ATHLETIC EXEIICISES, \0T 



The pain inflicted and suffered by the pcr.sons engaged ,j,j^^ efforts of 

 in tliese contests have caused tliem to be stigmatised by combat dimi- 

 many humane persons, as cruel. But to judge of the "'^^^^^^ st"se 

 feelings of the combatants by those of tiie spectators, is a 

 very inadequate criterion. It is an acknowledged physi- 

 ological truth, that tlie simultaneous actions of voluntary 

 exertion, and of sensation, arc in great measure incom- 

 patible with each other. Hence the utility of the bullet 

 in the soldier's mouth, who is suftering punislnnent: by 

 strongly exerting the muscles of masticadon on this un- 

 yielding s.ibstancc he diminishes the sensation of pain. 

 Even our immortal bard appears to have been acquainted 

 with this fact, when he makes lienry the Fifth desire his 

 soldiers, previous to mounting the deadly breach, to 



" Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood; 

 ** To set the teeth, and stretch the nostril wide, 

 " Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit, 

 « To his full height." 



Such is the condition of persons engaged in a boxing 

 match. And many who can contemplate the gallantry 

 and spirit displayed in a contest of this kind, with con- 

 siderable satisfaction, would shrink with abhorrence 

 from the spectacle of a man beaten in like manner, were 

 he at the same time deprived of the power of resistance. 



It is also matter of common observation, that a man. Robust const!- 



. • r x^ J. 1 ' i.-j. i.' a- tutlons sulFer 



in possession ot a robust and vigorous constitution, sutlers j^^g f^.^^ ^,^^^ 



much less pain from a certain degree of injury than a per- leuce than the 



son in a more feeble state of health. Carry this a little ^l^^ and irri- 

 ^ . "^ table would do. 



farther, and we find a delicate lady, whose flaccid muscles 



hardly suffice to support a debilitated frame from one 

 chamber to another, yet highly susceptible of pain from 

 the slightest external injury, and suffering almost anni- 

 hilation at the sudden clapping of a. door. It would 

 seem, therefore, as if the force and irritability of the 

 muscles, and the susceptibility of the nerves were in the 



inverse ralio of each other. The effect of a course of ^ . . 



r raming "ive* 

 training appears to be to augment the quantity, and irri- this vigour, 



lability of the muscular fibre, and at the same time, to 



diminish the morbid sensibility of the nervous system. 



And I think it is advancing a step in physiological know- 



P % ledge, 



