CO Quirts.
To "keep up its charter," as the saying is, Drury Lane is compelled to be equestrian at least once a year. This provision is not written in
Killi- Killi-
grew's patent, nor was it known to the lessees of the so-called "palmy day"; but nevertheless it is clearly set down in the book of Fate, as may be certainly inferred from a study of modern chronicles. When a whole line of Tantalides or Stuarts come to an unfortunate end, we have a right to suppose there is a fatality in the house ; so, when a year scarcely ever passes over the head of Old Drury without a troop of horse starting from the soil, we have a right to surmise, however " legitimate " the com- mencement of the season' that something gymnastic is at hand. There is, however, this important difference between the present and former years : the horses, themselves successful, used to follow and precede ill-luck ; on this occasion, Mr. Brooke being lucky, is succeeded by a lucky troop of American equestrians, who will probably be followed by a lucky panto- mime. So does Fortune, with unaverted face, smile on Mr. E. T. Smith.
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