r seem
Spouting tea and breathing steam.
On its sides do not display
Fawns and laughing nymphs at play
But portray, instead of these,
Funny groups of fat Chinese:
On its lid a mandarin,
Modelled to resemble Lin.
When completed, artisan,
I will pay you--if I can.

* * * * *

SPORTING.

THE KNOCKER HUNT.

On Thursday, July 8, 1841, the celebrated pack of Knocker Boys met at the
Cavendish, in Jermyn Street. These animals, which have acquired for
themselves a celebrity as undying as that of Tom and Jerry, are of a fine
powerful breed, and in excellent condition. The success which invariably
attends them must be highly gratifying to the distinguished nobleman who,
if he did not introduce this particular species into the metropolis, has at
least done much to bring it to its present extraordinary state of
perfection.

As there may be some of our readers who are ignorant of the purposes for
which this invaluable pack has been organised, it may be as well to state a
few particulars, before proceeding to the detail of one of the most
splendid nights upon record in the annals of disorderism.

The knocker is a thing which is generally composed of brass or iron. It has
frequently a violent resemblance to the "human face divine," or the
ravenous expressiveness of a beast of prey. It assumes a variety of phases
under peculiar _vinous_ influences. A gentleman, in whose veracity and
experience we have the most unlimited confidence, for a series of years
kept an account of the phenomena of his own knocker; and by his permission
the following extracts are now submitted to the public:--

1840.

Nov. 12--Dined with Captain ----. Capital spread--exquisite
_liqueurs_--magnificent wines--unparalleled cigars--drank _my_
four bottles--should have made it five, but found I had eaten
something which disagreed with me--Home at four.

_State of Knocker_.--Jumping up and down the surface of the door
like a rope dancer, occasionally diverging into a zig-zag, the
key-hole partaking of the same eccentricities.

Nov. 13.--Supped with Charley B----. Brandy, _genuine
cognac_--Cigars _principe_. ESTIMATED CONSUMPTION: brandy and
water, eighteen glasses--cigars, two dozen--porter with a cabman,
two pots.

_State of Knocker_.--Peripatetic--moved from our house to the
next--remained till it roused the family--returned to its own