Popular Sports and Excr0ises, 199 



this period improved in valour and hardihood, 

 is not recorded in the pages of 'their history. 

 But may we not, with just ]f)r&ie, appeal to 

 facts furnished by our own age and country ? 

 Has the valour, enterprize, or intrepidity of 

 British soldiers and sailors shone less^eons])!- 

 cuous, since the period that bull-baiting and 

 other barbarous sports have declined, through- 

 out most parts of the kingdom ? I'he answer 

 is recorded in the history of our late naval and 

 military transactions. 



The conduct of the Spaniards and- Portu- 

 gueze, when contrasted with that of our own 

 countr}'men, is a striking proof of the incom- 

 petency of savage and cruel amusements to 

 create a courageous and warlike disposition. — 

 Bull-fights still constitute the only active po- 

 pular amusement of the two countries.— If 

 these bloody sports were capable of inspiring 

 active courage and manly fortitude, how arc 

 we to account for the acknowledofcd dcire- 

 neracy of the people of Spain arid Portugal in 

 these warlike qualities } 



The advocates for bull-baiting and similar 

 sports, have recourse to another argument, or 

 rather assertion, which they urge with great 

 confidence : *' Cruel sports," they contend, 

 *' do not necessarily generate cruelty in a 

 people.'* " The English, (say they) who arc 

 •3 



