Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-07-20

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ate the Importance to man OF ply
steal perfection. Those who under
rate the value Of bodily training and
wonld restrict culture TO intellee-
tual, moral aud social lines are
willfully ignorant of all past expert
ence Of mankind. It's a truth With
far fewer exceptions than usually |
falls to the lot Of general principles
that the great actors in the drama of
the worlds progress have been as
renowned for physical as for intellec-
tual vigor. That Alexander whose
conquests made Greek the literary
language Of the world feared not to
charge unsupported upon host of
enemies. Caesar who has given his
name to the calendar and to empire,
and Pompey his less fortunate rival,
were giants of strength. Godfrey
the hero of he first Crusade, Richard
,eur de Lion, Wallace and Bruce
are the theme of poets song for per-
sonal prowess Wallenstein and the
great Gustavus Adolphus we're the
most powerful men in'the great rival
armies they commanded Columbus
could outstrip common men on land
as he did on sea. The elder Pitt
might have fought in the ring as
successfully as in the senate, and
Goethe one of the commanding intel
lects Of the world was of hereuleaa
strength Of limb. Washington was
renowned as and athlete and Benja-
min Franklin, when journeyman
printer ia London, could lift with
one hand weights that were the task
for two men. Whatever judgn ent
be passed on .the life work of these
men they have been leaders of men
and arbiters of destiny.
AS with individuals so with ma
tons The physically superior have
always been the conquerors. The
Greeks and Romans in the zenith of
their supremacy were nations OF
athletes. Games and contests of
bodily strength, constituted their
diversions and the prizes of victory
were counted among the highest
honors at,ainable by msn.
II it seem thai the improvement
OF weapons and the introduction Of
modern arts render personal strength
less important, it is still true that in
the long struggle steady persist
ence which can only belong to q
sound physical frame, must win.
The saying has been attributed to
Wellington himself that the victory
Of Waterloo was won upon the play
grounds of Elton and Rugby.
Pugllism, or the "msnIy art of
self defence" has always been
esteemed as an essential branch Of
physical culture. Hence there has
been with a show Of logic claim
put forth for its encouragement that
has blinded the eyes of the public
and cause even good men to look
with complacency upon what might
be only an exogg aration Of an I'M
doubted good.
The truth IS that professional
pugilism is altogether perversion
as all the principles of sound physi-
cal culture The hireiing spirit is at
The outset subsersiye of genuine
manhood. The Greeks fought for
what? Garlands Of vine leaves and
paisley, that withered as they
reached the victor's brow, worthless
for all else save to remind them that
The gain Of their labor lay in tue
doing Of it. When hireling gladi-
ators entered upon the arena at
Rome then were the days Of its free
dom over. The gangrene had seized
upon the body polite The race
that worships its picadores and
matadors cannot again give birth to
{ id, Cortez or Pzarro, 30 a
country which tolerates Sullivan,
may not hope for another Washing
ton.
The absolute worthlessncss Of the
specialized training requisite for a
prize fight, for any of the higher
purposes of life could not appear in
any stronger light than was seen in
the late contest, where one celebrates
his defeat with tears and the other
gloriaes his victory with a drunken
debGuch.
In discussing this matter we leave
out Of view all moral, and religious
considerations. Great as are the