THE OMNIBUS.

"There he sat, and, as I thought, expounding the law and the prophets, until on drawing a little nearer, I found he was only expatiating on the merits of a brown horse."-BRACEBRIDGE HALL.

The late Mrs. Pitman-Mems of the Month-The late Mr. Kirby-WeatherbyStud News-Meetings of the Month-The Two-year-olds-Ephemera's Monument-Mr. Davis's Testimonial-Hunting Items-Our Melton Budget-The Old Berkshire-Coursing-Mr. Blick's Sale-The British Institution. A chapter in the history of the Sporting Magazine is closed by the death of its late venerable proprietress, Mrs. Pitman. Her connection with it had, it is true, ceased almost entirely years ago, when the four sporting serials were amalgamated; but still we may dwell with pardonable pride on the tact with which she watched over its commercial interests, and the firm and yet liberal hand with which she guided its general policy, when it became her property at her husband's death, in 1827. Those were days, too, when "Nimrod" was in his prime—

--Courted and caressed,

High placed in halls, a welcome guest;"

supplied with money without stint, and throwing all his energies into his German and Hunting Tours; and when nothing else save "the sleepless eye of Bell" was on the look-out, to chronicle (as Maga's title-page quaintly expressed it)" the transactions of the turf and chase, and every other diversion interesting to the man of pleasure, enterprise, and spirit.' How well the gentlemen of England appreciated the catering of Warwick-square, and how anxiously they watched at the beginning of each month, for the welcome olive-tinted back, with its dainty devices of bats and racing cups, foils and pheasants, net and hawk, fox, and quivers, the long rows of carefully-bound volumes in many an ancestral grange can still right pleasantly and truthfully attest.

The fact of one Jockey Club premier succeeding another, no doubt to the intense disgust of the electoral Mawworms, has been the principal racing feature of the past month. Lords Bessborough, Granville, and Normanby also give place to Lords Eglinton, Exeter, the Duke of Beaufort, and General Peel. One thing is certain, the buckhounds cannot suffer by the change of Ministry, as the horses of Mr. Davis and his men have become quite a bye-word in hunting circles. Englishmen naturally like to see something for their money, and we believe that the allowance for such expenses is anything but niggardly. Adamas very properly heads the Chester Cup betting, and believing as we do, that we have never seen him in form since the Derby, weights, with a proper start, at least as good as the mare at the 5lbs. to spare, we cannot see why she should now run him on 15lbs. worse terms. Cock-a-doodle-doo has been the lion of the month, but we cannot hear that there is any reason for the support he receives

beyond the notion that he was not prepared last year. "That cock won't fight" has always been and is still our sentiment respecting him.

The rumour about Brother to Marchioness (when is he to be christened?) is to the effect that Mr. Padwick offered his owner 3,000 gs. for him in vain, but that too wears a strong air of romance.

Mr. Kirby, the Nestor of Turfites, died on Sunday last. He would, we believe, have completed his 88th year in July or August. Last year was the first in which he had missed York races, almost since he was a boy; and he was very loth to give up his gig ride to Knavesmire, and still more disappointed when he found himself too weak to go to Sir Tatton's sale. He seemed to have lost his interest in modern racing matters, but although his breviary occupied all his thoughts, he was still a perfect index upon old racing days, and never made a mistake to the last, if you asked him what he gave or got for a horse. We remember him suddenly lightening up, and telling with remarkable unction, last August, a story about Mark Noble winning a race for him at Ormskirk, on a screw who had stood all night with his legs in blue clay stockings. Owing to his connection with antiquity, Mark was evidently his favourite jockey, and he also delighted in Sir Tatton, Sim Templeman, and the Emperor Nicholas. He was quite the "Old Philip" of Tennyson, as regarded the coltish chronicle, and one of our pleasantest paddock walks some twelve years ago with him, was to see Lanercost in his stall, and then on to the Muley Moloch mare, and divers others which gambolled about with foals and yearlings beneath the York walls. His room was characteristic. A large-sized Lanercost, painted by Herring Senior, stood over the fire, and Chorister, St. Giles, Lottery, and others, all bits of his favourite blood, kept it in countenance. Örvile's engraving was also there, the most expensive work of art he ever engaged in. In fact, unless he had allowed us in 1855, after a good deal of persuasion on the part of his friends, to send a photographer to hit him off in his old arm-chair, where he placed himself in attitude, with a letter in his hand, a little shilling pencil sketch would have been the only representation left of himself. Orvile was always a very favourite topic with him. Though he clung with great tenacity to Lottery and Lanercost, he seldom spoke of the latter's price without saying that the Scotch took his three thousand cheque for the horse, and took back the halter. Once the remembrance of the taming he administered to General Chassé so delighted him, that when we thought he could hardly have risen from his chair (he was above 85 then) he became so animated that he suddenly stood up, and, taking us by the collar, before we almost knew what he was about, walked across the room, lifting his legs as high as he could, to illustrate the proud way in which the chesnut marched out of the stable to the ship, when his eyes were blindfolded, and he had hit the door-step. This was in 1855; and we remember that we hardly got away from a pleasant three hours' talk in time to see Fandango and Rifleman make their Great Yorkshire finish. Two years had made a great change; and when we again left him, after a short visit last York August, he said, "Good-bye; you'll see me no more!" and we felt that it was only too true. He was very fond of recounting a great Scotch trotting-match, in which Lord Eglintoun's father was engaged; but Russia was his theme of themes, and he would talk of his dealings with

the house of Romanoff by the hour, and his strange escapes and frisks in St. Petersburgh. He acquired so much experience in these trips, that the Government sought his advice, during the Crimean war, as to the best mode of stowing away cavalry-horses on board ship. He had kept his bed some weeks before he died, but he may be said to have died purely of old age. In spite of his remarkably simple frugal habits, we believe that he was by no means so rich as the York people once supposed.

The old Scotch shepherd, who was wont to be called the "Hunter King," has also gone to his rest; and his memory gathers additional interest from the fact, that he was one of the associates, in his prime, of Sir Walter Scott's "Dandie Dinmont." Lord John Scott never omitted giving him a call to the last; and loved to hear his old hunting tales, which might, perchance, have had but little interest for a Southron's ear.

Weatherby's February Calendar gives promise of a good racing season. Mr. Merry, with his wonted spirit, brings his two-year-olds to the fore, in point of nominations, as his Lord of the Manor, Meg Merrilies, and Rainbow (the two last by Chanticleer, for whom he always had a great fancy), have twenty-eight each; while Mr. Bowes's Four-leaved Shamrock and Sister to Goldfinch follow with twenty-seven. There are twenty-one matches on the Newmarket list for 1858, and twenty-one more for 1859-61. At present, taking all places and all years, Lord Glasgow has twenty matches on hand, for which the forfeits reach £4,500; while "Mr. F. Robinson" has eighteen, with £6,100 forfeits. Of this latter sum, £3,000 depends on three matches alone. Anton meets Kent on equal terms-A. F., 3,000, h. ft.-on April 5; and gives 13 lbs. to Rosa Bonheur, D. M., 1,000, h. ft., on October 13th; while Antonio and Mazzini (3 lbs.) are also matched A. F., 2,000, h. ft., on the Wednesday of the Houghton of 1859. In the First October of this year, St. Giles is also to essay and give 10 lbs. to Anton T.M.M. 500, 200 ft. Védette and Skirmisher do not figure in the same stake; so we shall have to wait for the Ascot Cup day before their old stable difference gets settled. Doncaster gives £1,985 to her Autumn and £480 to her Spring Meetings, and the former has already thirty races and three matches on its list. York also does bravely with £720 for her Spring and £1,485 for her August one.

Very few of the distinguished dams have foaled yet, excepting Blue Bonnet. Catherine Hayes and Birdcatcher; Mowerina and Bay Middleton; Alice Hawthorn and Sweetmeat; Virago and Flying Dutchman; Lady Evelyn and West Australian; Cyprian and Newminster; and Pocahontas and Knight of St. George are among the high caste unions of 1857, which may or may not be blest this spring. Lord Exeter has thus tried the son of Birdcatcher cross for Pocahontas, which twice "nicked" so successfully through the Baron. As, moreover, Phryne, who is barren to King Tom, always suited Pantaloon so well, her owner or hirer (Mr. Merry) has violated all orthodox notions, and sent her to her half-brother Lord of the Isles, who is a combination of Touchstone and Pantaloon. We do not think that there is now a clever Pantaloon horse to be got for her, except it be The Libel, and he was out of a half-sister to Touchstone;

Moorcock, seeing that Heron has been condemned to celibacy, and his stock are so rare, has been brought out of Wales to Wottonupon-Edge; and Heir of Linne is to favour Scotland with his presence. Birdcatcher, who is rising 26, has been withdrawn from the stud for the season, and all his subscriptions are cancelled. What a glorious career he has had-some 180 winners, with one Derby, one Oaks, and three St. Legers among them; besides the honour of being grandsire to Stockwell and Rataplan.

Oundle meeting sadly dwindled from its original proportions, but a splendid race for the steeple-chase ended in favour of Evington Lass, one of Foig-a-ballagh's lasses, by half a neck, in spite of young Mr. Bevill's fine jockeyship on Althorp. Viscount Talon got back £65 in the Club Stakes out of the £220 he lately gave for the Magnet gelding at Tattersall's. The Carmarthen steeple-chases fell to scions of Coronation, Mango, and Ascot-high Derby and St. Leger lineage; but we must leave the glories of that meeting, where "jumps is jumps," and steeple-chase owners really run on the square, to be dealt with separately by our trusty Welsh correspondent T. S. N. As it was, The Minor, an English horse, broke the spell this time, and was rapturously received by the Taffies. Natty Charles Boyce was put hors de combat with a broken collar bone, and only twenty-two days between him and the Emigrant mount at Liverpool. Lincoln proved equally fatal to Waddington's wrist; but thirteen at the post, with Viscount Talon's Magnet gelding ready to knock "arrangements" on the head, and running a good second, savoured somewhat of the merrie "steeple days" of '37 and '48.

Lincoln came out this spring as fresh as a sprig of myrtle, and the committee promise, like good boys, to quarrel and "cook" no more. As at Nottingham, "the roughs" showed in the ring an immense force. The favourites had the best of it only twice out of the nine events. Commotion ran kindly in the Trial Stakes, and scored the first race for John Osborne, who got into scale, saddle and all, 8st. 4lbs. in the twoyear-old race. Fourteen two-year-olds went to the post for the Brocklesby, in which the winner Arminius led from end to end. In the Queen's Plate, the running of Commotion and Odd Trick at a mile was proved to hold good, when two had to be travelled over, and John Osborne had the reward of his old Honeywood allegiance in the victory of Honeytree. It required no ordinary nerve to put mares to so queerloined a horse; but last year's price from Mr. Sutton for Honeystick, and 100 guineas so won through Honeytree, have been rare Black Doctor-like strokes of luck for Ashgill. The hurdle race was a fine bit of handicapping, and twenty-one horses running in a flat handicap on February 11th, is a sight such as racing has never seen yet. So much for an open winter. Vandermulin did at last accomplish the " Jack-upthe-Orchard" movement, with which his owner so often threatened the public in his three-year-old days: and, strange to say, George Fordham had no mount in the race.

Martha, a daughter of Martha Lynn's and Orlando, and a 360guinea purchase at the hammer, made a regular cut-me-down business of Odd Trick and Co., at a mile at Nottingham. Over short distances many of the old mare's stock have been very clever of late. She did not, however, look up to the mark, and can,

we opine, be made some pounds better. Snap, nowhere at Lincoln, and of Alvediston stud descent, was never caught in the Little John Stakes, in which Arminius, with 8lbs. more, was beaten more than a length from her; and he in his turn, in spite of his penalty, beat Joyeuse again, as at Lincoln. The struggle between Vandermulin and Gammon at 29lbs. for the two years, makes a moderate horse of the former, or else the latter must have "made haste" this winter. Martha on the following day gave G. Fordham his first winning mount, and her two years cleverly away to Prince's Mixture, Earthstopper being only half a length behind the pair. How rarely three horses only start and finish so well! Truly Mr. Johnson's handicapping right-hand has not forgotten its cunning.

Miss Harkaway won the time-honoured hurdle race over this course, as she had done at Lincoln; and Old Dog Tray, with 8lbs. more, added the Derby to the Lincoln Steeple Chase. The two-year-olds at Derby were the Lincoln and Nottingham ones served up again; but Dutchman's Daughter, though she got a better start, and was on 5lbs. better terms than she was with Snap at Nottingham, could not reverse the verdict; while Arminius was about last. This triple success of Windhound so early in the season is something remarkable, but still his stock are too often leggy, like himself, and we consider him as a mere lubber of a horse, both as regards his racing powers and his own look. Daniel O'Rourke was represented by Dowb and Daniel Forester; Newminster by Newsman; and Kingston by Madame Moet, thus early in the year.

Arminius is rather a good-looking colt, but with nothing very particular about him. His half-sister Snap is a remarkably useful style of animal, very fit to run, but rather leggy. Dutchman's daughter, the 210-guinea half-sister to Schiedam, is very smart and racing-like, and forward in her preparation to boot. The chesnut Joyeuse, a 170-guinea purchase of Tom Parr's at Rawcliffe, was the most observable among the ruck lot; and it was said that she had been very highly tried at home: while Madame Moet was a decidedly nice filly, with some improvement about her. "Very small and bloodylooking," was the verdict on the Terpsichore filly; and Honeytree is a complete pony. His Queen's Plate race was completely stolen, as Odd Trick and Commotion kept watching each other till the race was virtually over. The latter, who never reached the black, but showed none of his old temper, and finished very gamely. Challoner and Honeytree seemed to press him against the rails; and it is a pity that John Osborne (who is engaged, we believe, to Messrs. Saxon and Barber) ever attempted to go there. Vandermulin looked fit, full of muscle, and big, and really, for a horse of his build, as handsome as a picture. Gammon, his Nottingham opponent-a protegé of William Oates's-is a strong, compact little fellow; and the big one, who lay off till near the finish, never got fairly up. The finish was as fine a thing as racing eye need see.

There are a few matters on which we have to "report progress"; but the phrase, we regret to say, is hardly applicable to the proposed monument to" Ephemera" in Highgate Cemetery. At present very little more than £20 has been collected; but as the fishing season comes on, we trust that the energies of the gentle craft will be quick