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the concussion of the blow ; the middle joints should recede from the 

 index to the little finger. 



Not so. 



The fists should be kept loosely closed until just going to strike ; they 

 should then be clenched like a vice, and the blow driven straight from 

 the shoulder, throwing as much weight into it as possible. While a 

 hard fist will punish better than a soft one, the effect of a blow is 

 regulated by the force with which it is sent from the shoulder and not 

 by the consistency of the fist alone. 



When the nose gets tapped, snuff up and don't blow out. The 

 best thing for a black eye is to clap a piece of raw beef to it and keep 

 it there for a couple of hours. 



It is all nonsense for some people to say that a knowledge of boxing 

 induces a boy or a man to become quarrelsome and often a bully. 

 Even if such were the result it would not be sufficient reason for his 

 living in ignorance of the best means of defence God has given him. 

 Knowing how to box scientifically has, however, quite the contrary 

 effect with well-conditioned and well-educated men, and this has been 

 demonstrated by thousands of examples where men who were good 

 with their fists never gave offence, and were the very last to get into 

 a row. When in it, of course they knew how to get out of it. I do 

 not allude to ill-conditioned fellows ; they are the exception and only 

 prove the rule. 



But to go further into the subject. If nearly every man was known 

 to be handy with his fists there would be little or no fighting, for most 

 fellows would know they were likely to get as much as, if not more 

 than, they could give, and the bully, almost always a coward, would be 

 the most sensitive on that point. 



If two young fellows are constantly squabbling, or have a serious 

 misunderstanding, the very best way for settling the matter is to have 

 it out with the gloves — by no means with the naked fists. Seconds to 

 each and a referee should be provided, and, if they be boys, they should 

 be of fairly equal height, weight, and age. Unless they are badly- 

 disposed chaps they will most likely be good friends for ever after, even 

 though one may have given the other a sound thrashing. 



I know an instance myself where two fellows could never agree, and 

 were always wrangling, making it most unpleasant to those they might 

 be in company with. At my suggestion one day they both peeled off, 

 and at it they went with the bare fists. They certainly gave and took 

 punishment like men, and for some three or four rounds they milled 

 merrily. W^e then separated them before either had got the best of it, 



