252 THE SPORTING WORLD. 



any man at disadvantage, he has neither the 

 treachery of the Spaniard or the wiliness of 

 the Italian ; if you offend him he knocks you 

 down. If he does not do this at the time you 

 are perfectly safe ; he watches no opportunity 

 to avenge his cause without exposing his own 

 person to harm or hurt ; surely this is a fine 

 feeling as from man to man. Much has been 

 said as regards the pugilist being more fitted 

 for a soldier than other men ; so far as not 

 fearing facing any man of any country, however 

 artificially or naturally ferocious in appearance, 

 he certainly is so. But the soldier is so per- 

 fectly a machine of art, acting en masse, that 

 the manly feelings and bearing of the pugilist 

 stands him in little stead ; the danger is differ- 

 ent ; he has as a soldier no individual powers 

 of resistance ; the veriest coward and the bravest 

 heart march mechanically side by side ; and the 

 only advantage the brave spirit has is he feels 

 undismayed where the other is half frightened. 



