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This is to acquaint all true lovers of manhood, that at the Great Booth, Tottenham-Court, to morrow, being the 23d inftant, it is believed there will be one of the most severe Boxing Matches that have been fought for many years between

RICHARD HAWES, Backmaker, and

THOMAS SMALLWOOD, for sol. "The known hardinefs and intrepidity of thefe two men will render it needlefs to lay any thing in their praise.

"Gentlemen are defired to come foon, for as this battle has been deferred a fortnight, at the particular defire of feveral Nobleinen and Gentlemens, a full houfe is early expected.

"There will be feveral bye-battles, as ufual, particularly one between the noted Buckhorfe and Harry Grey, for two guineas; and a good day's diverfion may be depended on."

Daily Advertiser.

April 26, 1742. "At the Great Booth, at TottenhamCourt, on Wednesday next, the 28th inftant, will be a Trial of Manhood between the following champions:

Whereas, I, William Willis, (commonly known by the name of the Fighting Quaker) having fought Mr. Smallwood about twelve months fince, and held him the tightest to it, and bruised and battered him more than any one he ever encountered, though I had the ill fortune to he beat by an accidental fall; the faid Smallwood flushed with the fuccefs blind fortune then gave him, and the weak attempts of a few vain Irishmen and boys that have of late fought him for a minute or two, makes him think him-If unconquerable: to convince him of the falfity of which, I invite him to fight me for ten pounds, at the time and place above

mentioned, when I doubt not but I fhall prove what I have afferted, by pegs, darts, hard blows, falls and cross buttocks.

William Willis."

my intrepid manhood and bravery on and off the flage, accept the challenge of this puffing Quaker, and will fhew him that he other good than that he should be chaftifed is led by a falfe fpirit, that means him no flesh." for offering to take upon him the arm of Thomas Smallwood."

"I, Thomas Smallwood, known for

"Note, The doors will be opened at ten, and the combatants mount at twelve.

"There will be feveral bye battles, as ufual; and particularly one between John Divine and John Tipping, for five pounds each."

May 4, 1742.

"At the Great Booth, at TottenhamCourt, to-morrow, the 5th of May, will be a trial of Manhood between the following champions, viz.

"Whereas I, John Francis (commonly known by the name of the Jumping Soldier) who have always had the reputation of a good fellow, and have fought feveral bruifers in the street, &c. nor am afraid to mount the ftage, especially at a time when my manhood is called in question by an Irish braggadocio buffer, whom I fought in a byebattle fome time fince at Tottenham-Court, for twelve minutes, and though I had not the fuccefs due to my courage and ability in the art of boxing, do invite him to fight me for two guineas, at the time and place above-mentioned; when I doubt not but I fhall give him the truth of a good beating. John Francis."

"I Patrick Henley, known to every one for the truth of a good fellow, who never refufed any one on or off the ftage, and fight as often for the diverfion of gentlemen as for the money, accept the challenge of this jumping Jack, and fhall, if he don't take which will convince him of his ignorance in tare, give him one of my bothering blows, the art of boxing. Patrick Henley."

This laft advertisement appeared alfo in the Daily Advertiser, and is, together with the others, a curious fpecimen of the boasting ftyle ufed by those boxers in challenging each other. It muft not, however, be fuppofed, that the challenges were penned by the refpective parties-by the generality of these men, the art of writing was not efteemed a manly or an honourable accomplishment. Befides which, the uniformity of the language fhews that all the advertisements from the Tottenham Court Booth were

written

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written by one perfon, who was employed for the purpose. We find, indeed, that this was really the cafe; and that in the true Spirit of the heroic ages, a poet undertook to celebrate the exploits of these champions; and that poet, our readers perhaps will be furprized to hear, was no lefs a man than Mr. Theophilus Cibber.

The Tottenham Court Booth was the only stage on which thefe Profeffors, or as they called themselve, Masters of the Boxing Art, difplayed their prowess till Brough ton, encouraged and pa.ronized by some of the nobility and gentry, built his amphi theatre in Oxford Road. This place was finished 1742. George Taylor, the proprietor of the Booth, was himself a very able practitioner, and welcomed every champion who offered himself to fight, by giving him what was called, in the cant language of those bruisers, the truth of a good drubbing.

The nobility and gentry, who patronized this exercise, and among whom were reckoned the first characters in the kingdom, having complained of the inconveniencies, fuftained at the Tottenham Court Booth, they prevailed on Mr. Broughton, who was then rifing into note as the first bruifer in London, to build a place better adapted for fuch exhibitions. This was accordingly done, in 1742, principally by subscription, behind Oxford-road. The building was called Broughton's New Amphitheatre; and, befides the ftage for the combatants, had feats correfponding to the boxes, pit, and galleries, much in the fame maner with thofe at Aftley's. The following advertisement, in the Spring of 1743, announced the opening of it to the publick, though several matches had been fought in it before.

March 10, 1743.

"At Broughton's New Amphitheatre, in Oxford road, the back of the late Mr. Figg's, on Tuefday next, the 13th inft will be exhibited, The true Art of Boxing, by the eight famed following men, viz. Abraham Evans, Sweep, Belos, Glover, Roger Allen, Robert Spikes, Harry Gray, and the Clog-maker. The above faid eight men are to be brought on the ftage, and to be matched according to the approbation of the gentlemen who shall be pleased to honour them with their company.

"Note. There will be a Battle Royal between the noted Buckhorse and feven or eight more; after which there will be feve ral bye-battles by others.-Gentlemen are defired to come betimes, by reafon of the number of battles.

"The doors will be opened at nine, and fome of the champions mount at eleven,

No perfon to pay more than a shilling."

This undertaking of Mr. Broughton juftly gave alarm to the proprietor of the Tottenham-Court Booth, who immediately engaged Taylor, Stevenfon, James, and Smallwood, four first-rate champions, under ar- . ticles, like regular performers, not to fight on any stage but his. Mr. Broughton's advertisement was anfwered by the following appeal to the publick:

To all Encouragers of the manly Art of Boxing.

"Whereas Mr. Broughton has malicioufly advertised feveral battles to be fought at his amphitheatre on Tuesday next, the 13th of March, in order to detriment me, who fight Mr. Field the fame day at TottenhamCourt, I think it incumbent on me to undeceive gentlemen, by informing them the greatest part of the perfons mentioned to fight there, never intended any fuch thing, or were ever acquainted with it; therefore hope this affertion will be understood (as it really is) a spiteful undertaking.

"Mr. Broughton has likewife inserted in his bills, that there was never any impofition on the champions, who fought at his amphitheatre, and has in vain endeavoured to make it appear, which gentlemen will be fenfible of, when an account of his exactions are fet forth at large in print, which will be done with all expedition.

"And to convince Mr. Broughton that I have no disgust to his amphitheatre, I am willing to meet him there, and fight him for an hundred pounds, whenever he pleases; not in the leaft regarding (as he expreffes himself) the valour of his arm. G. Taylor."

March 12, 1743.

Mr. Broughton in his reply to this decla ration, ftated, that he had built his theatre at the exprefs folicitation and defire of the public; that it had coft four hundred pounds, of which eighty were by contribution; and that, having himself been at the expence of what was required beyond that fum, he thought it but fair and reafonable that he fhould appropriate to himself a third part of the money collected at the door, the rest go. ing to the champions.

All the principal amateurs and encouragers of the fcience gave their fanction to Broughton's caufe; and in the end, all the profeffors were obliged to come over. Taylor, and the others, finding that their exertions could not prevent the TottenhamCourt Booth from being deferted for Broughton's more commodious theatre, like the feceding actors in the Haymarket, gave up the contest; and on condition that Mr. Brough

to

ton engaged to make good to them the lofs incurred by the forfeiture of their articles, they agreed to leave the Booth, and to fight no longer but on his stage.

Mr. Broughton thus became fole manager and proprietor of the boxing theatre, engaged all the first performers, and reared many pupils, who were afterwards expert profeffors of this gymnaftic art.

is your bufinefs to find out what that fome. thing is. Perhaps it is pricked with a pin ; and of all abfurdities can any thing be more abfurd than to ftick pins about fuch an infant as this?"-Sufanna, the nurie, ftared, and began to liberate little Haac from his habiliments -- “I thould have no objection," continued Mr. Bickerftaffe, “to this child being ftuck as full of pins; and bundled up as clofe as a Bartholomew-fair puppet, pro

The Life and Amusements of Ifaac Bicker- vided you could anfwer for its lying equally faffe, Junior.

Book II. Chap. IV.

Containing a few fugacious Obfervations on Nurfing, the delectable Music of Matrimony's and fafrionable Intelligence.

MRS

RS. BICKERSTAFFE was liftening with a pleafing attention to the young lady, who was just entering on the most in terefting part of her narrative, when little Ifaac, in an adjoining room, attracted their attention by a puny vociferation; and at that moment Mr. Bickerstaffe entered the apartment where lay the child, the fingular hero of these excellent memoirs.

Now Mr. Bickerstaffe was not only very partial to peace and quietnefs, but, as all the world knows, an author, and had, therefore, a wonderful antipathy to the barking of dogs, the fqualling of cats, and the bawling of children. It has, indeed, been faid, that he declined marrying for feveral years, to prevent his becoming particularly ac quainted with the laft fpecies of mufic; and that he did not enter into the holy ftate till the cacoethes fcribendi, which at one time was greatly predominant in him, had a good deal fubfided. Nay, there are fagacious wits of the prefent day, who will pretend to inform us, from the very nature and fpirit of the compofition, which was the firit number of the Tatler, that he wrote immediately after his marriage. But from the private anecdotes in my poffeffion, I have great reafon to believe them all mistaken, as I fhall have occafion to fhew in my chapter upon Matrimonial effects on the pericranium of an author; a chapter which will not, I think, be furpaffed by any other in this hiftory.

The cries of our hero having brought together his father, his mother, and his nurse, Mr. Bickerftaffe expatiated fomewhat largely on the fubject, infifting that a remedy might always be provided against this fpecies of diffonance, and that it generally originated in fome trivial neglect or inattention of thofe who had the care of children."I think," faid he, " that unless a child of this age is ill, there can be no excufe for its crying: it is not old enough to cry for whim or crying-fake; it mult, therefore, feel itfelf oppreffed with fomething; and it

fill in a cradle: but as my friend Haac here is apt to fhew his agility by tumbling about a good deal, it is furely ridiculous to incunhim to the pricking of pins, as if he were ber him with unnecellary geer, or subject haunted by that fpecies of fairies, who are faid to vilit fleeping maids, and inflict on them thefe fort of pains for the petty offences of the day.”

Sufanna had now divefted Ifaac of his garments-but Ifaac ftill continued to cry."You 'fee, my dear," faid Mrs. Bickerflaffe," that the child was not hurt by his cloaths." I do not," replied he, "fee that; for though you have releafed him from the caule of his pain, the effect may continue fome time. I fee, however, that he has lain upon his arm, and now fuffers under a kind of cramp. Children fhould be frequently looked at whilft they are afleep; because it is not quite impoffible for them to change their positions, and subject themselves to great pains when they awake; and you may rely upon it, that when children of this age complain, it is from actual feeling, and generally from a feeling which might have been prevented, or may foon be remedied "

I muft here remark, that though Susanna was evidently much chagrined to hear her mafter peak in this flyle, and ftill more that be fhould pretend to know any thing of the matter in queflion, Mrs. Bickerstaffe attended to him with fweet complacency, and, inftead of afking him why he troubled himself about fuch affairs, affented to all he faid with one of thofe fmiles which always inftantaneoufly difarined his brow of the gathering frown." I am," the faid, "as great an eneiny as my dear Mr. Eickerstaffe himfelf to all the cominon prejudices respecting the management of children. I am convinced there are many and grols errors prevalent in the prefent way, or what you would call fyftem; and I do affure you, that cuftom, or the practice of others, thall have no influence with me, fo long as I am favoured with your better instructions."-Sufanna now began to fufpect her mistress to be little wiler than her master, and trembled for the privileges of her fex, well knowing, that, by common content, women have the management of children during their infant

flate,

ftate, and that all men are totally incapable nerations, I have, among the family records of judging on the fubject. Sufanna never found a true copy of these inftructions, with fo much wifhed, as at this moment, for that Mrs. Hobfon's ingenious comment, which I liberty of fpeech which Mr. Bickerftaffe's fhall prefent to the public, when I have comprefence always took away; and therefore I pleted the hiftory of Miss B. cannot record the logical arguments that she, doubtless, would have used, and I have no inclination to throw them into a foliloquy, because I would not have my readers fuppofe that I deal in any fuppofitions or fictions whatever-and what is a biographer if he Iwerves from veracity?

Mr. Bickerftaffe was not inattentive to the expreffive looks of Sufanna, and, as if confcious of encroaching on her department, "Sufanna," said he," you are a good girl: I have no fault to find with you, becaufe you act to the best of your knowledge. I fhall, however, beg leave to direct the management of that little fellow; and fo long as you follow my inftructions, neither he nor I fhall have much right to complain.”- -Sufanna blushed, and curtfied; but ftill thought she knew more of the matter than he did.

I am well aware that many of my female readers will think a good deal with Sufanna, and contend against the paffive obedience of Mrs. Bickerstaffe: they will call her a water-gruel character, and condemn her want of fpirit. Now, my dear ladies, Mrs. Bickerftaffe had as much proper fpirit as any lady need to have; the only difference between you and her is, that the knew how, and on what occafions to exert it. And whatever The might think of Mr. Bickerstaffe's interference on this occafion, she did not, as ninetenths of her fex would have done, pretend to difpute with him on the propriety of his conduct.

I am also well aware, that this chapterwhich, in my opinion, is of great importance to the community-will excite a fmile, and probably a contemptuous fmile, in the. critic, who may be tempted to think Mr. Bickerstaffe a little old woman f; and might perhaps have been as well pleafed had I proceeded without interruption in Mifs B-'s fory; but as Mifs B had not acquired the faculty of talking to herself, and as it is my bufinefs to look after my hero-I was under the neceffity of making this digreffion; and have to add to it, that Mr. Bickerftafle laid down a very plain, and a very excellent fyftem of nurfing, which was delivered to Sufanna, with an injunction to make herself well acquainted with it, and to follow the rules it contained. It unfortunately happened, however, that Sufanna could not read, and was obliged to have recourfe to the houfekeeper, who, being a great reader of good books, and an old maid, made fome very learned comments on Mr. Bickerftaffe's text.

Happily for this and future ages and geGent. Mag. May, 1788.

And now I am upon the fubject of family papers, I will further apprife the reader, that I fhall be able to tranfmit to pofterity certain private memoirs of the wits who were contemporary with Mr. Bickerstaffe, as I find ample materials in a Diary, of several years, kept by that gentleman, containing his real opinions on various perfons, as well as fubjects. The characters I shall put into a more modern dress, left the readers of thefe days fhould not relish Mr. Bickerstaffe's fimplicity of ftyle:-for it must be confeffed, that he does not leave fo much to the imagination of the reader as some of our fashionable wits, who in giving account of their school-fellows, have got fuch an odd mode of putting their words together, that you are obliged to decompound and recompound them before you can come at the writer's, or indeed any meaning. This is a moft excellent ftyle, when speaking of living characters: it may be tranflated a variety of ways, and may convey as many heterogeneous ideas, as an Egyptian hieroglyphic to an antiquarian fo ciety. I am in great hopes that this ftyle will find its way into common conversation, and by that means prevent quarrels ;-for why fhould one quarrel with another for uttering words without any meaning? Befides, it would give a grace to the most common topics of cafual difcourfe. I beg the critical reader will take an example or two, and he will perceive that I have already made fome progrefs in this happy art.

"The weather-and in a country of various climate-for can any thing be more various than the climate of this country?And now I am speaking of climate-I would ask you, Jack, whether the manners of the people-and when I fpeak of the people-I do not mean-that is, I do mean-the people, influenced by the weather, which, in my opinion, is very cold-Ha! my dear Tom, what are you in town?-Apropos, of Haftings's trial-charming entertainment!

Did you fee my account of Burke's go-off upon the Chancellor at his devotions?-Of devotion, however, one of the most striking of modern inftances is that of the royal duke to Mrs. C-n; and of Mrs. Cn what lefs can we fay, than that she is extremely beautiful? I have a ftring of excellent intelligence to communicate to the world-Mrs. K's lap-dog died yefterdayDella Crufca writes an elegy on that-Lady Goodly's favourite hen has a brood of fine chickens-Anna Matilda writes a birth-day ode on that and the feveral fubjects will be concluded by the amiable five writing ch

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the tragic catastrophe did not end: the faithful dog, who firft difcovered the horrid scene, began to howl at some distance; he feemed uneasy, and not willing to quit the fpot. Piermont, with trembling fteps, ad

an ode in praife of the other.-Lord T. has fprained his ancle.-Lady F- loft a very beautiful patch from the left fide of her chin, laft Sunday.I am told Sir Edward Ais putting up a bracket in a corner of his fummer-houfe, on his eftate in Wales-Sirvanced towards the fpot. Ye lympathetic, Edward has an immenfe fine tafte!"

Now this, gentle reader, is a dafhing converfation; and, when properly reduced to paper, is fit to be tranfmitted to pofterity, as conveying tolerably accurate ideas of fome of the momentous tranfactions of the 18th century. When I have tranflated my late friend's diary into this kind of flip fhod Englifh, I fhall requeft permiffion to make another digreffion in its favour. In the mean time we will proceed with the ftory of Mifs B-, which was interrupted by the crying of little Ifaac, and gave rife to this elaborate and truly exquifite chapter.

[To be continued.]

Le Nourion. Tranflated from the French.

A

S M. Piermont, his lady, and retinue, were travelling towards the German Spa, they met with an adventure which le vied a heavy tax on their humanity-the melancholy in the extreme-it became highly interefting. Being far advanced in an intricate wood, their faithful dog inftantane oufly difappeared, which, on being noticed, they ftopped. The dog was called, who anfwered the fummons by the moft piercing and lamentable cry imagination can conceive. The call was feveral times repeated; the animal answered as before. After a confiderable delay, M. Piermont was determined to fearch after the dog. He left fome of his fervants to guard the baggage, taking the reft with him, on account of fafety. He marched into the thickeft of the wood: he had not advanced many paces, ere his ears were affailed with the moft piteous moans, when looking round, he saw a scene of unexampled barbarity. Eight barbarous ruffians, belonging to a numerous banditti, had attacked a fmall family, whom they moft in humanly murdered, and were all bufily employed in the act of plundering. When Piermont and his attendants came upon them fo rapidly, that they were not perceived till too late for fome of them to efcape, A fevere conflict ensued between the remainder of the gang and Piermont's party. Victory remained doubtful for fome time-the head of the gang being killed and another entirely difabled, the reft fled with precipitancy, darting into the thickeft part of the wood. Piermont was unable to purfue them any farther. He now began to examine each breathlefs corfe of the blood-flained field; by their drefs they appeared to be English; four perfons lay weltering in their blood. What a melancholy profpect! But alas! here

judge the fate of him, when he beheld a young lady, in the bloom of youth and beauty, moft inhumanly butchered; her frame cut and mangled in the moft fhocking manner; but above all, a tender infant fucking at her breaft. The infernal barbarians had given the innocent babe a cut on the arm, which had nearly fevered it in two. The infant was bathed in its parent's blood. At firft Piermont imagined the child to have been dead, but on examination it proved to have fome little remains of life. Piermont took it in his arms; the child opened its eyes: "Thou mournful babe, (faid Piermont) thy faint and innocent looks are a tender appeal to my generofity; you probably may have no friend left to repair the loss: to you I will be that friend; I have no children, you fhall be my adopted; to you I will be a fond and indulgent parent. If at fome diftant period, fome relation may lay claim, to them I will refign you, hoping they will fulfil a tafk, if God fpares me life, I intend to accomplish." Piermont left his fervant to watch the mournful plain, till he haftened with the infant to his wife, whom he left in the road. Piermont came to the place, but judge his furprife, when he found the remainder of his party miffing. How to account for it he knew not; his imagination painted a thousand different difafters to have happened; however, he returned back to his fervants in the wood. Whilft he was reflecting in what manner to proceed, or how to act, they were furrounded by the police. Madame Piermont wondering at her hufband's long delay, had fent a fervant privately to fee if he could learn the cause of his mafter's ftay. He had taken his master's route, in order to find him, and was near the place when he heard the noife of horsemen; he hid himself in the trunk of a hollow tree. He fearce had time to conceal himself ere the horsemen paffed in full speed the place of his retreat: he heard them fay, they hoped they were all killed, for dead people told tales. As foon as the horsemen were out of fight, he climbed up into the tree, where at fome diftance he saw the engagement between the remainder of the banditti and his matter. The fervant few back to acquaint his miftrefs, faying, he feared his master was murdered. Madame Piermont drove directly back to La ville de ---, to give notice to the police. The fervant was their guide, and they furrounded the mournful scene juft after Piermont's return to his fervants. Another engagement

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