THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN gr 



the cock and the dog-pit, the former having been long the 

 resort of many of our accomplished noblemen and country 

 gentlemen, still standing its ground to a certain extent, 

 whilst the latter is nearly abandoned. "Whether it may 

 last another century is a matter of some speculation, from 

 the alternations which occur in the taste for all national 

 sport ; but that it has stood the test of ages is a fact too 

 well established to admit of a doubt, as well as that a moral 

 has been drawn from it. Themistocles's famous address 

 to the Athenian soldiers affords one, and a signal one, too. 

 On their march to battle he halted them, and directed 

 their attention to two cocks that were fighting, descanting 

 on their determination to conquer or die ; and ordered 

 cock-fighting to be afterwards annually exhibited in the 

 camp. The Romans likewise admired the martial spirit 

 of the gamecock ; and it is even asserted that Caesar's 

 troops introduced cock-fighting in England, during their 

 temporary invasion of the country, and that they even 

 made quails to fight. Still, Columella calls it a Grecian 

 diversion, and speaks of it in terms of ignominy, as an 

 expensive amusement (which it is), unbecoming the frugal 

 housekeeper, and often attended with the ruin of the 

 parties who follow it. The most offensive part of thi? 

 practice, however, is now fortunately done away with I 

 mean the " Welsh main," as it is called, which consisted in 

 causing thirty-one of thirty-two cocks to be slaughtered, 

 before the surviving one was to be proclaimed the victor ! 



Although Frank Raby had seen some few exhibitions of 

 fighting-cocks in his father's neighbourhood, and at Eton, 

 he had never seen what is called "a main" fought ; but 

 having a wish to see one, he accompanied his friend 

 Hargrave to the Oxford cockpit, and was introduced by 

 him to the celebrated Bob Dolly, who was at that time 

 the proprietor of it. The particulars of this main need 

 not be given ; but, at the expiration of it, the following con- 

 versation took place between the two young sportsmen : 



" Well, Frank," said Hargrave (for Frank was he always 

 called by his intimates), " what do you think of cock- 

 tighting, now that you have seen it nearlv in its best 

 form 1 " 



" Why," replied Frank, " I have scarcely made up my 

 mind sufficiently on the subject, to give you a decided 

 answer. I am, however, prepared to say that although I 

 cannot go the length that you do, when you say, you look 



