented, coqueting nun, who takes snuff and wears rings upon her fingers!!! and this is all! positively all! that he knows. of his own knowledge, of either Madeira or its inhabitants!!! but

He coins new phrases,

And vends them forth as knaves vend gilded counters,
Which wise men scorn, and fools accept in payment."

And lo! what a pretty little episode has a poetical imagination, and a fertile fancy converted this all into and how tasteless and hypercritical it is to submit such a pretty piece of conceit to the rule and the stop-watch!-however, he has "run riot" now for rather an unreasonable length of time; and as all his " imaginative readers" must long ere this have glutted themselves to satiety, it is time that the matter-of-fact ones should have their turn-and as I am, to my unspeakable misfortune, a plain, plodding, matter-o'-fact mortal-“ a spade" being to me simply "a spade," and the district of" Ideality"

a terra incognita upon the map of my cranium-I will not attempt the Icarus to his Dædalus, (for although I should be perfectly secure from all danger of approaching too near to the great luminary, yet it would cost me a woeful struggle to keep my pinions dry, and overcome the grovelling attraction of my terrestrial origin,) but will endeavour to bring him down from his soaring height, in some measure, to my level, converting his Maria" (as I said before) into a good-looking, snuff-taking nun!" his pathetic tale" of her, into the common history of nine-tenths of her associates!" his Rosa" into, literally and truly, a very ordinary-looking Portuguese cook!!" his Camacha mansion of delight" into a pretty summer cottage, during his visit, cold, comfortless, damp, and uninhabited!!" his providential" escape from a meteor-like ejectment amongst rocks and stones, "chimeras dire," into an ordinary spill, from Cockney horsemanship, upon one of the best mountain-roads-" his ocular!!" testimony

That there are unicorns-that in Arabia

There is one tree the phoenix' throne-one phoenix
At this hour reigning there

of some midshipmen riding over a bishop who quitted the island nearly six years ago!!! into an unimpeachable instance of retrospective second sight!!!-Madeira grapes in January!! into raisins imported via England!-a poor, illiterate, shoeless, shirtless friar, into (must I tell it?) a sow-gelder!!" gay and luxurious houses of perfect elegance" into large, unseemly, substantial fabrics of white-washed stone!" the classical Palheiro," into a High Dutch translation-" princely" into mercantile hospitality-a "beatorio, or make-believe nunnery, into a common Foundling-hospitalpalanquin loads of "pretty ancles" into some half of a dozen, distributed amongst a population of twice (allowing to each a pair) twenty thousand!—four thousand feet! of depth of the Curral into not quite sixteen hundred!!!—" a nunnery at its bottom," into“ air, thin air;" and "Cara, cara, cavache, caval," into no known language under the sun!!

Such a conversion has, I am aware, made his "fancy's picture" into a plain, unvarnished tale, about as interesting as a Dutchman's diary, or a sailor's log-book; and with all my matter-o'-fact prejudices, I would never have dreamed of such cruelty, had he professed himself the historian of some "plusquam fortunata" (to use his own words) island, in lieu of a recorder of facts, regarding one not more fortunate, I believe, than its neighbours. To prove, however, that I have not been combating him with his own weapons, arraying fiction against fiction, and practising a double deceit upon our readers, I will be at the trouble of making a few extracts from the work, and of opposing to them the naked unadorned truth, by way of commentary.

"Imaginative reader!" have you ever been in a gale of wind on the edge [what is that?] of the Bay of Biscay?"-Now this from an imaginative writer may all be in very excellent keeping, although to my unimaginative senses it sounds very much like bombastic fustian; however, as it involves nothing contrary to fact, I shall let it pass. I have no very serious objection either to the apostrophe to FEB. 1827.

M