Manly and Athletic Exercises, 38^ 



sent day (and which have alone brought the prize-ring to the low 

 position it now holds) were unknown. I would wish no more. 



I do not consider that a combat between two parties who are 

 free agents and rational beings, who can begin when they please, 

 leave off when they please — in fact, have no occasion to begin at. 

 all unless they do please — can even by the most ingenious sophistry 

 be placed in the same category as the baiting of balls and other dumb 

 animals. I am no advocate myself for dog-fighting, because I am 

 sorry to see such faithful, generous, and useful animals put to so bad 

 a purpose ; but I am not here going to defend or condemn it. I 

 see nothing in cock-fighting a bit more cruel or barbarous than many 

 other of our field sports 3 and if the same " innate cruelty of our 

 nature" is at the bottom of all, the motive that leads me to see an 

 execution, a prize-fight, a cock-fight, a horse-race, or a steeple-chase, 

 must be the same j and hunting, shooting, and angling must, if we 

 are consistent, and argue only on these grounds, be placed in schedule 

 A, as well as prize-fighting. 



I do most sincerely wish to see those times return (if they have 

 ever departed from our countrymen, which I much doubt), when 

 the rules of fair fighting, as exemplified in the prize-ring, became^ 

 as it were, tlie law of the land 3 when a dispute had to be settled by 

 an appeal to arms ; and by arms, be it clearly understood, tliat I 

 mean such only as nature has provided man with. 



It is in my opinion, one of the best features of the age we live in 

 tliat duelling is abolished, and I trust it will never be revived ; and 

 I hope I may yet live to see the day when flogging in the 

 army will be put a stop to. I will allow that it is an open question, 

 but, for my part, I should be happy to see capital punishment abo- 

 Jshed in all civilized nations. 



Some gentlemen may be inclined to settle their disputes amicably 

 or by an appeal to the courts of law — two very excellent plans, but 

 hardly to be adopted I fear in all cases. We must, I suppose, allow 

 something for the difference of habit and feeling, acquired by educa- 

 tion, between the higher and lower classes. Disputes between gen- 

 tlemen do not in general commeuce with any violence, and one 



