Popular Spof^ts and Exrrcises. 177 



!ia$ always claimed of rendering subservient to 

 his wanton sports, the lives and feelings of the 

 brute creation. It wkii come with more pro- 

 priety under discussion in the sequel of these 

 observations. — But it may not be improper, at 

 present, to animadvert on the consequences of 

 rendering bloody scenes familiar and amus- 

 ing to even an enlightened people. 



The frequent spectacle of * animals con-* 

 flicting with each other in the games of the 

 amphitheatre, gradually hardened the public 

 mind, and begat a necessity for diversions of a 

 more animated and dangerous kind. — Men 

 were encouraged, and even compelled to 

 enter the lists with wild beasts. At hrst, con- 

 demned criminals forfeited their lives in these 

 contests. But these were not sufficiently nu- 

 merous to gratify the appetite of a degraded 



* In ibe shew of wild beasts exhibited by Julius Caesar 

 in his third Consulship, twenty elephanls were opposed 

 (o 500 footmen, and 20 more with turrets on (heir 

 backs (sixty men being allowed to each turret) engaged 

 uilh 600 fool and as many horse. There were three 

 torts of these diversions, under the common title of Ve- 

 nation. The first, when the people were permitted io 

 run after the beaits and catch what they could for their 

 own use — the second, when the bea$ts fought with one 

 another ; and the third, when they were brought out to 

 engage '*'»^li rocn. See Kennel's Roman Anti- 

 quities. 



Z 



