PUGILISM.
[To ras EDITOR OF TIM " SPECTATOR.")
Sin,—In your leader on "Pugilism and Colour" you speak as though a stand-up fight in the ring were no more objection- able than the dancing of an " artiste " on the trapeze, or the exhibition of a performer who puts his head into a lion's month; in fact, you seem to place all such displays in the same category. But, surely, there is a world of difference between the first and the other two. While, in the latter instances, no injury whatever is intended, in the first it is the very aim and object of the performer to injure and to disable his opponent. If a dancer on the trapeze happens to fall and to break a limb, or if the lion should, on some rare occasion, crunch the head of the performer, it is quite exceptional, and certainly not what the audience are gathered to see. In fact, on such occasions a thrill of horror and distress invariably passes through the spectators, who are genuinely grieved by what has happened. In a fight, on the contrary, the two combatants do their utmost to "bung up each other's eyes" and to inflict real injury. So far from the sight of blood exciting horror and compassion, and patting an end to the performance, it has rather the opposite effect. The combatants are urged to
greater violence. They are exhorted to persevere and to rain blow after blow till one or the other is utterly unable to stand. When a performer on the trapeze (to take your own example) merely strains a muscle, or dislocates a limb, all agree that he should desist. No one wishes for him to continue his feats while in acute pain. But the man in the " ring " becomes more and more interested, and more and more satisfied, the more successfully one fighter pounds his opponent's face into a jelly. The art of boxing is all very well, and to be encouraged as a healthy exercise, when kept within limits. But these prize fights, where two men maul each other beyond all recognition, and often inflict irreparable injury where they do not cause actual death, is quite another thing. Surely the "human form divine" exists for some better pur- pose than to be bruised and wounded and mutilated for the reprehensible delectation of a crowd, however distinguished!— Bishop of Sebastopolis.
laverian College, Victoria Park, _Manchester.
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