the law; and as there is little difficulty in the way of conviction, it is to be hoped that effectual efforts will shortly be made to put a stop to the nuisance, and punish the offenders as they deserve.

In important sales, such as Lady Stuart's, those persons who join in a "knock-out" have no opportunity of doing mischief; the number of purchasers and the extent of the biddings, making all attempts of the kind useless. We cannot give a better idea of the value of this collection, and the marketable worth of good pictures, than by adding here the prices at which several of them were knocked down at the sale just named. Of two Vandervelds, one, the famous Dundas picture, realised 1120 guineas, the other 590; two Backhuysens reached severally 425 and 440 guineas; two Cuyps, 1450 and 1050 guineas; Travellers Halting, by Karl du Jardin, brought 410 guineas; a Wouvermans, from the Choiseul collection, 390 guineas; a Seaport, by Claude, 610 guineas; a delicious Ruysdael, and one of the most desirable pictures of this master we have met with, fetched 330 guineas, and it now graces the gallery of D. Ackerman, Esq., of Bristol. The whole collection, by no means a large one, produced 13,500l.

The small but choice collection of the late Marquis of Camden has since been sold by the same auctioneers-the seventy pictures fetching 70007.

After Christie and Manson, Phillips of Bond-street ranks next as a disposer of choice paintings. He is son of the auctioneer of the same name, who long maintained his place as one of the most fashionable members of his profession. Many fine galleries were submitted to public competition by him, and he is known to have speculated very largely on his own account in such property. He and George Robins kept up for years a spirited rivalry, but the latter has for some time confined his talents to securing purchases for whatever "rus in urbe," or "earthly paradise" may come into his hands; and the former, after knocking down to others so many superior lots, has lately been forced to submit to "the common lot" himself. George Robins, however, is again about to come forth in all his glory, in the forthcoming sale of Strawberry Hill, where several fine pictures, many of them selected by the ablest connoisseur of his age-Horace Walpole-invite the highest efforts of his eloquence.

The present Mr. Phillips inherits with his father's business a fair proportion of his talent, but it cannot be said that there are now as many important picture-sales at Phillips's rooms as there used to be. One collection, however, has recently been there disposed of, which demands more than ordinary notice. It was the noble gallery, or rather what remained of it, of His Royal Highness the Duke of Lucca, that formed a short time since one of the best of our metropolitan pictorial exhibitions. Of these the choice Francias were purchased by Her Her Majesty's government, and are now in the National Gallery, and the three celebrated Caraccis were obtained by Mr. Buchanan. The remaining portion, consisting of fifty-four pictures, derived from the gallery of Lucien Bonaparte, the collection of the Abbe Cellati of Florence, the Dresden gallery, the galleries of the Marquis Citadella of Lucca, and the Marquis Buonvise, the Beckford collection, and from various other sources of minor note, were left to find purchasers in Mr. Phillips's rooms. Amongst them were several

productions belonging to the highest class of art, and they were regarded with singular interest. The charming Madonna Dei Candelabri of Rafaelle, long the ornament of the Borghese Palace at Rome, and familiar to print collectors through the engravings of Folo, Bettelini, Fabri, Blot, Prestini and Bridaux, was one of the chief objects of attraction; but there being a doubt in the minds of many persons present whether it was for unreserved sale, the biddings did not reach a third of its value. It was knocked down at 1500 guineas, and is now added to the beautiful collection of Mr. Munro, of Park-street. The proprietor refused for it last year 50004. and this year 4000l. The same results attended the whole of the choice collection. Christ Carrying his Cross, by Sebastian del Piombi, assisted by Michael Angelo, a noble production that once enriched the walls of the Casa Calderrara of Milan, and was originally ordered from the artist by the emperor Charles V. excited almost as much attention. It is now being engraved by the Chevalier Toschi, of Parma, from whose well-known talents its great merits cannot but receive ample justice. It obtained only the sum of 10007., and we believe is to proceed to the court of Turin. In short, whether it was from the miserable state into which business has lately fallen, and the consequent deficiency of speculative spirit, or the impression that the pictures were not for unreserved sale, the bidding went on with a sad lack of spirit in almost every instance, and in more than one the pictures were knocked down at a sum much below their worth.

The cabinet pictures of this collection were afterwards sold at the

same rooms.

Messrs. Foster and Son, Thomas, Artaria, Izod, &c., have also frequent sales of pictures at their rooms, sometimes in large quantities, but usually much more numerous than select. But we must pass over: these gentlemen, to enable us to say a word or two concerning an esta blishment which has exercised a powerful influence in diffusing a taste for pictures in middle life and among small speculators. We allude to Mr. Jones's rooms in Leicester-street, where meet a crowd made up of miscellaneous contributors from Brokers-row, Wardour-street, the New-cut, and the Old Kent-road; Jews and Gentiles, men and women, the economical amateur and the prudent dealer, to bid for such of the weekly two or three hundred Rafaelles, Correggios, Titians, Rubens, and other similar great masters as are disposed of by auction every Friday night, at the cost of five shillings and upwards! We have before our "mind's eye" now, the figure of the worthy proprietor of this establishment, officiating in all his full-blown dignity. It is impossible to forget either his dry humour or his damp physiognomy; for he ever took a most warm interest in his duty. With a considerateness, too, that cannot be too highly appreciated, he would never pledge himself to the genuineness of the finest composition, even though it might be fetching the extraordinary price (for that establishment) of some twenty-five or thirty shillings! If, moreover, as it occasionally happened, the lot was of more than the usual size, and frameless, he would endeavour to stimulate the sluggish biddings by recommending the noble Rubens or Caracci as "cheap for floorcloth." But when it so happened that the biddings rose to several pounds, what a glow of triumph irradiated his homely but honest features! Eyes, nose, chin, and cheeks-all appeared to participate equally in his

excessive satisfaction. As he waxed eloquent he waxed warm; his whole man seemed to put on new and extraordinary attributes; as the attendant spunged the picture, and with the assistance of brilliant gas, brought out its several perfections, the auctioneer's intellect appeared to undergo a similar refreshing process, and came forth with a like radiance; and when at last the hammer fell, he took a long breath, wiped his glistening face, and sank back in his pulpit, looking like one who has achieved a marvellous success, and cannot familiarize his mind to it.

Jones, like the elder Christie and Phillips, is now lost to the rostrum ; but unlike them, he has not yet become, in the phraseology of trade, "a dead loss." He has retired from business, and another fills his place in the pulpit; but more than one of his old customers are ready to avow, as was said of a similar spirit," We could have better spared a better man."

Of all experience, that which is bought is universally allowed to be the best. On the present occasion the reader may rely on being sup plied with "the very best article," for it is the result of the writer's dearly bought experience, as well as that of several of his country cousins who have paid the same value for it. Modestly premising only then that the article now in progress of presentation to the public professes to treat of screws equestrian, leaving the human genus to their own proper pleasures or purgatory, as the case may be, and is (as the slang-liloquent gentlemen of the newspaper press would phrase it) highly important to the buyers of horses in particular, as well as intensely interesting to the public in general; I will proceed at once to state what is meant here by a "Screw."

It is equally unnecessary to the purpose to cite authorities and to have recourse to the learning of lexicographers. A screw is an unsound horse that looks like a sound one; a valuable animal in appearance, in reality a worthless brute. Our regular screw is a sort of equestrian cheat, a will-o'-the-wisp leading men astray, a gay going deceiver, an actor, a stage player, a living lie, a thing for the nonce, all mimicry and moonshine; rothing but outside, bright but unreal; of outward show elaborate, of inward less exact :—the only thing sound about the screw is his iron shoe, and beneath that how often does there lie hid some secret of the pedal prison-house!the bled toe tells no tale when thus coffined! But I will resist the temptation to be pathetical and trot on. Such is the outshining show of a screw; the admirable perfection of his paces, the goodness of his gallop, the truth and rapidity of his trot, as well as the capital way in which he "does" his canter and his walk-or

if a mare, in her “ five” or “six off,"-screws of either sex, aided by a certain episcopal translation called "bishoping" seldom exceed six off. She has so much fashion, possesses such marvellous power, there is to your charmed senses even a poetry in her motion, and her might and majesty accordingly are thought almost miraculous-in short, you are taken by "the tit" and in regular sequence, its owner takes you in. How could it be otherwise? There was a magic in that mare (as there is in all screws) to which Byron's boasted "magic of the mind" is but bird-lime. Such is the fascination of the screw's shape and make, that 100 guineas are readily given for him, and he is thought dirt cheap at that price, though the animal eventually turns out not worth a bunch of dog's-meat.

I cannot say I myself have been screwed a great many times; but I believe I have saved more persons from screwish peril both to purse and person, than would have entitled me to all the medals ever issued by the Royal Humane Society, if that body extended, as I think it ought to extend, its rewards to those praiseworthy persons who have saved not only life and limb, but pocket also from destruction. Could

a really humane society better employ a portion of its funds than in the way here suggested?

66

It was intimated just now that I had been screwed in my greener days, the sallad season of life, and the "do" fell out as follows:-I saw an advertisement either in the Post or the Times, I forget which now, but the latter is by far in the highest favour with the coupers or screw-sellers, which set forth in most tempting terms the breeding beauty and so forth of two hunters, a bay and a grey, the property of "a gentleman giving up hunting," "warranted up to the fleetest hounds in England," (so ran the record) can top the highest fence," "perfect snaffle-bridle horses," "sound," "masters of their business” "fit to go." All this, and a great deal more of the like laudation was adroitly arrayed to cheat me and the large family of affluent young and old fools on whom these chaunting gentlemen live, and from whom they have their most abundant being. To be safe (for though young, I had heard of screws, and was not exuberantly confident), I took with me, to see these clippers, a livery-stable-keeper, an honest fellow, and a really good judge besides; but fallible are the best judges, for having no Alexandrine luck, we went, we saw, and were conquered. We were, in truth, sadly screwed, although we examined the nags with the eye of a lynx, and the fussy particularity of a St. Pancras collegian of some seventeen years standing. To make short work of a lengthened dealing discussion, I bought the bay hunter, giving a good sort of grey mare (for which I had given the Dysons 60 guineas only a few days before), and 35 guineas to boot, for him. I had a trial round Leicestersquare, rattled him over the stones, finding no fault in him whatever, excepting that he was remarkably fresh and full of courage. He was warranted" fit to go;" nor did his short bright coat, hard crest, and proper form, contradict the assertion. As a preliminary, however, to hunting him being then in my town quarters, I had a burst down Rotten-row and all round Hyde-park (it was, I assure you, "a quick thing"), but there was visible no more heaving and blowing than if he had been a Yankee Congress orator-the President himself-or a longwinded lawyer who could go on for ever and a day without being a bit

out of breath. I therefore naturally enough concluded that Brilliant (that was the beauty's name) was fit to go, and go I resolved he should with the Surrey. His pulling was a transitory trifle only-to that I attached no importance at all, deeming it the result only of freshness; and determining to change his bit, I accordingly sent him down to Pratt's-bottom, on the Tunbridge-road overnight, for the "meet" on the following morning.

On getting there about ten o'clock, my groom said the new nag had not fed very well; nor did he, I thought, look quite so sparkling as when I sent him down the day before; but I had no sooner backed my "Brilliant" than all apprehension was dispelled. We soon found in

a covert near Cudham. "Brilliant" did not belie one part of the character bought with him, of being able to tail the fleetest hounds: he not only tailed them, he trampled on them, trod them under foot. The fiery devil seemed determined on destroying every hound in the pack. Laura, a favourite bitch, lay dead at his feet, while Loftus and Harkaway limped and whined most piteously. In short, several of the most valuable hounds in the pack looked as if they had been lamed for life by my too precipitate Pegasus. How Haigh swore! The whippers-in of course rated till they were hoarse, while the echoing coverts resounded with 'ware hounds." Tom Hill too, the huntsman, in the tone of a raging stentor, politely told me to go to a place which shall be nameless, while the subscribers, one and all, liberally enough subscribed to the devilry of Mr. Hill's most hearty monition. Reynard got away, and so did I, after a fashion, for "Brilliant," like "Bokhara" at the last spring meeting at Epsom on Wednesday, bolted with the most admir able determination of purpose, and I was thus lucky enough to lead at a racing pace, heading the hunted fox back, much to the satisfaction of the field, of course. A fresh fox however being hallooed, such of the hounds as were not amongst the killed and wounded were laid on, and the remnant of the gallant pack soon settled to the scent. I could not choose but follow, my bit of brilliant" blood pulling harder, then harder, and harder, until at length the animal's reckless running was beyond all control. A giant's strength would have been insufficient to stop him, and my attempt either to arrest or guide the progress of this fiery steed was quite as futile as Mrs. Partington's in another line of the impossible. You might just as well have tried to repress a raging storm, ride the ripple, and whip a whirlwind.

Sweeping along like a thing demented, " Brilliant" ran against everybody and everything, upset several slow gentlemen, steeds and all, broke through fences, double as well as single, floundered in ditches, and blundered into bogs and brooks, up hill and down dale he continued uncontrollably, and now uncontrollable (for I no longer tried to restrain him) his mad career, till at length, while going at score down one of the steepest and most stony hills in that stony country, he fell on the hard and sharp flints with which the surface of the field was thickly covered. Luckily my legs were not broken (they were only gashed in twenty places, and bruised black and blue from hip to heel), though altogether they were severely enough hurt to cause them and their owner to be consigned for seven entire weeks to the services of

a surgeon.