ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF SPORTS. 5 



by Diogenes Laertius, was accuftomed to fre- 

 quent the public fpedacles, and even to wreftle 

 on the public theatre, and that he was more- 

 over occafionally a dealer in oil ; leaving his 

 illuflrious example upon record for a proof, 

 that neither the manly exercifes, nor the gain- 

 ful purfuits of commerce, are unbecoming the 

 moft exalted charafters. 



National fports and pleafures are generally 

 rational and humane, in proportion to the de- 

 gree of civilization, and of liberty, which ob- 

 tains among the people. The recreations of 

 barbarians or flaves, taking a tin6lure from their 

 favage, or abjefl: manners, will ever be ferocious 

 and bloody. Civil liberty difpofes the minds of 

 men to refleftion and fympathy, and to content 

 and hilarity, by reftoring to them their natural 

 rights, together with due Icifure to enjoy theme 

 During the commonwealths of ancient Greece, 

 and under thofe which were afterwards eftab- 

 liflied in modern Italy, the innocent and manly 

 diverfions held a rank in the public eflimation, 

 next to literature and the arts. Under the de- 

 grading tyranny of the Casfars, the fports of the 

 Roman people confided in the exhibition of 

 the moft favage acls of barbarity. By a ftrange 

 depravity of tafte, in rational creatures, engen- 

 dered from a fpurious and unnatural curiofity, 

 a view of the infliftion of the keeneft mifery 

 upon fellow men and animals, was found to 



convey 



