ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF SPORTS. 3I 



good bit of mutton, unlcfs he can gouge, belUi- 

 cife and bite ? In plain Englifti, their coinbat- 

 ants are permitted to thrufl at their antagonift's 

 eyes with the thumbs; and fome are To expert 

 at that beftial mancEuvre, as to turn an eye 

 clean out of the focket ; and even to lacerate 

 and wound thofe facred parts, againft which 

 their prototypes, the Hebrew women of anti- , 

 quity, in their rage, had fuch mortal fpite. 



If I recolleft aright, I firft gathered the idea 

 that the well-known tender-heartednefs and 

 averfion froai affaffination and blood of the 

 Englifh populace, was to be attributed, in great 

 meafure, to the pra61ice of boxing, from the 

 letters on Italy, of the fenfible and judicious 

 Sharpe. Does a true Englifh blackguard take 

 it into his wife head, tjiat you have put an un- 

 pardonable affront upon him, the utmoR that 

 you have to dread from his refentmcnt (be 

 you native or foreigner) is a pair of handfome 

 black eyes, a bloody nofe, and half a fcore 

 lovely contufions, which may bring you into 

 great credit with your furgeon as a good pa- 

 tient : but fhould the fellow, in the hurry of 

 the fray, tip you the femblance of a quietus, a 

 thoufand to one but the fenfibilities of his foul, 

 excited by your fallen (late, drown all ideas of 

 vensfeance, and that he himfelf (hall be the firft 

 to lift you up, and carry you to a place of 

 fafety. The naval officers efpecially, have all 



the 



