342 CENTURY OF ENGLISH FOX-HUNTING 



of both. The friendly rivalry between regiments 

 in sport urges them to a friendly rivalry on the 

 battlefield to emulate each other in bravery. 

 Certainly there is truth in the old definition of 

 sport, that it is the image of war without its guilt. 

 If, therefore, sport aids the State by making its 

 army more efficient, should there not be some 

 reciprocity on the part of the State? 



Of late years there has been a slight tendency 

 in public opinion to answer this question in the 

 affirmative. Games are permitted in the majority 

 of public parks, and visitors to the parks can see 

 to what a large extent this concession is appreciated. 

 On the other hand, it must be remembered that the 

 acreage of village greens and other common land 

 has been much curtailed, so that if it had not 

 been for the concession many small clubs with 

 limited incomes would have been abolished. Be- 

 sides, it is absolutely necessary that the working 

 classes of our large towns should be provided with 

 healthy outdoor recreation for the sake of the pro- 

 tection of society, since, in the absence of healthy 

 recreation, they will devote their time to those 

 unhealthy amusements, which are productive of 

 drunkenness, immorality, and crime. Public atten- 

 tion has lately been called to the ruffianism which 

 exists amongst the youths of the Pentonville district 

 of London, in regard to which it was my duty to 

 make inquiries. It appears to me that the primary 

 cause of this ruffianism is that the perpetrators 



