DISTINCTION were noticed Mr. Je, of Thespian fame, Symonds, the Ruffian, and the sandman of Dyot

street.

September the 22d, 1796, a battle was fought at Braden-well, near Erith, in Kent, between Chapman, a young man born without arms, and Knight, a blacksmith of Woolwich; a well-known bruiser. The contest lasted near an hour, when Chapman had acted so well with his head and heels, that his antagonist was carried off the field with two broken ribs.

Monday, November 14, 1796, a battle was fought near Harrow, between Hooper, the tinman, and Owen, a publican, but in pugilism a mere novice. The contest lasted rather more than an hour, during which time they fought 50 rounds of hard fighting, but for the most part of which, Owen constantly kept a straight guard, of such prodigious strength, that Hooper could nevér beat it down, and very seldom put in a hit. Hooper in striking a blow dislocated his shoulder, and being dreadfully bruised, gave in. Owen was so little hurt that he leisurely put on his clothes and walked away.

January 27, 1797, a battle was fought in the fields behind Montague-house, between Copper Harry, the dustman, and an Irish lad, for five guineas. The latter was attended by near 200 tight lads of whiskey; he proved victorious, but was carried home with hardly any hopes of recovery.

January 30, a boxing match was fought by Wood, the coachman, and Jack Bartholomew, between Ealing and Harrow. A stage having been erected, at

two o'clock the combatants set to, but Jack having struck two foul blows, at the end of a quarter of an hour the battle was decided in favour of Wood. The Duke of Hamilton was present, and the conqueror promised him he would fight Jack again in a fortnight for £500, if his Grace would back him.

In this month, the 21st, Thomas Johnson, the celebrated pugilist, received his last knock-down blow from the conqueror of all-Death. The last time of Johnson's fighting was with Big Ben, when they appeared reciprocally doomed to fight no more. Shortly after this contest he took the Grapes public-house, in Duke-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields, which being a rendezvous for notorious characters, he was soon disturbed by the police. For a subsistence he then became proprietor of an EO table at race-grounds, fairs, &c. but this not proving so profitable as he had anticipated, he gave it up, quitted England, and went to the sister kingdom; at Dublin he kept a public-house in Cooperalley, but from this he was routed by the magistrates; after which he went to Cork, and supported himself by teaching the art of pugilism, until he died.

On Wednesday, June 28, 1797, a boxing match was very severely contested near Willow, about five miles from Bath, between an Irish gentleman of the name of O'Conner, and John White, a butcher, who had often distinguished himself as a pugilist. A dispute having taken place between the parties at Mills fair, they agreed to meet at this place; the gentleman posting five guineas to four. White was a native of Willow, and considered a great boxer, and a favorite among

the

the amateurs of those parts; numbers attended him to the place of combat; when, in a short time after they had arrived, Mr. O'Conner appeared on horseback, followed by his servant. Mr. C. wishing to avoid making himself a public spectacle, offered to decline fighting, but White with a contemptuous and insulting sneer, refused unless he forfeited the five guineas. Upon this Mr. C. entered the ring, which was already formed, and requested from among the spectators a second; a young farmer immediately offered, and Mr. C. after having changed his boots for a pair of shoes, was prepared to commence the battle; they then set to, and the first round was most desperately supported and fought in excellent style, but White evidently had the best of it. In the second round the fight was stopped in consequence of a foul blow from Mr. C. but so confident was White of success, that he laid by all claim of victory on that account, and they set to for the third round. In about ten minutes Mr. O'Conner shewed such skill and dexterity, that the odds changed in his favour, and he put in his blows with such violence, that White's face appeared as though cut with some sharp metalic instrument. In 20 minutes the battle ended, White being dreadfully beaten, and Mr. O'Conner as active and strong as at the commencement.

On Tuesday, August 22, 1797, Jack Bartholomew contested a battle with Owen, the successful opponent of Hooper, the tinman, on Sunbury-common, for 25 guineas. Odds were five and six to four in favour of Owen. The battle lasted 30 minutes, and was ac knowledged

knowledged by all the amateurs present one of the hardest fought battles seen for some years. Jack, however, proved victorious.

Monday, September 18, 1797, a pitched battle was. fought between Burke, a cooper, and Christian, a shoemaker, in Hyde-park. The contest lasted 55 miuutes, during which the combatants fought 22 rounds of hard boxing. The friends of Crispin wanted to prove a foul blow, but the majority declared Burke the conqueror.

December 15, 1797, at Ball's-pond, Islington, a battle was fought between Hugh Lacy, a butcher, and William Stanford, a brewer's servant. After several severe rounds Lacy fell, and unfortunately broke his leg; thus ended the battle in favour of his opponent, notwithstanding he had hitherto the best of it.

March 6, 1798, a boxing match was severely contested at Plumstead, near Holt, in Norfolk, between Crisp Bishop, a jobber, and Charles Daniels, of Edgefield. After displaying excellent science for an hour, Bishop was declared the victorious champion.

Monday, September 8, 1798, a battle was fought in a field between Newton and Saltford, near Bath, which for duration and fury displayed by the combatants, stands unrivalled on the records of boxing. The heroes were Charles Williams, a locksmith, of Bath, and a turner of Bristol, whose name was Robert Hunt, but more generally known by the appellation of the Little Bull Dog. The contest was for 20 guineas. For height and size they were uncommonly well matched; Williams possessed most science, but Hunt greatest bottom; the Bristol people had great confidence in the

latter,

latter, and backed him very high before the commencement of the battle, and during the greatest part of it, but after a most desperate conflict for two hours and 20 minutes, in which they fought four score severe rounds, each took a determined effort to decide the day, when Hunt received so tremendous a blow, that he fell perfectly senseless, leaving Williams to claim the palm of victory.

Hunt had a finger and his jaw fractured, and Williams was not expected to recover.

September 25, a boxing match was fought near Winchelsea, which had raised the expectation of the surrounding neighbourhood very high, between Richard Hodson, a brass founder, and Bill Bramble, the bruiser. During the combat Hodson closed both the eyes and fractured the jaw of his opponent, who at the end of an hour's stiff fighting, gave in.

The former was seconded by Tom Timbling, and the latter by Matthias Fleming. After the decision of the battle these heroes fought for two guineas, and Tom gained the laurel.

As it is our intention to notice every circumstance connected with pugilism, we cannot pass over the death of its first supporters, without paying the last tribute due to their heroic virtues; and it cannot fail to inspire us with a still greater admiration of the science, when we find that generosity, horoism, and humanity, are the most prominent features of their souls.

In May, 1799, an account arrived from the East Indies, of the decease of Colonel Harvey Aston, we' known as a firm supporter of the art of boxing, in a

duel