not only practised and encouraged in each particular state, but the highest honours and rewards bestowed on the victors at the Olympic, Nemean, and other games, where prizes were awarded, and contended for before the whole nation.

The influence of these sports in advancing Greece from a few petty states, not equal in extent of territory to one half of England alone, into the most powerful Kingdom at that time in the World, is universally acknowledged by all historians and commentators who have ever treated of the subject. And it is singular to remark, that while the fact is admitted by all modern legislators, few or none have recommended an imitation

of them.

It is strange that Homer, who was perhaps the greatest poet that ever lived, and who himself had often witnessed the celebration of these games, has given us so confused and even incomprehensible an account of the wrestling at the funeral of Patroclus (though many years antecedent to his time,) between Telamon Ajax, the strongest, and Ulysses, the wisest man in the Grecian army. Its translation, by Pope, is as follows:

"The third bold game Achilles next demands,
And calls the wrestlers to the level sands:
A massy tripod for the victor lies,

Of twice six oxen its reputed price;
And next, the loser's spirits to restore,

A female captive, valued but at four.

Scarce did the chief the vigourous strife propose
When tower-like Ajax and Ulysses rose,
Amid the ring each nervous rival stands,
Embracing rigid with implicit hands;

Close lock'd above, their heads and arms are mixt,
Below their planted feet, at distance fixt:

Like two strong rafters which the builder forms,

Proof to the wintry winds and howling storms,

Their tops connected, but at wider space

Fixt on the centre stands their solid base.

Now to the grasp each manly body bends,
The humid sweat from every pore descends;
Their bones resound with blows: sides, shoulders,
thighs,

Swell to each gripe, and bloody tumours rise:
Nor could Ulysses, for his art renown'd,

O'erturn the strength of Ajax on the ground!
Nor could the strength of Ajax overthrow
The watchful caution of his artful foe;
While the long strife e'en tir'd the lookers-on,
Thus to Ulysses spoke great Telamon :
Or let me lift thee, chief, or lift thou me :
Prove we our force, and Jove the rest decree.
"He said, and straining, heav'd him off the ground
With matchless strength, that time Ulysses found
The strength t' evade, and where the nerves combine
His ankle struck-the giant fell supine;
Ulysess following, on his bosom lies;

Shouts of applause run rattling through the skies
Ajax to lift, Ulysses next essays,

He barely stirr'd him, but he could not raise :
His knee lock'd fast, the foe's attempt denied,
And grappling close they tumble side by side."

This account seems as ridiculous as it is incomprehensible to a modern wrestler: ridiculous! in regard to the duration of the contest, and the strange proposition of Ajax; and incomprehensible as it appears, Ulysses was the winner of the first fall: and the second was a disputed, or what is vulgarly termed, a dog-fall. One thing, however, seems clear enough to us-that it was a bad

wrestle; and though we imagine neither gained much honour by the struggle, both were sufficiently rewarded for it.

It appears, that in the celebrated interview between Henry the Eighth of England, and the French king, Francis, which exceeded in magnificence and splendour any spectacle of modern times, wrestling was deemed the most manly and entertaining amusement then exhibited in the presence of these two mighty monarchs, and their courts. A grand national and scientific display of this athletic art took place between a number of champions selected from both nations, in which our countrymen were victorious. However, one mortified French historian pretends their king left better wrestlers at home than those who accompanied him; and by way of redeeming the defeat of his countrymen, asserts that Francis himself was a most excellent wrestler, and in a contest between the two rival monarchs threw Henry with great violence.

Antecedently to this period, wrestling was a favorite amusement, as well among the nobility as the yeomanry and inferior classes; the prize varying according to the rank of the combatants. At some particular times and places there appears to have been some acknowledged and customary prize-this usually a ram and a ring. Thus in Coke's tale of Gamelyn, ascribed to Chaucer :There happed to be there beside Tryed a wrestling;

And therefore there was y-setten
A ram and als a ring.

as

And likewise at a still earlier period we see

in Ritson's Robin Hood:

By a bridge was a wrastling
And there taryed was he:
And there was all the best yemen
Of all the west country.

A full fayre game there was set up,
A white bull up y-pight,

A great courser with saddle and brydle
With gold burnished full bryght;

A payre of gloves, a red golde ringe
A pipe of wyne good fay:
What man bereth him best I wis,
The prize shall bear away.

In which the prize was still greater; being a white courser, well accoutred, a pair of gloves, a gold ring, and a pipe of wine.

It is rather a remarkable coincidence that onr modern Homer should have given nearly as lame an account of wrestling matches as his mighty predecessor. Thus we see in the fifth canto of the Lady of the Lake, the following account of one :

"Now, clear the ring, for hand to hand,
The manly wrestlers take their stand.
Two o'er the rest superior rose,
And proud demanded mightier foes,
Nor called in vain, for Douglas came.
For life is Hugh of Larbert lame,
Scarce better John of Alloa's fare,
Whom senseless home his comrades bear.
Prize of the wrestling match, the king
To Douglas gave a golden ring.”

In the first couplet, the method, viz., "hand to hand," seems introduced solely for the purpose of getting on; and certainly is not cal

culated to produce the dreadful consequences that ensue. In the second, all order is violated by the two last standers, instead of contesting the last fall, calling out for fresh men! nor are the remaining couplets less faulty in regard to Douglas's treatment of his opponents, in the immense superiority of strength ascribed to him. The match between Bothwell and Burley, in the Scottish novels, is likewise one of the worst things in the whole series. It would have much gratified us, if a writer whom we so highly value, had given us some better account of such contests, however cursorily introduced. But alas! the baronet is probably no wrestler; and truly we are sorry for it.

We are likewise equally mortified to remark that the immortal Bard of Avon, in his comedy of "As You Like It," although he has combined in Orlando rank, character and wrestling, tells us a truly pitiful, but dreadful and improbable story, concerning it. The justly celebrated James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, has, in his Tales, occasionally introduced wrestling. And although we confess we do not exactly comprehend the fatality of Geordie Cochrane's heelchip, yet we certainly think the wrestling between Polmood and Carmichael by far the best illustration of the art, either of ancient or modern date we have met with: we will offer no apology for extracting it for the gratification of such of our readers as are not in the habit of perusing books of that description.

"Sixteen then stripped themselves to try their skill in wrestling, and it having been enacted as a law, that he who won in any one contest was obliged to begin the next: Polmood was of course one of the number. They all engaged at once by two and two, and eight of them having been consequently overthrown, the other eight next engaged by two and two, and four of these being cast, two couples only remained.

"Some of the nobles engaged were so expert at the exercise, and opposed to others so equal in strength and agility, that the contests were exceedingly equal and amusing. Some of them could not be cast until completely out of breath. It had always been observed, however, that Polmood and Carmichael threw their opponents with so much ease, that it appeared doubtful whether these opponents were serious in their exertions, or only making a sham wrestle; but when it turned out that they two stood the last, all were convinced that they were superior to the rest either in strength or skill. This was the last prize on the field, and on the last throw for that prize the victory of the day depended, which each of the two champions was alike vehemently bent to reave from the grasp of the other. They eyed each other with looks askance, and with visible tokens of jealousy, rested for a minute or two, wiped their brows and then closed. Carmichael was extremely hard to please of his hold, and caused his

antagonist to lose his grip three or four times, and change his position. Polmood was, however, highly complaisant, although it appeared to every one beside that Carmichael meant to take him at a disadvantage. At length they fell quiet, set their joints steadily, and began to move in a circular direction, watching each other's motions with great care. Carmichael ventured the first trip, and struck Polmood on the left heel with considerable dexterity. It never moved him, but in returning it he forced in Carmichael's back with such a squeeze that the by-standers affirmed they heard his ribs crash, whipped him lightly up in his arms and threw him upon the ground with great violence, but seemingly with as much ease as if he had been a boy. The ladies screamed, and even the rest of the nobles doubted if the knight would rise again. He however jumped lightly up, and pretended to smile, but the words he uttered were scarcely articulate; his feelings at that moment may be better conceived than expressed. A squire who waited the king's commands then proclaimed Norman Hunter of Polmood, the victor of the day, and consequently entitled, in all sporting parties, to take his place next to the king, until by other competitors deprived of that prerogative."

Although this account may not have much fact to recommend it; yet it is nevertheless apparent Mr. Hogg was conscious the prac tice was not uncommon among the Scottish nobility at that period; and that this was the case, might easily be proved by indisputable authority. At this period it is worthy of remark few discoveries of distant countries bad taken place; and consequently the great landed proprietors spent much more of their time in their own countries, and on their own estates. But no sooner had that ceased to be the case, than degeneracy and effeminacy crept in apace; and those exercises in which it had been the pride of their ancestors to excel, ceased; and from that time, few above the rank of yeoman chose to exhibit in a ring, either for their own pleasure, or that of others.

But we are now arrived at that period when the attention of most of the European nations, and particularly England, began to be as much directed to new discoveries, and consequent settlements abroad; as to the internal prosperity of the Mother Countries. This no doubt had its due effect upon the manners, customs, and amusements of the people. Our immense acquisitions in America, and in Eastern and Western India, added to the great improvements in the art of gunnery, which rendered nugatory all previous modes of warfare, alike contributed to hasten the downfall of all athletic exercises among the higher ranks. The art of war became a more complicated science-gunnery,engineering, fortification, and all the minutia of tactics attendant on these studies, became of proportionally more importance to men of

rank, either in the civil or military departments, than those exercises calculated to promote the display of personal strength, valour, or activity.

In the proudest days of chivalry, no exercise was so well adapted to enable king, lord, or knight, to excel in tilt or tournament, as wrestling as in it were combined, dexterity in personal y coping with an antagonist, and the power of acquiring bodily vigour and stamina, so requisite for enabling the combatant to endure a protracted contest without detriment. But the days of chivalry are gone-tilt or tournament is no more-the listed ring no longer boasts of patrician exhibitions! but still within it we view all the remains of that chivalric spirit, which has distinguished the most celebrated conquerors in all ages;-for, according to one of our justly esteemed writers, had he been placed by Providence in a different station,

"He that the world subdued, had been But the best wrestler on the green." And we will venture to mention, that it is to that generous spirit of emulation which animates the wrestler to acquire celebrity in the ring, that we are indebted for the glorious victories of Agincourt, Trafalgar, Waterloo, &c. There are many who will argue that athletic sports have no direct tendency to inspire additional confidence and courage in the breast of t. e soldier on the day of battle; but we confidently aver, that all who assert this, speak without due consideration-for that such exercises wil have their due effect even in the present mode of warfare, let us suppose the following case :-Let one individual, or any certain number of the most courageous men, be selected from the bravest regiment in Great Britain, let them all possess hearts that never knew fear, and bring them to the charge against the same number of men, equally disciplined, and all expert wrestlers, and what would be the unavoidable result? Might not one party say, I have only to parry the first onset of my antagonist, and close with him, and then victory is certain? I can in a moment dash him to the ground, and either kill or take him prisoner at my pleasure. Would not the other naturally observe, this is not a fair contest, there are fearful odds against me? I meet a man whose sinews have gained additional strength by practising athletic exercises. If I charge him freely, a parry will enable him to close with me, and then I am inevitably gone. When men fight under these impressions the result cannot be doubtful. Again, are not the English superior to any other nation in the junction of active and passive courage and is it not a fact that, the French, during the late war, frequently charged the troops of all the continental nations with whom they were engaged, with the bayonet; while they scarcely ever ventured to cross one with ours? will any man imagine this had not some influence in regulating the tactics of the

contending armies? In even a distant engagement under a heavy fire the British soldier might exclaim, "Notwithstanding they gall us now, they dare not stand our bayonets!' Supposing the case had been exactly rice versa, and they had had to observe, "We must endure this or run away, for we dare not come in close contact with them." Whether of these considerations, let me ask, is better calculated to infuse courage, and inspire with hopes of victory, the boldest men on earth? The answer is too obvious to any man of common sense to require i. sertion. In the battle of Waterloo, the success of our cavalry when opposed to the French cuirassiers, a body of men confident in themselves, and of invincible courage, was principally occasioned by their superiority in the science of the sword, arising from the universal adoption of learning the proper use or science of the stick. This practice owed its introduction to the circumstance of an Irish peasant thrashing with that weapon some of the best men in a celebrated regiment of horse, then quartered in the north of Ireland; and it would be absurd to suppose that superiority will not have its due effect in all future cavalry engagements.

As a proof that the practice of athletic exercises is not confined to this kingdom, or even to Europe, we quote the following account of an entertainment given in the island of Tongataboo, to Captain Cook in his third voyage to the Pacific Ocean :

While the natives were in expectation of this evening exhibition, they engaged, for the greatest part of the afternoon, in wrestling and boxing. When a person is desirous of wrestling, he gives a challenge by crossing the ground in a kind of measured pace, and clapping smartly on the elbow joint of one arm, which is bent and sends forth a hollow sound. If no opponent steps forth, he returns and sits down; but, if an antagonist appear, they meet with marks of the greatest good nature, generally smiling, and deliberately adjusting the piece of cloth that is fastened round the waist. They then lay hold of each other by this cloth, and he who succeeds in drawing his opponent to him, instantly endeavours to lift him on his breast, and throw him on his back, and if he can turn round with him in that position two or three times before he throws him, he meets with great applause for his dexterity. If they are more equally matched, they quickly close, and attempt to throw each other by entwining their legs, or raising each other from the ground; in which struggles they display an extraordinary exertion of strength. When one of them is thrown, he immediately retires, while the conqueror sits down for a minute, then rises, and goes to the side from which he came, where the victory is proclaimed aloud. After sitting for a short time, he rises again and challenges; and if several antagonists appear, he has the privilege of choosing which of them

he pleases to engage with: he may also, if he should throw his competitor, challenge again, till he himself is vanquished; and then the people on the opposite slde chant the song of victory in favour of their champion. It frequently happens, that five or six rise from each side, and give challenges together, so that it is not unusual to see several sets engaged on the field at the same time. They preserve great temper in this exercise, and leave the spot without the least displeasure in their countenances. When they find that they are too equally matched, they desist by mutual consent; and if it does not clearly appear which of them has had the advantage, both sides proclaim the victory, and then they engage again. But no one, who has been vanquished, is permitted to engage a second time with the conqueror.

"Those who intend to box advance sideways, changing the side at every pace, having one arm stretched out before, the other behind; aad holding in one hand a piece of cord, which they wrap closely about it, when they meet with an opponent. This is probably intended to prevent a dislocation of the hand or fingers. Their blows are dealt out with great quickness and activity, and are aimed principally at the head. They box equally well with either hand. One of their most dexterous blows is, to turn round on the heel, just after they have struck their adversary, and to give him another pretty violent blow with the other hand backwards. In boxing matches, unless a person strikes his antagonist to the ground, they never sing the song of victory; which shows that this diversion is less approved among them than wrestling. Not only boys engage in both these amusements; but it not unfrequently happens, that little girls box with great obstinacy. On all these occasions, they do not consider it as any disgrace to be overcome; and the vanquished person sits down with as much indifference as if he had never been engaged. Some of our people contended with them in both exercises, but were generally worsted."

It does not seem reasonable that Captain Cook's men should have proved equal to these Islanders in exercises which requirepractice to become expert in; and probably not one of his crew was either a scientific wrestler or boxer. Had that been the case, notwithstanding their different mode of procuring hold, we have no doubt the result would have been in this instance, what it always has been, when British prowess has fairly and equally been brought into action: nor would the superiority of a Belcher or a Cribb have been more conspicuous over these good natured Islanders, in the use of their fists, than the science of a Nicholson or a Richardson in vanquishing, even in their own manner of wrestling, the whole of their heroes in rotation. From the preference given to wrestling, it is evident the natives of Tongataboo con

sidered it as the less hurtful and dangerous to the combatants; and affording equal, if not superior scope for the display of personal address, activity, and quickness.-More anon.

SAGACITY AND FEELING OF A DOG.

During a severe snow-storm in Falkirk, a remarkable incident of the brute-reasoning kind occurred at a farm-house in this neighbourhood. A number of fowls were missed one evening, at the hour when they usually retired to their roost, and all conjectures were lost in trying to account for their disappearance. While sitting around the kitchen ingle, cursing all the "gangred bodies" who had been seen that day near the house, the attention of the family was roused by the entrance of the house-dog, having in his mouth a hen, apparently dead. Forcing his way to the fire, the cautious animal laid his charge down upon the warm hearth, and immediately set off. He soon entered again with another, which he deposited in the same place, and so continued till the whole of the poor birds were rescued. Wandering about the stackyard, the fowls had become quite benumbed by the extreme cold, and had crowded together, when the dog observing them, effected their deliverance. They had not laid long before the glowing ribs ere they started on their legs, and walked off to their bawks, cackling the hen's march, with many new variations, in thanks to their canine friend.

RANDOM RHYMES,

Scotland.

In our time we have seen nothing like JOHN REEVE; nor do we think from reading, or according to the report of our theatrical forefathers, any such actor has appeared on the English stage since the period of Nokes: in truth, the performances of the "Great Comic Lion" ought not to be termed acting it is not acting, but to call it impulse would be much nearer the mark. The extravaganzas of John Reeve emanate from his mind; a mind of the liveliest description--the pun whcih presents itself he adopts without the

slightest hesitation; and, should a' comic incident' strike him during any of the scenes in which he is engaged, he risques all his well-earned fame, rather than let the opportunity slip through his fingers.

In the Court of FUN, John Reere has long been crowned The Emperor,' without any dispute to the Title; indeed, in that respect, Jack is legitimacy itself! His staff! yes, ye Gods! his staff, although it does not elicit such harmonic sounds as Paganini's how; yet he flourishes it with such a triumphant air amongst his brethren of the Sock and Buskin, that he never fails to produce a variety of Capers!

If we cannot again quote Shakspeare exactly for our purpose, "Leave off your damnable faces and begin" we will say (supposing our

D