NOBLE ART OF SELF-DEFENCE 251 



" What infernal nonsense you are talking ! It was a per- 

 fectly fair hit — all my own fault for not having stopped it." 

 He was a generous patron of the Prize Ring, " I think," 

 he once said in public, " that boxing is a noble and manly 

 sport, and I believe in the Ring as a necessary evil, as it is 

 horrible to see a man tried for murder for sticking a knife 

 into another in a quarrel which should have ended in a 

 couple of black eyes and a shake of the hand. I used to 

 like to see a fight between a couple of clever light-weights 

 who could spar well and who would not be asked to go on 

 when one was evidently beaten ; for it was cruel to let two 

 game fellows hammer one another to pieces for the bets." 

 Those are sensible and weighty words from one of the 

 finest and manliest characters of his time. He was the 

 very soul of honour and chivalry in public and in private 

 life, and no truer sportsman than " Bob " Grimston ever 

 threw leg over saddle, handled a cricket-bat, or donned a 

 boxing-glove. 



