Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-05-12
From three to four hundred acres of valuable
timber land in New Ipswich, N. H., were burn
ed over on Friday and Saturday of last week.
For the Phoenir.
THE FIGHT BETWEEN HEENlN AND 81 Y:
ERS
Thus swift and lusty fell the blows
Of potent arms and fists tight closed

Thus swift and lusty fell the blows
Of potent arms and fists tight closed.
Old song.
Solomon said that there is nothing new UNI
der the sun; and what incident could we choose
to prove it better than the late fight between
Heenan and Savers. The great interest taken
in it by individuals of every class of the two
greatest nations of the civilized world, an in
terest felt even by the women, seems to be all
the more astonishing when we reflect what it is |
that gives interest to these names. AS few may
know much about prize fighting, we make few
remarks on the subject. Though Heenan is
not properly an American, yet still we would
wish to have good word for him, since it was
under the ample folds of our glorious stars and
stripes that he chose to teach our Mother Eng
land that her spunky daughter Of the West has
lost neither the muscle nor the eye that served
to drive her and tyrany from our soil.
Civilization has taught us that men may be
heroes in art but there was a time when the
arts were not known, when men gave the thick
est wreaths and the greenest laurel to him who
showed the greatest courage. At one fine
Greece ordained that every Heraclae who should
win three Olympic games, should have his
statue erected in a public place in his native
town or city. Thus it arose that the honor due
to Scion or a Demosthenes became awarded
to IA pugilist or to a racer; and it was almost
the same in Rome. In the legends of both
countries we often find it necessary to win in
these games of strength in order to become
king or leader of the people.
But, it may be inquired, had not the ancients
whom we still quote with so much respect, no
reason for thus honoring-not to say worship
ing muscle, the animal part of manP Yes,
they had reason, and it was this. The ancient
warfare was not as it is at the present day when
several thousand men, compact human walls,
rush upon each other like the tides of the
mighty ocean, meeting, surging and bearing
each other down while the whistling, roaring
wind is as bugle notes 10 the white capped
waves. 1t was not with the thunder hooking
cannon, for they were struck with awe by the
thunderbolts of Jove tit was not thus that
Rome and Greece first won their name of war
rior; but it was when both Of the contendng
bands being drawn up in line, they sent forth
champions to decide the cause. But they
fought not with fists alone. They fought also
with swords; they wrestled; and contendcd
with their hands or anything else according to
the taste of those engaged. Thus the Titans
hurled stones, and David killed Goliah with
sling. The art of self defense has a prestige
| of biUh aptiouity -, l.
recounts bout of fsticuffs between Epeus and
Euryalus. Theocritus records sparring match
between Pollux and Amycus. Appollonius
Rodius gives in his Argonantica an account of
the same contest. Iu Vrgils Eneid we have
boxing match between Dares and Eutellus and
Valerius Flaccus and Status give descriptions of
several combats. Among the Romans pug-
ism reached nearer our prize-fghting than in
Greece; but the combats were more severe
They fought with great force, and Ito use
fighting term) gave more punishment. They
were not content with the hard long knuckles
which nature gave them bnt wore the cest,ls
a leather covering for the hands with artificial
knuckles of brass, and stripped naked except
a covering about the loins, greasing themselves
with oil as well to make their joints supple as
to prevent their antagonist from getting hold
in the wrestle. They dashed out each others
teeth, broke bones, fractured skulls, and dis
located joints, sometimes one or both leaving
the ring dead or only to die. Among the
Greek and Latin Poets there are many witt
E cisms on the changed appearance of the COM
batants. In the Greek Anthology Lucillius has
four amusing epigrams, and Lucan another on
the vast change in the appearance of those who
took part in these humane exhibitions.
In one of them Anthos has nose swollen so
large that it hides his face; but this does not
impare his sight, for his eyes were "bunged up
before his nose began to swell. Monecus will
eat no more crusts because he has lost his teeth
&c.
Though we find such scenes treated with wit
ticism by the Romans who were noted for their
coarse and brutal tastes, we of the present day,
! humane and christian people, give them still
greater considerations; for while the Romans
confined their exhibitions to buildings where
they were accustomed to have the fights of wild
beasts we, on the contrary, exhibit them in our
Senate Room and House of Representatives
there taking turns with debates and speeches
} and we not only find boxing "the antidote Ct