enient for men with few horses, as the
meets are near and the railways convenient. An ill-natured opinion prevails
that the scarlet coat is more worn there by fortune-hunters than fox-hunters,
and that the tailor is a person of more importance with the majority of the
field than the huntsman; but this story probably originates in the number of
carriages full of pretty faces to be found at the cover sides round
Leamington. The country cannot be compared with Northamptonshire or
Leicestershire, or even Oxfordshire. The farmers are better sportsmen than
agriculturists. Warwickshire landlords think more of the politics of their
tenants, than of their intelligence or capital. Great improvements have,
however, been effected within the last ten years, and we must not forget to
mention that the Birmingham Agricultural and Poultry Show, which is the
finest local exhibition in the kingdom, draws a great many of its exhibitors
from this county.

Leamington, long without direct railway communication, is now wrapped up
between the broad-gauge and the narrow-gauge, like a hare in a bottle-spit.
The opening of the line to Rugby affords a new short way to London. The
population will henceforward increase at the expense of its gentility, but
the police and sanitary arrangements before alluded to, will always make
Leamington a favourite with invalids, hypochondriacs, and flaneurs.

The multiplicity of these railroads compels us to abandon the plan of
describing, as we pass, the more celebrated towns, mansions, or castles,
because it would be impossible to follow out such a zig-zag of topography. It
is better to take it for granted that the traveller will stop at certain
places, and from them make excursions to everything worth seeing in the
neighbourhood.

In this manner, as Birmingham gave occasion for an examination into the
leading manufactures, we presume that Leamington will be the best central
encampment for a survey of everything within a circle of ten miles
interesting to the Antiquarian, the Historian, the Artist, the Poet, the
Agriculturist, and the happy beings who have a taste for all these pursuits.

The number of interesting places within an easy walk or drive of Leamington,
forms one of its great advantages as a watering place.

Either on foot or in a carriage (and Leamington is extremely well provided
with carriages for hire), Warwick Castle, or Stratford-on-Avon, or Guy's
Cliff, and Kenilworth, or Stoneleigh Ab