Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-05-02

Our prelenf cufons CAM fay much
admire. A tegeivr inch barrel 3jaol and
oa~xs daN are blunt, unceremonious at.
fairs, and prevent that difpisy Of grace
and elegance allowed by the llnall fwofd.
BeGde, there is lomething 10 awkward IN
having the muzzel of a pifol aaring one
full in the face, that ihould think It
might be apt to make our youthful heroes
feel rather dilagreeab!e ; unleis, as anu
told has been iomesimes the cafe, the duel
was fought by twilight.
TIE ceremony o. loading, printing,
cooking, &c. has not the mott ioothiog
effects on a performs feelings; am J am
told that ione OF our warriors have been
known to tremble and make wry faces
during thefe Yreparations--yhoush this has
been attributed, and doubtlefs with much
JpRice, 10 the violence of their wrath and
heFceneis of their courage.
1 had thus been muiing for foine time,
whenI broke ilencc al lst by hinsing 10
friend Qaoz iorae Of my objections TO the
mode OF hghilng with piitois.
Truly, my friend Oldayie, faid Qaoz,
am larprlled at your ignorance OF modern
cuitoms ttpf me know no amuiement
that is, generally fpeaking, more harmless
80 be tuTc, there may now and then cou-
pIeot determined fellows rake the field who
reioive 10 do the thing 10 good ear,cft J;
but In general our faihionable due!lifs are
coatens with only one dilchasge ard
then, either they are poor ihots, or their
triggers pull hard, or they lhut the
wrong eye, or fome other cauie intervenes,
10 thar It Is sen, aye twenty chances 10
one IN sheir favour.
Here begged leave 70 differ from
friend Andrew. ! am well convinced,
taid !, of the valom OF our young mea,
and thai they determine, when they march
:oHh 20 The field, ei5her 70 conquer CT
die; but il sgenerally happers thar their
seconds are o. a more peacesbse mind, and
lafcrpofe after the i1l} tho, but am III
formed sSas they come often ycry near
being killed, having huilet shoIes through
their hats and coats, which ike Fa'a4tt's
hack'd iword, are trong proofs Of The ic-
nous nature of their encounters.
My filter Dofosky, who is Of a humane
and benevolent difpoiiiion, would 90 doubt
detef the idea Of dtels, did Che not regsld
thsm as the lat CLEANS 81 shole days eli
chigalfy, 30 Which fhc l4aks back with a
degree of romantic enthuGaim. She now
coehders them as having received theis
death blow; for how can even the chal-
lenges be conveyed, faid ille, when the ye-
ry rnshengers are conhdered as principals
in tie offence,
Nothing more eafy, faid friend Qnoz
a man gives me the lie, very well /: tread
on his toes in token Of challenge; he pulls
my nole by way Of acceptance thus syou
fee the challenge is iafeiv conveyed with
OFT third party. We then fettle the
mode in which fatisfatiion is to be given;
as for inifance, we draw lots which Of us
mutt be ilain to fatsfv the demands o:
honour. Mr.. "A. or Mr.. B. my antago
n;f, IS TO fall; well, madam, he fands
below in the Rreet run up 10 the gar
ret window, and drop a brick upon his
head: II he faryives we'll and good if
he tails, why nobody is to blame, ii was
purely accidental. Thus the affair is let.
tied, according to the common laying, to
our mutual fatisfa6tion.
Jack sylith obierved, that as to Mr..
Quoz's project Of dropping bricks on pso.
PIES heads, ne coniideTed il vulgar fub
aisute: for his par, he ihought il would
be well for tie legilasure TO amend their
law Rejecting duels, and licence them
under proper refriefions- That no perions
fhould be allowed TO fight without taking
out regular licenfe from what might be
called the Blond and Tbaxder OHce-Thar
they Mould be obliged to give two or
three wreks oosicA nj the intanied cnu,bot