Mr. Lestocq's amusing farce, _The Sportsman_, now being played at the Comedy Theatre, must inevitably recall to the experienced play-goer the plot and situations of _The Serious Family_ and _The Colonel_, _Truth_, _The Candidate_, _Artful Cards_, and it may be some others of the same extensive dramatic family. In this piece the husband, under pretence of joining a shooting-party, is accustomed to absent himself from home, in order to indulge his propensity for gambling, and he invariably brings home to his wife the hares and rabbits he has shot. This is "his little game." Just so did the husband in _The Serious Family_, when _Aminadab Sleek_ remarks that he has seen something very like them at a neighbouring poulterer's. In the Second Act the police make a raid on the gambling Club, and the husband escapes in any coat he can lay hold of, following the example of the unfortunate hero of _Artful Cards_, only that the situation at the end of _that_ Second Act was far stronger in that play than it is in _The Sportsman_. In _Artful Cards_ the unfortunate hero escaped, carrying a trombone, which turned up in evidence against him when he was inventing plausible explanations to his wife. In fact, _The Sportsman_ is concocted out of excellent old material cleverly worked up, with only one new point in it, to which, as it has escaped the eye of the English adapter, it would be useless to draw his attention; yet, had he seen it, he might therefrom have developed a really original sequence of perplexing situations. The dialogue is not particularly brilliant; jerky, not crisp. But such is the "go" of the principals, and especially of Mr. HAWTREY, who is the life and soul of the farce, that the laughter is hearty and continuous. * * * * * PATRIOTISM AT THE LAW COURTS. (_As we expect to see it._) ["THE INNS OF COURT AND THE VOLUNTEERS.--A Meeting was held yesterday afternoon in the Banqueting Hall of Lincoln's Inn for the purpose of taking such steps as might be deemed necessary to revive the former numerical strength of the Inns of Court Corps of Volunteers, now sadly below its proper strength."--_Daily Paper._] [Illustration] Frequent Meetings in the Banqueting Hall will soon rectify the "reduced condition," and, after a few gatherings, a gallant and learned Q. C. will don his ancient tunic, and present himself at Head Quarters. * * * * * "THE ETERNAL FEMININE!" (_By a candid--if capricious--Conjugator._) _Amo, amas_--All love a lass! _Amamus, amatis_--Churls cry, _jam satis_! _Amat, amant_--But that's masculine cant! _Amem, ames_--We wish to please. _Amemus, ametis_--'Cos love so sweet is. _Amet, ament_--Man's never content! _Amavissem_--We yearn to kiss 'em. _Amavisses_--They accept our kisses. _Ama, amato_--Lips like a tomato. _Amate, amanto_--Move many a canto. _Amare, amavisse_--We Marry sweet Missy. _Amans, amaturus_--Her charms to secure us.