ON SPORTS AND EXERCISES. 209 



mental with corporeal excellencies, cherished and dis- 

 played under the most pompous and fascinating appear- 

 ances in their popular diversions and solemn festivals, 

 may the splendid achievements of this distinguished peo- 

 ple be attributed*. Considered in the light of affording 

 amusement, exciting generous emulation, and of creating 

 robust and hardy citizens, endowed with energy to resist 

 slavery at home, and enemies from abroad, the gymnastic 

 exercises, with some exceptions, and under proper regu- 

 lations, are worthy of the admiration and imitation of all 

 free and civilized states. But there was another kind of p^i^Ug sports, 

 popular sport, common to the less polished states of consisting in 

 Greece, and which has been practised by mankind, not ferocious ani- 

 only in the rude and barbarous, but (to the disgrace of mals; which 



humanity) in the most advanced and polished period of ^^^,*}^P^^^^^ 



and barbarous, 

 civilized life. This amusement depended on the contests 



of ferocious animals, whose natural antipathies were 

 made use of, and designedly inflamed to gratify a depraved 

 and barbarous taste,— '' They delight," says Lucian, 

 (speaking of the Greeks,) " to behold the combats of 

 bald and generous animals, and their own contentions are 

 still more animated." — The savage ferocity inspired by 

 the frequent repetition of such barbarous exhibitions, ac- 

 counts in some measure for the conduct of the Ephori of 

 Sparta, who, when they declared war against the Helots, 

 ordered that the young bull-dogs should be employed in 



* Montesquieu is of opinion, that the want of employment for 

 the majority of the citizens, compelled the Greeks to become a 

 society of athlelcz:nd military combatants; for, he observes, 

 " they were not permitted to follow the ordinary occupations of 

 agriculture, commerce, and the baser arts; and they were forbiddeo 

 to be idle; consequently, their only resource was in the gymnastic 

 and military exercises." But this assertion is contradicted by the 

 practice of some of the Grecian states, s We know that in Athens 

 commerce was highly esteemed and successfully cultivated. This 

 writer must therefore be understood in a restrictive and qualified 

 sense, when he says, " II faut done regarder les Grecs comme unc 

 societe d'athletes & des combattans."— Montesquieu de I'esprit de 

 loix. liv. IV. chap. VIII. 



The Pancratium, in which the antagonists voluntarily threw 

 themselves on the ground, and annoyed each other by pinching, 

 biting, scratching, and every kind of savage attack, ought not to 

 lie endured in a civUizc^ country. 



worrying 



