Manly and Athletic Exercises, 389 



in Gothenburg the day it was put up, and naturally stopped to look 

 at it. A few people were grouped around it, and among them I ob- 

 served a crew of Bohus Land fishermen. Every one had his case- 

 knife by his side, and, as I watched their stern determined counte- 

 nances while they silently criticised this statue, I felt pretty certain 

 that the spirit of the old "Bait spannare" had not entirely died out, 

 but that if a man unhappily came in collision with this crew, the 

 case-knife at their sides would prove their readiest weapon. By a 

 •curious coincidence, on returning to the town I saw exposed in a 

 •shop window a picture of the boxing match which had just taken 

 place in England between Tom King and Jem Mace. On pushing 

 my way through the crowd to have a look at it, I found the full crew 

 of an English brig admiring it, and it sounded cheery in a foreign land 

 to hear these manly fellows' remarks upon the battle. Now each of 

 these sailors had his clasp-knife by his side, but, nevertheless, I felt 

 pretty certain that if I did chance to get into a row with one of 

 them his knife would never be drawn against my naked fisc, and 

 though very probably I should receive a good licking, I should be 

 sure at least of a fair even-handed light, and that his mates would 

 never interfere even if I did get the best of it, as long as I fought 

 fairly. And it is my firm belief that this manly feeling is in a great 

 degree owing to the usages of the British prize-ring, properly 

 conducted, and, moreover, that it will in a great measure die out 

 among our lower classes when the prize-ring is put down, and the 

 race of good old English boxers becomes extinct. 



I do not consider that I am myself a bit more cruel or evil 

 disposed than my neighbours, although I do uphold the cause of 

 fair British boxing, looking upon the practice as I do as a necessary 

 evil. Once for all I will say this : I regard fighting and quarrelling 

 of ever}^ kind as a breach of the moral law, and as a social evil 5 

 and if all would obey the Divine commandment, that man should 

 love his neighbour as himself, we could dispense with many other 

 institutions besides the prize-ring which the conduct of man 

 towards his brother has now rendered absolutely necessary, not 



