in the country, and the first contest worthy remark was fought at Harlston, in Norfolk, between the champion whose memoirs we are now engaged on, Slack, and one Pettit, a Frenchman. The following is extracted from a paper of the day:

Harlston, in Norfolk, July 30, 1754.. Yesterday in the afternoon, Slack and Pettit met and fought. At the first SET-To Pettit seized Slack by the throat, held him up against the rails, and GRAINED him so much as to make him extremely black. This continued for half a minute, before Slack could break from Pettit's hold; after which, for near ten minutes, Pettit kept fighting and driving hard at Slack, when at length Slack closed with his antagonist, and gave him a severe fall, after that a second and a third, but between these falls, Pettit threw Slack twice off the stage; indeed Pettit so much dreaded Slack's falls, that he ran directly at his hams, and tumbled him down, and by that means gave Slack an opportunity of making the falls very easy. When they had been fighting 18 minutes, the odds ran against Slack, a guinea to a shilling; whereas, on first setting out, it was three or four to one on his head; but after this time, Slack SHORTENED Pettit so, as to disable him from running and throwing him down in the manner he had done before, but obliged him to stand to CLOSE FIGHTING; Slack then closed one of his eyes, and beat him very much about the face; at 20 minutes Pettit grew weaker and Slack stronger; this was occasioned by Slack's straight way of fighting; at 22 minutes the best judges allowed Slack to have the advantage over Pettit very considerably, as he was then recovering his WIND, which was owing to GAME; when they had boxed 24 minutes, Pettit. threw Slack again over the rails; this, indeed, Slack suffered him to do, as by that means he fixed a blow under Pettit's ribs, that hurt him much. While Slack was again getting upon the stage, (it was not half a minute before he was remounted), Pettit had so much the fear of his antagonist before his eyes, that he walked off without so much as civilly taking leave of the spectators. The cockers call this ROGUING OF IT; for it is generally thought that Pettit ran away full strong. The whole time of their fighting was 25 minutes, and this morning the BATTLE was given to Slack, who drew the first 10 guineas out of the box. Thus ended this dreadful combat.

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It has been reported of Slack, and perhaps not unjustly, that he was indebted, for many of his accidental conquests, to the terror of his name. A tale is told of him, that at a country fair, a dispute arising between him and a countryman, the latter depending upon his natural prowess, and destitute of any idea of skill, made no scruple of giving Slack a severe blow upon the face; this undoubtedly being immediately returned, a sharp contest ensued, and the countryman evidently had the advantage, until Slack exclaimed with some fervour, “It never shall be said a ploughman beat Slack." The name appalled the poor countryman, who imagining his adversary had only

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only been playing with him, did not attempt another ON-SET, but yielded an easy victory.

On March the 13th, 1755, Slack again tried his skill in a match for 100 guineas, with Cornelius Harris, a collier, of Kingswood, and after 20 minutes severe fighting, came off victorious.

Both as a pupil of Broughton's, and a pugilist, Edward Hunt very deservedly must now occupy our attention. His first battle at the amphitheatre, June 11, 1746, with Hawksley, has been already related. Though a small man, he possessed greater reputation than any of the boxers at that period; his weight not exceeding nine stone, and his height hardly five feet four inches and a half, he had often fought with men double his weight. Being constantly overmatched, he had more difficulties to encounter than any other, and of the few instances of SHIFTING that occurred in his time, he is the most singular, for he conquered the stoutest men by his admirable art. When strengh so much beyond his own opposed him, he might have been allowed to drop, but he seldom fell without a blow. He never confined himself to one attitude, for being extremely active, he found he could more effectually confuse his antagonist by continually changing his guard. He endeavoured to avoid blows aimed at his body by stepping aside, and then took an opportunity of dexterously WINDING his man, who was driven forward by his own force; if a blow was aimed at his head, he stooped to let his adversary's arm pass over him, and then in general successfully planted a good BODY BLOW. These manœuvres proved highly advantageous to Hunt in his pugilistic career, for his opponents aware of these practices, generally fought on the defensive, by which means he became the assailant, and avoided being overwhelmed by superior power.

The second contest in which Hunt signalized great courage, but not with equal success, was on July 14, 1757, with Tom Smallwood. This had been a long depending battle for 150 guineas. They fought on a stage at Hounslow; the battle was exceedingly well supported on both sides, and the odds alternately varied for the first 35 minutes, after which Tom closed with his adversary more frequently, and by superior strength followed it up with such advantage, that in 50 minutes the battle was decided in his favour.

Tom Smallwood was seconded by George Taylor, and Hunt by Slack.

On May 17, 1758, Hunt again made another unsuccessful attempt with Richard Mills, better known by the title of the ONION Boy. After an hour's close fighting, the latter proved the conqueror, very much to the chagrin of the knowing ones.

On August the 5th, 1758, a most desperate battle was fought about a mile and a half from St. Alban's, in Hertfordshire, between George Taylor the old successor of Figg, and Tom Faulkener the noted cricketer, for 200 guineas and the door money. Faulkener had been beat by Taylor in two former engagements, yet felt so confidently assured of success, that he risqued all he possessed on the event, notwith

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notwithstanding odds were three to one against him. The attack began with astonishing courage, almost amounting to ferocity; for several first rounds Faulkener was either knocked down or thrown; about the fifteenth round Faulkener put in a dozen hard blows, and received as many, before he brought down his opponent; Taylor began to shift and several times fell without a blow; this created much disapprobation and confusion, but Faulkener easily consented to proceed; afterwards they SET-To more resolutely, if possible, than before, when, after a severe contest of one hour and a quarter, Taylor acknowledged himself beaten. They were both carried off the ground, and it was the general opinion that more skill and courage never was displayed by any pugilists in this country.

Taylor for some years had been blind of one eye, and his adversary by a severe blow closing the other, the contest ended. He had for some time kept the Fountain Tavern, Deptford, but died shortly after this battle.

On April 8, 1759, Tom Faulkener fought another battle at Putney, in Surrey, for 100 pounds, with Joe James. Slack on this occasion seconded Tom, and old Jockey James, father to Joe, and also Jack James, the bruiser at Broughton's amphitheatre, well known as a second in most boxing matches, seconded his son. A stage was erected in a field near the White Lion Inn, and they set-to about two o'clock; before a blow was struck, odds were two to one in favour of James, after the third round five to one;

Joe