and looks down from a lofty eminence on his weaker brethren. What is the good of telling A. G. Steel not to move out of his ground to fast bowling, seeing that he does so constantly, and gets four runs by a fine hit when he ‘gives her the rush’? He will not heed you; and why should he? Apart altogether from the natural accuracy and quickness of hand and eye, without a proper allowance of which labour will be in vain, a great deal depends on the temperament of each player. Whether failure is owing to health, to inability to recover elasticity of spirits after a few defeats, or to some other cause, it is impossible to say. But let the good player who goes through a whole month, or perhaps even a season, with very bad luck, and comes out in the end with a bad average, comfort himself with this reflection, that not only have good players had these reverses, but even the very best. Mr. W. G. Grace must be accustomed to hear and see his name referred to, but even he has had spells of bad luck, and he will, we are sure, excuse us if we put in full the following figures of innings which were played when he was in his prime:-- _June 15 and 16, 1871._--_Gloucestershire_ v. _Surrey_. c. R. Humphrey, b. Street 1 _June 19 and 20, 1871._--_M.C.C._ v. _Cambridge University_. c. Ward, b. Bray 4 c. Thornton, b. Bray 4 _June 22 and 23, 1871._--_M.C.C._ v. _Oxford University_. c. and b. Butler 15 _June 29 and 30, 1871._--_Gentlemen of South_ v. _Players of South_. c. Lillywhite, b. Southerton 4 b. Lillywhite 11 These figures show how the mighty do sometimes fall, and this certainly ought to console those in the humbler walks of the cricket world. Some players have shot up like rockets, played for a season or so, and then have been heard of no more; but the county that plays a series of county matches will act unwisely if it shunts a player who has shown that he possesses real batting ability. Of course there are limits to the patience of every club committee, but all committees would be wise if they were to err on the side of leniency in this matter.