of glory. Walter Scott, in describing the battle of Waterloo, writes as follows:

"Amid the confusion presented by the fiercest and closest cavalry fight which had ever been seen, many individuals distinguished themselves by feats of per sonal strength and valour. Among these should not be forgotten Shaw, a corporal of the Life Guards, well known as a pugilistic champion, and equally formidable as a swordsman. He is supposed to have slain or disabled ten Frenchmen with his own hand before he was killed by a musket or pistol-shot."

There are a hundred other instances that we could quote of lionhearted men, who have left behind them names imperishable in the annals of bravery, and whose prowess and endurance in after-life may be fairly attributed to their early education in fistic knowledge. By referring to Godfrey's treatise upon the useful science of defence and Pierce Egan's "Boxiana," our readers will find the early history of this national sport carried on to a late period. Fig seems to be the first on record who held a Fistic Tournament. He was followed by Broughton, who for eighteen years was the champion of England. He was warmly supported by the Duke of Cumberland; and backed by His Royal Highness and other distinguished patrons, he opened an amphitheatre in Hanway-street, Oxford-street, now famed for its curiosity-shops. Broughton introduced a code of rules, which, with a few additions, have been acted up to ever since; and by these laws the whole brutality of fighting was got rid of. He was also the inventor of the "gloves," which, according to his advertisement upon opening his sparring-rooms in the Haymarket, were introduced "with a view of securing his pupils from the inconvenience of black eyes, broken jaws, and bloody noses."

Broughton was compelled to resign the championship to Slack, who defeated him in fourteen minutes. Mendoza next followed. During his reign the ring was patronized by the most exalted men of the day. At the fight between Humphries, who was "corporeal pastor" to Mendoza, and a man named Martin, the Prince of Wales, Duke of York, Duke of Orleans, and other distinguished individuals, attended the combat. It terminated in the defeat of Martin. Mendoza and Humphries fought three battles, in the first of which Humphries was victorious: in the two latter the Jew carried off the laurels.

We now approach a name which must ever be respected by the lovers of sport. We allude to the late John Jackson-a man who, from his honourable conduct, manly bearing, and urbane behaviour, endeared himself to every one who came within the circle of his acquaintance. Byron-the highly-gifted Byron- alludes to this "professor of pugilism," as one who, he "trusts, still retains the strength and symmetry of his model of a form, together with his good humour and athletic as well as mental accomplishments." Jackson only appeared three times as a principal in the ring. His first encounter was with a Birmingham hero at Brighton, named Fewterell. In this, which was patronized by the Prince of Wales, he was successful. In his next fight with George the brewer, his foot slipped, and he broke the small bone of his leg. But such was his pluck, that he offered to finish the battle tied to a chair. This was very properly not permitted, and Jackson was compelled to yield. In his last fight with Mendoza he proved victorious, having beaten his opponent in

four minutes and a half. As a professor of the art of self-defence, no man ever came up to Mr. Jackson, his practice and theory being equally sound and good. At his rooms, No. 13, Bond-street, amateurs of the most distinguished rank and character assembled to participate in or view the "sets-to" with the gloves; and among his patrons and pupils may be mentioned George IV., the Dukes of York and Clarence, the late Duke of Queensbury, and present Duke of Beaufort, the late Marquis of Huntley, and present Marquis of Tweeddale, the present Earls of Lonsdale, Fitzhardinge, and Harrington, the late Lords Hertford, Byron, Craven, Sefton, Somerville, Barrymore, Coventry, the present Lord Fife, the late Honourable Berkeley Craven, Messrs. Harvey Combe, Barclay of Ure, Hervey Aston, General Barton, &c.

In the year 1814, the Allied Sovereigns, who were on a visit to the Prince Regent, expressed a wish to see a Fistic Tournament, which was immediately got up at the residence of the present Earl of Lonsdale, who appointed Jackson as master of the ceremonies. Nothing could exceed the gratification that this meeting created in the breasts of the royal and imperial foreigners, who expressed in the most unqualified terms their admiration at this splendid display of the national sport.

In 1821, when the coronation of George IV. took place, a guard of British boxers was selected by Mr. Jackson, under the sanction of the monarch, to preserve order at the entrance to Westminster Hall; and so ably did they conduct themselves, that they not only received the thanks of the Lord Great Chamberlain, the present Lord Willoughby D'Eresby, but also an intimation that the King had approved of their valuable services.

In the year 1822 Cribb resigned the championship, and was succeeded by Spring, who in due course of time withdrew in favour of Ward. The presentation of the "belt" to Bendigo, and his fights with Caunt, are fresh in the memories of our sporting readers: we shall, therefore, not refer to them further than to say, let the best man win and wear it.

Jackson retired into private life in 1824, where he enjoyed the confidence and affection of a troop of friends until the latest hour of his life.

Perhaps one of the most extraordinary individuals that ever entered the prize-ring is John Gully, Esq., who was elected member for Pontefract in 1832, and retained his seat for that borough until the dissolution in 1837. His excellent common sense, his independ ent conduct and unpretending manner, gained him the respect of both sides of the House.

We have now brought our readers down to the present time; and if the men of our day do not enjoy that popularity which their predecessors did, it is to be attributed to some foul and dishonourable deeds of a few of the members of the prize-ring, and which have brought down shame and dishonour upon the whole body. The late humane conduct of the boxing fraternity, in coming forward upon the occasion we have alluded to in the beginning of this article, and giving their "hands and hearts" in the cause of charity, will tend greatly to restore them to the confidence of the public. Let every

"knight of the knuckle" bear in mind that the best way of ensuring success is to deserve it. Let one and all show by their manly bearing and private worth that the character of a pugilist of the present day may be as untarnished as that of one of bygone times; and may every Englishman, of high or low degree, join in the honest sentiment, "Success to British Boxing, when conducted upon Honest and Honourable Principles."

ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY C. B.. SPALDING,

Of shelties, gillies, braes, and glens,

We Southrons now have sure had plenty ;
Of Mac's, and Lairds, and Lochs, and Ben's
And" stags of ten"-if not of twenty-

Of stalking being the noblest sport
You'd see, sir, in a summer's day;
Of Atholl's being the only sort

Of hound to bring a hart to bay

Of strength, and nerve, and hand, and eye,
How each must be in letter A, one;

Or vain the "lowly" lout who'd try
His luck-he'll never slay one.

Horse-breaking heroes Homer drew,
House-breaking ones now volumes fill :
The grandest far though, in the dew
Like Norval, climbs the Grampian Hill.

A gallant youth, of noble race,

With graceful mien and manly make, And clansmen true, and hounds a brace, "His pleasure in the woods will take."

See Scrope-all ye the fact who shirk,

And breathe, through him, the mountain air

John Murray publishes the work,

The preface dated, "Belgrave-square."

And as Scrope writes, so paints Landseer,
Thus furnishing joint expositions

On one grand theme of dog and deer-
See article, The Exhibitions.”

66

And Mr. Spalding takes the hint,

And Highland life depicts once more;
And Mr. Public "proves" the print--

So dog and deer again encore !