Ancient Games and Pastimes, 557 
all the gentle instincts of their sex deliberately sentencing 
to death the prostrate wretch, who has fought for their 
pleasure, and who vainly appeals to them for mercy and 
for life, we can but conclude that sentiments of humanity 
must have reached a fearfully low ebb in the nation which 
tolerates such spectacles ; indeed, nothing is more calculated 
to give us an accurate idea of the character of the Roman 
people in the days of the Empire than the gladiatorial ex- 
_ hibitions. They were as a race proud, selfish, and cruel, 
and as long as they were gratified with the due amount of 
blood and slaughter, they were indifferent to the tyranny 
of the emperors, the license of the soldiers, or the sufferings 
of the provincials. 
We have briefly pointed out the advantage of studying 
popular amusements, and the light which it is calculated to 
throw upon the darkness of history, and we now proceed to 
offer a slight sketch of some of the principal pastimes of our 
forefathers, without attempting elaborate details of their 
origin and history, and not adhering to strict chronological 
arrangement ; and although we do not pretend to write a 
philosophical essay on the subject, we trust that the inquiry 
will not be devoid of interest. 
Before the reign of Alfred, the Anglo-Saxon race had 
made next to no progress in intellectual cultivation, the 
clergy alone possessed any learning, and anxious to main- 
tain their influence over the people, probably did little to 
diffuse among the masses the knowledge they possessed. 
Alfred thus speaks of the ignorance which prevailed in his 
time,—“‘ When I took the kingdom, very few on this side 
of the Humber, very few beyond, not one that I recollect, 
south of the Thames, could understand their prayers in 
Latin, or could translate a letter from Latin into English.” 
During this period the country was divided into several 
independent and hostile kingdoms, and the people were in 
constant dread of the Danes. Alfred and his immediate 
successors did much to improve the condition of their sub- 
jects, but after the death of Edgar, in the year 975, the 
country which for a long time had been at peace, became 
once more a prey to the Danes. The people lived in con- 
stant fear of their invaders, who, destitute themselves of 
learning, and delighting only in war, cherished a hatred for 
all the arts and products of peace. 
It is not to be wondered at that the Anglo-Saxons de- 
voted themselves to such pastimes as should best prepare 
them for combatting their enemies. They accordingly 
