times a year; the dining-room was a small square room, coloured
pea-green with a gold moulding, adorned with a series of four prints on
shooting, and four on hunting, together with two or three portraits of
eminent racers, riders, hunters, and grooms. Guns and fishing-rods were
suspended over the mantelpiece; powder-horns, shot-belts, and game-bags
scattered about; a choice collection of flies for angling lay in one
corner, whips and bridles in another, and a pile of books and
papers,--Colonel Thornton's Tour, Daniel's Rural Sports, and a heap of
Racing Calendars, occupied a third; Ponto and Carlo lay basking on the
hearth-rug, and a famous little cocking spaniel, Flora by name, a
conscious favourite, was generally stretched in state on an arm-chair.

Here, except when the owner was absent on a sporting expedition, which,
between fishing, shooting, hunting, and racing, did, it must be
confessed, happen pretty often; here his friends were sure to find a
hearty welcome, a good beef-steak,--his old housekeeper was famous for
cookery!--and as much excellent Port and super-excellent Madeira--Tom,
like most of his school, eschewed claret and other thin potations--as
their host could prevail on them to swallow. Many a good fellow hath
heard the chimes at midnight in this little room.

* * * * *

In the present sheet we are only able to include Notices of _four_ of
the _nine_ Annuals, exclusive of the _Juvenile Presents_, which we
reserve for a "select party." Our notice of the _Winter's Wreath_ is in
type, but must stand over for the present, as well as those of the
_Keepsake, Anniversary, Bijou_, and _Friendship's Offering_, which will
freight another Supplementary Sheet, to follow very shortly. We prefer
this method to passing over the merits of these works with mere
commendatory generalities. It does not require a microscopic or a
critical eye to distinguish their beauties; but we hope the means we
have adopted for the present gratification of our readers will be such
as to induce them to look for the appearance of our SECOND SUPPLEMENT,
as well as to prove ourselves worthy of the _encore_. Like some comic
singers, we will endeavour to keep up the entertainment by "variations."

* * * * *

_Printed and Published by J. LIMBIRD, 143. Strand, (near Somerset
House,) London; sold by ERNEST FLEISCHER, 626, New Market, Leipsic; and
by all Newsmen and Booksellers_.