Related article: F. Lawley- on " A Word for Pugilism ** (Baily's Magazine, January, 1874), among others: " Indubitably commendable, kind- ly too, clearly the workmanship of a cultured gentleman, and a true^ as distinguished from a pseudo-humanitarian sportsman." ^* One strong man in a blatant land — one who can, and is not afraid to defend the old .manly sport of honest, fair, stand-up pugilism." "Sir," said Dr. Johnson to Boswell, ** clear your mindoi cant ; you may talk as other people do, but don't think foolishly." On another occasion the " great lexicographer," the high priest of eighteenth - century ethics and criticism, the whole-minded, pious, big-hearted Johnson, used these words and said: — " I am sorry that prize-fighting has gone out ; every art should be preserved, and the art of de- fence is surely important . . . Prize-fighting made people accus- tomed not to be alarmed at seeing their own blood or feeling a little pain from a wound." The Curse op Gambling. I even go further than Mr. Lawley. Prize-fighting did foster "heroic qualities " and other vir- tues without destroying or deaden- I900.] THE ETHICS OF THE PRIZE RING. 103 ing gentler and more humane characteristics. That was prize- fighting per 5^, the prize-fighting of our forefathers, honest, manly prize-fighting. What ruined, by degrading this sport, was gam- bling, and gambling touches no sport it does not defile. It has depraved and ruined wrestling. I speak from knowledge when I declare that few men have seen a square, honest, stand-up wrestling match at Grasmere, or anywhere in the Lake District, for many years where the stakes were worth " Barneying " for. Dr. Johnson himself was no mean boxer. Mrs. Piozzi says he was taught by an " Uncle Andrew," an adept at the science, and a worthy Christian gentleman. At the end of the last century another Johnson had arisen who knew now to use his fists, and came to be a champion of the ring. Johnson the bruiser must have been a downright good, honest man to boot. For . instance, in the London General Evening Post of ifanuary 8th, 1788, I find the bllowing interesting paragraph about this man: — Story of Johnson, the Bruiser. " The story of Johnson the bruiser's generosity, published in a morning paper, is not exactly true ; though in its true statement the anecdote is highly to his honour. A companion in the same employment fell down with a burden and broke a bone, which disabled him for two months, during all which time Johnson worked over hours, and earned twenty-seven shillings a week more than usual, which he regu- larly delivered to his confined friend. Thus we see that the practice of boxing is by no means inconsistent with the most gene- rous emotions of the heart." The Mendoza-Humphreys Fight. In the same paper I find a racy account of the great match be- tween the Jew bruiser, Mendoza, and Humphreys, fought at Odi- ham on the previous day in pre- sence of a vast crowd. '* The paddock," says the reporter, "was well defended against the multi- tude by Tring, Ryan, Dunn, and a number of the others Pentoxifylline Trental of the strongest men in England, who, with clubs, looked like so many giants," — ^just the sort of fellows we should like to see at some of our gre^t football matches in this the last decade of our enlightened and " eminently superior " Trental Pentoxifylline nine- teenth century. Humphreys, who gave Mendoza a square and effec- tual hiding, was seconded by the aforesaid Johnson, and with your permission I will reproduce the contemporary account of the great battle ;— " The combatants mounted the stage exactly at one o'clock, and after the usual salutation Men- Pentoxifylline 400 Mg doza instantly began the onset with all the heat and impetuosity of a man determined to victory. He threw himself in with such activity, and displayed much showy enterprise, while Hum- phreys retreated and avoided the blows. The latter bore himself with great reserve, and the Jew was accordingly the assailant in the first six or seven rounds. In these Mendoza, being more hazar- dous and more successful than Humphreys, the bets, which were two to one in favour of the latter before the battle, changed to six to Buy Pentoxifylline four, seven to four, and at last two to one Pentoxifylline Tinnitus against him. Several blows of Mendoza had their effect. He cut Humphreys under the left eye, and of course endeavoured to follow up the wound ; but in this he was disappointed by the su- perior address of his opponent. I04 BAILY S MAGAZINE. [August The stage, from the wetness of the Pentoxifylline Sr day, was extremely slippery, and for some time neither of them could keep their feet Pentoxifylline Er so as to give firmness to their action. To remedy this, Humphreys threw off his shoes, and got a pair of worsted stockings, in which, with- out shoes, he continued the battle with improved footing. After they had fought eighteen or nineteen minutes, Humphreys began to manifest his superior skill, and the bets again changed in his favour. He planted a dreadful blow on the neck, or near the jaw of the Jew, which sickened and almost disabled him. He con- tinued the battle, however, with much determination of spirit, until extravasated blood and ex- hausted wind made him so help- less that he lay on the stage unable to rise, and yielded the contest. A battle in which there was so much dexterity and skill, with such equality of strength and muscle, perhaps never was fought.*' It is poor " sport '* that is un- attended by personal danger. In honest boxing, the maximum of what I may term '* pluck culture," open, manly, fearless antagonism, is obtained at a minimum of per- sonal risk.