When we Old Fogeys ivere JBoys. 207 



a dark room for a considerable time. No doubt these are 

 things of the past ; but boys of that age, who have a keen 

 sense of injured honour, and reckless as regards conse- 

 quences, and without science, ought never to have been 

 allowed to fight. It was downright dangerous. According 

 to the legends of the prize-ring fatal accidents were not 

 commoner than those in the hunting-field or steeplechase, 

 and many other sports ; but then the men were trained and 

 scientific, and, moreover, the seconds interfered in cases of 

 danger. 



In 1824 the Hon. Mr. Ashley, brother of Lord Shaftes- 

 bury, I presume, fought two hours and a half, and was 

 killed, at Ebon ; but then both boys were plied with brandy, 

 as was admitted on the inquest. 



I had only one fight of any consequence, and that was 

 when sixteen years old. A practical joke was played on Die 

 by another boy of as nearly my own age and size as possible. 

 I hit him straight in the face just before chapel on Sunday, 

 and we were separated; and although mutual friends tried 

 to pacify us, fight we would, as we hated one another, being 

 about equals in school position and everything else, and we 

 felt one must be master. My antagonist was, when at the 

 Bar, the author of the " Log of the Water Lily," and was 

 the pioneer who, in 1850, went up the Rhine in a four-oared 

 boat. He was seconded by his cousin, who now is Rector 

 of Rew in Devonshire. We fought in the schoolroom on 

 Monday morning forty-eight rounds in an hour and a 

 quarter, and were interrupted by school-time, and agreed to 

 go on again at twelve o'clock. The prefects then interfered 

 and made us shake hands, which we did most willingly, as 

 being thrown on an oak floor was no joke, and we were both 

 of us very stiff and tired and a good deal punished ; and 

 from that day forward he and I and his second messed 

 together, and were firm friends as long as we remained in 



