m 



ON THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF 

 MANLY AND ATHLETIC EXERCISES, 



SUCH AS SPARRING 5 AND A FEW REMARKS IN 



DEFENCE OF THE MUCH-ABUSED CUSTOM 



OF BRITISH BOXING. 



I. 



** Why should scholars bend for ever 



Over Livy's pictured tome, 

 "Why ponder o'er the terse with lore 



Of ancient pagan Rome ? 

 Why sigh to view the chariots 



Career 'midst dust and spray. 

 Why long for oil and canvass 



Of an ancient circus day ? 



II. 



** Ye artists, take Apelles' pencil, 



'Twas a sight to woo the chisel 

 Of a Phidias, when each Roman 



Chose to die before he'd " mizzle." 

 When the Latian tens of thousands. 



Sat and gloried in the " foight," 

 At the clashing of the cestus. 



At the glancing of the quoit. 



III. 



** Oh, then there were no crosses. 



When a man once dared to peel. 

 No lyings down to compromise. 



No turnings on the heel. 



