320 ^^ SPORTS AND EXERCISE*. 



to be rigidly proliibitcd ; nor should men eTcrbe snffercd 

 to prostitute their strength and valour for the sordid pur- 

 pose of gain. 

 Where boxing It is a singular though striking fact, that in those part? 



IS not used m ^f ^j^^ kingdom where the generous and manly system of 

 our country, . . ° . ° v / 



there is a great- pugilism is least practised, and whcpe, /or the most part^ 

 er nse of bar- ^H personal disputes are decided by the exertion of savage 

 ^ strength and ferocity — a fondness for barbarous and 



bloody sports is found to prevail. In some parts of Lan- 

 cashire bulLhuiting and nian-slai/ing are common prac- 

 tices. The knowledge of pugilism as an art is, in these 

 places, neither understood nor practised. There is no 

 established rule of honour to save the weak from the 

 strong, but every man's life is at the mercy of his success- 

 ful antagonist. The object of each combatant in these 

 disgraceful contests, is, to throw each other prostrate on 

 the ground, and then with hands and feet^ teeth and 

 nails, to inflict, at random, every possible degree of in- 

 jury and torment*. This is not an exaggerated state- 

 ment of the barbarism still prevailing in many parts of 

 this kingdom. The county assizes for Lancashire afford 

 toamany convincing proofs of the increasing mischiefs 

 arising from the^e savage and disgraceful combats. 

 Murders pre- The Judges, on these occasions, have frequently de- 

 th N°^tV° Glared in the most solemn and impressive charges to the 



CircBit, where 



they do not 



•o^» * A disgusting instance of this ferocious mode of deciding quar- 



rels, was not long since brought forward at the Manchester sessrons. 

 It appeared in evidence, that two persons, upon some trifling dis- 

 pute, at a public-house, agreed to lock themselves up in a room 

 with the landlord and " fight it out" according to the Bolton me» 

 thod. This contest lasted a long time, and was only terminated 

 by the loss of the greatest part of the nose and a part of an ear, 

 belonging to one of the parties, which were actually bitten off by 

 the other, during the fight. The sufferer exhibited at the tr-al, 

 part of the ear so torn off; and when asked by the counsel, what 

 had become of that part of his nose which was missing — he le- 

 ^ plied, with perfect naivete — '* That he believed his antagonist had 



swallowed it!!" It has happened to the writer of these remarks to 

 witness, in more than one instance, the picking up in the strctta, 

 lacerated portions of ears and fingers, after these detestable and 

 savage broils. Purely cither our laws or manners might interfere 

 , in suppressing such deeds of savage barbarity! 



Gran4 



