14 COCK-FIGHTING, &C. 



a natural and irresistible passion, and can never 

 take place against his will, and since those engaged 

 in regular combat, upon the arena, would do so 

 voluntarily, and with equal ardour, did they meet 

 in the desert. Another and similar mistake is the 

 supposed additional cruelty of arming the heels of 

 the cock with steel, which, on the contrary, con- 

 duces to shorten the period of their sufferings. 

 THROWING at cocks, indeed, is really a diabolical 

 and contemptible act of barbarity, as are all other 

 tortures which animals are compelled to undergo. 

 Such are totally against the laws of reason, common 

 sense, and common humanity, and sufficient to bring 

 into disgrace and contempt the code of laws in which 

 they are tolerated. The human being who can feel 

 pleasurable sensations, on witnessing the agonized 

 feelings, harassment, and affright, of even the meanest 

 brute animal, deserves, in the first instance, supreme 

 and pointed contempt ; in the next, that is to say, 

 after light imparted without effect, detestation and 

 abhorrence. 



An old German writer, of the name of Cranen- 

 stein, we are informed, gives the following account 

 of the origin of our throwing at cocks on Shrove 

 Tuesday. Whilst the Danes were masters of Eng- 

 land, and lorded it over the natives, the inhabitants 

 of a certain city, grown weary of slavery, had 

 formed a secret conspiracy to murder their masters 

 in one bloody night, when twelve men had under- 

 taken to enter the town-hall by stratagem, and 

 seizing the arms, to surprise the guard which kept 

 it ; at which time, their fellows, upon a signal given, 



