32 ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF SPORTS. 



the reafon in the world to join with me in 

 commendation of the illuftrious humanity of 

 our poor countrymen ; and if the names of 

 certain of them had appeared in a petition for 

 mercy on a late melancholy occafion, it had re- 

 dounded more to their honour than the taking 

 or finking a hoflile fleet. 



The lower people of England want nothing 

 but inflru6lion, to make them the mod valua- 

 ble and peaceable citizens in the world. What 

 a fad reverfe to look to the continent. Should 

 you offend a Dutchman, you will have reafon 

 to blefs your good luck and your agility, if you 

 do not feci the whole length of his enormous 

 bread and cheefe knife in your entrails. In 

 Spain and Italy the cafe is flill more dreadful ; 

 there you may have the fpado, or the fliletto, 

 whipped through your loins, and yet be ut- 

 terly unconlcious of the offence you have given, 

 or whom you have offended. At Genoa, fays 

 Mr. Gray, one hundred and fifty affaffmations 

 are committed yearly, and chiefly among the 

 lower claffes ; an aflaffm being fure to efcape, 

 who can make intercft with a noble, or 

 raife a hundred and fifty livres. At Naples, 

 Dr. Owen informs us, five thousand per- 

 sons perifiied, in one year, by the bloody hand 

 of aflaffmatidn. " A conference is faid to have 

 been lately held, with his Neapolitan Majefty 

 upon the fiibie61, and the neceflity of punifh- 



ing 



