CIRCASSIANS. 
209 
sn a greater or less degree, at different periods of their history ; and, 
less than a century past, we had gladiators in London, who fought and 
bled, but never kille'd each other. Malcolm’s Anecdotes of the Man- 
ners and Customs of this great Metropolis, contains numerous parti- 
culars relating to those modern swordsmen ; whose exertions were 
rivalled by several females, in the art of boxing and cutting. One of 
their challenges, from the publication alluded to, will be a proper 
conclusion to this article. “ In Islington Road, on Monday, being 
the 17th of July, 1727, will be performed a trial of skill by the follow- 
ing combatants. We, Robert Baker and Mary Welsh, from Ireland, 
having often contaminated our sw'ords in the abdominous corporations 
of such antagonists as have had the insolence to dispute our skill, do 
find ourselves once more necessitated to challenge, defy, and invite 
Mr. Stokes, and his bold Amazonian virago, to meet us on the stage ; 
where we hope to give a satisfaction to the honourable lord of our 
nation, who has laid a wager of twenty guineas on our heads. They 
that- give the most cuts to have the whole money, and the benefit of 
the house. And if swords, daggers, quarter-staff, fury, rage, and 
resolution, will prevail, our friends shall not meet with a disapoint- 
ment.”— ** We, James and Elizabeth Stokes, of the city of London, 
having already gained an universal approbation by our agility of body, 
dexterous hands, and courageous hearts, need not preambulate on this 
occasion, but rather choose to exercise the sword to their sorrow, 
and corroborate the general opinion of the town, than to follow the 
custom of our repartee antagonists. This will be the last time of 
Mrs. Stokes performing on the stage. There will be a door on pur- 
pose for the reception of the gentlemen, where coaches may drive up 
to it, and the company come in without being crowded. Attendance 
will be given at three, and the combatants mount at s’x. They all 
fight in the same dresses as before,” 
Circassians. 
The inhabitants of Circassia, a country in Asia. The Circassian 
women are extremely well-shaped, with exceeding fine 'features, smooth 
clear complexions, and beautiful black eyes, which with their black 
hair, hanging in two tresses, one on each side the face, give them the 
most lovely appearance ; they wear a black coif on their heads, covered 
with a fine white cloth, tied under the chin. During summer they all 
wear only a chemise of divers colours, and that far too open to 
afford modest and becoming concealment ; thus with their beautiful 
faces, always uncovered, contrary to the customs of many of the other 
provinces in these parts, their good humour and lively freedom in con- 
versation, altogether render them very attracting; notwithstanding this, 
they have the reputation of being very chaste, though much exposed 
to temptation ; for, according to the accounts of a late traveller, 
it is an established point of good manners among them, that as soon 
as any person comes in to speak to the wife, the husband goes out of 
the house ; but whether this continency of theirs proceeds from their 
own generosity, to recompense their husbands for the confidence they 
place in them, or has its foundation only in fame, he pretends not to 
