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PEAK ARCHERY.

SINCE the last page of these Excursions was written and in the press, the Derbyshire Peak Archery Meeting has been held at Chatsworth, and numerously and brilliantly attended. This society of Bowmen originated with the Duke of Devonshire, who is its head and patron. This distinguished nobleman lives in a style of princely magnificence. Wherever he is, whether at his beautiful paladian villa, on the borders of the Thames at Chiswick, at Devonshire House in Piccadilly, or at his Palace of the Peak, at Chatsworth, the gaieties and the elegancies of life are there also. Wherever he moves a thousand fashionable satellites attend upon him; and at the Derbyshire Bow Meeting his accustomed influence brought around his person both the noble and the lowly born, from those who rode in carriages, blazoned with coronets or armorial bearings, to the humble pedestrian, who, for many a weary mile, had plodded it on foot across the heathy moors that surround his mansion. The day was delightful; and a fine day, in such a climate as ours, is a wonderful exhilarator of the animal spirits. When the air is chill or humid, and the sky covered with clouds, the gloom that prevails without not unfrequently throws a shadow over the sunshine of the heart, and saddens the feelings; but the day when the archers of the Peak were assembled was one of the finest of the year and the rains, which had fallen in copious showers at intervals for six or eight weeks preceding, had given an uncommon freshness to the verdure of the park. The foliage of the trees had recovered from the shrivelled state in which it had been left by the blights and unseasonable frosts, that had not only lingered about departing winter, and "chilled the lap of May," but had actually trespassed upon the brighter months of summer. The lime-trees in Chatsworth Park are some of the finest in

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the county, and their white blossoms sparkled amongst the green leaves as the light of a clear summer sun shone full upon them. The eye was delighted with the delicate colouring and pensile filaments of the blossoms of the lime, which filled the air with fragrance, and breathed a delicious odour far around them. On a rising ground, under the shade of these majestic trees, the company that had visited Chatsworth to witness the skill of the Peak Archers, were assembled. The plain below was occupied by the targets, the rival Bowmen, and the personal friends of the Duke of Devonshire, who were seated in groups, or parading the grounds in parties, giving life and splendour to a scene as gay and brilliant as fashion, rank, and beauty could possibly make it. The Archers were habited in green dresses, lined with purple: the ladies wore small white hats, ornamented with dark green pendant feathers. The gentlemen had drap-coloured beavers, with black and green feathers intermixed. The costume in which the whole of the Archers were dressed was simple, picturesque, and elegant, and admirably adapted for an advantageous display of both form and feature.

From fifty to sixty ladies and gentlemen entered the lists as competitors for the prize, and a band of music intimated the commencement of the sports of the day. The Duke of Devonshire, who was attended by a page, had the honour of drawing the first bow-string, and he early placed an arrow on the outer verge of the target. But it was reserved for a lady to bear away the prize; with an aim as unerring as the "blind boy's but-shaft," she hit the bull's-eye in the centre: her success was announced by a signal from the provost or superintendant of the target, and the pealing in of a loud strain of music communicated her triumph to the assembled multitude of spectators. Mrs. Jedediah Strutt was the fair victor on this occasion, and shortly afterwards an arrow from Miss Bateman's bow, penetrated the inner circle of the target. At the termination of the contest, the two gold medals were adjudged to Mrs. J. Strutt and Col. Clowes. When this victory was decided, two sets of bows and arrows, in addition to the usual prizes, were given by Mrs. Mundy, the lady paramount of the field, and Sir Charles Colville, the president. In the contest for these prizes Miss Bateman was again successful, and W. Mundy, Esq. won the gentlemen's bow and arrows: the ladies, indeed, were the best marks-MEN; they

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directed their shafts with greater certainty than the men, and more frequently hit the target.

As the different candidates took their places in succession on the ground, I watched the fixing of the arrow on the string,

saw the bow gradually drawn to its extreme tension, heard the twang of the winged messenger as it departed, tracked its progress through the air, and saw it strike or miss the target with an interest far beyond what I had imagined could have been excited by such an exhibition. Some of the arrows trembled and wavered in their progress: others, driven by a more determined and a firmer hand, passed steadily and swiftly to the mark: but the Archers of the Peak are new to the sport; and probably some years of practice will pass away before they will be sufficiently expert either to " notch” each others shafts when on the target, or split a willow wand at a hundred paces distant, with the skill and adroitness of Locksley, the brave bowman of Ivanhoe.

The scene altogether was novel and pictorial in effect; gratifying to the eye by its peculiar and characteristic beauty, and interesting to the mind from the associations it created: the ballad history of Robin Hood, which was the delight and wonder of my boyhood, and the achievements of his faithful associates, were once more revived and recollected. In advanced life, when the space between youth and age is a division of fearful length, our early impressions seen through the vista of departed years, become more powerfully interesting as they are farthest removed: we love to dwell upon scenes and circumstances which delighted us when life and all its enjoyments were new, and threw a charm over our earlier years. A pensive feeling that lingers about half-forgotten remembrances, was connected with the animated picture in Chatsworth Park: although far more refined, elegant, and imposing, than the archery of Nottingham and Sherwood Forest, it was still a scene of archery; and the females who were mingled with it, adorned it with beauty, and made it lovely to behold. When drawing the arrow to the head, they were graceful in figure as the statue of Diana; and the anxious feeling with which they marked its flight through the trackless air to its destination, gave additional lustre to the eye, and to the whole countenance a more animated and interesting expression. An artist was upon the grounds studying the scenery of Chatsworth, and storing his mind and his sketch-book with the brilliant picture which the park presented: but only a TURNER could

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do justice to such a subject: he dips his pencil in light itself, and every thing it touches glows and sparkles with sunshine; his colours are as ethereal, as beautiful, and as transparent as the rainbow he could impart to such a scene its peculiar splendour, people it with groups of living figures, — give grace to their motions and animation to their features; he could clothe the hills and woods that surround this lovely spot with the majesty of nature, and the glittering play of the waters of the fountains amongst the branches of the trees would be but sport for his pencil. Turner, at Chatsworth, on this bright and busy day, might have produced a successful rival to his own celebrated picture of Richmond Hill.

During the hours of shooting, the Duke of Devonshire's Russian carriage was upon the ground, and the singularity of its construction, together with the long-bearded Russ coachman, and the beauty, spirit, and prancing of the horses, attracted general attention. At the close of the Archery, the Duke seated himself in this curiously-fashioned vehicle, and passed along the park, through a crowd of spectators, with astonishing rapidity. The horses appeared to be as wild as the untamed colts of Arabia; they were, nevertheless, as manageable and as docile as any road-horse could possibly have been. From the park, the Duke and his friends retired to an out-building, which had been fitted up for the occasion, at Edensor. A company of about one hundred and seventy sat down to dinner. A ball succeeded, and thus ended the Peak Archery Meeting of 1823, in Chatsworth Park.

THE FLORA OF THE PEAK.

TO MR. WM. EDWARDS, of the Moravian Academy at Fulneck, I take this opportunity of returning my acknowledgments for the following List of the Peak Plants of Derbyshire. His accurate knowledge of the subject has enabled me to lay before my readers a valuable document. The communication is given with the accompanying letter, in the form in which it was received.

DEAR SIR,

TO MR. E. RHODES, the Author of PEAK SCENERY.

Various necessary engagements have prevented me from sooner completing the subjoined list of Peak plants, remarkable for variety or beauty or other peculiarities. It may still be in time for insertion at the end of your Fourth Part; for its scientific and tabular form would make it appear like a blotch in the midst of your glowing pictures of that delightful region. I am sorry that I have not been able to render the catalogue more worthy of a place in your work: it is principally defective in the ordinary class of plants, to which I never directed much attention, having before gleaned a tolerable collection of them elsewhere. This particularly refers to the grasses, mosses, sedges and willows; in which classes, I believe, the Flora of the Peak does not possess any great richness. Whatever plants I have not myself seen, I have referred to their proper authorities, either in Pilkington's History of Derbyshire, or Smith's Flora Britannica. If this trifling contribution can in any degree repay the pleasure which I have derived from your labours, I shall think myself extremely happy. - With compliments to your family,

Fulneck, Feb, 24, 1820.

I am, very respectfully, yours,

W. EDWARDS.

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