Jds On the Use and Abuse of 



^tituted. In or.ler to investigate Some of the 

 moral and political effects of these popular 

 Sports and public games, which contributed 

 tb largely in raising the Greeks and Romans 

 to a height of unparalleled grandeur, it will be 

 necessary to examine the foundation of a 

 system, which, in some respects, when freed 

 from its worse abuses, particularly those 

 which the more ferocious character of Rome 

 introduced, may not illaudably nor unusefully 

 be imitated by the most civilized nations. 



Though it may, perhaps, be admitted, that 

 the difference in the state of knowledge and 

 general policy, in the ancient and modern 

 world, will not admit of a close approximation 

 ih the system of their public sports and amuse- 

 ments ; yet the principles to which the Greeks 

 directed their attention in controuling popular 

 amusements, deserve the limited imitation of 

 every free and enlightened people. For, their 

 aim was to direct to innocent and useful ob- 

 jects, two of the most powerful principles of 

 the human breast ; — the love of pleasure and 

 the love of action. Hence arose the institution 

 of the * gymnastic exercises, which formed the 



* Lycon, according to Pliny, first instituted the 

 gymnastic games in Arcadia, whence they were extended 

 Ihroughout Greece and successively conlribnted to the 

 3 



