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house, up stairs, and into my bed-room, Mr. Harris and Dr. Arnold, with a cheering to my sorrow, and a condolence of my comfort.

Mr. Harris with the greatest kindness took all the cause of the failure on himself; said that he had hurried me in the writing; that to serve the theatre I had produced the opera three months before the time agreed upon for its coming out; that he had found my reputation as a dramatic author high with the public, and the temporary hurt it had suffered that night proceeded from my alacrity and industry to accommodate the theatre and oblige him. He generously added that he would keep to the letter of our agreement, and pay me every shilling of the six hundred guineas; requesting I would dismiss all trouble from my mind, and he had not a doubt but I should yet be able, with a few alterations, to render this opera successful and productive. This candid and liberal conduct needs no comment.

The next morning a messenger came from Mr. Harris. It was my old Irish friend and school-fellow at the Drawing Academy, William Egan, who turned out from his waistcoat pockets one hundred guineas on the table, sent to me by Mr. Harris, with a desire that I would draw without scruple on Garten, his treasurer, for such sums as I might occasionally want. My spirits. were raised by this morning visit, and the kindness of Mr. Harris spurred me to activity. In about three weeks I re-wrote the opera, the parts were distributed, and a rehearsal called; but, alas! the performers, one and all, declared that in its new state it stood a fairer chance of condemnation than before; the parts therefore were again called in ; and Mr. Harris, in the kindest and most friendly manner, insisted that I should perplex myself no more about it, but take the whole summer, and he was sure I could bring it round for his next winter. For better air and park walks I took lodgings at Knightsbridge, where Mr. Harris often called upon me, and at his house I occasionally met several worthy patrons of the drama,-Mr. Palmer, of Bath; Mr. Dives, &c.

The first time of my venturing into the theatre after my defeat, Miss Catley, the celebrated singer, accosted me from a front row in the lower boxes, loud enough,

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as I was many rows back, to be heard by all and every body, "So, O'Keeffe, you had a piece d-d the other night. I am glad of it—the devil mend you for writing an opera without bringing me into it." On my second attempt, therefore, I wrote the character of a Lady Abbess for her, with a song and chorus of nuns, to the tune of "Stony Batter.”

DEATH OF THE ELEPHANT

AT EXETER 'CHANGE.

THIS stupendous animal, which has been for some time in a restive state, at four o'clock on Wednesday afternoon became unmanageable. The strong den in which he was confined is a compartment of the grand hall in which the superior animals of Mr. Cross's valuable collection are kept. If, therefore, he had finally succeeded in getting loose, the destruction of property would have been immense, and, from what has subsequently transpired, there is every reason to suppose some lives would have been lost before he could have been killed. At half-past four o'clock, the violent exertions he made to break the huge door and bars of his den, in which he partly succeeded, fully determined Mr. Cross's mind. He sent to Somerset House for the assistance of some of the guards stationed there, who soon arrived, and continued firing at him for one hour before he fell. There were one hundred and eighty musket balls fired at him, during which time the exasperated animal made furious but unsuccessful efforts to get at his assailants. The ball by which he fell entered under the ear. One of the keepers then fastened a sword to the end of a pole, and thrust it several times up to the hilt in his body. It is the same elephant that killed its keeper a few months ago. The Strand, for some hours, was almost impassable from the number of people collected around the 'Change. The number viewing the dead body was immense. In fact it was more attractive on account of the manner of its death than it ever had been while alive, and the price of admission was considerably increased. The animal stood 13 feet high-the body, as it lies on the floor, is of the height of six feet. The attack upon his late keeper,

which proved fatal, is not the only act of violence which this animal had committed. Some years ago he was in the habit of rubbing his head against the side of his apartment, to allay an itching on his forehead. From his great weight and strength, this operation shook the whole building, and the keeper, with a view to prevent its continuance, took an opportunity of driving some short nails nearly to the head, upon the favourite spot on the side of the cell. The event justified the expectation. The first time the elephant resumed his amusement his head was scratched by the projecting nails, and he soon discontinued the practice. The unfortunate keeper, however, paid dearly for his device. On his approaching the cell, the elephant, who knew to whom he was indebted for his scratched forehead, immediately attacked him, and but for the immediate interference of the servants of the place, would have killed him on the spot.

STANZAS.

WHEN one by one our ties are torn,
And friend from friend is snatch'd forlorn ;
When man is left alone to mourn,

Oh! then, how sweet it is to die!

When trembling limbs refuse their weight,
And films slow gath'ring dim the sight;
When clouds obscure the mental light,
'Tis nature's kindest boon to die!

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BOXING.

THREE interesting fights took place at Noman's Land, Hertfordshire. The first, which we shall more particularly detail to our readers, was between Bishop Sharpe, the Kentish Smuggler, and Alec Reed, the Chelsea Snob, for 50l. a side. The road to the scene of action presented a more lively aspect than usual; such an immense variety of equipages and toddlers being in motion, as to remind the old ring-goers of that period when a fight was at least as attractive as an execution.

Reed, who was backed by a "Matchless" swell, started per barouche and four, on Monday, and reached Colney Hatch, where, at the sign of the White Swan, he passed the night.

His Reverence, the Bishop, also began to progress on Monday, and, under the protection of Josh Hudson, doffed his mitre, and donn'd his night-cap at the Bull at Harpenden.

At noon, on Tuesday, an immense body of the Fancy, among whom were many of its oldest and best supporters, assembled round the ring at Noman's Land.

Reed first appeared within the stakes and ropes, with Tom Crib and Uncle Ben as his seconds. Sharpe followed in about ten minutes; his seconds were Josh Hudson and Peter Crawley. Reed weighed about 10 stone; Sharpe might be nearly 11 stone. Odds 5 and 6 to 4 on the Right Reverend.

Round 1. Sharpe did not stand for ceremonies, but commenced practice by putting in a right-hander, which drew first blood from Reed's mouth; and the latter, by no means shy of his man, showed an equal alacrity in returning the compliment. The rapid exchanges that ensued were to the advantage of Sharpe, whose righthanders altered the regularity of Reed's countenance. Reed, however, put an end to the rally by knocking the Bishop off his legs. This round was considered decidedly in favour of Sharpe, and 7 to 4 on him went a "begging" round the ring.

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2. Sharpe made play: his superior strength told, and Reed was driven against the ropes and thrown.-Odds still on the rise on Sharpe.

3. Reed was bleeding from the mouth and nose, Sharpe also showed claret was about his ivories. Reed proved the superiority of his science, by warding off, in fine style, at least a dozen wellaimed facers, but Sharpe, who is a very quick hard hitter, planted

a body blow, which drove Reed off his guard, when the Bishop rushed in and threw the Snob, all on a heap, like a lump of wax.

4. In this round Reed turned the fight a little to his own advantage. Sharpe hitting out heavily with his right hand, missed his aim, and dropped on his knee; he sprang up to renew the contest, and was met as he rushed in, by such chattering facers, as drew blood in streams from his mouth and nose; his right eye was also injured, and the friends of the snob now took a turn at cheering their man.

5. Reed broke away from Sharpe's rush, and planted six facers. The Bishop dropped. "Chelsea College to an old Keg upon Reed,” was the cry of the friends of the latter.

6 and 7. The Chelsea Lad had got the lead, and he kept it. Sharpe appeared rather distressed for wind, and he was heavily punished about the right eye. Still his hard hitting was dangerous, and it required all the art of Reed to avoid the tremendous lefthanded lunges which this "bold smuggler" aimed alternately at the head and body.

8, 9, and 10. No great mischief was done in any of these rounds, but they were rather to the advantage of Reed.

11. The Chelsea Snob planted a left-handed facer, and following up his success, knocked the Bishop clean off his legs.

12, 13, 14. In the first of these rounds Reed had so decidedly the best of it, that after knocking Sharpe down, he stood over him, clapped him on the shoulder, and said, "You are a good man, Sharpe, but you must lose." Reed also had the advantage up to round

15. When Sharpe sent his right hand like a sledge-hammer against Reed's eye, and brought lots of claret from it; Reed, however, recovered his balance without going down, and Sharpe was hit off his legs.

16. Sharpe planted one of his swinging right-handed blows directly in Reed's stomach, on that dangerous spot denominated the mark. The Chelsea hero fell like a broken Reed, and rolled over on the ground, evidently suffering great pain. This blow was enough to take the fight out of any man, and had not Reed possessed the most determined courage, he would not have appeared at the scratch again; yet he came to time, though with much difficulty, and contended four rounds more. By the direction of his seconds, Sharpe kept trying to repeat the dose. He effected this in the 20th round, by planting another home hit on the same spot, by which he won the fight, for Reed could no longer stand. It was over in 24 minutes.

REMARKS. AS a showy fighter, and in the art of stopping, Sharpe is much inferior to Reed; but he is a very strong man, and he possesses the power of hitting quick, hard, and straight, which are natural points that all the theory in the world cannot overcome. Some of those who had lost their money on this fight did not fail to assert that it was a cross; but there was not the slightest ground for any susp.cions of this sort.

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