THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 229 



must say, that it seems to me a practice that may be very 

 advantageously encouraged to a limited extent. It is, in 

 some sort, a law of peace, for it discourages the use of 

 unfair means of attack ; it prevents malicious retaliation ; 

 it only enables men to employ, fairly, advantages they 

 may naturally possess, and from the abuse of which they 

 are restrained by the point of honour ; and while it 

 encourages a proper English spirit, it prevents courage 

 from degenerating into brutality, and secures men from 

 the treachery and malignity of those whom they have 

 offended.' This language," said the Captain, "is cor- 

 roborated by the well-known fact that, in Lancashire, 

 where fair boxing is very little resorted to in quarrels, 

 there are forty cases of manslaughter for one that takes 

 place in any other county in England. Then, as to the 

 charge of cruelty on the part of the promoters of boxing, 

 it cannot be sustained in the face of evidence to the 

 contrary. Where is there a more humane man than 

 Jackson, the present captain of the ring ; or Thomas 

 Belcher, the champion of all England 1 Within four 

 miles of where we are now sitting, are two promoters of 

 the ring the worthy master of the hounds, and Mr. 

 Henson than whom the world cannot produce two 

 kinder-hearted men. Who will accuse me of cruelty 

 towards man or beast ? " added the Captain emphati- 

 cally ; " such was never my disposition ; and I can 

 honestly assert that, so far from having witnessed in the 

 ring anything having a tendency to make me so, I have 

 witnessed the display of feeling and conduct productive 

 of the most opposite effects. Only let public pugilistic 

 contests go on as they are now conducted with honour 

 and credit to the parties concerned and, my word for it, 

 they will be the source of infinitely more good than harm 

 to society." 



" The sentiments you have given utterance to," observed 

 Eaby, "are precisely those which I myself entertain, and 

 which I have oftentimes availed myself of when arguing 

 the subject with my uncle. I remember reading to him a 

 passage from the speech of an eminent counsel, who was 

 defending five persons, indicted for having riotously 

 assembled for the purpose of witnessing a prize-fight, and 

 resisted the authority of an officer employed by the 

 magistrates to disperse them. ' As to the practice of 

 boxing, a great deal has been said about it of late, and the 



