The Sun.
London, England, 1825-07-01 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN.

PUGILISM.
Mit. EDlTOR—Boxing bears some resemblance
to the gladiatorial exhibitions of 114 e Romans,
which derived their origin from the ancient cus-
tom of the Heathens sacrificing their own species
at the death of their great men, under the im-
pression of propitiating and satisfying their ghosts
with human blood.

The brutal candidates at these games became,
at length, so numerous, that Julius Ca3sar, sensible
of the dangerous consequences which a corrup.
tion of that nature might produce, ordered, that
only a certain number of men of this profession
should be in Rome at the same time. When
these games were first practised the combatants
were solely criminals, which was an excuse
(though a bad one) for such sights of horror;
but what excuse can be offered for the present'
system of killing each other in jest ? Our
boxers appear to be increasing ; but, it is
true, our Nobility and Gentry do not become

actual performers, as was the case with
the Roman Senators (some time after the institu-
tion of the gladiatorial shows), nevertheless,
they aid and abet, the evil tendency of which is
equally as great as if they became the principal
actors in such an unnatural strife ; and since
they are, or ought to be, better informed than
those who, from their station, have not the power
of acquiring so much useful information, they
should set an example (in this instance, as they
do in most others) worthy their superior means
of attaining unto knowledge ; the effect of not
doing which is, that the lower classes are sure to
follow the example of those who are their supe-
riors, and who, of course, they suppose better
informed than themselves ; on this account infe-
riors do not suspect that their superiors will lead
them into error.

It is urged in favour of boxing, that it is an
athletic exercise, strengthening the body, and
rendering it capable of beating the greater fa-

tique. ‘Vhat ! nre there no exercises that
will accomplish this except disgusting exhibi-
tions? Numberless, even supposing there were
none, the bad effects, far more than counterba-

lance the good. 'the evil results of beating each
other to death are manifold, and far from being
unimportant ; for, in the first place, it fami-
liarizes men with spectacles of horror, which are
well calculated to subdue the feelings of, hu-
manity ; feelings, which not only do honour to
the nature of man, but which are absolutely -re.
quisite to the well-being of the nation. I fear
the gentler part of our nature has not found an
habitation in the breasts of some ; as no slender
proof of which, witness the reception by some
men of Mr. Martin's humane endeavours (who
deserves the praise of every honest well-wisher
to his country), which, I think, unless humanity
be on the wane, would receive no opposition,
but be met in a different and more worthy
manner.

Extinguish humanity, arid the effects will be
such, that the mind, by becoming callous, will
be capable of conceiving and rrecutiag the most
inhuman actions. This is most unquestionably
true; for the mind, by being frequently exer-
cised in the same employment, becomes habitu-
ated thereunto : at first, perhaps, abhorring it ;
by degrees enduring it ; and at length, delighting
in it. Such is our frame, and constitution, that
we are, generally speaking, sure to tolerate, if
not avowedly to praise, that which we have been

long accustomed to hear extolled. '!'here are
exceptions, no doubt ; for I think, no,length of
time, no praise, no arguments, could convince
me of the good effects of the anti-humane system
of boxing. It may 'strengthen the body, but it
enervates the mind, by paralyzing the fine feel-
ing-, thereby reducing man to a worse state than
that of the brute creation.
At the same time that a blow is aimed at mo-
rality, a secret wound is 'given to liberty, for.
without the one the other cannot exist ; and there
is no surer way to the extinction of morality
than to permit exhibitions tending to subdue
humanity ; and nothing can more effectually ac-
complish this than pugilistic contests, which draw,
together a great concourse of people,and which, I
conceive, from the nature of what they go to see,
must be composed of lovers of cruelty, pick-
pockets, and the most debased of the human
kind And is this assemblage to be counte-
minced by rank, fashion, and fortune ? If it was
ilot, it would in time cease to be fashionable to
see one man deliberately beat another till he.
dies; thus would one of the seminaries of rogues
and vagobouds be eradicated. Augustus com-
manded,
by a public edict, that none of the
la rder should turn gladiators. It Will
iatbiei°:riaO
vded
e l;:if such an Act be never wanted in this
country
! It would yield the greatest pleasure
to the friends of humanity, 'it would improve
morals, and suppress a fruitful course of crime,
if a law was enacted to preclude the higher or-
dierizsnof ,
eie7 from frequenting, or in any way
adthese disgraceful exhibitions, and the
lower orders from becoming the exhibitors.
It may, perhaps, be said by the delighters in
ferocity, that a law of this description would sup-
press one of the amusements of the people ; but
this is an insult to the people, for it can-only be
arnusemput to those who have discarded the
gentMr pa, S
such ought not t•, be put-in competition will]
qf our nature ; .-the opinions Of
those who retuiu a sense.of humanity. Arnuse.
meat t, how is the word misapplied amuse-