California 
 
 (gional 
 
 cility
 
 WRESTLIANA 
 
 AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT 
 
 ANCIENT AND MODERN 
 
 WRESTLING. 
 
 BY W. LITT, 
 
 AUTHOR OF "henry AND MARY." 
 
 [HE-PRINTED FROM THE WHITEHAVEN NEWS.] 
 
 WHITEHAVEN 
 
 PRINTED BY MICHAEL AND WILLTA3I ALSOP. 
 MDCCCLX.
 
 The following account of Ancient and Modern 
 Wrestling is from the pen of the late Mr. AVilliam 
 Litt, of Hensingham (father of Mr. William Litt, 
 veterinary surgeon, of Shrewsbury.) It was first 
 published in 1823. The low price at which the 
 present publishers are enabled to reproduce the 
 work, will, it is believed, ensure for it a large sale, 
 especially amongst the class for whom it was 
 originaUy intended, or, at all events, who will be 
 best able to appreciate its merits, namely, the 
 wrestling community. 
 
 September, 1860. 
 
 Jf,. V . *L^; *^- «^ i^^ . J_
 
 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 HISTORICAL ANECDOTES OF WRESTLING, FROM THE 
 REMOTEST ERA TO WHICH IT CAN BE TRACED, TO 
 THE YEAR 1823. 
 
 In commencing with this part of our subject, we 
 feel ourselves standing upon high ground. The first 
 account we have of wrestling places it, in point of 
 antiquity and respectability, not only the first, but 
 infinitely superior to any other amusement at pre- 
 sent prevalent in the Avhole world. For the truth 
 of this assertion, we quote no anonymous author, 
 whose authenticity might well be disputed ; no hea- 
 then writer, whose idolatrous fancy might give birth 
 to imaginary chimeras ! No ! the precedent we will 
 quote was even anterior to such writers as we have 
 described. It is one which no Christian can, or will, 
 dispute : it is to be found in that book which treats 
 of the creation of man, and the beginning of the 
 world ; authenticated by divine command, and writ- 
 ten by that sasred and inspired historian, even 
 Moses himself ! 
 
 We find in the 23rd chapter of Genesis, that Jacob 
 having passed his family over the brook Jabbok, 
 was left alone. In its history of events at this early 
 period of the world, with a brevity commensurate 
 with its high importance, the Bible minutely relates 
 only those particular occurrences which refer 
 to some covenant, or promise, then made renewed, 
 or fulfilled. It narrates facts, without commenting 
 upon them. Therefore, although Jacob's wrestling 
 with the angel was too remarkable an incident to be 
 omitted, yet we are not told in what manner he 
 came, nor of any preliminary conversation or agree- 
 ment bet ween them. It, however, appears very evi- 
 dent, that until the angel manifested his miracu-
 
 Z WRESTLIANA. 
 
 lous power, Jacob believed bis opponent was a mere 
 mortal like bimself ; and on whichever side the pro- 
 posal originated, it was acceded to by the other, 
 either as a circumstance not unusual, or as an ami- 
 cable amusement, which might be practised without 
 the least infringement of cordiality. If it was not 
 unusual, we are warranted in supposing it a common 
 diversion antecedent to that period, and that Jacob 
 was himself a scientific practiser of the art when he 
 was the father of a large family. Nay, we might 
 even hint, his celestial opponent was himself no 
 stranger to that athletic amusement. If it then had 
 its origin, no admirer of this athletic science can 
 wish for one more ancient, or more honourable. 
 That the patriarch's antagonist was a being of a 
 supei'ior order, and sent by divine authority, no 
 Christian has ever yet disputed. That it was a cor- 
 poreal struggle, or bona fide, a wrestling match be- 
 tween them, is universally admitted. It cannot, 
 therefore, be denied that it is either of divine origin, 
 or that a being more than mortal has participated in 
 it. It is true, many of the commentators dwell upon 
 it as a spiritual, as well as a corporeal struggle. This 
 we are very ready to admit ; but we will at the 
 same time contend, that instead of diminishing, it 
 adds considerably to its splendour. An amusement 
 from which so many inferences and conclusions have 
 been drawn to promote the welfare of Christianity 
 cannot be either degrading, or confined in its nature ; 
 but, on the contrary, noble and scientific. 
 
 It is a common and received proverb, that " A 
 man is known by his works, and a tree by its fruits." 
 Here, then, is an amusement peculiarly chosen not 
 only by one better, and greater than any man : but 
 as if to give strength and firmness, combined with 
 quickness and elasticity, to the limbs ; discrimination 
 and vigour to tlie body ; coolness to the head, and 
 perception to tlie mind : the whole forming an ener- 
 getic combination of the whole power given to man. 
 No exercise could have been selected, tending more 
 to exalt his character, and from which such typical 
 illustrations could have been deduced for his spiritual 
 advantage. Here, then, we take our stand. Advo- 
 cates for any other diversion, be it whatever it may,
 
 WRESTLIANA. 3 
 
 can you produce an origin, either so ancient, or so 
 honourable ? Men of common sense, what can you 
 object to it ? Poets and lovers, ye who deal in 
 heroics, and invoke ideal heathen divinities, or 
 ascribe to a mere mortal like yourselves, the epithet, 
 angelic, or even angel itself, while any proof you 
 could bring forward in support of your imaginary 
 divinities (or even the propriety of using such ex- 
 pressions) would be disputed, nay, condemned, by 
 thousands of well-disposed Christians. In all that we 
 have advanced respecting wrestling, none but hea- 
 thens or atheists will attempt to confute. 
 
 Having proved the existence of this amusement at 
 so remote an era, it would be neither necessary nor 
 important to trace the practise of this art through 
 that period of time which intervenes from the time 
 of Jacob to the formation of the Grecian Republics. 
 The blindness and transgressions of the Jews, and 
 the barbarous ignorance of those nations whom God 
 permitted to chastise them, render their exercises 
 a matter of neither curiosity or utility. But when 
 Greece, emerging from obscurity and ignorance, be- 
 gan to take the lead in civilization, in military know- 
 ledge, and in the cultivation of learning and sciences, 
 the utility of public games, not only to infuse a gene- 
 rous and martial spirit into the minds of the young 
 men, but to improve their bodily strength, was too 
 apparent to be neglected. Accordingly we find 
 these athletic exercises not only practised and en- 
 couraged 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. It would be foreign to our purpose to quote 
 the wrestling match of Hercules and Anteus, or any- 
 thing bordering either on the fabulous or miraculous 
 stories incidental to the times in which it is placed ; 
 but we may be allowed to observe that these prizes 
 were contended for, and often won, by men distin- 
 guished as much by their birth, patriotism, and 
 valour as by their skill in those exercises in which 
 it was their pride to excel, 
 
 The influence of these sports in advancing Greece 
 from a few petty states, not equal in extent of terri-
 
 4 WRE8TLIANA. 
 
 tory to one half of England alone, into the most 
 powerful kingdom at that time in the world, is 
 universally acknowledged by all historians and com- 
 mentators who have ever treated of the subject. And 
 it is singular to i-emark, that while the fact is ad- 
 mitted 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 witnesed the 
 celebration of these games, has given us so confused, 
 and even incomprehensible an account of the wrest- 
 ling at the funeral of Patroclus, (though many years 
 antecedent to his time,) between Telamon Ajax, the 
 strongest, and Ulysses, the wisest man, in the Gre- 
 cian army. Its translation by Pope is as follows : — 
 
 " The third bold game Achilles next demands 
 And calls the wTestlers 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. 
 N ow to the grasp each manly body bends ; 
 The humid sweat from every pore descends ; 
 Their bones resound with blows ; sides, shouldei-s, thighs, 
 SweU to each gripe, and bloody tumoms rise. 
 Nor could Ulysses, for his art renown'd, 
 O'ertum 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 .love 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 ; 
 Ulysses following, on his bosom lies ; 
 Shmits of api)lause run rattling through the skies. 
 Ajax to lift, Ulysses next essays ; 
 He barely stirr'd him, but he could not raise : 
 flis knee lock'd fast, the foes attempt deny'd ; 
 And grappling close, they tumble side by side."
 
 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 This account seems as ridiculous, as it is incompre- 
 hensible to a modern wrestler — ridiculous, in regard 
 to the duration of the contest, and the strange pro- 
 position of Ajax, and incomprehensible, as it ap- 
 pears Ulysses was the winner of the first fall ; and 
 tne 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 ima- 
 gine neither gained much honour by the struggle, 
 both were sufficiently rewarded for it. 
 
 Although we could select from history a multi- 
 tude of extracts to prove the estimation in which this 
 and other athletic exercises were held from the time 
 of Homer to the birth of Christ, and many hun- 
 dred years posterior to that event, but as the bare 
 establishment of the fact is not worth the recital, 
 we shall therefore advert at once to instances of a 
 more modern, yet still far distant period in the his- 
 tory of our own country, and the literature connected 
 with 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 amuse- 
 ment then exhibited in the presence of these two 
 mighty monarchs and their courts. A grand 
 national and scientific display of this 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 ! Countrymen assert that 
 Francis himself was a most excellent wrestler, and 
 in a contest between the two rival monarcls threw 
 Henry with great violence. We will agree with the 
 author in question, that the amusement was a princely 
 one ; but would either gladly believe there is some 
 French gasconade as to the event of the contest, or 
 wish our king had had practice and science enough 
 to have introduced Francis to the same acquaintance 
 with his mother earth, as his subjects. 
 
 Antecedently to this period, wrestling was a 
 favourite amusement, as well among the nobility as
 
 WKESTLIAXA. 
 
 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 prizes. 
 These were usually a ram and a ring. Thus, in Coke's 
 tale of Gamelyn, ascribed to Chaucer : — 
 
 There happed to be there beside 
 
 Tiyed a wrestling ; 
 And therefore there was y-setten 
 
 A ram and als a ring. 
 
 And likewise, at a still earlier period, we see in 
 Ritsou's Robin Hood : — 
 
 By a bridge was a wrestling. 
 
 And there taryed was he. 
 And there was all the best yemen 
 
 Of all the west countrey. 
 A full fayre game there was set up, 
 
 A white bull up y-pight, 
 A greater courser \vith saddle and brydle. 
 
 With gold burnished full bryght ; 
 A papre of gloves, a red golde ringe, 
 
 A pipe of wyne good fay ; 
 What man beretli 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 our 
 modern Homer should have given nearly as lame 
 an account of wrestling matches as his mighty pre- 
 decessor. Thus we see in the fifth canto of the 
 Lady of the Lake the following account of one : — 
 
 " Now, clear the ring I for, hand to hand, 
 The manly WTestlers 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 calculated to pro- 
 duce 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 tor
 
 WRESTLIANA. 7 
 
 fresh men. Nor arc the remaining couplets less 
 faulty, in regard to Douglas's treatment of liis op- 
 ponents, m 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 con- 
 tests, 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 piti- 
 ful, but dreadful and improbable story, concerning 
 it. The justly celebrated James Hogg, the Etterick 
 Shepherd, has, in his tales, occasionally introduced 
 wrestling. And although we confess we do not 
 exactly comprehend the fatality of Geordie Coch- 
 rane's heel-chip, 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 skUl in 
 wrestling, and it having been enacted as a law, that he 
 who won his any one contest was obliged to begin the 
 next, Polmood was of com-se one of tlie number. They all 
 engaged at once, by two and two, and eight of them having 
 been consequently overthrown, the other eight next en- 
 gaged 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 mitil com- 
 pletely out of breath. It had always been obsen^ed, how- 
 ever, 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-* sham ^vl■e.5tle ; but when it turned out that they 
 two stood the last, a,ll were comnnced that they were 
 superior to the rest either in strength or skUl. This was 
 the last prize on the field, and on the last throw for that 
 prize the victory of tlie day depended, which each of the
 
 WRESTLIA.NA. 
 
 two champions was alike vehemently bent to reave from 
 the grasp of the other. Tliey eyed each other with looks 
 askance, and with visible tokens of jealousy ; rested for a 
 minute or two, wiped their brows, and then closed, (.'ar- 
 michael 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 higlily 
 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 cai-e. Carmichael ventured the first 
 trip, and struck Pohnood on the left heel with consider- 
 able 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 lie uttered were scaixely 
 articulate ; his feelings at that moment may be better 
 conceived than expressed. A squire who waited the king's 
 commands then proclaimed Norman Himter of Polmood 
 the victor of the day, and consequently entitled, in all 
 sporting parties, to take his place next to the king, imtil 
 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 practice was not iincummon 
 among the Scottish nobility at that peiiod ; and 
 that this was the case, miglit easily be proved by 
 indisputable authority. At this period, it is worthy 
 of remark, few discoveries of distant countries had 
 taken placx' ; and consequently the great landed 
 proprietors spent much more of their time in their 
 own countries and on their own estates. But no 
 sooner liad tliat ceased to be tlie case, than degene- 
 racy and effeininacy cre]jt 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 par- 
 ticuliirly Kugland, began to be as much directed to 
 new discoveries, and consequent settlements abroad, 
 as to the internal prosperity of the mother countries. 
 This no dpubt liad its due effect upon the manners,
 
 VVKESTLIANA. y 
 
 customs, and amusements of the people. Our im- 
 mense 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, fortifica- 
 tion, and all the minutiae of tactics attendant on 
 these studies, became of proportionally more impor- 
 tance to men of rank, either in the civil, or military 
 departments, than those exercises calculated to pro- 
 mote the display of personal strength, valour, or 
 activity, as a well-aimed bullet made no distinction 
 between Shaw, perhaps the bravest and most for- 
 midable warrior that fought at Waterloo, and the 
 most effeminate dandy in any of the contending 
 armies. Nay, " those vile guns" which the fop in 
 Shakspeare alleges prevented him from "becoming 
 a soldier," materially change the signification of the 
 world brave itself, which Jormerly denoted the per- 
 formance of great personal exploits, for which 
 strength and activity were nearly as necessary as a 
 cool head and intrepid heart ; but noiv^ a regiment 
 which preserves its station amidst a shower of 
 bullets till half of its number becomes " food for 
 powder" is considered equally brave if composed of 
 half grown lads, as if every man in it was, a perfect 
 Hercules. Indeed, the word still seems provincially 
 to retain something of its former signification, when 
 misapplied to what is generally termed the most 
 ignorant of living things, or even to inanimate ob- 
 jects ; as when we hear many a good old housewife 
 say, this is a brave goose, or a brave pudding, 
 meaning something excellent of its particular kind. 
 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 personally 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. Indeed, a quick and steady eye, for 
 judging directions and distances in managing the
 
 10 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 lance, might be better acquired by practising 
 fencing or boxing ; but we presume no high-born 
 cavalier, even in these heroic days, deemed " a dis- 
 location of ivory," or "a measure for a suit of 
 mourning," any recommendation to " courtly dame" 
 or "lady fair;" and as th'^ smile of approving 
 beauty has ever been deemed one of the proudest 
 rewards for great achievements, we think the juve- 
 nile knights who endangered themselves for such 
 recompense would take especial care no transforma- 
 tion of that kind should diminish the genuine bril- 
 liancy of that smile on which they were to subsist 
 for a week and dream for a whole year ! 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 re- 
 mains of that chivalric spirit which has distinguished 
 the most celebrated conquerors in all ages, for, ac- 
 cording to one of our justly-esteemed writers, had 
 he been placed by Providence in a different station : — 
 
 "He tliat 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 acquiie celebrity in the ring, that we are 
 indebted for the glorious victories of Agincourt, 
 Trafalgar, Waterloo, &c. There are many who will 
 argue that atldetic sports have no direct tendency to 
 inspire additional confidence and courage in the 
 breast of the soldier on the day of battle ; but we 
 confidently aver, that all who assert this, speak 
 without due consideration, for that such exercises 
 will 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 regi- 
 ment in Great Britain; let thom all possess hearts 
 that never kiew fear, and bring them to the charge 
 against the same number of men, equally disciplined, 
 and all expert wrestlers, and what would be the un- 
 avoidable result? Might not one party say, I have 
 only to parry the first on>:ot 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
 
 WRESTLIANA. 11 
 
 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, 
 ara not the English superior to any other nation in 
 the junction of active and pasdve courage } and is it 
 not a fact that the French, during the late war fre- 
 quently 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 con- 
 tending 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 vice 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, are better calculated 
 to infuse courage, and inspire with hopes of victory, 
 the boldest men on earth .'' The answer is too ob- 
 vious to any man of common sense to require inser- 
 tion. In the battle of Waterloo, the success of our 
 cavalry when opposed to the French curassiers, a 
 body of men confident in themselves, and of invin- 
 cible 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 practise owed its intro- 
 duction 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 efi'ect in aU 
 futui-e cavalry engagements. 
 
 Proceeding to a more modern date, let us now con- 
 sider what effect religion has had upon athletic 
 amusements, in Ireland, England, and Scotland. 
 Of Ireland, we cannot from personal knowledge state
 
 12 WHESTLIANA. 
 
 anything positive In England, particularly in the 
 north, a great change has taken place within the last 
 thirty years. Annual, and weekly exhibitions of 
 wrestling, and foot -ball, usually took place on the 
 Sunday afternoon, in the vicinity of every village in 
 many parts of Cumberland. These practices are 
 now very properly discontinued; partly by the in- 
 closure of the commons and waste lands on which 
 they were held, and partly by the interference of the 
 clergy and magistrates. By the suppi*ession of these 
 meetings, and by the more strict attendance required 
 of servants at this time, than was previously, oppor- 
 tunities for practising wrestling are become too con- 
 fined to permit any number of that hardy class of 
 men to excel in it. In Scotland the change has been 
 great indeed. Before the reformation, almost every 
 town and village had its great annual meeting for 
 wrestling pitching the bar, &c. ; but that great 
 event, and the consequent troubles it occasioned, 
 nearly obliterated everything in the shape of amuse- 
 ment ; and nothing has yet revived except some little 
 horseracing and archery ; the latter of which seems 
 calculated to promote nothing beneficial in the pre- 
 sent times, either to themselves, their country, or 
 posterity. The Roman Catholic religion is always 
 accounted the most superstitious ot any professed by 
 Christians in the whole world. It is therefore natu- 
 ral to suppose that where that religion is most pre- 
 valent, less toleration will be allowed for amuse- 
 ments, particularly on the Sabbath. Yet strange to 
 observe, the very reverse is the case. Thus in Ire- 
 land, Sunday afternoon is, in many places, generally 
 devoted to cards, dancing, and visiting, and many 
 other diversions. And in England, where we retain 
 more of the rites and ceremonies of the Church of 
 Rome, than they do in Scotland, amusements of all 
 descriptions are much more prevalent ; and greater 
 relaxation in the rigid observance of the Sabbath, if 
 not tolerated, is at least more customary than in 
 that kingdom, where scarcely any arc allowed. 
 
 As a proof that the practice of athletic exercises 
 are not confined to this kingdom, or even to Europe, 
 we quote the following account of an entertainment
 
 WEESTLIANA. 1 3 
 
 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's 
 exhibition, they engaged, for the greatest part of the after- 
 noon, in wrestling and boxing. When a person is desirous 
 of wi-estUng, he gives a challenge by crossing the groun 
 in a kind of measured pace, and clapping smartly on the 
 elbow joint of one arm, which is bent and sends forth a 
 hoUow soimd. If no opponent steps forth he retiuTis and 
 sits down ; but if an antagonist appears, they meet with 
 marks of the greatest goodnature, generally smiling, and 
 deliberately adjiLsting the piece of cloth that is fastened 
 round the waist. Then they lay hold of each other by this 
 cloth, and he who succeeds in drawing his opponent to 
 him, instantly endeavour.^ 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 groimd ; in which struggles they dis- 
 play an extraordinaiy exertion of strength. AMaen one of 
 them is thrown he immediately retires ; whUe the con- 
 queror 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 side chant the song of victory 
 in favour of their champion. It frequently happens, that 
 five or six rise from each side, and gives challanges to- 
 gether ; so that it is not mmsiial to see several sets engaged 
 on the field at the same time. They preserve great tem- 
 per in this exercise, and leave the spot without the least 
 displeasure in theu- countenances. When they find that 
 they are too equally matched, they desist by mutual con- 
 sent ; 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 van- 
 quished, is permitted to engage a second time with the 
 conqueror. 
 
 "Those who intend to box advance side-ways, changing 
 the side at every pace, having one arm stretched out be- 
 fore, the other behind ; and 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. Theii- 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 tunx 
 roimd on the heel, just after they have struck their adver- 
 sary, and to give him another pretty violent blow with the 
 other hand backwards. In boxing matches, unless a per-
 
 14 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 son strikes his antagonist to the gi-ound, 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 unfreqiiently 
 happens, that little gii-ls 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 indiflference 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 require practice to become expert 
 in ; and probably not one ol' liis crew was either a 
 scientific wrestler or boxer. Had that been the 
 case, notwithstanding their different mode of pro- 
 curing 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 Bel- 
 cher 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 Richard- 
 son in vanquishing, even in their own manner of 
 wrestling, the whole of their hcioes in rotation. 
 From the preference given to wrestling, it is evi- 
 dent the natives of Tongataboo considered 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. 
 
 "We now come to a date so modern, that we will 
 only observe, that previous to the year 1807, the 
 best display of wrestling in this part of the king- 
 dom was at Melmerby and Longwathby ; two vil- 
 lages in Cumberland, but contiguous to Westmor- 
 land ; where a silver cup was sometimes the reward 
 of the victor. In that year a more considerable 
 prize was given at Ambleside than had been pre- 
 viously known for a lengtli of time. Throughout 
 Cumberland and Westmorland the usual prize had 
 dwindled to a leather strap, commonly called a 
 belt ; scarcely ever exceeding two or three shillings 
 in value. But in that year an advertisement con- 
 taining the offer of five guineas and a silver-mounted 
 belt, to the victor, could not fail to excite an addi- 
 tional interest in the neighbourhood. This wrestling
 
 WRESTLIANA. 15 
 
 at Ambleside was chiefly patronized by J. Wilson, 
 Esq., of Elleray, a gentleman well known in the 
 literary world, and we believe connected with a 
 certain celebrated monthly publication. This 
 gentleman was himself a proficient in athletic exer- 
 cises, particularly leaping ; but never sported his 
 figure in the ring, we suppose for the same reason 
 Alexander the Great assigned ; which was, because 
 his antagonists were not to equal rank. Be that as 
 it will, the Ambleside wrestling, at least the five 
 pounds five, rose and declined with him. After four 
 years residence at Elleray Mr. Wilson went to re- 
 side in Edinburgh ; and however liberal the gentle- 
 men in the vicinity might be when influenced by 
 his example, not one of them chose to succeed him 
 in the superintendence of the business, and it con- 
 sequently dropped. However as Mr. Wilson has 
 again returned to Elleray, our good friends about 
 Ambleside anticipate the pleasure of witnessing the 
 revival of this favourite amusement. 
 
 But whatever interest the Ambleside wrestling 
 might create, it was nothing in comparison to what 
 was excited by an advertisement announcing that 
 twenty guineas would be given to wrestle for at 
 Carlisle Races the same year. This was efi'ected 
 solely by the interest and exertion of Henry Pear- 
 son, Esq. of Carlisle, a steady and invariable friend 
 to that amusement ; who by every possible means 
 endeavoured to render it as gratifying and beneficial 
 to the competitors, as attractive to the spectators, 
 and who has proved himself on all occasions, as 
 warm and disinterested a friend to the Carlisle 
 wrestling, as Mr, Jackson is to pugilism in the 
 metropolis. Under his patronage the wrestling be- 
 came so attractive, that even the horses were deemed 
 a secondary object. The higher classes who attended 
 the races, including the Earl of Lonsdale, and many 
 other distinguished characters, cheerfully, and- 
 liberally subscribed towards it. Eight guineas were 
 given to the victor, and one guinea to the last loser. 
 The victor was then debarred, and one chosen in his 
 place to the fifteen last standers, and eleven guineas 
 divided amongst them, the winner receiving five. 
 In this manner the wrestling continued with great
 
 16 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 eclat till the year 1815, when the last wrestle was 
 not fairly contested. The dissatisfaction occasioned 
 by this conduct, was further increased on wrestling 
 over for the second prize, when the last men could 
 not agree ahout the hold. In the year 1816, such 
 universal disapprobation was expressed at the con- 
 duct of two or three of the last men, owing to some 
 previous agreement amongst them, that Mr, Pearson 
 did not think it right to give them the money. 
 Owing to this, no coutest took place for the second 
 prize ; but a silver cup was wrestled for in the cir- 
 cus, every spectator paying sixpence for admittance, 
 but this was merely a speculation by the proprietor 
 of the circus, and tew gentlemen attended it. In the 
 year 1817 no wrestling took place on the Swifts; 
 but the proprietor of the circus gave prizes for two 
 successive days. The wrestling now lay dormant 
 for three years, and the races were in consequence 
 so thinly attended, that it was deemed necessary to 
 revive it. The estimation in which it was held was 
 soon manifested by more than a double attendance 
 compared with those years in which it was discon- 
 tinued. Mr. Pearson was again the principal means 
 of its renew%al, and the patronage it has i-eceived in 
 1821 and 1822, is equal, or rather superior to what 
 it ever experienced before. Its attraction now is 
 universal. Ladies of distinguished rank, whose 
 characters in every respect, are such as the breath 
 of calumny has never dared to taint ; have not only 
 become spectators, but expressed their approbation 
 of it ; and the Carlisle wrestling is at this time in 
 possession of higher patronage, and more general 
 estimaticm, than any provincial amusement within 
 the last two hundred years. 
 
 The only drawback upon the gratification the 
 Carlisle wrestling has so generally afforded is, the 
 confusion attending it, owing to the want of some 
 regular and acknowledged mode of proceeding, 
 which should he promptly and invai'iably acted 
 upon. By this publication it is hoped these diffi- 
 culties will in future ho obviated. The author may 
 without egotism observe, h(^ ought to know ae much 
 about the sulject as any man whatever ; and the 
 method recommended in a subsequent part of this
 
 WRESTLIANA. 17 
 
 work is, in his opinion, the best calculated to give 
 general satisfaction. He is well aware, that in a 
 basis of this kind, it is impossible to please all ; but 
 he fully expects, the reasons he has given for adopt- 
 ing every particular rule, will induce all judicious 
 and impartial men to prefer it to all others. 
 
 The circumstance of giving money at Ambleside 
 and Carlisle had a considerable, and what seems 
 rather sirange, an injurious effect upon wrestling in 
 general. Before that time a belt alone was the 
 envied prize, and there wanted no stimulus but the 
 honour of bearing it away to attract all the wrestlers 
 in the vicirity ; but when money was the cry, and 
 it became so much the custom to subscribe for the 
 wrestling, that a belt lost all its consequence and 
 attraction, and of course, fewer meetings was the 
 unavoidable result; for unless five or six, and in 
 some places twenty or thirty times the value of a 
 belt was subscribed, it was hooted at by the wrest- 
 lers. Nor was this the only evil. Money, in this, 
 as in many other things, had the effect of causing 
 dissention between those who gave and those who 
 received it. The wrestlers began to fee each other, 
 and a man's price was according to the estimation 
 in which he was held as a wrestler ; and it has fre- 
 quently happened that several of the best wrestlers 
 have divided the amount amongst them previous to 
 the commencement of the sports, and refused to con- 
 tend with each other. 
 
 A considerable prize to wrestle for was given at 
 Penrith Races the same year the Carlisle meeting 
 commenced. This was principally owing to Dr. 
 Pearson, who in his youth had himself excelled in 
 that exercise. After the first year it began to 
 decrease, and finally died aAvay. The Inglewood 
 hunt and some other causes which might be as- 
 signed, prevented its flourishing as at Carlisle and 
 Keswick, however last year some good wrestling was 
 displayed there, and it may probably in a short time 
 revive, and even exceed its original splendour. 
 
 In the metropolis wrestling has become a som-ce 
 of much attraction. A very elegant belt was for- 
 merly annually given to be contended for by natives 
 of Cumberland and Westmorland. The prize is now
 
 18 WRESTLIANA 
 
 increased by tlie addition of valuable trinkets of dif- 
 ferent descriptions. In the vicinity of Whitehaven, 
 the best wrestling was at Arlecdon Moor ; but the 
 inclosure ot that common has now put a stop to it ; 
 and latterly, it has been more encouraged at Dis- 
 tington than any other place. 
 
 In the year 1818 the stewards of Keswick races 
 gave three guineas to wrestle for. Its attraction was 
 beyond all estimation, and the sum is now increased 
 to fifteen ; and report says it will at no distant 
 period amount to twenty. That truly celebrated 
 wrestler, Thomas jS^icholson, has acted as umpire ; 
 and owing to his acknowledged judgment and im- 
 partiality, the Keswick wrestling has become second 
 only in numbers and celebrity to that of Carlisle, 
 and even superior to it, in the gratification it has 
 afforded ; as no disputes have hitherto arisen, of 
 consequence ^nougli to cast any shade upon its 
 popularity. ^ 
 
 Having brought down this concise history of 
 wrestling to the present time, 1823, a few observa- 
 tions on the different modes of practising it will be 
 expected by the generality of our readers. Without 
 entering into any lengthy details, we must observe 
 that ever since its institution the modes of wrestling 
 have been as various as they are at this time in 
 England and Ireland. In Greece, the back hold, 
 as is the general practice in Cumberland and West- 
 morland; in Lancashire, and in the north of Ireland, 
 collar and elbow, or waistband and elbow ; in Devon- 
 shire, both collars, in Cornwall, where the comba- 
 tants put on canvass jackets, enter the ring, and 
 catch Avhere they can ; and in many places, hold of 
 gloves, or the naked hand ; were all in estimation. 
 In some places we must observe, that the fall was 
 not considered fair, unless one combatant threw the 
 other fairly on his back without falling himself. Of 
 all these modes, we must contend the arms round 
 the body or shoulders, as practiced in Cumberland 
 and Westmorland, is the best calculated, not only 
 for preserving the combatants from accidents, but 
 for affording greater and more equal scope for that 
 display of dexterity and science which constitute the 
 highest gratification of the spectators.
 
 WRESTLIANA. 19 
 
 We know there are many, very many, who do not 
 understand this noble art, differ widely fiom us, par- 
 ticularly as far as regards our second assertion, and 
 characterise our mode as a nere trial of brutal 
 strength ; but as we will advance nothing hut what 
 we are fully prepared to defend, we will, with that 
 candour and impartiality Avhich ought to distinguish 
 all writers on any science, state the reasons on which 
 we ground our opinion, and leave our readers to 
 judge for thenjselves. 
 
 It cannot, we think, he denied that it is the most 
 noble and manly, and we will venture to sav, the 
 most Englishman-like manner of coping with an 
 antagonist, to meet him breast to breast, and brave 
 at once his united powers and science. It is com- 
 paratively like the courageous bull-dog which goes 
 at once to the head of the bull ; and the cowardly 
 cur which nibbles at his heels. Besides, the closer 
 you stand to your opponent, the sinews will be 
 firmer braced, the whole frame more compact, and 
 the limbs less liable to sustain any injury, when in 
 the act of falling ; and indeed that this is the case, 
 is sufficiently proved from the paucity of accidents 
 in this county, compared with what fi-equently hap- 
 pens in the south, ^here the looser holds are gene- 
 rally practiced. 
 
 We come now to the point where the strongest 
 prejudices militate against us ; but we trust a due 
 consideration will materially reduce the strength of 
 the objections so warmly urged against our Cum- 
 berland mode of wrestling. It never can be sup- 
 posed to any rational man, that strength and weight, 
 are not great advantages in any mode of wrestling 
 and boxing ; and consequently, that these, united 
 with equal science aud action, will generally produce 
 victory. jS'ow the ways of throwing at loose holds 
 are very limited compared with the other ; and of 
 course the chances of the weaker man are fewer. A 
 good striker, chipper, or hooker with the legs or 
 feet, stands on no more than equal grounds with a 
 more powerful antagonist, when contending with a 
 loose, than a close hold. And in hipeing, cross- 
 buttocking, striking with the knee, slipping from 
 the breast, and even in throwing an opponent quite
 
 20 WRESTLIA.NA. 
 
 over tlie head, modes regularly practised in close 
 wrestling, the loose wrestler has no chance what- 
 ever. The reason of this is evident to any reflecting 
 man ; in one, the power and use of the breast, which 
 is the very centre of strength and stamina in man, 
 cannot be brought into action ; and in the other, is 
 in universal use. When a very powerful man grasps 
 a light one, if he holds him at a distance, and does 
 not make play, he may render him powerless, and 
 never give him the shadow of a chance. But with 
 his arms round his body or shoulders, the lighter 
 man, by feeling or sustaining his weight upon his 
 breast, may, with nearly an equal chance of success, 
 assail him in some direction, for this great and deci- 
 sive reason, the weight of a man is no comparative 
 counterpoise to his strength, and consequently if the 
 stronger man does not choose to exert his powers, 
 his mere weiglit is no material drawback upon an 
 antagonist who is at liberty to exert his own. 
 Again, a man of tremendous power may by mere 
 strength of arm dash a little man to the ground, as 
 we will suppose Douglas did his antagonists ; but it 
 is a well-known fact, that a powerful unscientific 
 man tnking his opponent from the g ound in close 
 holds, is the readiest way to lose the fall. For his 
 opponent will, by hampering his knees or tliighs, 
 prevent his throwing him ; meanwhile the close 
 junction of their breasts, not only prevents the ef- 
 fectual use of superior strength, but even informs 
 the defendant of every meditated arrangement, 
 which his science will enable liim to render futile, 
 thus while the stronger is losing his wind (and wind 
 is strength), his grasp will decline ; this the other 
 will proportionally gain ; till at length obliged to 
 set his adversary down, he is generally thrown in a 
 moment. The fact of Cass, the victor at the last 
 Cai'lisle races, a man weighing sixteen stone, having 
 been thrown by Rogerson, a little tailor, scarcely 
 nine ; Kichard Abbott, about eleven, winning the 
 purse at Keswick races in 1821 ; and Watson, of 
 Torpenhow, liaving twice thrown the powerful and 
 celebrated Weigh tman, suiiiciontly establish the 
 truth of the above remark.
 
 WKESTLIANA. 21 
 
 It is true we sometimes witness a more powerful 
 man force in the back of a weaker, but this is as 
 much effected by art as strength ; and rarely occurs 
 even when strength is assisted by considerable 
 science. The situation in which the parties are 
 placed when they take an equal hold of each other, 
 is a sufficient bar to strength effecting any such 
 purpose when opposed to superior science ; thus 
 Weightman, assisted by seven inches in height, 
 three stone of weight, and considerable science, could 
 not force in the back of Watson ; and such is the 
 effect of science over strength, Eogerson has often 
 been known to force men of thirteen stone weight 
 on their knees ! 
 
 We will liiiewiso illustrate the advantages of 
 close wrestling by the following fact : — In the 
 height of our celebrity we were acquainted with an 
 Irishman, who in his own country had carried 
 everything before him at collar and elbow. He was 
 five feet eleven inches high, more than fourteen 
 stone weight, and one of the best made men in the 
 kingdom. AVe must acknowledge he was so much 
 our master at collar and elbow, as generally to gain 
 two falls out of three, and sometimes four out of six ; 
 but with the superiority of strength and weight, 
 with close holds, which he was as much accustomed 
 to as we were to the other, he was a mere play- 
 thing ; nor could he ever rise superior to defeat in 
 contending with a second-rate wrestler of ten stone, 
 yet this man laughed at the idea of any twelve stone 
 man in existence vanquishing him in his own mode 
 of wrestling ; and to corroborate this, we will ven- 
 ture a beef-steak and a bottle of porter, that if a 
 dozen of the best loose- hold wrestlers in the kingdom 
 be brought to the next Carlisle i*aces, they will be 
 thrown too easily to excite any interest ; and if the 
 trial be made, many of the Cumberland and West- 
 morland wrestlers will find them sufficient work in 
 their own way. 
 
 In Sparta, three thousand years ago, we read that 
 young women wrestled naked before assemblies of 
 the people, and it was the general practice long after 
 that time to besmear the bodies of the competitors 
 with oil. In the early history of our own country
 
 22 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 we likewise find it was customary to engage in 
 athletic exercises with a very slight and sometimes 
 without any covering. "Wrestling, therefore, seemsto 
 be one of the few amusements in which we trace 
 the gradual progress of science and civilization, 
 without any diminution of gallant bearing or heroism 
 in its performance. In preparing themselves for 
 the contest, our modern wrestlers never encroaoh 
 upon decorum so much, but that any lady may wit- 
 ness it without feeling her delicacy in the least 
 danger of being wounded by it ; and notwithstanding 
 the Munchausen stories of its brutaHty and terrific 
 consequences to those engaged, it is fifty to one 
 against any accident of consequence occurring ; and 
 in fact this amusement will be found by all who are 
 willing to receive proofs for prejudices, much less 
 injurious, and more free from danger of bodily 
 harm, than any other exercise whatever; but as this 
 point will receive due consideration in its proper 
 place, we will close this part of our subject, and 
 proceed to compare wrestling with other amusements 
 of the present day. 
 
 A PHILOSOPHICAL DISSERTATION ON WRESTLING, 
 COMPARED WITH OTHER AMUSEMENTS OF THE 
 PRESENT DAY. 
 
 As Ave will always contend that those exercises in 
 which man alone is implicated must be the most 
 truly noble and scientific in their nature, we will 
 commence tliis part of our subject with comparing 
 wrestling and pugilism ; a sport which has for some 
 time acquired ihe name of a science, and which all 
 those wlio have read Boxiana, will not doubt has 
 acquired most distinguished piilronage amongst even 
 nobility itself. But truly, in what manner it can be 
 deemed to rival wrestling as an amusement, we are 
 totally at a loss to imagine. It is true, its attraction 
 is evicced by the immense crowds which collect to 
 witness it, but its interest to many is the sum they 
 are to gain or lose by the event, the fear of an in- 
 terruption, the distance to, and diflSiculty of ascer-
 
 WRESTLIANA. 23 
 
 taining the spot where the contest will actually take 
 place, and the illegality of the thing itself, must all 
 operate as drawbacks on the gratification derived 
 from witnessing it. But these difficulties overcome, 
 what follows ? One single contest, or if you please, 
 trial of skill ; a short, or probably a protracted one, 
 is generally the whole inducement. If the former, 
 an overpowering superiority, want of game in one 
 01 the combatants, or a blow, if not fatal, so dread- 
 ful in its effects as to deprive the receiver of his re- 
 collection, and prevent his coming to time ; all 
 things in themselves iticapable of exciting any sen- 
 sation of pleasure in the spectators, are all that can 
 be witnessed ; if the latter, a succession of knock- 
 down blows, and the bloody and disfigured appear- 
 ance of the performers, must considerably alloy the 
 gratification arising from their science and skill, and 
 excite in every generous and humane breast, the 
 strongest emotions of commiseration and pity for the 
 pugilists. That this boih is, and will be the case, 
 we may confidently appeal to Boxiana itself, in all 
 reports of what are termed sporting fights. To this 
 source only can be traced what is called the 
 humanity and consideration of Mr. Jackson, in col- 
 lecting money to compensate the eff"orts, and reward 
 the bravery, or to speak more correctly, the sufferings 
 of the combatants. Again, while we admire the 
 courageous spirit of the pugilist which leads him to 
 acts of what may even in one sense be called 
 heroism, we must admit that he is at the same time 
 the hireling of gambling opinion ; the being who 
 by undergoing a course of training to enable him to 
 exhibit himself more to the advantage of his, we 
 had almost said owners, but backers is the term 
 usually appropriated by the sporting world to his 
 employers, degrades himself to the condition of the 
 game-cock, the race-horse, or many other animals 
 of the bruce creation. 
 
 In fact, whatever attraction boxing may possess, 
 the immense sums depending on any capital match 
 between celebrated men will fully warrant us in 
 asserting gambling to be one of the principal. And 
 however friendly we may be to an exhibition with 
 the gloves, acquiring the means of defence when at-
 
 24 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 tacked, or additional power of repelling an unpro- 
 voked insult, we cannot, although a; strenuous 
 admirer of the eloquence of Mr. Egan, coalesce with 
 him in his conclusions that professed pugilism has 
 any tendency to prevent assassination, or to be in 
 its nature a more equal, or manly manner, than 
 sword or pistol of settling those disputes in which 
 neither party can, without making the cure worse 
 than the disease, appeal to the law. Assassination 
 can never obtain any advocates for its support in a 
 country renowned for the bravery of its inhabitants ; 
 and when we consider the great difference that may 
 probably be in the age, make, and size of the parties 
 who quart el, we cannot hesitate to pronounce boxing 
 inferior. A scientific man, or one so much superior 
 to another in age, strength, or other advantages, as 
 to put science out of the question, might insult him, 
 and ridicule the idea of giving him satisfaction, if 
 there were no alternative but boxing for it. Eut if 
 the rank of the parties, and the spirit of the weaker, 
 rendered such a result probable ; a man however 
 strong, or gifted with boxing requisites, miglit pause 
 as much, or more so, before he insulted any fellow- 
 creature however diminutive in person, as if he were 
 his equal in every particuhir, as a bullet would make 
 no distinction between them. We are no advocate 
 for duelling, we even think the practice cannot be 
 vindicated in a Christian country by any provoca- 
 tion ; but if a man's feelings be so wounded that he 
 vrill have satisfaction, we would advise iiim to prefer 
 it either to assassination, or boxing a man who is 
 morally certain to give him a severe thrashing. 
 
 We acknowledge we do not object to boxing 
 when the parties consider themselves on a level, and 
 which is the better man in tliat respect, is the cause 
 of quarrel ; and if a little science be displayed in 
 bringing the matter to a conclusion, we own we like 
 it the better, and fully coincide with Mr. Egan, that 
 it is a much better way of settling such disputes, 
 than having recourse to knives, sticks, or any other 
 weapon whatever. 
 
 But professed pugilism is gambling. The men 
 are brought to the ring, comparatively like oxen to 
 the slaughter; but with this material difference,
 
 WRESTLIANA. 25 
 
 one are brought to gratify the curiosity or gambling 
 propensities of the public; the other for a more 
 substantial and necessary motive, to fill their bellies ! 
 
 It is asserted there are many praise-worthy cha- 
 racters, not only among the admirers of pugilism, 
 but among the pugilists themselves. Admitting it 
 to be the case, is it not a strange inconsistency in 
 human nature, that men entitled to that character 
 can find any amusement in witnessing what is sup- 
 posed to be a good fight ? "We saw the battle be- 
 tween Carter and Oliver at Gretna Green, and we 
 will extract from Boxiana a few particulars of it. 
 As early as the fourth round we are informed, '* the 
 head of Oliver was terrifically hideous, the blood 
 pouring down in torrents, his body and back com- 
 pletely scored with the ropes, occasioned by his 
 struggles to resist the iron grasp of Carter, and to 
 get away from that desperate fibbing punishment 
 which has been so liberally administered to him by 
 the superior strength of his opponent." 
 
 After fighting twenty more rounds in this situa- 
 tion, we are told " Oliver's head was so hideously 
 disfigured that all former traces of it were gone ; 
 and Carter's nob a little altered from its originality." 
 After these sublime specimens of attractive eloquence, 
 eight more rounds are fought, and then comes the 
 climax, which is word for word as follows : — " Nature 
 had been pushed to the farthest extremity the human 
 frame could bear, the vital powers were nearly ex- 
 tinct, defeat seemed to operate so much upon his 
 mind that he fought till his pulse was hardly found 
 to vibrate, and in the last six rounds, during which 
 he had not the least shadow of a chance, he per- 
 severed till all recollection of the scene in which he 
 had been so actively engaged had totally left him. 
 In the thirty-second round he was taken out of the 
 ring in a state of stupor, and completely deprived of 
 vision, his body and back were shockingly lacerated 
 all over, from his struggling so much upon the ropes ; 
 and, in point of fact, much as fighting men may 
 have suffered in former battles, the situation to 
 which Oliver was reduced, it appears, exceeded them 
 all. The battle lasted forty-six minutes. He was 
 taken and put to bed at Longtowu, four miles from
 
 26 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 the ring, and in consequence of the vast quantity of 
 blood he had lost in the contest, added to his ex- 
 hausted state, the surgeons who were called in to 
 attend upon him deemed it highly dangerous he 
 should be bled." 
 
 After these extracts the generality of our readers 
 will be at a loss to imagine what constitutes the 
 amusement at a prize fight. If Carter and Oliver 
 relished it, the latter surely could not fail to be 
 delighted in this instance, as he got perfectly satis- 
 fied. Carter likewise could not find any fault, yet 
 he was supposed to have no great taste for " altered 
 nobs" and such little particularities. 
 
 As for the spectators, those who won called it a 
 good fight, and those who lost a bad one. The 
 former therefore were well amused, and the latter 
 found no amusement in it. The account of the 
 fight is, with the exception of one particular, very 
 correct ; it was as early as the eleventh, and not in 
 the twentieth round, that Oliver put in the tremen- 
 dous body-blow which occasioned for two or threa 
 minutes the only delightful sensation his friends ex- 
 peiienced during the whole contest. Previous to 
 the act of closing, in many rounds there certainly 
 was much science displayed by the combatants ; and 
 we do not hesitate to say, that Carter's quickness 
 gave him a manifest superiority in that respect over 
 nis opponent, who, while he endeavoured to give 
 greater eflfectto his blows, was too slow in delivering 
 them, but when closed, it was the strength only of 
 Carter which gave him the advantage. In point of 
 throwing, nothing which could be called a cross- 
 buttock occurred between tliera. Carter, indeed, 
 did sometimes succeed in getting his left leg across 
 both Oliver's, and dragging him over it ; but to 
 apply the term science to that part of the contest 
 would be ridiculous. 
 
 But putting loss and gain out of the question, 
 what great satisfaction could the impartial spectators 
 derive from witnessing such spectacles as these quo- 
 tations allude to.'* The fight we quote from, greatly 
 resembles in its prominent features all those which 
 are termed good fights. One of the men, and some- 
 times both, are obliged to be carried, or at least
 
 WRESTLIANA. 27 
 
 supported out of tlie ring, and tlie next question 
 that naturally occurs is, what cause induced them to 
 come there ? The fact is, there was no previous 
 quarrel between the individuals in question ; but 
 Carter thought he could get two hundred guineas, 
 and considerably advance his future prospects by 
 beating Oliver; and Oliver entertained the same 
 sentiments respecting Carter. The nionied men 
 differed in opinion what would be the result of such 
 a meeting, and each party supposed they could 
 afford that price out of the money they felt inclined 
 to risk on the issue. Accordingly we are informed 
 by Boxiana, that the backers of Carter presented 
 him with fifty guineas in addition to the battle- 
 money, which was two hundred moi-e. These sums, 
 and the expense of training would probably amount 
 to three hundred pounds ! 
 
 As for Oliver, Boxiana remarks " That Mr. Jack- 
 son was not at Carlisle, and it was observed, that 
 the losing man was not the better for his absence ;' 
 which is tantamount to saying, Mr. Jackson was n ot 
 present to have begged more money for him than 
 his disappointed backers could probably afford. The 
 attraction of modern pugilism, therefore, is either 
 gambling, or the pleasure of witnessing two men 
 beat each other till one of them can no longer meet 
 him at the scratch. This is the true philosophical 
 view of the subject, when fairly examined, and 
 divested of the superficial adornments in which it is 
 enveloped by its admirers. 
 
 L«t us now revert to wrestling ; and carefully 
 scrutinizing it in the same manner we have done 
 boxing, compare the two exercises together, and 
 freely stating our own opinion, leave our readers at 
 full liberty to form their own judgment. In wit- 
 nessing a prize wrestled for, instead of one contest 
 only, there are generally from thirty to forty, or 
 sixty to eighty. Those, who by better fortune, or 
 superior dexterity, throw their opponent the first 
 time over, meet in the second a partial victor like 
 themselves ; and then " Greek meets Greek" in suc- 
 cession, till at length, all his competitors vanquished, 
 either by himself or in rotation by those he has
 
 28 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 thrown, tlie conqueror (like Alexander the Great) 
 has no more to vanquish. 
 
 Our literary readers will immediately recognize 
 in this amusement v.hat is always allowed hy critics 
 and connoiseurs to constitute the highest gratification 
 a spectator can experience. That piece only is con- 
 sidered perfect which progressively advances in 
 interest till it arrives at the denouement ; which 
 evincing the same masterly genius, the satis- 
 faction of the audience is complete. In 
 this point of view, wrestling as an amusement 
 stands unrivalled and alone. The spectator who 
 knows no more of his own language when written 
 or printed, than he does of Hebrew, fully demons- 
 trates the truth of this acsertion by the increased 
 interest he feels in every succeeding round, till ar- 
 rived at the last, thai one fall interests him much 
 more than any of the preceding. In this respect 
 pugilism is so far from admitting of any comparison 
 with wrestling, that even the single contest it 
 dwindles to is very defective. The greatest interest 
 it excites is at the commencement, when the men 
 are in full vigour, and exerting all their science and 
 action to obtain the first advantage. As the combat 
 advances these become less obvious, blows and blood 
 are more conspicious ; and as they are fully expected 
 as a matter of course, commiseration (a very singu- 
 lar kind of pleasure to court as an amusement) begins 
 to supersede gratification ; and when the fight ter- 
 minates, that feeling is absorbed by pity for the 
 loser in the breast of every spectator but those whose 
 loss or gain make them callous to every feeling of 
 humanity. Wrestling has never yet (at least in this 
 country) become a subject of gambling speculation. 
 The trities sported by the spectators are nevar an ob- 
 ject of much consideration ; and neither commisera- 
 tion nor pity, are at all likely to be excited by wit- 
 nessing it. The wrestlers Avalk out of the ring as 
 free from injury as when they entered it : and 
 let us now make the same inquiry avc did respecting 
 the pugilists ; what brings them there !> "NVe answer, 
 a desire to rival the renown of former heroes ! That 
 generous and irresistible spirit of emulation which 
 led knights to the princely tournament, and from
 
 WRESTLIA.NA. 29 
 
 thence to signalize themselves in the service of their 
 country. The wrestlers come like Orlando, " to 
 prove the strength of their youth," and to convince 
 the spectators that their science, spirit, and activity 
 correspond with it. 
 
 If the wrestler meets an equal opponent, "chance 
 may place the laurel on his head, or tear it from his 
 hrow ;" if the former, his frame is advanced, the 
 desire of further conquests inspires him with addi- 
 tional courage, and when he falls, he falls like some 
 of Ossian's heroes, "with his fame around him." 
 If the latter, uninjured in person, pocket, or cha- 
 racter ; what has a brave mind to regret? He has 
 done his best. " Fortune," said the Prussian hero, 
 "is a slippery jade, another time I shall do better." 
 He came there the hireling of no one ; he came like 
 a free-born Englishman, to what characterizes a real 
 English amusement, for his own gatification, and to 
 contribute to that of others. As he probably never 
 flattered himself with the hope of being ultimately 
 victorious where so many contended, he may in- 
 deed have been foiled sooner than he expected, but 
 defeat is certainly a strong expression for one so 
 circumstanced. If he meet with an antagonist supe- 
 rior in strength or science, he is generally thrown ; 
 if that be the case, it is no more than he expected, 
 and no stigma whatever is attached to the circum- 
 stance ; on the contrary, he will often observe with 
 much complacency, " I plagued him more than he 
 expected," or, " it is an honour to be thrown by 
 him." Should he chance to win the fall so much the 
 better. If thrown by an inferior antagonist, he is 
 laughed at by his friends, and vows " he will take 
 better care another time," and that is the worst. 
 In short, his observations may be as various as the 
 situations which occasion them, and these equally 
 so as the contests that must take place before a 
 prize is won. To entertain a company, variety is 
 always an auxiliary, often requisite, and sometimes 
 indispensable. To constitute an amusement, uncer- 
 tainty and expectation are two essential requisites ; 
 and these, unalloyed by any painful feeling, can 
 alone produce gratification. In all these qualifica- 
 tions, wrestling is eminently superior to any other
 
 30 WRESTLIANA 
 
 amusement. The contests are many, and varied in 
 their mode of termination. In single trials by men 
 in full vigour, the result is sufficiently uncertain. 
 Men distinguished by superior strength, or science, 
 are certainly expected to win ; as the victor will in- 
 variably be possessed of ou€ -or both of these quali- 
 fications, and any accidents likely to interrupt the 
 satisfaction of the spectators will very rarely occur. 
 In all these parallels, we presume few will be found 
 to dispute the superiority of wrestling over boxing. 
 If Wicstling be called tlie mere act of one man throw- 
 ing another down ; the science displayed, and the 
 manner of doing it, may reasonably be supposed to 
 excite the interest, and gratify the curiosity of the 
 spectators ; and this we have always supposed con- 
 stituted an amusement. But if on the same ground 
 we call boxing the mere' act of one man beating ano- 
 ther till he is disfigured with blood, and unable to 
 stand, although science may be displayed in the per- 
 formance, yet we are compelled to f.cknowledge it is 
 a barbarous act, and we envy not the feelings of 
 those who find any amusement in it. 
 
 There are some Avie^eacres, who as if they had 
 studied the means of furuisliing other men with 
 reasons for denominating them, pshaw ! the word is 
 an ugly one, and we will leave our readers to sup- 
 pose what it is, will gravely inform you, that wrest- 
 ling injures a man more than fighting. Should we 
 ask these geniuses for reasons, we- would probably re- 
 ceive such an answer as Falstaff gave Avhen pressed 
 for them : " What, upon compulsion ! no ; if reasons 
 were as plentiful as blackberries, I would give no 
 man a reason on compulsion." In many prizes the 
 victor generally vanquishes five or six opponents, 
 and probably wrestles some hundred falls within the 
 year. In fighting, one opponent is generally suffi- 
 cient for two or three months ; and we would sup- 
 pose one hundred a tolerable supply for any 
 ordinary man. In wrestling, the man who is thrown 
 is ready for another trial the next minute ; in 
 fighting, the beaten man has often more occasion 
 for a chaise to convey him home, a doctor to pre- 
 scribe for him, and a nurse for a week. 
 
 In science only, will boxing and wrestling admit
 
 WRESTLIAXA. 31 
 
 of any comparison : and wore we to substitute five 
 or seven throws for one, which is all that is allowed 
 in contending for a prize, we believe it would be 
 diffieulfc to assign the superiority to either. But the 
 limited duration of a single fall renders a momentary 
 advantage often decisive, which in number, or in 
 boxing, is in future guarded against ; and strength 
 and size regain a certain preponderance, according 
 as they are united with, or opposed to, science and 
 action. Thus Richard Abbot, weighing little more 
 than eleven stone, who won the prize at Keswick in 
 1821, undoubtedly threw two or three men upwards 
 of thirteen, with whom he would stand no manner 
 of chance three falls out of five ; but who ever dreamt 
 that Dutch Sam, or Tom Belcher, though phenomena, 
 could have beaten Jem Belcher, or the Game Chicken'; 
 or that the ISTonpariel Randall, could beat Neat. 
 
 It may be urged that Dutch Sam beat several 
 pugilists two stone above his own weight ; and that 
 Jem Belcher, under thirteen, beat Gamble, and Avas 
 for some time the unrivtilled champion of England. 
 These instances, though convincing proofs of science 
 and good manhood in boxing, do not entitle that 
 exercise to claim any superiority over wrestling, in 
 which such instances are by no means uncommon. 
 If asked to produce them, we need only refer to 
 Thomas Xicholson (about the weight of Jem Bel- 
 cher) winning at Carlisle for three successive years ; 
 James Fawcett, about eleven, winning at Melmerby 
 for seven years ; or to the circumstance of Thomas 
 Todd, about twelve stone, throwing last year at Car- 
 lisle John Fearon, of Gilcrux, weighing seventeen 
 stone, who possessed science enough to throw the 
 celebrated Weigh tman ; and likewise John Liddle, 
 fourteen stone, an acknowledged first-rate wrestler. 
 Nor is there any doubt, but any of these men, and 
 numerous others Ave could mention, would vanquish 
 in any number of trials, men as far above their 
 weight, and rating as high in point of science, as 
 those beat by Sam Belcher, or any other pugilist 
 whatever. 
 
 The means of acquiring perfection in boxing and 
 •wrestling are equal. We often find light weights 
 comparatively the best in either exercise ; and men
 
 32 WTIESTLIANA. 
 
 about thirteen, or between that and fourteen stone, 
 the acknowledged champions; because these latter 
 acquire science enough to throw, or beat lighter men, 
 and are so much superior in that respect to very 
 heavy men as to render a few stones of no great im- 
 portance. It is true there may be some few excep- 
 tions but James Belcher, Henry Pcarce, John 
 Gully, and many others, are undeniable evidences 
 of the truth of the remark ofi one side ; and Thomas 
 Nicholson, William Richardson, and with these 
 celebrated names we might without egotism quote 
 our own, on the other ; all of whom no twelve stone 
 man in the world was able to vanquish, except by 
 mere accident. We could \\ith propriety quote 
 many other names, both boxers and wrestlers to 
 strengthen the remark, but the above are sufficient. 
 The principle upon which this fact is grounded, is 
 sufficiently clear and natural to those, who not con- 
 tent with a superficial knowledge, wish to examine 
 the source it springs from. To arrive at the top of 
 the tree in either wrestling or boxing, a complete 
 knowledge of the science and varied and effective 
 action are indispensably necessary ; and neither of 
 these requisites can possibly be acquired without 
 practice of every description. What we mean by 
 practice of every description is, practice with superi- 
 ors, equals, and inferiors, both in respect of science 
 andAveight; and to form a complete master, such 
 practice is absolutely necessary. It is easy for light 
 weights, and not difficult for men of from thirteen 
 to fourteen stone, to find opponents of all these 
 descriptions; but very rare for those above that 
 weight to find equals or superiors willing to engage 
 ■with them and hence their deficiency in science and 
 action ; for in those critical moments either of attack 
 or defence, when nice distinctions are not only neces- 
 sary, but often decisive of a contest ; that less than 
 momentary recollection and scientific rapidity of 
 action which has frequently been the means of win- 
 ning and losing, and consequently with which one 
 party is perfectly at home, is totally wanting in the 
 other. Thus it is almost impossible a very heavy 
 man can acquire the science and action of one above 
 the middle size ; but the insuperable bar is removed
 
 WKESTLIANA. 33 
 
 between the latter and the light weights. 
 
 Having thus at considerable length defined the 
 difference between wrestling and boxing, it will not 
 be necessary to dwell much upon the former, in 
 future comparisons. But before we entirely take 
 leave of this part of the subject, we cannot help ob- 
 serving the great diflBculty we unavoidably labour 
 under, in adapting our language to the comprehen- 
 sion of one class of our readers, and the satisfaction 
 of others • and, possibly, like the old man and his 
 ass, by endeavouring to please everybody, we may 
 please nobody, and give our labour into the bargain. 
 There is likewise another difficulty which we have 
 been compelled to submit to ; that is, in speaking of 
 wrestlers and wrestling, we have often, to avoid re- 
 petition, been obliged to adopt the hosing phrases, 
 such as combatants, vanquished, antagonists, &c. 
 which, although generally used, are strictly appli- 
 cable to those contests only in which two men op- 
 pose each other to extremity ; and therefore seem 
 harsh when applied to an exercise like wrestling, in 
 which men ofjposc each other for amusement. 
 
 Leaping and running are both exercises which ad- 
 mit of few comparisons. We do not wish to depre- 
 ciate either; but to compare them as interesting 
 amusements to wrestling would be ridiculous. It 
 is certainly a desirable thing to outstrip our compe- 
 titors in any exercise ; and therefore to excel in 
 leaping has been an object of ambition to many; 
 but the interest it excites is comparatively small, as 
 it is entirely destitute of any appendage to recom- 
 mend it to the patronage of the public. It is also 
 generally allowed to be more injurious to the frame 
 than wrestling, owing to the great stress the act of 
 springing necessarily imposes on the belly and intes- 
 tines. As it is never classed among those which are 
 deemed manly exercises, to dwell much upon it 
 would be superfluous. 
 
 Eunning is an exercise which, like leaping, has 
 been for some years gradually declining in Cumber- 
 land and Westmorland, a convincing proof of the 
 little interest they are calculated to excite. In these 
 counties they were formerly in considerable repute ; 
 and till within these few years, (and sometimes yet)
 
 ^4 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 a pair of gloves to leap for, and a bat to run for, 
 were usually given at all petty races, cellar-openings, 
 public bridals, fiddler wakes (commonly called bakes), 
 annual sports, &c. wbere a belt to wrestle for was 
 tbe principal attraction. Those who wished to 
 attain any celebrity in running devoted much more 
 time to prepare themselves for that performance, 
 than is required to leap or wrestle ; as it was usual 
 to go through a course of training to prepre them- 
 selves for it. lluuning is, in itself, a thing perhaps more 
 essentially useful to tbose who excel in it than leaping, 
 or even wrestling itself; but as an amusement, either to 
 those who practise it, or to spectators, vastly in- 
 ferior to wrestling. It has, however, in all ages, 
 and in many countries, been held in great repute ; 
 yet, notwithstanding, speed has latterly, in some 
 places, been made a subject of gambling speculation ; 
 it is perhaps less practised at this present time than 
 at any other period. In all exercises there is an 
 object of competition. In running, that object is 
 superior speed. Viewing leaping or running 
 philosophically, the true state of the matter is 
 simply this, tlie man who wins, and those who lose, 
 perform exactly the same thing; but the victors 
 leap a few inches farther, or run a certain distance, 
 one, or perhaps a few moments sooner than those 
 who lose. jSeither exorcise admits of much variety ; 
 a jump (the common substitute for leap in Cumber- 
 land) is a jump, and a race is a race; this the spec- 
 tators know they must witness ; and the sameness 
 that pervades the whole is only varied by the un- 
 certainty of winning. As we remarked before, 
 those who do win perform nothing but the same 
 thing the losers do, excepting what we before 
 observed. In wrestling the case is quite reversed ; 
 the action is varied ; and the winner stands, the 
 loser falls. To sum up the dilfercnce of the three 
 exercises at once, and to scrutinize leaping and run- 
 ning, as we have before done in regard to wrestling 
 and boxing, we shall only obsorvc, that hoises and 
 dogs can leap or run ; but men only can wrestle. 
 
 Football is an exercise which has dwindled down 
 to nothing, compared to the estimation in which it 
 was formerly held. Tiie Sabbath, though confessedly
 
 WRESTLIANA, 35 
 
 au improper one, was the day on which it was 
 generally practised. Villages, parishes, and fre- 
 quently three or four united, opposed others annually 
 on some particular >Sunday afternoon ; to carry aw ay 
 the ball from the scene of action to their own side 
 of the county was the avowed object of their ambi- 
 tion. The contest was often extremely violent, and 
 seldom decided till some individual, and frequently 
 several, had received severe bodily harm. These 
 meetings, which were common all over this county 
 thirty years ago, are now very rare. For many 
 miles round Whitehaven, all traces of them are 
 obliterated; but in some parts of the north of 
 Ireland, they still flourish in their pristine vigour. 
 When a select number of good players are chosen 
 from either side, no contest whatever requires more 
 dexterity, action, and vigour. It then may be 
 termed a combination of loose wrestling, kicking, 
 and running. It is usual in some parts of Ireland, 
 in a contest betAveen two counties, to make choice 
 of the twelve best men in each, to decide (like the 
 Horatii and Curiatii) the fate of the whole district. 
 The champions are drawn up opposite to each other, 
 and every man grasps the hand of his particular 
 opponent. The ball is then thrown up so as to 
 preserve the equality of the parties, and an instan- 
 taneous struggle to throw each other and reach the 
 ball first, immediately takes place, as that party 
 which gains the most falls will outnumber the other 
 at the first onset, the greater prospect of ultimate 
 success is thus determined by the previous wrest- 
 ling. Contested in this manner, foot-ball would 
 pi'ove an attractive amusement in any part of 
 the kingdom. One of the most extraordinary 
 exhibitions of football which can possibly be 
 witnessed annually takes place on Easter Tues- 
 day at Workington. The contest is between 
 the high and Ioav part of the town ; and so much 
 interest does it excite, there are few inhabitants 
 of the town who do not express some anxiety for 
 the ev^nt. The great concourse of spectators, amongst 
 whom are many strangers and residents of the 
 adjacent neighbourhood, who come purposely to 
 witness the sport and the number who take an
 
 36 WRESTLIA.NA. 
 
 active part in the play, render any attempt to kick 
 the ball out of the question. Throwing it, there- 
 fore, is the only method that can be practised ; and it 
 is a work both of danger and difficulty to get 
 possession of the ball, and regain a position from 
 which it can be thrown, as the person attempting it 
 is generally grasped and assailed by three or four 
 antagonists, who are by no means dilatory or sparing 
 in assaulting him with a few friendly kicks or cuflFs 
 before he can achieve it. The eager and incessant 
 cries of " up with her," and " down with her," at 
 well from the players as spectators of both sexes, 
 during a struggle to get possesion of the ball ; the 
 huzzas which the sight of it always occasions ; and 
 multitudes of all descriptions of people who crowd 
 the immediate eminences which command a view 
 of the place of action, form altogether a scene 
 highly amusing and picturesque. It not un frequently 
 happens that the ball is thrown into the river Der- 
 went (a favourite object with the down players); at 
 such times, neither the depth nor rapidity of the 
 water appear any obstacle to those who are thorough- 
 bred ; and many a complete ducking is the inevitable 
 consequence before th up party can transfer the ob- 
 ject of contention to terra fir ma. It has sometimes 
 happened that the contest has been so equal and 
 obstinate, that the ball has been divided on the 
 ground ; and consequently neither party acknow- 
 ledged defeat. When the contest terminates, the 
 scene of action is deserted for some time; afterwards 
 numbers re-adjourn to the ground, when wrestling 
 closes the sports of the day. The superioi'ity of 
 wrestling over football playing as an amuse- 
 ment, is evident in the following particulars: — 
 Fewer accidents occur in it, and victory, which in 
 wrestling is the enviable distinction due to one in- 
 dividual only ; in foot-ball is equally claimed by one 
 half of the whole competitors. The great difference 
 this occasions may be illustrated by supposing two 
 individuals, one a celebrated wrestler, and the other 
 a distinguished football-player, present at any place 
 of amusement where there is a large collection of 
 people ; the wrestler will be noticed and gazed at by 
 almost every person present, while the other will
 
 WRESTLIANA. 37 
 
 be regarded with comparative indifference. We do 
 
 not say tlie wrestler regards this as an enviable 
 distinction ; but such is the preponderance over 
 human nature, of the maxim '•'■aut Ccesar, aut 7ii/iil." 
 The wrestler copes singly with one opponent ; the 
 football-player may be assailed by three or four 
 antagonists at one time. "Wrestling, as a rotative 
 amusement, is calculated for exhibition in assemblies 
 however lai'ge. Football, where all the players are 
 engaged at once, requires a more large and open 
 space of ground than can possibly be kept clear of 
 interruption when a large crowd is assembled. 
 
 Most of the observations we have applied to 
 football-playing will equally affect the athletic 
 diversion of cricket, and all other games where a 
 great number of players are engaged at once. 
 Whatever dexterity they require, the numbers 
 engaged prevent in a great measure their public 
 exhibition, and involve the fortune of the best and 
 most scientific player engaged with the blunders and 
 incapability of the most ignorant. It is true, men 
 are opposed to men ; but certainly not exactly in 
 the same manly manner as when opposed to each 
 other in <vrestling. The very names which distin- 
 guish these diversions, likewise inform us that the 
 dexterity displayed in the kicking, striking, or hur- 
 ling a ball is the criterion of excellence in them. 
 In the northern counties of England they are seldom 
 practised. Those persons who would relish such 
 amusements cannot possibly find time, place, or op- 
 portunity to practice them ; and those who possess 
 all these have no inclination to avail themselves 
 of them. 
 
 The gallant and scientific game of single stick, so 
 much practised in many parts of Ireland, and some 
 of the southern counties in England, is totally un- 
 known m Cumberland and Westmorland. This 
 game may certainly be termed as scientific, and cal- 
 culated for placing the combatants on terms of 
 equality, as much, or perhaps more so, than any 
 other. In it, as in wrestling, every individual 
 stands for himself only ; and if he prove victorious, 
 the merit is exclusively his own. The performers, 
 when a prize is played for, will seldom be nume- 
 
 s
 
 38 "WEESTLIANA. 
 
 rous, as very few, excepting those who flatter them- 
 selves with the hope of ultimate victory, will enter 
 the lists. A hroken head, and a few remembrancers 
 elsewhere, are things not generally relished. But 
 the principal things we can with propriety urge in 
 favour of wrestling over this gallant and hardy 
 exercise, are, first, that one may be teinied the 
 science, or knowledge of one particular artificial 
 weapon ; and the other, the science of manhood 
 only, without the aid of any artificial instrument 
 whatever; and secondly, the national j)ropensity of 
 Englishmen to grapple with their antagonists. Thus, 
 however much we may admire the manoeuvres of a 
 Wellington in choosing his ground, stationing his 
 men, and evincing during an action his thorough 
 knowledge of the whole art of war ; and however 
 we may exult in the steadiness ot the men them- 
 selves, the precision of their fire, and their expert- 
 ness in those tactics which are often a means of in- 
 suring victory ; we always dwell with enthusiasm 
 on those particular parts where our countrymen 
 have been engaged with the bayonet. It is then only 
 that we feel that proud and extatic feeling which 
 makes us firmly believe the national and characteristic 
 proverb, " that one Englishman can heat three 
 Frenchmen." 
 
 We come now to the consideration of amusements 
 of quite another description to those Ave liave here- 
 tofore commented upun. We mean those sports in 
 which animals, and not men, are the principal per- 
 formers; consequently, although they may prove as 
 entertaining to many as those belbie treated of; 
 yet they must certainly be accounted by all less 
 noble and manly, both in their nature and tendency. 
 As we cannot, however, class them under one head, 
 we shall therefore ofter a few observations on some 
 of the most distinguished separately. 
 
 Horse-racing, in which this nation still conti- 
 nues to excel the whole world, and which was 
 for a long time considered almost exclusively 
 our own, is a favourite amusement with all who 
 can spare time and money to witness it in j.ny 
 degree of perfection. The beauty and speed of 
 tliat noble animal, and the alternate advantages
 
 WKKSTLIAXA. 36 
 
 which sotnetimes occur in a well-contested race, 
 are no doubt very powerful motives of attraction to 
 all ranks of people'. It is difficult to imagine how 
 any number of men calling themselves the represen- 
 tatives of a free and powerful nation, could arrogate 
 to themselves, and to those of equal rank, an ex- 
 clusive right to enjoy any diversion from which the 
 majority of their constituents were debarred. Yet, 
 however partial to the amusement, without a man 
 can afford to run a horse or fight a main of cocks, 
 for fifty pounds, he must do it either in contempt or 
 open defiance of a law, so arbitrary as to give to the 
 rich only a legal right to partake of these two 
 amusements. However, those of the poorer class 
 who are addicted to these sports, contrive to amuse 
 themselves in a way more adapted to their circum- 
 stances. They advertise their meetings for matches 
 of fifty pounds, and a purse, which it is sufficiently 
 understood constitutes the real sum ; and by way of 
 striking even with their superiors, debar any horse 
 which has started for fifty pounds,- matches and 
 sweepstakes excepted. Horse-racing, however, is, in- 
 dependent of any drawback upon it, a very pre- 
 carious and uncertain diversion. In races of any 
 celebrity, even the knowing ones are seldom certain 
 what horses will actually start ; and more uncertain 
 whether they will all equally try to win. This de- 
 pends altogether on the speculations or caprice of 
 the owners of every horse entitled to run. Thus 
 the favourite horse is often kept back, and his rider 
 ordered to lose the first heat. It is therefore mani- 
 festly the interest of his owner, and those initiated 
 into the secret, to conceal the circumstance from the 
 great majority, and make the most of their superior 
 means of information. When this is the case we 
 cannot call it better than pocket-picking ; and that 
 ignorance which pi*e vails amongst the majority of 
 the spectators as to the expected issue, and even the 
 supposed expectation of the more knowing, must 
 greatly detract from the gratification the diversion 
 would otherwise afford. 
 
 At petty races, where the contending horses 
 are termed leather-platers, an honest and well- 
 contested race is seldom witnessed. The great ma-
 
 40 WRESTLIASA. 
 
 jority of the spectators, when conversing about them, 
 will frequently observe, "They expected nothing 
 better, but came to see the wrestling." When what 
 are termed very considerable subsci'iptions are run 
 for in this county, the attendance is not proportioned 
 by the expected races ; thus, at Keswick the wrest- 
 ling is the acknowledged grand source of attraction, 
 and even at Carlisle, where the king's hundred is 
 given, independent of large subscriptions, there was 
 not last year, except in one solitary instance, any 
 amusement expected, as many of the knowing ones 
 were certain of every other result. "SYith such a 
 drawback upon the ostensible cau^e of the meeting, 
 a very circumscribed attendance might have been 
 anticipated. But on the morning of the wrestling, 
 the many thousands flocking to the scene of action 
 sufficiently testified the interest that amusement ex- 
 cited, without any other inducement whatever ; and 
 so far will those who will, without making any invi- 
 dious distinction, fairly compare these amusements, 
 and the feelings they may naturally excite, be from 
 wondering at this decided preference, that they will 
 rejoice at it. After what we have already advanced 
 respecting wrestling in different parts of this trea- 
 tise, there is no occasion at present to enlarge upon 
 its tendency to promote a generous spirit of emula- 
 tion, which must in all its consequences, prove highly 
 advantageous in a national point of view. 
 
 It is far, very far from our purpose to depreciate 
 any amusement ; on the contrary, it is our wish to 
 give every one of them every iota of merit to which 
 they can possibly be eiititlcd. Eut at the same 
 time, we have pledged ourselves to view them 
 philosophically ; that" is, to strip them of every 
 superficial ornament, and consider them as they 
 really are in themselves. Consistent with this prin- 
 ciple, we hesitate not to pronoiince the horse a very 
 useful, and what many have called him, a noble 
 animal. "We readily acknowledge it is important to 
 preserve, and, if possible, improve our own distin- 
 guished breed, which is universally allowed to be 
 the best in the world, willingly subscribe to the 
 doctrine that horse-racing is one of the most effi- 
 cient means of doing so, and even from our own
 
 ^N'RESTLIANA.. 41 
 
 experience, testify the deliglit a well-contested race 
 is capable of producing. But allowing all this, we 
 are obliged to ask, Avhat hath delighted us ? That 
 which is the characteristic meed of the winning 
 horse ! One irrational animal, goaded by whip and 
 spurs, has run three or four miles in perhaps less 
 than a moment's space of time, sooner than another ! 
 Possibly a substantial gratification to his owner, 
 and perhaps a few other interested individuals, who 
 may have won some hundreds of pounds by the cir- 
 cumstance ; but consequently a source of mortifica- 
 tion, disappointment, and regret, to those wlio have 
 lost it. 
 
 But again. "What great achievement hath been 
 derformed to inspire in the breasts of tlie spectators 
 any laudable desire of emulation .' Truly, noue. 
 For what man would for a moment imagine himself 
 in the situation of a horse, his owner is another 
 matter. Many of equal rank, or fortune, may wish 
 to possess such an animal, and strive to acquire 
 others which may at some future opportunity excel 
 it; but amongst the majority such a wish is vain ; 
 it is no other than that of possessing equal means of 
 procuring one. 
 
 We proceed now to the consideration of an amuse- 
 ment essentially different from horse-racing, and 
 perhaps the most popular in all ages of any upon 
 record, we need scarcely say we mean hunting, in 
 different objects of pursuit, and various motives 
 for pursuing them. In some countries they hunt 
 for subsistence, in some for safety, and in others for 
 pleasure only. In the United Kingdom, the last is 
 the only motive ; and generally speaking, the ob- 
 jects are three, the stag, the fox, and the hare. Of 
 these, the hare is the most general ; and therefore 
 we will make that animal the more immediate ob- 
 ject of our consideration in the observations we will 
 make respecting hunting. Hunting is equally 
 esteemed as an exercise as well as an amusement, 
 combining two of the greatest earthly blessings, 
 health and pleasure ; and we will not detract from 
 the pleasure it affords, by stingily urging the con- 
 sequences which may result from the pursuit of it ; 
 such as overheating, catching cold, breaking a limb,
 
 42 WHESTLIAXA 
 
 or possibly a neck, &c. Wbat spectacle can be 
 more animated and alluring than a well-attended 
 chase ? The sight and music of the dogs, eagerly 
 followed, directed, and encouraged by horse and 
 footmen, form such an overpowering combination of 
 incidents as supersedes by its irresistible impulse 
 almost every other consideration ! The traveller 
 and the labourer, the gentleman and the beggar, 
 will all equally gaze on the enchanting scene, and 
 often tempted by its magic influence, deviate from 
 their immediate avocation for the pleasure of wit- 
 nessing it a few moments longer. But does the 
 sight instil into the breast of any generous and re- 
 flecting man one praiseworthy sentiment, or fur- 
 nish him with any example of noble or manly emu- 
 lation ? Alas ! no. We fear when duly considered, 
 it is a striking proof of the frailty of man, and his 
 deplorable proneness to be led away by sensual pro- 
 pensities. The fear of one animal, and the ferocity 
 of others, are the sole cause of the pleasure he ex- 
 periences. The hare, the most timid of quadrupeds, 
 aided by speed and very circumscribed natural saga- 
 city, endeavours to elude its pursuers, and preserve 
 itself from a death the most terrific and horrible 
 even a reasonable mind can possibly suggest. The 
 dogs, guided by instinct and natural ferocity, and 
 capable of enduring much greater fatigue, preserve 
 the same tract, and mutually guide and encourage 
 each other in the work of destruction. The little 
 animal, instructed by self-preservation, retraces, or 
 traces over again, nearly the same ground, and 
 would often baffle its ferocious pursuers ; and what 
 hinders it ? Man, endowed with reason and reflec- 
 tion ! Man I the boasted lord of the earth inter- 
 poses ! For what motive .^ To preserve the weak 
 from the strong .^ Xo ! Quito the contrary ! To 
 guide and impel the latter to the work of blood and 
 murder ! Thus not only encouraging, but joining 
 on terras of equality with dogs and horses in the 
 deed. But surely it is some powerful motive which 
 thus induces him to derogate from his natural dig- 
 nity ? Some means of acquiring honour, profit, or 
 benefitting tlic community at large } No ! We are 
 again reluctantly obliged to answer in the negative.
 
 NVRESTLIANA. 43 
 
 No honour can be acquired either in the pursuit or 
 the death of so weak aud timid an animal, except 
 that false notion of the term "which aiises from the 
 circumstance of tempting providence more than his 
 companions, by some dangerous leap, or other 
 similar cause ; which even then he must share with 
 his horse, and between profit, the desire of bene- 
 fitting others, and hunting, we need scarcely observe 
 there is an insuperable bar. Aided by man, the 
 final result is generally as follows : — The poor help- 
 less animal, quite exliausted with terror and fatigue, 
 is no longer capable of active effort. It lays itself 
 down in the vague expectation of concealment, and 
 there awaits its fate ; or rises only to meet a death 
 replete with terrors. A few terrific squeals nearly 
 drowned by the exulting cries of its pursuers, an- 
 nounce the termination of its cruel fate. The note 
 of triumph is sounded by its generous and pitying 
 enemies, who congratulate each other on the sports 
 of the day, and point out the respective merits of 
 their meek and gentle assistants, which are often 
 distinguished by the names of Charmer, Lovely, 
 Comely, &c. ; and sometimes enlighten and edify 
 each other, by seriously asserting that the hare 
 hearkens with pleasure to the pursuit, and that the 
 moment she is caught her terrors greatly subside ! 
 We will subscribe that they are not long in doing 
 so, as they will vanish with life ; but we cannot say 
 we ever heard any of those instructive and very 
 knowing gentlemen contend, that the dying shrieks 
 of the wretched animal were notes of satisfaction 
 and pleasure ! 
 
 Many lovers of the chase, we doubt not, will be 
 ready to assert, that we colour the picture too 
 strongly, and that no other person will view the 
 subject in the manner we have represented it. We 
 answer, we believe our arguments too true to be 
 easily disproved ; and that the subject has been re- 
 garded in nearly a similar manner by one, whose 
 capability of judging will not be disputed, when 
 we name the yet unrivalled poet of the seasons, who, 
 in his autumn, thus speaks of the subject : — 
 
 'Tis not joy to her. 
 
 This falsely cheerful barbarous game of death ;
 
 44 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 This rage of pleasure, which the restless youth 
 Awakes, impatient, with the gleaming morn ; 
 When beasts of prey retire, that all night long, 
 Urg'd by necessity, had rang'd the dark, 
 As if their conscious ravage shun'd the light, 
 Asham'd. Not so the steady tyrant man, 
 WTio with the thoughtless insolence of power 
 Inflam'd, beyond the most intimate wrath 
 Of the worst monster that e'er roam'd the waste. 
 For sport alone pursues the cruel chase, 
 Amid the beamings of the gentle days. 
 Upbraid, ye ravening tribes, our wanton rage, 
 For hunger kindles you, and lawless want ; 
 But lavish fed, in nature's boiinty roU'd, 
 To joy at anguish, and delight in blood, 
 Is what your horrid bosoms never knew, 
 " Poor is the triumph o'er the timid hare ! 
 
 With every breeze she hears the coming storm. 
 But nearer, and more frequent, as it loads 
 The sighing gale, she sprmgs amaz'd, and all 
 The savage soul of game is up at once : 
 The pack full-opening, various ; the shrill horn 
 Resounded from the hills ; the neighing steed, 
 Wild for the chase ; and the loud hunter's shout ; 
 O'er a weak, harmless, flying creatiu-e, all 
 Mix'd in mad tumult, and discordant joy." 
 To dwell upou auy comparison between wrestling, 
 an amusement, exercise, and contest of men only ; 
 and those wherein men are leagued with different 
 animals, would be ridiculous ; for whatever attrac- 
 tions they possess, eventually recede when pliiloso • 
 phically considered, as those peculiar to this country 
 furnish no model from which any noble, manly, or 
 laudable motive can be derived. The same observa- 
 tions which we have applied to hare hunting will 
 preserve nearly their full force with regard to cour- 
 sing, or shooting. Fishing, of which some are re- 
 markably fond, is a thing too solitary of itself to 
 afford matter of comparison with wrestling, which 
 preserves its importance through every parallel of 
 consideration. We shall, therefore, after offering a 
 few words on cockfighting, proceed to the next part 
 of our subject. 
 
 Cockfighting, as a diversion, is under the same 
 restrictions as horseracing, requiring a large stake 
 to render it legal. Notwithstanding this kind of 
 monopoly, and the fate of a bill brought into the 
 House of Commons to abolish it entirely, which 
 was rejected by a large majority, it is in the licences
 
 WKESTLIANA. 45 
 
 of all publicans, &c. strictly prohibited, and stig- 
 matized as a barbarous diversion. In defiance of 
 this arbitrary distinction between rich and poor, it 
 is practised by the latter class all over the kingdom. 
 It is perbaps the only diversion in which men are 
 not the principal actors, -which has regular and pro- 
 fessed enemies to encounter; those who have no 
 predilection for hunting, shooting, &c. content 
 themselves with abstaining from tbeni, and never 
 think of censuring others for acting differently, nay, 
 many professedly attached to these sports, would 
 feel indignant to be termed a cockfighter ! 
 
 Yet however much a few of the superior and 
 middle class may condemn the lower orders of 
 people for practising it in this immediate neigh- 
 bourhood, we cannot find that the characters 
 of Lord Derby, and numerous noblemen and gen- 
 tlemen who openly profess, and practise this diver- 
 sion in a legal manner, were ever called in question 
 for doing so. For our own part we have never 
 been able to find any reason why they should ; and 
 if none exist, it surely is a very invidous distinction 
 that what is legal and harmless in one man, should 
 be so very heinous in another. The enemies of this 
 diversion characterise it is a cruel, barbarous, and 
 wicked mode of gambling ; while tbose who profess 
 it are at no loss to produce arguments in its support. 
 The Eev. George Crabbe, in his justly admired 
 poem, " The Parish Eegister," thus treats of it :— 
 
 "See the poor bird the inhuman cocker brings. 
 Arms his hard heel, and clips his golden wings ; 
 With spicy food th' impatient spirit feeds, 
 And shouts and curses as the battle bleeds. 
 Struck thro' the brain, deprived of both his eyes. 
 The vanquish'd birtl must combat till he dies ; 
 Must faintly peck at his victorious foe, 
 And reel and stagger at each feeble blow : 
 When fall'n, the savage grasps his dabbled plumes. 
 His blood-stain'd arms for other deaths assumes ; 
 And damns the Craven -fowl that lost his stake. 
 And only bled and perish'd for his sake !" 
 
 For ourselves 
 
 " Who own we prize the joy such battle brings, 
 And love the whistling of the shorten' d wings," 
 
 And, therefore, cannot be supposed exactly to coincide 
 with the reverend gentleman in such sweeping con-
 
 46 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 elusions ; yet we will admit that cases may possibly 
 occur in which such a description may not be far 
 from the truth. As we before professed, we have 
 no wish, or intention, to add to, or detract from, 
 the merits of any diversion, further than what we 
 conceive to be a reasonable view of the question ; 
 we will therefore concisely offer a few remarks on 
 the different opinions respecting this. As to the 
 cruelty, or barbai-ity of the practise, we are at a 
 loss to conceive how such a charge can be urged 
 consistently by those do not equally censure hunt- 
 ing, shooting, &c. Surely no man in his senses, 
 unless totally blinded by prejudice, can pretend to 
 argue, that an equal combat between two birds 
 which need no incitement but their mutual and 
 natural animosity, can possible be either cruel or 
 barbarous, compared with leaguing, and combining 
 with twenty, thirty, or forty ferocious animals, to 
 worry a defenceless one ! Or to a man who uses 
 artificial means to destroy, or deceive a bird or a 
 fish, which would never willingly come either in 
 his way or his sight! And pursus the subject 
 through every head it embraces, either in respect to 
 right, property, or any other parallel, and the com- 
 parison will invariably be found in favour of 
 cockfighting. 
 
 As to the wickedness of the diversion, by which 
 is meant the wicked conduct, or language, of those 
 who witness the sport, we greatly wonder at the 
 ignorance and credulity of those who make the 
 remark. In all public places of meeting, be they 
 markets, fairs, theatres, churches, meetings, or any 
 other place of resort wliatever, there are generally 
 found some of the most profligate and abandoned 
 characters in the neighbourhood. In all gentle- 
 man pits, or where any considerable sum is 
 fought for, the uimost order and regularity is 
 preserved ; and any person using profane or 
 blackguard language would be turned out with- 
 out ceremony. Even in this vicinity, Avhcre en- 
 trance money is required, we have often witnessed 
 very quiet meetings ; and we hesitate not to say, 
 have observed amongst tlie spectators, men, if not 
 entirely Corinthians, yet, if independent circum-
 
 ■WEESTLIANA. '47 
 
 stances, knowledge, manners, and general good cha- 
 racter, entitle those who possess them to the appella- 
 tion of gentlemen, as much deserving of that esti- 
 mable term as any in the neighbom-hood where they 
 reside. 
 
 It is true there are cockfights of a very, very dif- 
 ferent description ; but surely it is unfair to stigma- 
 tize all those who are present for the bad conduct 
 of a few, who are generally themselves no cock- 
 fighters ; and if some of those who are be not so 
 decorous in the phrases elicited from them during a 
 battle as might be wished, without terming it " un- 
 sophisticated nature," (which is done by Boxiana) 
 there are certainly more excuses for so doing, than 
 those who censure them are williug to allow. Let 
 it be recollected, it is all the diversion in their power 
 to enjoy. A plebeian may keep a cock, but can he 
 keep a horse ? Is he allowed to shoot .^ He may, 
 when it is the pleasure of a qualified man to sanction 
 the sport by his presence, witness a himt ; but can 
 he be said to share in it ^ And in everything else 
 that can be called an amusement, there are equal 
 obstacles. To share in any diversion, a man must 
 feel himself as fully independent as the rest of the 
 company. Cockfighting is a diversion in which the 
 money sported is sported as a matter of judgment, 
 consequently, widely different from cards, dice, or 
 any wager of blind chance ; and never in such sums 
 as are depending upon a pugilistic contest or horse- 
 race, and therefore is not equally deserving of the 
 term gambling. Surely men have as much right 
 so to use a bird exclusively their own as others have 
 to pursue and destroy those to which they can have 
 no possible claim. What substitutes the mighty 
 difference between a soldier and a cock .^ The man, 
 though his feelings may revolt at the service he is 
 ordered upon, has no alternative ; he must go with- 
 out grumbling Avhere he is commanded ; hazard his 
 own life, and do his best to shed the blood of his fel- 
 man when required :— On the other hand, the natui-e, 
 and the feelings of the bird impel it to the combat ; 
 and its chance of life and remuneration are fully 
 equal to the soldier's. In a cock-battle, the specta- 
 tors are convinced that true courage and alacrity in
 
 48 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 seieing every advantage that presents itself, are the 
 surest means of preserving life and acquiring honour; 
 and it may be an incentive to conduct themselves in 
 the same manner if called upon by their country ; 
 as we are not without examples in history, of cele- 
 brated generals making such a combat, the subject 
 of an oration to their soldiers, and pointed out as a 
 pattern of persevering courage highly worthy of imi- 
 tation. 
 
 It may likewise be observed that the bitterest 
 enemies of this diversion are, in a great degree, igno- 
 rant of what they condemn in so unqualified a man- 
 ner ; nay, would deem it an affront to have it sup- 
 posed that they had such a knowledge or actual ex- 
 perience of the subject as every candid man ought 
 to possess before he gives so decided an opinion 
 respecting its merits. Thus, were we to ask the 
 reverend author we have quoted, if he had ever 
 fought a cock, or attended a regular meeting, we 
 have little doubt, an indignant negative would be the 
 reply ; it should likewise be remarkedhis description 
 is a very unfair one ; it is not the description of a 
 battle, but of a losing bird only ; and even amongst 
 losers, it is very seldom indeed the owner will attach 
 any blame to his cock ; on the contrary, he is always 
 anxious to prevent its being overmatched ; and its 
 fame is so dear to him, that it must prove itself un- 
 worthy as a game cock of the regard he has mani- 
 fested for it, before he is willing to hear of its faults. 
 Possibly a solitary instance to the contrary might 
 occur; and we hope the reverend gentleman alludes 
 to such a one, as the first line we have quoted runs 
 thus, — 
 
 " See the poor bird the inhuman cocker brings ;" 
 We sincerely hope few cockers, or eveu men, worthy 
 the epithet inhuman ; and we dare assert fcAV cocks 
 meriting the appellation of " poor birds" are brought 
 to try their courage and prowess in a pit, as the 
 game cock is generally stiled the noblest of the 
 feathered tribe ; and it is universally known, he is 
 kept, trained, and attended upon, so as to bring him 
 to the combat in the supposed most advantageous 
 situation to insure victory, but no wonder even so 
 admired and celebrated an author, should have
 
 WRESTLIANA. 49 
 
 adopted so lame an expression, when it would be 
 deemed an affront to suppose lie understood what he 
 was writing about. 
 
 But still in despite of all that can be urged in 
 favour of cockfighting, (and many will think we 
 have said quite enough) it has no claim what- 
 ever to what are the characteristics of an amuse- 
 ment. Those even and placid feelings which 
 have a kind of oblivious effect upon the senses, 
 and infuse a kind* of tranquil pleasures into the 
 mind; can have no assimilation to the active, vio- 
 lent, and bloody struggles witnessed in a cockpit. 
 It cannot properly be (although it usually is) 
 termed a diversion. To be diverted, or in a cer- 
 tain degree, delighted, is a feeling very different 
 from that eager expectation and anxiety of mind 
 depicted in the countenances of the spectators. It 
 is then a sport ; or more properly, a way of sporting, 
 or risking money according to an opinion ; and when 
 it is considered thai the issue implies the death of 
 one of the birds which occasions the spOrt, and often 
 severe injury to the other, it is certainly a cruel one. 
 It is i«*!le to suppose such crowds would assemble to 
 witness the mere act of one bird killing another, if 
 there were no other inducement. It is certainly the 
 good opinion every man entertains of his own judg- 
 ment, which makes him eagerly embrace such occa- 
 sions of exercising it for his own supposed advantage ; 
 and we need not say how fallacious such opinions 
 frequently prove. The spectators in pay pits are, 
 in many places, generally betters, and consist of all 
 descriptions of such men as are often witnessed in a 
 large assemblage ; the rich and poor ; the old and 
 young ; the strong ajid feeble ; and the active and 
 cripple ; may all witness, and according to their 
 means, be all equally interested in it. The courage 
 of a cock may serve well enough as a subject of com- 
 parison for an harangue ; but is it not degrading to 
 man to suppose a bird can be a proper object for his 
 imitation ? He may be convinced that courage is a 
 great means of acquiring victory ; but can the sight 
 of it in a bird infuse it into his own breast } In 
 wrestling, when young and active men oppose each 
 other, the sight is worthy of men to look at, and may
 
 50 "WEESTLIANA. 
 
 •well be supposed to inspire that emulation which 
 despises danger ; and while it instructs men to cope 
 with men, gives them both power and confidence to 
 do so effectually ; but how can it be supposed the 
 mere sight of any bird, or animal whatever, can pro- 
 duce the same consequences. 
 
 "We are now aiTived at a part of our subject 
 which, though the most important, and more imme- 
 diate object of this treatise, is nevertheless one 
 fraught v/ith difficulties, as we are well aware it is 
 not possible to lay down rules equally satisfactory to 
 all. In such a case, the course we will puisue is 
 Bimply this ; our reasons for every particular rule 
 shall immediately follow it ; thus the reader will 
 have ample means to form his o"v^ opinion, and if 
 it do not coincide with our own, we trust his can- 
 dour will acquit us of intentional error. 
 
 Eule 1st. — The umpire, wiiter, and crier, ap- 
 pointed by a majority of those who give the prize, 
 or by the person to whom it is entrusted, having 
 taken their stations within the ring, every wrestler 
 shall come forward to the writer, enter his own 
 name, and immediately retire to some allotted sta- 
 tion, where he will be expected to be found when 
 called upon. The writer prepared with paper ready 
 lined and ruled, shall set the names down as they 
 are given in ; while his assistants shall take care he 
 is not confused by the wrestlers pressing upon him 
 faster than he can write down their names. 
 
 Observations on rule 1st. — Eespecting this rule 
 few observations are necessary, as we think very few 
 can object to any part of it. We will, however, in 
 those parts where it is possible there may be some 
 diflference of opinion, methodically consider the 
 reasons on which it is grounded. 
 
 It will appear clear and evident to all, that those 
 who give the prixe, if they do not themselves preside 
 on the occasion, have certainly a right to name 
 those who shall. A writer and crier may easily be 
 found, as the most important part of their duty is 
 care and attention ; but very few are qualified to act 
 as umpires. That station requires a competent 
 knowledge of wrestling ; equanimity of temper ; de- 
 cided judgment; and strict impartiality. We have
 
 WRESTLLYNA. 51 
 
 always observed that one umpire is preferable to 
 two or three. It may be said, that spectators on one 
 side of the ring do not see a fall in exactly the same 
 manner as those on some other. To this we answer, 
 if one umpire think a fall disputable, and even three, 
 or four more think otherwise, the fall must either 
 be wrestled over again, or it will occasion far more 
 dissension than if one single decisive determination 
 had been given, and if the fall be such that one 
 competent umpire cannot determine it immediately 
 it cannot be a very fair one. 
 
 It is certainly much better for every man to enter 
 his own name, and, if required, his place of abode, 
 lest there should be more of the same name. Every 
 experienced person will often have observed that 
 much confusion has been occasioned by the same 
 name having been entered twice over. And when a 
 wrestler's name is entered against his real or pre- 
 tended inclination, if he do not fancy his man, no 
 contest takes place ; as he wUl observe, he knew 
 nothing about it, he did not think of wrestling, 
 &c. ; by every man entering his own name, all such 
 whiffling will be avoided. If his name is then 
 called, it is by his own desire, and such excuses are 
 done away with at once. 
 
 It has always been found desirable, that the 
 wrestlers should be in some place where they can 
 come forw^ard immediately when their names are 
 called. On this account, they are generally per- 
 mitted to lie down inside the ring ; which many of 
 them are anxious to do, that they may witness the 
 sport, and notice the methods of those with whom 
 they may have to contend ; therefore if one side of 
 the ring be allotted for this purpose, those who do 
 not choose to avail themselves of it, will have no 
 excuse for not coming forward in time to answer to 
 their names. 
 
 Rule 2nd. — All the names being entered, the 
 writer shall mention the first and the last on the 
 list to the crier, carefully placing at the same time 
 the figure 1 before the names, to denote that they 
 are the last called ; and to instruct him to find, 
 without danger of a mistake, the two next in turn . 
 The crier shall go to that part of the ring allotted
 
 52 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 to the wrestlei"s and repeat the said names loudly 
 and distinctly. The men shall immediately answer, 
 and come forward ; which, if they neglect to do 
 in such a time as the umpire shall deem reasonable, 
 the defaulter shall lose the fall. On their meeting, 
 leaving them to the umpire, the crier, furnished with 
 the names next in turn, shall call upon the owners 
 of them to get ready, while those preceding them 
 get hold and wrestle, On the termination of every 
 fall, the umpire shall give in to the writer the names 
 of the winner and loser, which he shall write down 
 opposite to each other, placing the figure 2 before 
 the winner's name, which will always be the first 
 written. The writer taking the names next to those 
 marked, marking them in a similar manner, and 
 writing the names given in by the umpire, shall 
 proceed till the whole are called. If there prove an 
 odd name in the middle of the list, it shall be called 
 to the first winner ; but if the odd man prove the 
 conqueror, his name, though of course wrote oppo- 
 site to the man's he has thrown, shall retain the figure 
 1 to it, which will then become indicative of the 
 falls he has won. The writer thus marking and 
 calling the first and last winning names togetlier in 
 every round, which he must take care to distinguish ; 
 and in like manner, still writing the names of those 
 who contend opposite to each other ; it will appear 
 the odd man has wrestled one fall fewer than those 
 in tlie same list, as every other name will be marked 
 with the figure 2 ; and if he win the next fall, his 
 name advancing one every fall, will have the 2 pre- 
 fixed to it, while the others on that list have 3. 
 Thus his name being at the head of the list, he will 
 meet the odd man in the previous round ; if he win, 
 he will still remain one behind upon the next list ; 
 and if he lose, his conqueror exchanges situations 
 with him. By this method, when few are left, the 
 umpire will have it in his power to place them on 
 an equal footing. Thus when three are left, if the 
 first has only thrown three men, and the other two 
 four each, they may toss, draw cuts, or ticket, which 
 is to wrestle him first; but if all tlireehave wrestled 
 equal, they may in like manner decide which two 
 shall wrestle first. 
 
 I
 
 WRESTLIANA. 53 
 
 Observations on Eule 2nd. — Respecting the subject 
 of this rule, as there have been various methods 
 practised, there have, and probably will continue to 
 be, various opinions. After remarking the defects 
 of all others, we will make a few observations on the 
 one we have substituted in their place. For a long 
 time it was the practice to call the first and second, 
 third and fourth, fifth and sixth, and so on, together. 
 The deficiency of this mode is obvious. Those wish- 
 ing to wrestle did not like to follow each other into 
 the ring, as it had the appearance of premediated 
 opposition. Consequently, the first time over, there 
 was scarcely a fall wrestled ; and as every noted 
 wrestler had generally fiiends who contrived to go 
 in so as to secure him the second, and sometimes the 
 third'round, the greatest part of tbe wrestling was a 
 mere farce, and a stranger had by no means an equal 
 chance. It then became the custom to call the first 
 and last names together ; but as the names were not 
 written over again, but the losing name merely 
 scratched out, the writer frequently got wrong, 
 particularly when an odd name occurred ; and if an 
 even number were preserved, as it was generally 
 pretty well ascertained what it would be, many went 
 in to save their friends, without any intention of 
 wrestling. It was, however, considered much less 
 objectionable than the other. 
 
 When the Carlisle wrestling commenced, the men 
 matched themselves the first time over ; and then 
 the first and last were called together. This method 
 did not long prevail, as it was evidently a bad one. 
 It was obvious there were many sham wrestles the 
 first time over; and both the i>araes were not only 
 to procure, but to compare witu the list, to see if 
 they bad regularly entered ; which could not be done 
 without looking the whole carefully over, and con- 
 sequently losing time. The present mode of ticket- 
 ing them then became general. It is, -without 
 doubt, evidently superior to any other now practised, 
 but we conceive it liable to the following objections : — 
 In the first place, it is far too complicated a mode 
 to be accurate. The tickets if scattered about, or 
 the wrong one torn, are nothing but a means of con- 
 fusion, and when four men are called into the ring
 
 64 WRE6TLIANA 
 
 there are no unexceptionable means of convincing 
 them that all is as it should be. The Carlisle meet- 
 ing last year was a strong proof of this ; nothing 
 like an accurate list was to be had. Some names 
 were found both in the winning and losing column 
 the same round ; and on wrestling over again, there 
 were instances of those entitled being objected, and 
 those not entitled winning two falls. Secondly, it 
 may happen, particularly where there are few com- 
 petitors, that men coming from the same place, or 
 who will not wrestle with each other, may be 
 ticketed together the first round. This, of course, 
 prevents sport, and should, if possible, be avoided. 
 Thirdly, in ticketing, those who have the direction 
 of drawing, may keep back a ticket, or call any two 
 together they think proper; and in instances 
 where all the men are not satisfied there are no 
 means left of convincing them all is perfectly fair. 
 "We do not think this right. All should be fair and 
 open ; and even those who give the prize should 
 not be allowed to use any sinister means of bringing 
 men together. It may be said, "a powerful man 
 is a coward if he be afraid of an equal opponent." 
 This is nothing to the purpose. The prize is de- 
 clared, and supposed to be, equally free for all; 
 therefore, although the men may not be afraid of 
 each other, tliey have certainly a right to find fault 
 if their names be purposely drawn together. It is 
 by the attendance of well-known men that the 
 greatest interest is excited, and their chance of gain- 
 ing a prize should by no means be lessened, which it 
 evidently is in such cases ; for there may be others 
 equally as good, who are running the chance of 
 falling in with an inferior, while they are purposely 
 called in against an equal. 
 
 The superiority of the method we have recom- 
 mended over all these cannot fail to be evident to 
 an impartial observer. While men who do not 
 wish to come together may prevent it by entering 
 their names immediately following each other at 
 any time but in the exact centre ; they can have no 
 possible guess who will be their opponent. For as 
 the low and high numbers, are called together in 
 the first round till they meet in the centre, the
 
 WRESTLIANA. 55 
 
 centre names are consequently after , that round 
 thrown to the last, and will in the second round, 
 meet a high, or a low number indiscriminately, 
 which will cause them to be scattered in the head 
 of the list in the third round. Thus supposing forty 
 enter at first ; the numbers 1, and 40, are called 
 together, and so on, till 20 and 21 meet in the 
 centre, then it is quite uncertain whether the centre 
 victor 19 or 22, will meet the conquering number 
 of 2 and 39, one of which must be the second victor 
 in that round; and so on progressively. By this 
 means the principal objections to the three first 
 methods are at once obviated, as is likcvNise one of 
 the objections we have made to ticketing ; and if 
 the umpire and writer are at all careful, no mistake 
 can rise, as the writer will perceive at a single glance 
 what names are next the marked ones which have 
 been called ; and if any dispute arise, the list is still 
 there to rectify it. Therefore, while this method 
 preserves all the uncertainty of ticketing, the list 
 ■will be ready for publication the moment the wrestling 
 is over ; and on perusing it, every man may convince 
 himself he has been fairly treated. As it is a very 
 great chance a number dividing equal to the last, 
 such as 32, 64, or 128, will be the exact number 
 entered ; it is desirable it should be one doing so 
 till very few competitors remain. Thus, 96 will 
 leave three, and 80, five, &c. In such cases, the 
 umpire having the power of equalizing the chaace, 
 should then ticket them, as the small number, and 
 the men having become conspicious, would then 
 prevent any confusion ; and he would recommend 
 the umpire to call them forward to witness their, 
 own names drawn. "Whenever an odd number 
 occurs, the prizes should not be definitely settled 
 till the last fall, as the wrestlers cannot be on equal 
 terms. For example ; last year at Carlisle, eight 
 guineas were the first prize, and one guinea only, 
 the second ; making seven guineas the distinction 
 for winning the last round, Now, Cass who won 
 the first prize was wrestling his sixth fall, and Todd 
 his seventh. It does not seem reasonable therefore, 
 that Cass should have been entitled to the same sum 
 for throwing six men, as Todd who had already
 
 56 WKESTLIANJL. 
 
 thrown six men, and was hazarding a seventh con- 
 test. Such cases will we hope in future receive 
 proper consideration. 
 
 Finally, it may be necessary to remark, that after 
 the first round, the numbers, except the marks 1, 2, 
 3, 4, 5, 6, indicative of the rounds, and falls the 
 names before them have won, may be laid aside ; 
 their principal use being to ascertain the number 
 entered, which as it occupies little time, and may be 
 done before hand, is well worth the trouble. 
 
 Rule 3rd. — When two men cannot soon agree 
 in taking hold, the umpire shall place them at such 
 a distance as the size of the men, may render proper 
 for ulterior proceeding. He shall then cause them 
 to square their shoulders, and the higher part of 
 their breasts against each other, in such manner that 
 the right and left shoidder blades of both are per- 
 fectly level, and the arms stretched out so that the 
 hands are in a line with the pap of the breast. He 
 shall then direct one of them to take hold without 
 shrinking his right breast and shoulder undei-neath 
 his opponent's ; and so as to preserve a perfect 
 equality in the use of the right arm : when this is 
 the case, making proper allowance for contracting 
 the arms by grasping the back of his opponent, the 
 hold will be something below the level of the paps. 
 If the umpire is satisfied the hold is fair, he shall 
 cause the other to take hold likewise, without shrink- 
 ing, or swerving to either side ; which being done, 
 he shall immediately give the word. If the umpire 
 perceives that either party is striving for an advan- 
 tage, or will not take hold, he shall decide the fall 
 against him ; and if neither party will implicitly 
 obey his dii'cctinns, he shall cross them both out 
 without further loss of time. 
 
 Observations on Rule 3rd. — This rule embraces 
 the disagreeable, and grand cause of contention in 
 wrestling ; and it is impossible to word, or limit it 
 so, as to please every wrestler. It is by far the most 
 desirable for men to agree themselves ; as it is a 
 very difficult matter for any but an experienced 
 wrestler, and not easy for him, to decide between 
 them , but if they will not agree, and infringe upon, 
 or tire out the patience of the spectators, or those
 
 WKESTLIANA. 57 
 
 who give the prize for general amusement, some 
 method of decision becomes absolutely necessary. 
 The method we have laid down seems well adapted 
 for placing the tight, and slack-hold wrestlers, on 
 an equal tooting. It is such such a one as the tight- 
 hold wrestler may gather with, or strike from ; and 
 at the same time one W'hich does not debar the slack- 
 hold wrestler from using his own peculiar mode. 
 
 There is nothing more galling to a Wrestler, 
 than an ignorant umpire putting the hands to- 
 gether, and asserting a man may get hold, when 
 perhaps the other has his ri^ht shoulder against 
 his breast and his right arm pinned to his side close 
 to his elbow. It is well known to every "Wrestler, 
 that a single inch either in the arm, or breast, when 
 , the men are nearly equal, wiU almost invariably 
 decide the contest. We have not mentioned any 
 particular time to allow men to take hold in, as 
 circumstances might arise to render a limited time 
 injudicious, and the umpu-e trusted with full power 
 ought to be a competent judge of the matter. Many 
 very fair wrestler may wish to feel each others ma- 
 noeuvres and regulate their actions accordingly, before 
 they take hold . We think such a proceeding when 
 the parties are not long over it perfectly fair and by 
 no means detracting ft-om the satisfaction of the 
 judicious spectator. 
 
 Rule 4th. — If the man who takes the latter hold, 
 makes play at the same time, and either throws his 
 opponent immediately, or obtains such an advantage 
 by it as in the judgment of the umpire occasions the 
 ultimate termination of the fall ; or if the first taker 
 hold, strike before it can be clearly ascertained the 
 other has hold, and obtains a similar advantage by 
 doing so, the fall shall be wrestled over again ; and 
 if the same conduct be repeated, the .offender shall 
 lose the fall. It shaU likewise be allowed fair for 
 either party to quit their hold, if their opponent 
 strikes, or makes play, in the above improper 
 manner. 
 
 Eide 5th. — If either party when endeavouring to 
 take hold, shall throw, orr attempt to throw his op- 
 ponent down, when he is conscious they have not 
 both hold, the fall shall instantly be decided in
 
 58 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 favour of the injured party. 
 
 Observations on rules 4tli and 5tli. — Neither of 
 these rules require many observations. The fourth 
 is to prevent snapping, or one party gaining a decided 
 advantage by improper means. The punishment, 
 while it seems adequate to the offence, is not over 
 much so. The justice and necessity of the fifth is 
 obvious for the preservation of peace and good order. 
 If such an act be done in a passion, the oflFence 
 richly merits the punishment. If not, any attempt 
 to excite the laughter of a few partial, and unthank- 
 ing spectators at the expense of any wrestler, must 
 be considered not only an insult to him, but to every 
 impartial observer. It must be evident to all, that 
 any person entering the ring, although it is his own 
 inclination that prompts him to it, is one of the con- 
 tributors to that amusement they are assembled to 
 witness for their own gratification, and cannot 
 possibly be a proper object of ridicule ; therefore 
 any other person attempting to make him one, 
 should justly be debarred from doing so a second 
 time. 
 
 Bule 6th. — If, when wrestling, the men get 
 disengaged by their hands slipping over each others 
 head and they remain opposite each other on tenns 
 of perfect equality, it sball be in the option of either 
 party to leave go, and take hold again, as at the 
 first meeting ; but if one of the parties lose his grasp 
 it shall be deemed perfectly fair for the other to 
 continue tlic wrestle till he does so likewise, or 
 the fall terminates. If both the parties during a 
 struggle become disengaged, if one throw the other 
 before they remain stationary or fi'onting each 
 other, it shall be deemed a fair fall. 
 
 Observations on Rule 6th. — "We do not anticipate 
 any objections to this rule, as the determinations it 
 contains are precisely the same as have uniformly 
 governed the cases they allude to, wbich is a con- 
 vincing proof of their equity. The rule embraces 
 the only three situations whicli can possibly occur 
 from the particular circumstance it treats of. In 
 the first case, it has been usual for the men to con- 
 sult each other, and both leave go at the same time, 
 least he that first quitted should forfeit the fall by
 
 WRESTLIAXA. 60 
 
 doing so. Should the wrestlers themselves agree to 
 continue the contest, provided they do not stand 
 long, the spectators have no reason to complain ; hut 
 we never witnessed a case wherein either party ob- 
 jected to a fresh hold. The reason of the second is 
 too obvious to dwell upon. It would occasion end- 
 less disputes if a man were entitled to another hold 
 by slipping his own arms over his adversary's head 
 whenever he was likely to get the worst of it ; and 
 if such a circumstance be occasioned by exertion in 
 making play, it is perfectly right he should abide 
 the consequences of his own act. As for the third 
 case, it can be but momentary ; for if the action 
 which immediately follows the act of disengagement 
 be not decisive, the men will instantly be in a state 
 of perfect equality. 
 
 Rule 7th. — After the men have both taken hold, 
 if either of them quits it, either by endeaveuring to 
 save himself by accident, or by attempting to throw 
 his adversary, he shall lose the fall, provided his 
 adversary retains his own hold and does not go down 
 by that effort, or manoeuvre, which is the immediate 
 occasion, or object of quitting the hold; but if his 
 adversary, though retaining his hold, goes to the 
 ground without recovering himself, if it be not im- 
 mediately, yet in such a manner as is obviously the 
 consequence resulting from such manoeuvre, he shall 
 wio the fall. If the effort occasions both parties to 
 lose their hold, and both or neither go down, it 
 shall be deemed a wrestle over again. 
 
 Observations on Rule 7th. — Such of our readers 
 as are at all acquainted with the subject cannot fail 
 to perceive how tenacious we are in adhering to 
 those determinations which have hitherto been con- 
 sidered decisive. Yet although this is the case, we 
 must remind them, that having never appeared be- 
 fore in any tangible shape, they could only be re- 
 garded as matters of opinion ; but by the publica- 
 tion of this treatise, they now, when noticed as 
 standard regulations, become proper authority to 
 decide by. The present rule treats of a subject 
 which has often occasioned a difference of opinion 
 among noted wrestlers, and therefore it is our duty 
 briefly to state the reasons which have always in
 
 60 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 fluenced our decision respecting it. As for the first 
 part of it, that is, any man's quitting his hold to 
 prevent his going down, no shadow of doubt respect- 
 ing its justice can possibly arise. The second, 
 namely, quitting by accident, admits of no alterna- 
 tive. It is true there may be frequent instances of 
 the hands slipping asunder without any obvious rea- 
 son, and the party closing them again without any 
 manifest advantage ; yet if such an act was was not 
 uniformly regarded as decisive of the fall, there 
 would be no end to the disputes it might occasion. 
 This is so universally acknowledged, that whenever 
 it has been ascertained the hands Avere clear of each 
 other, it has always been regarded a fall. A spirited 
 attack, if it does not succeed, generally places the 
 assailant in a disadvantageous situation ; and there- 
 fore, if he lose his hold at the same time, it is cer- 
 tainly just he should lose the fall : but if the hold 
 be quitted as an auxiliary to the attack, which, if 
 scientifically done, is often effective ; their appears 
 to be no Avell grounded reason why such united 
 efi'orts, (which acquire additional dexterity) if they 
 succeed in forcing the defendant to go down without 
 any future display of action, should not be decisive. 
 As to the act of retaining the hold, if a man goes 
 down, it is evident it could not avail him in any 
 situation, and therefore should not ; but if he does 
 not, he has committed no act of forfeiture, and can- 
 not be liable to any penalty : his adversary has done 
 so by quitting his hold, and therefore justly forfeits 
 the fall : and finally, if both have quitted, they can 
 be considered no otherwise than on equal terms, 
 and therefore must wrestler over again. 
 
 Rule 8th. — If both the men go down in such a 
 manner that it cannot be clearly and distinctly 
 ascertained which of them was first on the ground, 
 it shall be deemed a wrestle over, or as is provincially 
 termed a dogfall, and the decision shall be given 
 without any regard to the circumstance of making 
 play. A man's knees or hands, or either of them, 
 touching the ground, shall be considered conclusive 
 of his being down in all cases, except he is fairly 
 covering his man, and it is occasioned by the desire 
 of making the fall easier to himself or his antagonist ; 
 
 iiC^
 
 WRBSTLIANA. 61 
 
 when such is the manifest intention, it shall not 
 interfere with his claim to the fall. 
 
 Observations on Rule 8th. — -Justice and fairplay 
 between man and man, should be the invariable 
 motto of every Englishman ; and we can with truth 
 say, that in regard to these rules at least, it has 
 uniformly been ours. In many places where loose 
 holds are practised, no fall is considered fair, but 
 when one party only goes to the ground, and not 
 even then, except he is thrown up ni his back. In 
 close wrestling, such a regulation would be endless ; 
 and it has always been the custom merely to decide 
 who had the best of it. In this view of the q^ies- 
 tion, the man who first touches the ground (unless 
 it is in such a case as we have excepted), may be 
 said to be first foiled. As we look upon wrestling 
 to be the most chivalric and manly exercise since 
 the abolition of tournaments, we think a trifling 
 advantage, if it clearly be one, is quite sufficient. 
 So extremely tenacious were our ancesters in this 
 respect, that in tournaments, if a knight lost one of 
 his stirrups in the encounter, it was considered he 
 did not part from his adversary on equal terms, and 
 therefore he was deemed as much worsted as if he 
 had been unhorsed altogether ; and, were it not so, 
 when a visible advantage is obtained, it would be 
 impossible to define where the distinction should be 
 drawn ; but, if the matter be dubious, it is clearly a 
 wrestle over. A man may, sometimes, certainly go 
 down upon one hand, or knee, and in that situation, 
 bring his opponent down under him ; but such a 
 circumstance ought not to influence a decision; nor, 
 unless it happen by accident, should it be allowed, 
 as many falls would then become a mere scuffle, 
 and quite unworthy Englishmen either to look at or 
 practice. 
 
 Hule 9th.— When the men are called into the 
 ring, no agreement shall be allowed to take place 
 between them relative to one of them yielding the 
 fall, without the sanction of the umpire; but if they 
 wrestle fairly, they shall have liberty to divide what 
 the conqueror shall win, as they think proper 
 
 Rule 10th. — If it is apparent that there is a pri- 
 Tate agreement between two wreetlers, and that tha
 
 62 WRESTLIAXA. 
 
 contest is not a fair one, the umpire, if it appears to 
 him that the stander has promised any remuneration 
 to the other for lying dov\n, may call him against 
 the odd man ; but if there be no odd man, or if 
 there be two standers only, the umpire may regulate 
 the distribution of the prize as he deems proper, or, 
 in other words, so as to prevent any set of men 
 making a mere property ot the sum given to con- 
 tend for. 
 
 Observations on Rules 9th and 10th. — We have 
 chosen to class the observations on those two final 
 rules together, as any remarks upon one will 
 naturally have some allusion to the other. "We are 
 wed aware, though we have no doubt of convincing 
 any impartial man of their propriety, that many 
 wrestlers will consider them as unjust; and even 
 observe that we ourselves have frequently violated 
 them. We acknowledge the latter charge to be 
 correct. Yet that circumstance does not by any 
 means prevent us from judging of their propriety; 
 on the contrary, it enables us to be certain that such 
 proceedings prevent contests, and occasion much 
 dissatisfaction amongst the spectators ; but we defy 
 any person to prove, that during the many years we 
 wrestled for renown, we were ever either concerned 
 in a sham wrestle, or laid down to any acknowledged 
 wrestle whatever. No. Yictory was our motto ; and 
 if it had been equally so with our opponent, aeon- 
 test would liave been inevitable. As to the justice 
 of every part of these rules, we dare confidently 
 appeal to any distinguished wrestler who h;is retired 
 from the ring with honour " bravely and hardly 
 won ;" although perhaps there is no such person 
 but what has frc([uently violated them. Eveiy 
 prize, however small, is given with the same inten- 
 tion as the sums subscribed at Keswick and Carlisle ; 
 that is, to assemble numbers together, and entertain 
 them when assembled ; therefore what is considered 
 perfectly fair at those places, cannot be considered 
 unfair when comparatively small sums are con- 
 tended for. Let us, therefore, ask the gentlemen 
 who subscribe, or the impartial spectators for whose 
 amusennmt such sums are subscribed, if they think 
 i<t ri"-ht iliat those who have 'come to contend for the
 
 "WBESTLIANA. 63 
 
 prize should fee one another off, or by a sham 
 wrestle enable their friends to swindle the specta- 
 tors? When the Carlisle wresding was discon- 
 tinued, it was owing to a private agreement betweea 
 the two last stauders refusing to wrestle. Mr. 
 Pearson consequently refused to give them the 
 money. So far we think he was perfectly right, 
 but we do not think he was altogether so in with- 
 liolding the second prizes from those who had con- 
 tended fairly from the first, aud vvez-e willing to do 
 so for the second. We know there were some who 
 had travelled fifty miles to wrestle, and might rea- 
 sonably have expected to have shared in the second 
 prize. We will in another and more proper place, 
 prove that tlie system of bribery had been before 
 practised there ; and though it might be disap- 
 proved of, was yet partly allowed, as no money was 
 withheld; and if we may judge from the second 
 prize last year, the system, without some effectual 
 check, is becoming more notorious than ever. What 
 was the fact .^ Weightman, who won, wrestled two 
 falls, and Graham, who came last, only one ; and 
 the natives were, as the warm-hearted natives of the 
 land of potatoes would term it, "humbugged" for 
 some minutes with a sham wrestle between them. 
 
 But let us return to a methodical review of the 
 rules in question. As for the first part of the ninth 
 rule, those spectators that are well acquainted with 
 wrestling, need not be told that when the men called 
 upon get together, and ■whisper to each other before 
 they prepare themselves for a contest, there is no 
 anxiety respecting the result of it; for if they 
 should then happen to be in earnest, the spectators 
 are never satisfied that they are so. Bat if the um- 
 pire be privy to their conversation, it is a very dif- 
 ferent matter, as it then becomes his duty to debar 
 them from imposing upon the spectators by a sham 
 wrestle ; and if no contest takes place, he is then 
 fully aware what is the reason of it, aud whether 
 any blame can be imputed to the staudcr ; for if 
 one party wnll not wrestle, he certainly cannot be 
 forced to it, and in that case, as the stander has 
 committed no fault, he is fully entitled to the fall. 
 For, if a distinguished hero fiill in against an infe-
 
 6i WKESTLIANA. 
 
 rior opponent, who is fully aware that he has no 
 chance of success, and therefore will not try, it is by 
 no means reasonable the stander should hazard a 
 second chance in that round. The umpire ought 
 not on any account to suffer those who eventually 
 stand, to make a direct, proposition to the other to 
 lay down ; hut instances may occur in which he may 
 in some degree be implic;itcd, and tlie transaction 
 may receiv3 the sanction of the umpire; for example, 
 a man may get a sprain, or some other injury in the 
 preceding round, which may incapacitate him Irom 
 immediate active exertion; and a proposal coming 
 from him may be agreed tu by the other, in case he 
 should win a prize, Avithout any reasonable exception 
 being made to it. Or, it may sometimes happen, a 
 man may win two or three good falls, and then be 
 So much over-matched in size and strength, that 
 even a majority of the spectators would rather wish 
 him to receive an acknowledgment, however small, 
 than see him risk a fall with so unequal an opponent. 
 For instance, last year at Carlisle, if we mistake not, 
 "Waters, a young man not more than eighteen or 
 nineteen years of age, and about eleven stone in 
 ■weight, after wrestling uncommonly wall, fell in 
 against Weightman ! We are so far from thinking 
 the spectators could have derived any gratification 
 from witnessing so unequal a contest, that we believe 
 a great majority of those acquainted with the cir- 
 cumstance were much better pleased Waters did not 
 attempt to Avrcstle him ; and if Weightman had 
 agreed to give him anything for not wrestling him, 
 so far from being offended, the spectators would 
 have deemed it an honourable and manly act. Re- 
 specting the latter part of the ninth rule, no agree- 
 ment about the division of a prize betAvecn two 
 wrestlers, provided they both do their best, can 
 possibly affect the spectators ; and therefore they un- 
 doubtedly ought to have lull liberty to modulate it 
 as they think moot desirable and advantageous to 
 themselves. 
 
 As the ninth rule specifies that no agreement 
 shall be permitted without the sanction of the 
 umpire, the tenth proceeds to state that if such an 
 agreement be made, the offender shall be subjected
 
 to such an award, as the umpire (who ought to be 
 perfectly acquainted with the offence, and therefore 
 a competent judge of the matter) shall deem most 
 eligible, or equitable. This is a most important 
 desideratum in these rules ; as the circumstance of 
 two wrestlers entering into an agreement between, 
 themselves without any visible cause, though it has 
 often been depreciated, both by those who gave the 
 prire, and the spectators in general, yet except in a 
 very few instances, no punishment has been awarded 
 foi it, (notwithstanding it has always been considered 
 very unfair) for v/hich reason the wrestlers conceive 
 they have a right to act just as they think proper. 
 0ns bad precedent establishes another, and therefore 
 no palpable deviation from what is just and reason- 
 able ought to be allowed. A notice of any intended 
 meeting always particularizes what is the object of 
 it. Thus in wrestling, it is always mentioned that 
 such a prize will be given to wrestle for. Provided 
 the sum be given, no matter whether it be by one 
 particular person or by a number, the object is 
 always the same, namely, to bring a number of 
 people together, from whose attendance some advan- 
 tage, emolument, or consequence is expected to be 
 ultimately derived. Such an assemblage have an un- 
 doubted right to witness what was the object of their 
 attendance ; therefore, any proceeding tending to 
 deprive them of that right is an infringement upon 
 the original notice of that meeting. Now, can any 
 person be stupid enough to argue, that when the 
 greatest expectation is excited by the meeting of two 
 good wrestlers, it should be balked by an agreement 
 to divide the prize without a contest } Such an 
 agreement, while it thwarts the very object of the 
 meeting, adds nothing to, but rather detracts from, the 
 reputation of the men who do it. If renown were 
 the inducement which occasioned either of them to 
 become a wrestler, it is not to be acquired by com- 
 promising every fall in which there is danger of 
 coming off second best. Where there is no danger, 
 there can be no honour. On the otaer hand, there 
 can be no honour lost when a man does his best ; 
 and an agreement without some sufficient motive, 
 certainly implies something cowardly. If money be
 
 66 -WKi-STLIANA - 
 
 the object of a man's entering the ring, if he offer a 
 part, to obtain a greater part, or the whole, it is 
 but reasonable he should earn it, and when there is 
 no odd man to defeat his mercenary motive, a power 
 ought to exist somewhere to frustrate the intentions 
 of a man whose interest leads him to disappoint 
 those who gave the prize, and the matty for whose 
 amusement it was given ; and such power can no- 
 where be vested so judiciously as with the umpire. 
 
 Having now methodically laid down rules which 
 embrace every incident tliat can arise from the men's 
 first entering the ring till the prize is won, we shall 
 not tire our readers with many further comments 
 upon them at this time. At a future period of this 
 •work, some allusions will be made to nearly all of 
 them. At present Ave shall only observe, that any 
 deviation we have made from old-established custom 
 bears somewhat harder upon the wrestlers, and there- 
 fore may be supposed more conducive to the gratifi- 
 cation of the spectators, and, consequently, to pro- 
 mote the object for which prizes are given. 
 
 It is manifest to those who wish well to the exercise, 
 that if the dividing system prevail to any great extent, it 
 will eventually occasion the suspension of giving 
 money to wrestle for altogether ; therefore we con- 
 ceive it to be much better to check the evil in its 
 infancy, lest it destroy the celebrity of the amuse- 
 ment it was meant to promote. 
 
 We shall now, for the better information of those 
 spectators not conversant cither in the practice or 
 theory of wrestling, as well as of those who wish to 
 become so, devote a few pages to the explanation of 
 those terms usually applied to the methods which 
 are used in the art, or, to speak more intelligibly 
 to our less knowing readers, the different methods 
 of striking, or assailing an opponent, so as to effect 
 the desired object of bringing him down, generally 
 termed throwing him by tlie spectators, but by some 
 hardy and unrefined practisers of the exercise, 
 broadly, and we must own, ratlicr brutally called 
 felling him. These metnods are much more various 
 and c(miplicatod in close-bold wrestling than in any 
 otlior mode ; which diversity we conceive to be a 
 strong proof of the superiority of this exercise to
 
 WRESTLIAXA. 67 
 
 any other, which indeed is evinced by the great 
 interest ii never has failed to excite ; a diversity 
 which must be regarded as characteristic of some- 
 thing noble and manly, as it can be occasioned only 
 by a contest of raen. The most general and usual 
 methods are those which follow : — 
 
 Thi'owing men by lifting them from off the 
 ground, aad rapidly placing one of the knees be- 
 tween their thighs, is now become very common all 
 over Cumberland and "Westmorland. It, was hovv- 
 ever. very little known between the rivers Derwent 
 and Duddon till within these last twenty years. It 
 is generally called hipping, we conceive from the 
 supposed great use of the hip in the execution of it. 
 There is, however, too essential a difference in the 
 modes of practising it for any general agreement in 
 the propriety of the term. An explanation of one 
 or two of these modes may serve to elucidate the 
 point, give the reader some idea as to the propriety 
 of the terra, and enable him to ascertain the accuracy 
 of our definition of it. 
 
 When immediately on lifting, the knee and thigh 
 are thrown in, and forced upwards, so that quickly 
 wheeling the whole fi-ame to the contrary side, the 
 assailant is enabled when turning his man with his 
 arms, and delivering him fi-om his breast, to pitch 
 him with his hip, (which will then be close against 
 the lower part of his opponent's belly) in such a 
 manner, that not being able to catch the ground 
 with either foot, he is thrown upon his back ; an 
 operation which requires a close hold, and great 
 rapidity in the execution of it ; we conceive it may 
 with propriety be provincially called hipeing. 
 Thomas Eichardson, of Hesket, commonly called 
 the dyer, is allowed to be one, if not the very best 
 hiper among the present list of Cumbrian wrestlers. 
 
 Bu: when on lifting the superior length of the 
 assailant enables him to throw his leg so high that 
 his opponent is turned by the action of the knee, 
 against the inside of his thigh, and the simultaneous 
 effort of the arms and breast, as was generally prac- 
 tised by the celebrated "William "W'ilson, of Amble- 
 side, we conceive the proper appellation to be, in- 
 side striking. That this is quite a different mode
 
 6S WRBSTLIiUfA. 
 
 from what we have termed hipein;^, is still more 
 evident by some wrestlers lifting their man, 
 and waiting some time for an opportunity ; 
 when this is the case, the fall is usually occa- 
 sioned by the knee, aided by the dexterous 
 managemenr of the arms only, and does not 
 require the men being so close to each other as 
 hipeiiig. Tiiis method is now become very com- 
 mon, and if the term striking can be as properly as 
 it is commonly applied to wrestling, we think it 
 can admit of no definition but an inside stroke. 
 
 It is an invariable maxim, that when a man is 
 determined to make play, the sooner he docs it, and 
 the quicker he is in doing it, the greater will be 
 his chance of succeeding. To guard against an 
 inside stroke, or hipe, the defendant should if pos- 
 sible keep himself on the ground. To do this, he 
 must either lift again-'t his opponent, or slackening 
 his own hold, endeavour by wrenching his body 
 from his opponent's grasp to plant himself, as it 
 were, to the giound, striving at the same time to 
 keep his opponent off with his breast, and if possible 
 to shrink it underneath his assailant's. If he 
 succeed in this latter mode, he should be on the 
 alert to secure such a hold, wlien his opponent 
 attacks him, (when he cannot do without in some 
 measure giving his body within the compass of his 
 grasp) as will ensure him of victory. It is true a 
 skilful wrestler will be very careful when he hazards 
 an attack to keep his right arm well up, to prevent 
 his opponent getting a low hold of him ; but still if 
 he does not succeed, one equally skill'ul will inevi- 
 tably gain some advant;ige by it, such as catching 
 his heel, meniling bis hold, or attacking him in 
 turn l)efore he can recover his balance. If the de- 
 fendant cannot prevent his opponent from lifting 
 him, he must endeavour, by shrinking his body, to 
 give him the greatest weight upon his breast lie 
 possibly can, and instananeously try to fix his 
 knees and feet so as to prevent the assailant from 
 getting his knee between his thighs, and at the 
 same time, so as fully to inform himself of every 
 meditated movement the moment it is attempted. 
 If he thus succeeds in checking the first assault, and
 
 WKESTLIAWA. 69 
 
 be equal, or nearly so to the assailants, he ought to 
 win the fall. As these observations -will, with some 
 trifling deviations, apply to lifting in general, we 
 shall not have occasion to dwell much in future 
 upon that particular subject. 
 
 The methods of assailing a man on either side 
 are vaiious. They may however ue reduced to 
 the ft»ur principal ones, namely : striking with the 
 knee, the leg, the foot, and the Iv^ and foot aber- 
 nately. Tlie first is done by striking with great 
 pith and force with either of the knees, tht)iigh 
 generally the left, against the outside of an oppo- 
 nent's knee or thigh ; and by the foice of the stroke, 
 and the correspondent movement of the arms, first 
 force him fronr , and then turii him upon the ground. 
 Slee, of Dacre, who won the prize at Penrith races 
 in the year 1813, was, in our judgment, the best at 
 this stroke of any man we ever saw practice it. 
 Sometimes it is made use of after lifting, by throw- 
 ing the knee outside an opponent's thigh ; a method 
 we have in propria persoiice often practised with 
 great success. The second is generally termed in 
 and out, owing to striking out with the leg, so tliat 
 the knee of r he assailant is outside his opponent's, 
 and the foot inside his ancle, or small of the leg, 
 thus placing a kind of lock upon the knee and leg. 
 This is a very common mode with many first-rate, 
 as well as inferior wrestlers. The third mode 
 is usually called a chip, and is effected by trying 
 to swing an opponent round, and strike the 
 wrist of the foot against the outside of his leg 
 or ancle, or as in the preceding mode, by doing 
 so, and turning him with the assistance of the 
 arms ; a method which Thomas Golightly (now no 
 more) excelled in, and in which we have seen 
 Nicholson himself evince much dctterity. It in 
 general requires more dexterity than any of the pre- 
 ceeding modi s. The fourth is effected by striking 
 an antagonist from the ground with the leg, either 
 outside, or in and out, with the a.-sistance of the 
 arms; and instantly planting that fool upon the 
 ground, strike with the other across his farther shin 
 before he reaches the grouuu. This stroke requires 
 great quickness and activity, and is, when well exe-
 
 70 WRESTLI.VNA. 
 
 cuted, one of the surest and neatest methods of 
 wrestling practised. The best and cleanest practiser 
 of this mode we ever knew, or heard of, was Wil- 
 liam Ponsonby, of Endside, near Egremont, who 
 retired from the ring nearly twenty years ago. He 
 displayed such uncommon dexterity in this stroke, 
 that his feet nii^ht frequently have been heard at 
 a considerable distance succeeding each other against 
 his opponent's legs like two distinct claps of the 
 hand ; it is at the present time by no means unusual. 
 
 Although we have classed outside striking under 
 four principal heads, yet it is to be observed that the 
 occasions on which they are resorted to are extremely 
 various ; being often used as sufficient of themselves, 
 sometimes as precursors to other meditated attacks, 
 and not unfrequently, subsequent to other move- 
 ments. As a clear explanation of their nature, and 
 the different modes of using them, are a sufficient 
 means of information to enable any practiser of 
 wrestling to judge what are the surest methods of 
 guarding against them, it is unnecessary to detain 
 our readers any longer on this particular subject. 
 
 When one party gets a leg behind an opponent's 
 it is called haniing, or catcliing his heel, according 
 to the manner in which it is done. If the legs are 
 intertwined with each otlier, or if the heel of the 
 assailant is above the small of the defendant's leg, it 
 is usually termed haming; for no other reason that 
 we can divine, except from the strength required in 
 the ham, either for accelerating, or defending the 
 attack. Sometimes a ham is practised at the mcmient 
 of taking hold, or when taken off the ground, by 
 rapidly striking the heel behind the knee ; as the 
 sinews of the person lifting are then at full stretch, 
 if the party lifted do it forcibly, and can throw the 
 full weight of his body along with it, it is often 
 effective. Hamming, as well as catching the heel, 
 is indiscriminately practised, either as attacks of 
 themselves, or as auxiliaries to other attacks. 
 
 To guard against a liam, the dei'endant should 
 feel his feet firm upon the ground, slack his hold, 
 and bear forward with his breast against the assail- 
 ant's. If he succeed in tliis, he should endeavour 
 if the ham be persevered in, to turn or twist his op-
 
 "WRESTLIAXA. 71 
 
 ponent over by wheeling him off his breast to the 
 opposite side, as he will have only one leg on the 
 ground ; but should he quit the ham, no time should 
 be lost in closing the hands lower down upon his 
 back, and becoming the assailant in turn. 
 
 Catching the heel is often quite a different opera- 
 tion ; its object generally is to force the foot for- 
 ward by rapidly striking the heel, or ancle of the 
 defendant. Should it not prove immediately effec- 
 tive, yet if the defendant staggers, and ultimately 
 falls by not being able to extricate] himself from it, 
 it is usually called hankering the heel. Catching 
 the heel may be practised either on the outside, or 
 inside ; and if done with force and quickness, it is a 
 very difficult manoeuvre to guai'd against, and a 
 wrestler known to be expert in catching, or hanker- 
 ing, is generally as little fancied for an opponent, as 
 one skilled in any other mode whatever, Thomas 
 Xicholson, of Threlkeld, who won at Carlisle for 
 three successive years, was a forcible illustrator of 
 this mode. He was certainly uncommonly good at 
 it, and thougli by no means wanting in many other 
 modes, yet he was more indebted to this method for 
 victory than all the rest put together. There is ano- 
 ther mode somewhat similar to these last mentioned, 
 by which falls, particularly among new beginners, or 
 novices, are often decided. This may be termed 
 twining over the knee, as it is effected by getting 
 the knee outside and twining an opponent over it. 
 
 It is not our intention to dwell much upon what 
 is often indiscriminately termed hanching, benching, 
 hipping, buttocking, or crossbuttocking, as they are 
 all effected in nearly the same manner ; and in fact, 
 whatever they may be fancically called, the breast 
 and side are oftentimes, though not always, as much 
 used as the hip, or what is the most general appel- 
 lation, the buttock. A man skilled in this method 
 of wrestlin,^ generally strives for a loose hold, and it 
 is the left side which is mostly used for effecting the 
 desired object. - By stepping partly in, and cross- 
 ways with the left foot, twining the body in, and 
 throwing the buttock underneath the belly, the 
 defendant is by the assailant's arms being kept tight 
 round his neck, or shoulders, hoisted on, and thro-vfn
 
 72 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 off, or over the side, or buttock ; as the latter is by 
 the act of stepping thrown farthest in, it has acquired 
 the name of buttocking ; and when the leg or foot 
 gets quite across the defendant's body, of crossbut- 
 tooking ; though even then it is evident, unless the 
 effort was seconded by the arms and higher part of 
 the bodv, the act of throwing the leg across would 
 be fatal to the aggressor. Sometimes when the 
 assailiint perceives, or feels his man staggered, or 
 balanced as to be able to strike with one of his feet 
 across the shins ; when this is done the full is often 
 clean and effective. At other times the situation 
 admits of getting the leg, or foot, behind both of the 
 defendant's ; when this happens it is in some places 
 called grandystepping. It sometimes happens that 
 the assailant, by turning in quickly with very loose 
 holds, gets into a position exactly before, or with 
 his back to his opponent ; in that case, if he do not, 
 by keeping his hands fast, and stooping forward 
 throw him over bis head and slioulders, his situation 
 is a dangerous one for losing the fall. In short the 
 modes oi assault and defence in this most manly of 
 all exercises are so diversified that a volume might 
 be filled by illustrating that part of our subject only. 
 The act of buttocking, slipping from the side, or 
 breast, and, in fact, of everytliing that constitutes the 
 science of wrestling, depends much upon the different 
 situations which may occur in a contest; and the 
 judgment formed by feeling with the chest, and 
 breast, what kind of assault is most likely to prove 
 effective ; and generally speaking, quickness in as- 
 sault, and promptitude in judiciously availing him- 
 self of any circumstance that may arise during the 
 strugj,^le, may be called the distinguishing cha- 
 racteristics of a good and scientific wrestler. 
 
 Opinions respecting the best mode of standing 
 when taking hold are no doubt various, and the par- 
 ticular method of wrestling usually adopted by the 
 antaijonist to bo em^ountered, in order to counteract 
 his intention as well as keeping in view the method 
 he himself excells in, will always have some influence 
 on every judicious wrestler. In the rule solely de- 
 voted to the purpose of obliging those to take hold 
 jsho cannot thomselves agree about it, we found it
 
 WRESTLIANA. 73 
 
 absolutely necessary to fix some standard for regula- 
 ting the hold. Any wrestler need not be told that 
 the subject is the most difficult one that could arise; 
 and that one certain standard only was indispensible. 
 Making proper allowance for any man's mode of 
 wrestling, except it be in an extreme of tight (the 
 usual epithet for a close or fast hold) or slack, we 
 are fully prepared to maintain that the standard we 
 have fixed on is the best and most judicious that 
 can be adopted. It is usual for men wishing to take 
 more than a fair hold to shrink their own breasts 
 underneath their opponents', and pin his arm to his 
 side, close to the elbow ; — the merest novice in the 
 art wiU not permit this, and yet the shorter man 
 will sometimes argue they ought to stand straight 
 up ! Knee to knee is sometimes with equal absurdity 
 proposed ; for unless the men are of equal dimensions 
 upwards, it does not in the least alter the subject of 
 the dispute. A hat, or a stick, is often laid down, 
 and the men are required to bring their toes up to 
 the mark. The monstrous absurdity of the ridicu- 
 lous position this will place men of different sizes in, 
 with their feet close together, and what is sometimes 
 jocosely termed the seat of honour of the taller 
 man hung back, needs no comment. No certain dis- 
 tance between the toes can be equally applicable to 
 all ; and therefore the distance which will admit of 
 both feeling themselves at ease, and firmly on the 
 ground, may soon be settled between them with the 
 assistance of the umpire, as breast to breast is the 
 only mode of placing them on an equal footing. 
 Many wrestlers are fond of leaning to the left side, 
 a habit acquired while in their novitiate by the desire 
 of seeing their opponent's feet, or at least his right 
 foot. This latter circumstance is of no material ad- 
 vantage of itself, as it is the/ee/, and not the sight^ 
 which generally regulates the movements of a good 
 wrestler, especially at the commencement of a con- 
 test, as is sufficiently evident from the fact that one 
 man, decidedly the master of another, will throw him 
 blindfolded. This lean to the left, as with many it 
 is a supposed advantage, and therefore often a con- 
 siderable obstacle to their getting hold, is worthy of 
 some consideration in regard to its utility, both in 
 
 G
 
 74 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 assaulting and defending; ; and, therefore, though a 
 dry and complex subject to some of our readers, yet 
 as many wrestlers will deem it both important and 
 interesting, it is our duty to attempt some elucida- 
 tion of the subject. 
 
 It must be sufficiently evident to all, that leaning 
 to cither side is a deviation from the natural and 
 true centre of balance ; and of course will lay some 
 stress upon, or partly brace the muscles of the oppo- 
 site side. Thus if the lean be to the left side, the 
 muscles of the right, from the neck to the foot down- 
 wards, will be proportionably braced, as those on the 
 left are contracted in with the body ; and part of the 
 weight of the body, by being thrown upon the right 
 arm of the opponent, will detract in a corresponding 
 degree from the weight upon, or firmness of, the 
 feet upon the ground. Now it is certain that the 
 easier and firmer any wrestler feels himself upon the 
 ground, the less stress there will be upon the arms 
 and breast ; and that when all the powers of the 
 trame can at once be brought effectively into action, 
 the more vigorous will be the attack. It is to be re- 
 marked, that these obstacles apply even to an attack 
 with the left leg ; while the lean being from the 
 right, must of course greatly detract from the force 
 of any intended efl'ort to throw an opponent on that 
 side ; and the position itself totally precludes the 
 idea of an effective buttock ; because instead of 
 facilitating the act of getting the foot partly across, 
 or the foot partly underneath, it acts in the very re- 
 verse, by contributing to place the body on the out- 
 side, — an unavoidable consequence of the lean. As 
 for buttocking with the right side there are very few 
 who ever attempt it, except it is after an outside 
 stroke with the left leg ; because, in taking hold, the 
 left log is always above the right ; and consequently, 
 when the hold is loose, there is no material obstacle' 
 to prevent that side from being thrown in ; whereas, 
 the right arm being underneath the oxter, prevents 
 that side fiom being brought into action with equal 
 freedom and facility ; notwithstanding this, there arc 
 some few who contrive to throw in the right side 
 with considerable effect ; yet against a good wrestler 
 it must always be considered a losing chance.
 
 WRESTLIANA. 75 
 
 It is observable that these remarks apply to the 
 act of taking hold befoi-e the contest is begun. The 
 lean to the left acquired after, or during a struggle, 
 is quite a different thing. It is then a certain sign, 
 either that the opponent has lost all command of the 
 hold, or that both parties have their arms round 
 each others neck. If the former be the case, it 
 necessarily implies that the party who has the lean 
 has broke his opponent's hold, — has himself got a 
 commanding one, — is standing perfectly at ease, — 
 and is nearly sure of the fall ; while his adversary, 
 scarcely able to preserve an upright position and 
 without hold, is incapable of making any offensive 
 effort which is likely to succeed. The only thing 
 he can do is to attempt to get his side in, and try 
 to buttock ; but the other, perfectly aware of his 
 movements, will probably catch Mm under the ribs, 
 and often dispose of him with ease and safety. If 
 both parties have lost hold of the back, he who has 
 the lean is much more advantageously situated than 
 his opponent ; he stands freer with his neck, and 
 easier with his body ; and is consequently more at 
 liberty to assault or defend with a much greater 
 prospect of success. 
 
 As the two most important objects in wrestling, 
 namely, hold, and feeling with the breast, are in 
 that situation of comparatively little consequence, 
 a view of the right leg becomes an object of some 
 consideration, as it implies the fact of the right arm 
 being more up, and the left more down, than his 
 antagonist's (if the men have any hold) can pos- 
 sibly be ; as the left buttock is then the only attack 
 that his opponent can make, and which he cannot 
 make without moving the right leg. On the other 
 hand, the person possessing the lean is by no means 
 in so confined a situation. By standing perfectly 
 at ease, he can choose his time of assault, or is fully 
 prepared to avail himself of any effort bis antagonist 
 can make ; and if he be a good striker with the left 
 le^ across the shin, he has every chance of doing so 
 with success ; which he ought not to defer doing, 
 lest his antagonist should wrench his head loose, 
 and thus oblige him to forfeit his advantage by 
 taking a fresh hold.
 
 76 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 Having thus proved that leaning to one side 
 when the men are supposed to be on equal terms, 
 and acquiring a commanding lean after the contest 
 is begun, are two -very different things, it remains 
 for us to consider the advantage, or disadvantage, 
 of the lean to the left side, as it regards the efficacy 
 of repelling, or guarding an attack. As this lean, 
 which implies laying an additional weight upon an 
 opponent's right arm at the commencement of a 
 contest, when the holds are, or ought to be, equally 
 low round the arm and body, cannot be done with- 
 out detracting from the firmness of the feet upon 
 the ground, must apparently impede the act of 
 guarding, either a judicious stroke, or buttock, for 
 although it may be a preventative to his being 
 turned to the right side by an outside stroke with 
 the left leg ; yet it must proportionably facilitate 
 his being turned to the left side, by the left leg in- 
 side, or by the right outside ; and hanging his 
 weight to the left side, so far fi-om the centre of 
 balance, is certainly the very thing a good but- 
 tocker, or slipper from the breast, would desire. It 
 likewise is not, as some imagine, any obstacle to his 
 being lifted from the ground ; because by hanging 
 his weight downwards, he has not an immediate 
 command of his strength to counteract the lift of 
 his opponent ; and instead of bearing him forward 
 with his breast and arms, he has one hanging upon 
 him, and the other closely locked round Mm. His 
 antagonist, so far from having an additional weight 
 to lift, has only the same weight in a more favour- 
 able position for lifting it ; because, having the 
 greater part already, he has only that part to raise 
 higher, and the other comes by degrees upon him, 
 and the weight he has to sustain is close to him ; 
 ■whereas, were his antagonist lifting, or bearing 
 against him, the weight would come upon him at 
 once, and would be farther from him. Again, the 
 weight of a man is so far from being equal to his 
 strengtli, that if no impediment were thrown in the 
 way by lifting against, or bearing forward with the 
 arms and breast, a man ten stone weight would 
 easily lift one of twenty. When lifted, me lean is 
 an evident disadvantage, as it tends to throw him
 
 WRaSTLIANA. 77 
 
 from the exact front of his opponent ; it must of 
 course be a considerable impediment to clapping the 
 knees, or legs, close upon him to prevent his 
 striking out, and feeling in what manner, and with 
 what leg, he intends to do it. 
 
 Having discussed this point fully, and we hope 
 satisfactorily to the experienced wrestler, we will 
 offer a few short remarks upon the hold recommended 
 in the third rule. It is surely a most important and 
 desirable thing, that the same method of taking 
 hold should prevail throughout this and the adja- 
 cent counties ; because by practising in some places 
 wath loose, and in others with tight holds, when 
 they meet for some considerable prize, no hold satis- 
 factory to all parties can be obtained. This evi- 
 dently compelled the author of any treatise on the 
 subject to lay down some one particular manner to 
 be resorted to as a standard, when any dispute oc- 
 curred. The one which seemed to us best adapted 
 to this difficult point, is, as we have before remarked 
 in our observations upon it, such a one as the tight- 
 hold wrestler may gather with, or strike from ; and 
 at the same time, one which does not prevent the 
 loose-hold wrestler from making use of his own 
 peculiar mode. Such a medium between the two 
 extremes, is the thing evidently calculated to com- 
 promise the subject of dispute. As the parties are 
 equally standing without inclining to either side, 
 exactly fronting each other, at liberty to breathe 
 freely, and feeling each other by the junction of 
 their breasts, all characteristics of a fair, and which 
 cannot exist in an unfair hold ; they are at full, and 
 equal liberty to attack with vigour, and every part 
 of the frame may at once be promptly combined to 
 repel, and on the alert to take any advantage which 
 may present itself in consequence of, the attack. 
 
 But still, after all that can be said respecting the 
 superiority of any particular method of taking hold, 
 considerable practice, and attachment to almost any, 
 will render a man very dexterous in it. Accordingly 
 we see many acknowledged first-rate wrestlers 
 differ as much in their notions of taking hold as in 
 their methods of assault and defence. Thus, Thomas 
 Nicholson and Thomas Todd, two of the best wrest-
 
 78 \YRi:STLIANA 
 
 lers of their weight in Cumberland, and saying this, 
 we conceive we might safely add the United King- 
 dom, or the world ; are, or were, both upright 
 standers ; while William Ilichardson, of Caldbeck, 
 (commonly called Eitson) the winner of more prizes 
 than any other man in the kingdom, was partial to 
 the lean ; and John Louden, from the vicinity of 
 Keswick, a first-rate, and a most dangerous cus- 
 tomer, was never satisfied without it. As these 
 men, and many others will, in our review of wrest- 
 ling, again come under consideration, the further 
 mention of them in this place would be superfluous. 
 Finally, the circumstance of taking hold, Avhile it 
 is the most frequent cause of dissension among 
 wrestlers, is at the same time, the most difficult 
 for an impartial spectator, or umpire, to form a cor- 
 rect and decisive judgment upon. The biassed and 
 interested spectator, and the well-wishers of either 
 party, are often determined not to be convinced that 
 the fault originates with their favourite. This 
 being the case, those who give the prize, ought 
 always promptly to enforce the judgment of the 
 umpire whom they have chosen. The rule for de- 
 ciding the hold, notwithstanding the difficulty of 
 the subject, is, we hope, sufficiently intelligible to 
 any man who is competent to fulfil the arduous 
 situation of acting as umpire. Being fully con- 
 scious, that as harmony and unanimity ought to be 
 the distinguished characteristics of an amusement, 
 we could not be too explicit, or minute, on the point 
 which tends most to interrupt them, such a con- 
 sideration could alone have induced us to treat every- 
 thing relative to the subject of taking hold in so 
 lengthy a manner ; but feeling as we do, that the 
 frequency and splendour of the prizes given to 
 wrestle for will be considerably influenced by the 
 cordiality displayed by the wrestlers towards each 
 other, it appeared to us an indispensable duty to 
 give this particular subject a full consideration, as 
 shrinking from it would have implied an inability 
 to treat of it, a stigma, we possess egotism enough 
 to believe we by no means merit.
 
 y^Tir.STLIANA. 79 
 
 In commencing a review of modern wrestling, 
 and corresponding^ memoirs of the most celebrated 
 "wrestlers, it is highly necessary to fix some parti- 
 cnlar date from which we can gradually descend to 
 the present time. In doing so it will not be ex- 
 pected that in so limited a work as this we should 
 either fix upon a very remote era, or have been at 
 the trouble and expense of collecting every minutise 
 of the subject we treat of. In fixing an era, it 
 would be neither instructive nor amusing to go 
 farther back than those transactions which are well 
 remembered by many persons now living, who were 
 themselves wrestlers, and other actors in the scenes 
 we have heard them describe. To go farther back 
 would be mere hearsay, and from such partial 
 authority no certain information could be obtained 
 further than that there was wrestling, and conse- 
 quently wrestlers, in our grandfathers' time. This we 
 already know, as we have in the first part of this 
 treatise proved there were both nearly from the 
 creation of the world. We couli indeed give names 
 much antecedent to the date we shall fix upon, but 
 as we could add no farther information than that 
 they were veiy strong men. and as far as we can 
 collect, strength, and not science, was in those days 
 the great essential towards victory, our doing so 
 would be merely nominal. As to the trouble and 
 expense of collecting information, we frankly own 
 we have been at none. We speak from our own 
 knowledge, and from such corresponding informa- 
 tion as insures the correctness of everything we shall 
 state as matter of fact. During the many years we 
 were attached to this hardy and athletic exercise : — 
 
 " The men who threw us, and the men we threw" 
 
 could not fail to perfect us in the practice of the 
 
 ring ; and the number of veteran wrestlers, and 
 
 veteran amateurs, we conversed with, who : — 
 
 " Our memoiy stor'd with feats of valour done. 
 
 And youth recalling, told how belts were won," 
 
 gave us an equal claim to understand the theory of 
 the business ; and consequently we scruple not to 
 say, we believe ourselves as well acquainted with 
 the various interesting particulars comprised in such 
 a review as any one person whatever.
 
 80 ^^^lESTLIANA. 
 
 About forty-five years ago, or about tbe year 
 1778, back-hold Avrestliug was more practised, and 
 in higher estimation in that extent of country 
 which comprises the borders of Cumberland, West- 
 morland, Yorkshire, and Northumberland, than in 
 any other place in Englaud or Scotland. Since 
 those days of our fathers, great indeed is the change 
 effected in tlie habits, customs, and manners of all 
 classes of people throughout England ; and no part 
 of it more than in the north. The festivities of 
 Christmas, the hilarities of sheep-shearing, and other 
 seasons of mirth and jollity, are now but the mere 
 shadow of what they were, even at the short distance 
 of time we treat of. Though some dainties, neither 
 much known nor wanted in those days, are now in 
 common use, yet home-brewed, that soul and 
 cementer of good fellowship, so often spoken of in 
 raptures by the aged, has nearly disappeared. At 
 that time, if money was more scarce, ale was better 
 and cheaper ; and pastimes were not only more fre- 
 quent, but enjoyed with much less care for to-morrow. 
 Accordingly, on the borders of these counties, prizes 
 of different descriptions were frequently given to 
 wrestle for. Although a belt was the most usual 
 prize, yet silver cups, leather breeches, and other 
 things of considerable value, accompanied by a belt, 
 were by no means uncommon. Of all the excellent 
 wrestlers at that period, Adam Dodd was the most 
 distinguished. He was by trade a miller, and was 
 brought up, or at least resided for a number of years, 
 at Longwathby Mill. As this village on Christmas 
 or New Year's Day, and Melmerby on Midsummer's 
 Day, was the scene of the two most distinguished 
 annual contests, this hero lived in the centre of those 
 places where the greatest number of prizes were 
 given. It is considered by many who were acquainted 
 with Adam, that he won more prizes than any other 
 man, either remembered at that period, or wlio has 
 since appeared in the ring. From the best and most 
 authentic accounts we have been able to collect con- 
 cerning him, we think he yielded in that respect to 
 William llichardson, of Caldbeck. Our reasons fo. 
 this opinion arc founded on the following facts :— 
 llichardson was a wrestler, and a most distinguishec
 
 whestlianj^, 81 
 
 one, for twice the number of years it was possible 
 for Adam to enjoy much celebrity; Kichardson 
 wrestled throughout a more extensive range of 
 country, and was more in the habit of frequenting 
 sports, than we believe Adam was. And again, 
 Richardson carried away many prizes from places 
 where there were few opponents (and sometimes none) 
 to encounter a wrestler of his prowess ; whereas, in 
 Adam's time, almost eveiy prize was keenly con- 
 tested. Eut giving Eichardson the preference in 
 this respect, we give it as our candid opinion, that 
 Dodd must have been the better wrestler. Indeed 
 from the concurrent testimony of all who knew him, 
 it was universally admitted by the old men at that 
 period, that no wrestler in their remembrance had 
 ever equalled him in what is now termed science and 
 action ; nor are the men who were contemporaries 
 with him, willing to admit that any of our modern 
 wrestlers would have stood on equal terms with him, 
 but this latter assertion ought to be received with 
 caution. It is both usual and natural for age to be 
 garrulous and eloquent concerning the " days oflang 
 syne.'^ For our part we have known, and yet know, 
 some whom we thought able to wrestle anything 
 of their height and weight ; but we confess, that so 
 high was the renown of this distinguished champion, 
 that we scarcely know how to make up our mind 
 concerning the tmtti of this doctrine. Adam, 
 though not termed a big one, was yet far above the 
 middle size of wrestlers. He was between five feet 
 ten and five feet eleven inches high, and weighed 
 near fourteen stones ; belonging to that class in 
 which we have elsewhere stated the most distin- 
 guished wrestlers and pugilists were to be found. 
 He has been described to us as a clean and well 
 built man ; but withal rather flattish bodied, and 
 slender backed for such a distinguished wrestler ; this 
 is said by some to have been the only thing that pre- 
 vented him from being invincible. He was a straight 
 stander, and easy to satisfy with a hold, but the 
 moment it was taken, eager to be at work, and 
 seldom desisted from the attack till the fall was over. 
 He seldom had recourse to the buttock ; striking 
 was his Jorte ; and his dexterity and method of
 
 82 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 parting, or what is often provincially called livering 
 (a contraction of delivering) his man, was such, 
 that he seldom either missed his ohject, or went to 
 the ground. His favourite method was the outside, 
 and he was partial to feinting Avith, one foot, and 
 striking with the other. However on striking out, 
 he often seconded the attack with the foot he feinted 
 with ; and we have heard it asserted he struck un- 
 commonly high. In this his trade as a miller might 
 be advantageous to him. From frequent practice in 
 lifting and removing loads with his arms, in which 
 the knee and foot are sometimes used as auxiliaries, 
 he might have acquired more strength in the leg 
 when striking out, and felt less incommoded when 
 balancing and turning his man, than if he had been 
 brought up to almost any other trade. It would be 
 impossible for us, or any other person at this period, 
 to enumerate a tithe of his victories, suffice 
 it to observe, he was the hero of his day, and at 
 the great annual meetings at Longwathby, and 
 Melmerby, as well as at Alston, often threw, not 
 only the most noted wrestlers of the neighbour- 
 hood, and the borders of Cumberland and West- 
 morland, but all the dons from Yorkshire and 
 Northumberland who came to try their prowess 
 with him. It would be foolish to assert, or lead 
 any person to suppose he was not occasionally 
 thi'own ; for that is a thing, which, like " time 
 and tide," happeneth to all men ; but we believe 
 we shall not be contradicted, when we say he 
 ranked the very first on the list. He was a re- 
 markably civil and peaceable man ; and his conduct 
 and character through life accorded with these two 
 essential recommendations to respect and esteem, 
 having never been called in question on any occasion. 
 His death was occasioned by incautiously lying 
 down to sleep upon the kiln when drying some oats, 
 which brought on an illness that proved fatal a short 
 time afterwards, whilst in the very prime of life. 
 He died about the year 1782, leaving a widow then 
 with child, having entered into the connubial state 
 not long before his decease.
 
 WRESTLIANA. 83 
 
 The next hero to Adam Dodd, in point of renown, 
 at that period, and in that vicinity, was Thomas 
 Johnston, who has for a great number of years been 
 in the employ of J. C, Curwen, Esq., of Workington 
 Hall, as a labourer and husbandman. It is a very 
 dubious point whether Tom has not, from wrestling 
 in a more extensive sphere, and labouring longer in 
 the vocation, won as great a number of prizes as 
 Adam did. "When these two heroes met, there was 
 nothing like certainty as to the event of the contest, 
 Tom having both thrown and been thrown by 
 Adam ; although we suimise the odds were in favour 
 of the latter circumstance. However, with that one 
 exception, we are warranted, from a multiplicity of 
 accounts, in ranking Tom Johnston superior to any 
 other man in a wide range of country, in which he 
 long reigned the most distinguished champion. 
 Amongst those whom he has vanquished, Tom, with 
 considerable pride, sometimes mentions the celebrated 
 Abraham Brown, who was for many years curate of 
 Egremont. Johnston was a fourteen stone man, 
 and stood near six feet high, was extremely well 
 made, and consequently an equal opponent for any 
 man whatever. He was, we believe, no buttocker ; 
 and was most partial to the ham, and hankering the 
 heel, in which modes he excelled all the heroes of 
 his day, Johnston, like a true sportsman, still 
 relishes the crack of the whip, and actually carried 
 the belt from oflF the Cloffick, at Workington, at one 
 of the great meetings on Easter Tuesday, when 
 nearly sixty years of age. Tom Johnston is in 
 himself a contradiction to the foolish, but common 
 received opinion, that wrestling is so injurious to 
 the frame, that it destroys the constitution in a 
 very few years, and brings on so many aches, and 
 rheumatic pains, that many believe a wrestler, when 
 advanced in years, must necessarily be a cripple. So 
 far are we from coinciding in this opinion, that as 
 far as we are able to judge, we have reason to believe 
 it a healthful and strengthenin;^ exercise. We may 
 be laughed at for such an opinion but facts are 
 stubborn things, and we challenge any man who 
 differs from us in that opinion, to produce a younger 
 and healthier-looking man of his age than William
 
 84 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 Richardson, who has won more prizes, we believe, 
 than any man in existence. In fact, many of the idle 
 stories respecting the terrific consequences are mere 
 chimeras, originating with those who know nothing 
 about it, and credited only by those who have no 
 opportunity of judging for themselves. 
 
 Another celebrated hero, at the same period, was 
 Thomas Lee, who we are informed is at this present 
 time a publican in Alston. Lee, we have been told, 
 was from the borders of Northumberland, and was 
 the unrivalled cock of the walk for many miles round 
 him, both as a wrestler and pugilist. The fame of 
 Adam Dodd continually ringing in his ears, inflamed 
 him with an ardent desire to try conclusions with 
 him. Accordingly, regarding minor conquests as 
 beneath him, and believing himself nearly invincible, 
 he set off in quest of Adam to a meeting of such 
 celebrity as to insure the attendance of that hero. 
 "We have heard some assert that it was at Long- 
 wathby, but we have undoubted authority for saying 
 it was at Great Salkeld, that these heroes first met. 
 However this may be, it is certain that they both 
 fought and wrestled. The issue of the former con- 
 test was not unfavourable to Adam, although there 
 are many who maintain that it was the only pugilis- 
 tic contest in which he was ever engaged ; and that 
 it way only to prevent the imputation of being a 
 coward that induced him to fight. In wrestling, 
 Adam proved the master ; and this we are told Lee 
 is still willing to acknowledge, but entertains an 
 opinion that he was the better man in the other 
 respect. Be that as it may, there is no doubt that 
 Lee was a very noted man, and superior to his op- 
 ponent in strength and weight. John Ilorsley, or 
 Ortley, yet living in Alston, was likewise a very 
 powciful man ; and though not considered an equal 
 match for Adam Podd, threw him for a pair of new 
 leather breeches given by J. Richardson, Esq., on 
 his coming of age. 
 
 Bampton school, on the borders of Westmorland, 
 was perhaps the most celebrated seminary in Eng- 
 land for turning out good wrestlers. It was usual 
 at that period for those designed for the church, or 
 any learned profession, to frequent school when 
 
 J
 
 WRESTLIAXA. 86 
 
 grown up to manhood ; and if a young man was 
 known to be a Eampton scholar, it was considered 
 conclusive of his being a good wrestler. Among 
 those educated at this instructive seminary whose 
 genius led them to acquire a competent knowledge 
 of the bodily powers of man, before they were 
 honoured with the charge of his more important 
 requisites, was the reverend and celebrated Abraham 
 Brown, whom we have before alluded to. This 
 gentleman was the first of whom we have any 
 authentic records of excelling as a buttocker. 
 Having lost no time in perfecting himself in this 
 manly exercise when a scholar, he fully maintained 
 the character of a very first rate, when acting in the 
 more exalted situations of usher aud schoolmaster 
 in different places ; and occasionally after he became 
 a curate. When a very young man he acquired 
 great renown in caiTying away a silver cup of con- 
 siderable value from Eamont Bridge, which divides 
 the counties of Cumberland aud "NYestmorland, and 
 which was consequently in the very centre of the 
 most noted wrestling country in England. After 
 his establishment at Egremont, Mr. Brown had no 
 objection, in the spirit of good fellowship, to oblige 
 any man who felt extremely anxious for a trial of 
 skill with him, and in these casual turn-ups it s 
 said he was never vanquished. Abraham being a 
 man of considerable humour, and good nature, 
 palmed himself more than once, as a friend of 
 Parson Brown's, on men, who hearing of his 
 celebrity, expressed a strong desire to try a fall 
 with him. On such occasions he pretended to be 
 well acquainted with the parson, and assured them 
 that if they could throw him easily, they would 
 prove a match for Brown, when they met with him. 
 This of course caused a contest, and Master 
 Abraham, after giving them fiill satisfaction, would 
 advise them to go home, as he could assure them 
 they were not able to vanquish the parson. We 
 have heard him assert that when nineteen years of 
 age, he did not weigh more than twelve stones, but 
 a stranger to him in his younger days would have 
 judged of him very differently. He could not be 
 less than six feet high, and Avhen at a proper age
 
 bb WRESTLIANA. 
 
 for entering the cliurch, must have weighed fifteen 
 stones at least. This well known character died 
 within the last twelve months, and it is but justice 
 to his memory to observe, that though occasionally 
 addicted to the bottle, he preserved through life, 
 both in his public and private character, the regard 
 and esteem, not only of his parishioners in general, 
 but of nearly all who were acquainted with him. 
 
 Quitting the borders of the county at present, 
 we will revert to the borders of Holm Cultram. 
 In that part of Cumberland, flourished at that 
 time, the greatest hero in a diversity of athletic 
 exercises, England ever produced This was the 
 well known John Tinian, Avho as a wrestler, boxer, 
 runner, leaper, cudgel, and football player, never 
 met with an equal. It was no uncommon circum- 
 stance for Tinian to bear away all the three prizes, 
 viz, belt, hat, and gloves, from tlie neighbouring 
 races ; which feat he once performed at Penrith 
 where he was totally unknown, defeating in these 
 different exercises, the very best of the border 
 heroes. He was about six feet high, and fourteen 
 stone weight ; an uncommonly powerful and mus- 
 cular man, regarded as a desperado, and looked 
 upon as the cock of the walk wherever he went. 
 John Tinian is yet living, and some of his sons 
 turned out promising chicks, though by no means 
 equal to the old cock. His brother Job was equally 
 well known. Job was no apology for a man, stand- 
 ing about six feet six inches higli, and weighing 
 accordingly ; was remarkable in -kneed, and had 
 little of an Adonis about him at any time, but more 
 especially when, as was frequently the case, he 
 stripped oif all his clothes, and exposed himself to 
 his opponent in a state of nudity. Notwithstanding 
 his size, and territic appearance, he was not con- 
 sidered equal to his brother John in any respect ; 
 and William llichnrdson, of Caldbcck, when a 
 mere stripling, ventured to wrestle him the best of 
 three falls, llichardson threw him cleanly the first 
 fall, but was worsted in the second and third. Had 
 Eichardson been a few years older, there is little 
 doubt but he would have gained an easy conquest; 
 and probably iu wrestling have been more than a
 
 ^\^RESTLIANA. 87 
 
 match for Jolin himself, supposing they had both 
 been in their prime. Job died some years ago. 
 
 Taking leave for the present of the eastern side 
 of Derwent, we must go westward as far as Gosforth 
 before we find another wrestler of such celebrity as 
 to entitle him to notice in these menioii's. In that 
 place we find one of the most distinguished char- 
 acters at that period between Derwent and Duddon, 
 in the person of John Woodall, who was brought 
 up as a husbandman, and succeeded his father as 
 proprietor of a small estate in Gosforth. Woodall 
 though not the tallest, was we believe the strongest 
 man we have yet noticed. His person was symmetry 
 itself; he stood about five feet eleven inches high, 
 weighed upwards of sixteen stones, and all who 
 knew him agree in considering that he was the 
 strongest man in the west of Cumberland. As a 
 wrestler, Woodall was more indebted to strength, 
 than science ; but he possessed the former requisite 
 to such an uncommon degree, that he was con- 
 sidered no unequal opponent for the powerful and 
 scientific curate'of Egremont. At the King's Arms, 
 in that place, Woodall exhibited a remarkable, and 
 rather extraordinary specimen of his prodigious 
 strength. Having been thrown for a prize by a 
 shoemaker of the name of Carr, a well-known 
 wrestler, the latter, flushied with his victory, began 
 to ridicule Woodall on the circumstance ; AYoodall, 
 though a very peaceable man, yet willing to turn 
 the laugh against Carr, caught him up in his arms 
 as if he had been an infant, and hung him by his 
 bi'eeches waistband upon one of the hooks in the 
 ceiling ! This circumstance, while it illustrates the 
 strength of Woodall, displays in even a more 
 prominent degree the advantages of science, which 
 enabled Carr to throw an antagonist so very superior 
 to him in strength. His finances being exhausted, 
 Woodall went to sea, and was drowned in the river 
 Lilfey, near Dublin, about the year 1796. 
 
 Although wrestling still continued to be uni- 
 versally practised in these counties, yet the imme- 
 diate successors of those heroes we have mentioned 
 do not appear to have attained equal celebrity, as 
 fame is comparatively silent respecting their achieve-
 
 88 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 ments. About the year 1790, a contest often spoke 
 of took place at Cockermouth, between William 
 Gimson, a cooper ft-om Calderbridge, and Eichard 
 Wright, many years a gamekeeper at Br ay ton Hall, 
 They were both very powerful men, and might be 
 considered the champions of their respective neigh- 
 bourhoods. If their science was not what would 
 now be considered of the first order, yet the vigorous 
 exertions of two active fifteen stone men, either of 
 them six feet high, could not fail to render the 
 contest very attractive. The wager, which was 
 only trifling, was to be decided by the best of three 
 falls. After a very manly and spirited contest, the 
 hero from Calderbridge proved the conqueror. At 
 a somewhat preceding period, a Cockermouth man 
 of the name of Studdart, commonly called Lcny 
 (probably a contraction of Leonard) Studdart, was 
 much noted for wrestling ; but his notoriety was 
 more occasioned by his prodigious strength, than by 
 any proficiency in the science of the exercise. 
 
 Advancing forward to a more modern date, we 
 will proceed to notice some of the most celebrated 
 heroes at the close of the seventeenth century, or 
 preceding the year 1800. In doing so, we must 
 travel back to Alston and its vicinity, and introduce 
 to the notice of our readers the very best wrestler 
 of his weight Cumberland, or even the United 
 Kingdom, ever produced, in the person of James, 
 alias Jemmy Fawcett. Anxious to do ample justice 
 to the professional character of every wrestler 
 whose name is to be found in our pages, Avithout 
 detracting from the merited renown of others, we 
 are compelled to acknowledge Jemmy must have 
 been the most wonderful wrestler, either of his own, 
 or any other time of which we have any succinct 
 or authentic account. Jemmy, though yet living, 
 is perfectly unknown to us ; therefore we cannot 
 speak positively as to his weight, which we have 
 heard some call ten, and others ten stone seven 
 pounds ; but admitting he weighed eleven stones, 
 the eleven-stone man who could bear away the 
 prize for seven successive years from the most noted 
 place of meeting, and from the acknowledged best 
 wrestlers in Cumberland and Westmorland, must
 
 WR3STLIANA. 89 , 
 
 have been a Nonpareil indeed ! Yet that Jemmy 
 Fawcett was the victor at Longwathby, the most 
 noted annual resort, not only for the most celebrated 
 border wrestlers, but from Alston and twenty miles 
 round, on every Midsummer-day, does not admit of 
 the least dispute. If Jack Randall, the pugilist, is 
 entitled to the appellation of Nonpariel, by beating 
 men of his own weight, and one or two a single 
 stone heavier, Avhat would he have been called if 
 he could have added to the list of heroes he has 
 vanquished the names of Cribb, Xeate, and Spi'ing? 
 Yet, granting he had done so, he would then scarcely 
 have had as well- merited a claim to the appellation 
 as Fawcett, who has thrown scorces of heavier men 
 than any of the three ! This single fact more 
 establishes the superioiity, as a science, of wrestling 
 over pugilism, than volumes filled with arguments 
 on the subject could possibly do. It likewise 
 equally exposes the folly of those who call back- 
 holds a mere trial of strength. Fawcett, as we 
 have before said, weiglied under, or about eleven 
 stones, and was about five feet seven inches high, 
 and continued wrestling occasionally till he was 
 nearly fifty years of age ; a sufficient proof that he, 
 though a slender man, and open to all comers, did 
 not consider wrestling as a dangerous amusement. 
 Among the list of the many powerful men he thrcAV, 
 several entitled to be classed as first-raters might be 
 produced. Nor was his superiority over such men 
 to be attributed either to accident, or confined to 
 the circumstance of one trial only. We contend 
 that Fawcett must have been, and was able to throw 
 many fourteen stone men entitled to rank as first- 
 raters ; or to come to the mark at once, men rank- 
 ing as high, professionally, as any of the three 
 pugilists alluded to : yet could Eandall, although 
 supposed to be the very best pugilist ever remem- 
 bered, beat any of them ? The cii'cumstance of 
 Fawcett being able to throw fourteen-stone men 
 may be said to form one exception to our remark 
 that the most superior wrestlers and pugilists will 
 be found between thirteen and fourteen stone 
 weight ; we answei', not exactly so. We do not 
 think Fawcett could have thro^vn Adam Dodd,
 
 90 WRESTLTANA. 
 
 Thomas Nicholson, William Richardson, or some 
 others we would select, in a number of trials ; on 
 the contrary, we are sure the odds would have been 
 against him for a single fall ; but we contend these 
 selected wrestlers ranked higher in that exercise, 
 than Cribb, Neate, or Spring ever did as pugilists ; 
 •we would compare them to James Belcher, or the 
 Game Chicken, when in their prime ; and we pre- 
 sume no pugilistic amateur will say the latter pugi- 
 lists were not considered superior to any of the pre- 
 sent time, though some of them undoubtedly rank as 
 first-raters. We must therefore conclude, that there 
 is either more science in back-hold wrestling, than 
 in pugilism, or that Fawcett is much more entitled 
 to the appellation of Nonpareil than Randall. Jem- 
 my was partial to getting his left side into action 
 and striking from that position. It is not consistent 
 with the limited nature of this work to dAvell longer 
 on the merits of this truly celebrated wrestler, any 
 further than to remark, that Swaledale, in York- 
 shire, was the scene of his latest exploits, and in 
 which place we believe he is still living. 
 
 The most renowned wrestler in Westmorland at 
 this period was John Barrow, a carpenter, who we 
 have been told was a Cumberland man. Barrow 
 was often employed in the vicinity of Windermere 
 Lake, and being a very powerful man, and fully en- 
 titled to rank among the very first-raters, was con- 
 sidered by many a match for any man in the king- 
 dom ; and to him it is said Richardson of Caldbeck 
 was indebted for his favourite method of striking in- 
 side. This champion, at a considerably subsequent 
 period to his celebrity as a wrestler, was unfortu- 
 nately drowned by the upsetting of a boat on Win- 
 dermere I/akc. it was rather remarkable that Bar- 
 row, the only person lost by the accident, was an 
 excellent swimmer, and the only person in the boat 
 who could swim. The accident happening at a place 
 of no considerable depth, his foot either stuck fast 
 in the mud, or getting entangled in some excresence 
 attached to the bottom, he never rose to the surface 
 of the water, and consequently perished before he 
 could be relieved.
 
 WRESTLIAXA. 91 
 
 Arnong those wlia immediately siicooeded Fawcett 
 in the vicinity of Alston, the Golightl ys (Frank and 
 Tom), were reckoned the best men of their Aveight. 
 Frank was about the size, or rather less than Jem- 
 my, and if not equally distinguished, was neverthe- 
 less considered a very extraordinary wrestler, and 
 gained a great number of prizes in different parts of 
 Cumberland. Frank's usual method was a stroke 
 or feint with the right foot, the object of which was 
 to facilitate the means of getting his left side and 
 buttock better in, and by so doing instantly to bring 
 his antagonist over his head ; and without his oppo- 
 nent, however powerful, possessed a good knowledge 
 of the art, and was well acquainted, and consequently 
 awai-e of Frank's mannei-, he was generally gone be- 
 fore he had time to recollect what he was about. 
 "We must take our leave of Frank by observing he 
 had a strong penchant for the amusement, — was a 
 very good one, — and never met with an accident in 
 his pursuit of it. Thomas Golightly was not quite 
 five feet eight inches high, but \vas considerably 
 heavier than his brother, or Jemmy Fawcett, being 
 very near a twelve stone man. Tom was an excel- 
 lent wrestler when seventeen years of age, and was 
 considered very near the head of the list in the 
 neighbourhood of Alston. "When in his prime, Tom 
 defeated in a match tlie celebrated Kobert Eowan- 
 tree, who won the prize at Carlisle in the year 1813. 
 He likewise distinguished himself at Melmerby, at 
 which place he was victor one year, and came second 
 the next. Tom, some years after he was married, 
 emigrated westward, and, settling at Workington, 
 wrought for a long time at that place as a coal miner 
 in the employ of J. C. Curwen, Esq., during which 
 time, though greatly declined from what he had 
 been, he won many prizes, and maintained the char- 
 acter of an excellent wrestler. Procuring employ- 
 ment under the Earl of Lonsdale, Tom left Work- 
 ington, and settled at Whitehaven, where notwith- 
 standing his advanced age, his predilection for 
 wrestling still continuing, he even then augmented 
 the great number of prizes he had before won. After 
 working some time at Whitehaven, Tom was instan- 
 taneously killed in one of the Howgill pits by a
 
 yZ WRBSTLIA.NA. 
 
 tremendous fall of the roof while employed in assist- 
 ing to remove a previous fall. To those more con- 
 versant with pugilism tlian wrestling, we will ob- 
 serve that T(mi might be compared as a wrestler to 
 Power, the first conqueror of Carter; being like that 
 pugilist, a complete master of the science, and more 
 diversified in his method of wrestling than any other 
 man we ever knew. Tom was a very fresh and good 
 looking man of his age ; and his occupation con- 
 sidered, by no means addicted to idleness. In the 
 ring, his conduct deserved, and obtained universal 
 approbation ; he always met his man with a smile, 
 was a fair stander, and perfectly ready to accommo- 
 date his opponent, with either a tight or a slack 
 hold. Such was Thomas Golightly, whose untimely 
 death was much regretted by all who were acquainted 
 with him. 
 
 In the vicinity of Holm Cultrara wrestling at this 
 period still preserved its consequence as an amuse- 
 ment. Although Jolm Tinian was nearly told out, 
 his sons, John and Joseph, (particularly the latter) 
 were regarded as heroes of no ordinary stamp ; but 
 two Alston men of the name of Hall, were considered 
 the dons of Ellenborough, Gilcrux, and the adjacent 
 country. They were both tall active men, weigh- 
 ing upwards of thirteen stone, and like the majority 
 of tlieir countrymen, partial to buttocking. Joseph, 
 commonly called young Job Tinian, to distinguish 
 him from his father, weighing when in his prime 
 upwards of fifteen stone, and possessing uncommon 
 strength for a man even of that weight. Job was a 
 good buttocker, and an exccUent striker ; and if his 
 capabilities as a guarder, and quick wrestler, had 
 corresponded witl) tlicse great essentials, he would 
 have been a match for any man in the county. In 
 the vicinity of Cockermouth, two brothers of the 
 name of Allison, long ruled the roast ; and many 
 persons in that neighbourhood are of opinion, that 
 though lighter men than the generality of those we 
 have noticed, very few in cither county were able to 
 throw them. Joseph Allison (or Allanson) the 
 more noted of them, is not above five feet eight 
 inches high, and might be something above twcslve 
 atones in weight. Joseph was partial to a tight
 
 WKESTLIANA. 93 
 
 hold, was a good s^ hiker, and we believe brought 
 up to husbandry ; his brother was by trade a black- 
 smith. "We will close this sbort biographical para- 
 graph with observing that the Rev. Osborn Little- 
 ton, of Buttermere, was, previous to his entry into 
 orders, the best wrestler within many miles of 
 Whitehaven. 
 
 W-e shall now proceed to notice a transaction 
 which occasioned considerable interest among the 
 admirers of this athletic exercise in this immediate 
 vicinity, we mean the arrival of the Westmor- 
 land militia, which was stationed at Whitehaven 
 towards the close of the seventeenth century. In 
 this regiment were several celebrated wrestlers, 
 among whom we will particularize two whose names 
 became most familiar in men's mouths during the 
 time the regiment remained at Whitehaven. These 
 were Philip Stephenson and Thomas Madge. Philip 
 was a strong-built muscular man, about five feet 
 nine inches high, and must have weighed upwards 
 of fourteen stones. His fame as a wrestler ran 
 before him, his oflScers were ready to back him to 
 any amount against any man in the kingdom, and 
 in fact, during his residence here as a soldier, he 
 certainly was the most prominent hero on the list. 
 Philip was a straight stander, and extremely 
 difficult to move from his position ; and this more 
 than any other qualification constituted his excel- 
 lence as a wrestler. His great practice had rendered 
 him nearly perfect in that point, and made him very- 
 quick in availing himself of any advantage that 
 presented itself iu consequence of the unsuccessful 
 efforts made by his opponents. Madge on the 
 contrary might be called a light weight, but was a 
 most excellent outside striker. Among the neigh- 
 bouring wrestlers who endeavoured to dispute the 
 palm of superiority with these military champions, 
 the Egremothians were the most conspicuous. The 
 most noted of these were "William Eilbeck, a stone- 
 mason, William Ponsonby, a butcher, and the two 
 Eoberts, Joe and Peter. Few likelier men than 
 Eilbeck for a wrestler are to be found ; he possessed 
 length, strength, and weight ; was confident of his 
 own powers, and a good outside striker. Ponsonby
 
 94 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 was the best and cleanest outside striker ever known 
 in the west of Cumberland, and was by no means a 
 little one, being not far from five feet ten inches 
 high, and weighing near fourteen stones. Ponsonby 
 much resembled Adam Dodd as a wrestler, and was 
 unquestionably a very first-rater, but at that time 
 was considered something on the decline. The 
 Roberts were something less than Ponsonby, but 
 Joe was considered nearly as dangerous a customer 
 to get rid of, being extremely ready, and as well up 
 to every manoeuvre how to get the best of it, as any 
 man in the kingdom. However, after various trials, 
 the red coat proved the master. Intemperance 
 had produced its usual effects upon Ponsonby, 
 Eilbeck could not force Philip from his position, 
 and the manoeuvring of Roberts failed Avhen opposed 
 to the superior weight and tactics of the soldier. 
 The only reverse the military experienced was at 
 Saint Bees Moo; , during the annual races. Stephen- 
 son's officers were somewhat noisy respecting his 
 great capabilities, when a friendly wager was 
 offered them to produce a man on the ground to 
 wrestle him a single fall. The ofTei was immediately 
 accepted, and Philip, eager to be at work, soon 
 appeared in the ring fully prepared for action, and 
 anxiously expecting his opponent. After waiting 
 some time, Ponsonby, the man selected for the trial, 
 entered to him, rather the worse, or probably the 
 better, for the "water of life" which had been 
 plentifully administered to him ; but no solicitations 
 could prevail upon him to strip. Fully satisfied 
 that if he won the fall it must be without loss of 
 time, he chose to decide the business with bis clothes 
 on. The quickness and impetuosity of l*onsonby's 
 attack carried all before it. Notwithstanding the 
 boasted guard of the soldier, his neck and shoulders 
 instantly exchanged situations with his feet. Philip 
 was up in a moment and anxious for another trial, 
 but Ponsonby was not to be had, his friends had 
 carried him ofi" in triumph, and Philip was obliged 
 to wait for another opportunity of balancing 
 accounts with him. The last meeting between the 
 "Westmorland militia and the Egremothians was at 
 Bigrigg Moor, a place nearly equidistant from
 
 WRESTLIANA. 95 
 
 Whitehaven and Egremont ; and this, we well re- 
 member, was the first prize we ever saw wrestled 
 for. Philip had his revenge on Ponsonby, and 
 finally threw Eilbeck, who in the course of the 
 wrestling threw Madge. After the disbanding of 
 the militia, Philip and Madge both returned to 
 "Whitehaven, where Madge was then employed as a 
 top-man about the collieries. Stephenson likewise 
 remained in the neighbourhood many years, and 
 Avrought at his trade, as a mason or waller, Philip 
 often exhibited in the ling after his return, but the 
 soldier Philip and the mason Philip seemed two 
 very different persons. His most formidable traits 
 were uu:loubtedly gone, and he was frequently 
 thrown by men very far inferior to those he had 
 before vanquished. He continued wrestling occa- 
 sionally, till we who had regarded him with admi- 
 ration when a mere lad, once or twice met liim in 
 the ring, when ranking higher on the list than any 
 man he had previously encountered. The result 
 need not be told, for such are the changes ofa few years! 
 After the departure of the militia, the heroes of 
 Egremont were not long in finding others eager to 
 contest the palm of superiority with them even 
 upon theii" own ground. It is probable they were 
 becoming rather stale, but however that might be 
 it was soon evident that they were no match for 
 their new rivals from the neighbourhood of Cleator. 
 These were John Blackstock and J. Wilkinson, 
 both millers, from the border of the Holm, and the 
 celebrated John Stainton, just then rising into notice. 
 Wilkinson was a more powerful man than Black- 
 stock, but the latter was considered a better Avrestler. 
 Blackstock was a well-made active man, about five 
 feet nine inches high, and about thirteen stones 
 in weight, aud was one of the few who use the right 
 buttock effectively. Stainton, however, soon be- 
 came the star of the neighbourhood, and before he 
 was twenty years of age had gained above that 
 number of prizes, and though in his novitiate had 
 been very seldom thrown. His fame and conquests 
 increasing, he soon became the unrivalled champion 
 of this vicinity, and Avas matched to wrestle five 
 falls with any man in Cumberland. The htio
 
 96 WRESTLIA.NA. 
 
 chosen to oppose him was Jacob Fletcher, from the 
 neighbourhood of Mockerin, and the place fixed 
 upon for this display of science was Arlecdon Moor, 
 about four miles east of AVhitehaven. The first 
 trial proved long, and was severely contested. Each 
 lifting against the other, neither of them could make 
 anyching like a stroke, and Fletcher frequently tried 
 to ham without effect. After a desperate struggle, 
 the holds getting looser, Fletcher succeeded in 
 throwing his opponent over his buttock. Stainton 
 won the second fall in good style, but Fletcher 
 gained the remaining three falls successively, by 
 buttocking him. This contest excited great interest 
 at the time, and notwithstanding the result, much 
 difference of opinion existed whether was the better 
 man. It was urged by the friends of the loser, that 
 owing to overworking himself while mowing, he 
 had in a few days declined from upwards of fifteen 
 stones to fourteen ; and that he had the misfortune 
 to break one of his great toes in the first contest. 
 On the other hand,- the friends of Fletcher asserted 
 he was the heavier and stronger man, except in the 
 arras, and that he was able to throw Stainton at any 
 time. Both men were about six feet high, and the 
 truth of tbe matter was, that strength was the most 
 distinguished characteristic of the contest, and that 
 very little science or good wrestling was displayed 
 by cither of the combatants. Stainton was a good 
 lifter, and intent upon doing so, but never attempted 
 an inside stroke, and knew nothing of buttocking ; 
 accordingly, when he was unable to take Fletcher 
 from the ground, it could not fail to turn the scale 
 against him. Fletcher was a more powerful man, 
 but by no means so fair a stander ; and we think, 
 candidly speaking, it was to that circumstance as 
 much as any other, the victory was to be attributed. 
 His only stroke was inside with the right knee, 
 which is certainly a very bad one to attempt when 
 opposed to a man of equal power, but he was no 
 contemptible hamer, and for so powerful a man, a 
 good buttocker. After the wager was decided, there 
 was some excellent wrestling for a belt, which was 
 won by lleury Dixon, from the immediate neigh- 
 bourhood, throwing Joseph Bushby, of Mockcrkin,
 
 WRESTLIAXA. 97 
 
 a companion of Fletcher's, taller, and nearly of equal 
 celebrity with him ; the above four dons of their 
 day were all husbandmen. 
 
 In pursuing the above progressive clue of 
 wrestling, we have got within the limits of the 
 eighteenth century, and are consequently approaching 
 the great era of the Carlisle wrestling in 1809. 
 Before commencing our account of these truly cele- 
 brated meetings, we will briefly notice a few transac- 
 tions which involve the names of some wrestlers 
 who never entered the Carlisle ring, and who were 
 so well known as wrestlers, as to render our account 
 somewhat imperfect without some notice of them. 
 
 For three or four successive years there were 
 public bridals at Lorton, which occasioned the 
 attendance of many celebrated wrestlers from diflFe- 
 rent parts of the county. Tue first of these we will 
 notice was in the year 1806 ; the last fall was dis- 
 puted between Jacob Fletcher, of Mockerkin, and 
 William Armstrong, of Tallentire. The latter was 
 an excellent wrestler, but nearly three stones lighter 
 than his opponent, and as many inches shorter. He 
 was particularly good at striking inside with the 
 left leg, and on this occasion was considered to have 
 the best of the fall iu question. Fletcher, however, 
 refused to give it up, and in the course of the even- 
 ing both parties agreed to decide the matter by 
 another trial ; when, after a well-contested struggle, 
 the three great advantages of length, weight, and 
 strength prevailed, and Fletcher was declared the 
 conqueror. Fletcher was a very quiet and well- 
 behave i man, and if not diversified in action, was so 
 well versed in the science that we have heard him 
 assert he was never vanquished in a number of trials, 
 and never wrestled a disputed fall over again with- 
 out winning it. In wrestling through the ring on 
 that day, he threw that truly formidable character, 
 Thomas Bell, for some time a schoolmaster at Bassen- 
 thwaite, and afterwards at Keswick. Bell at that 
 period ranked higher as a wrestler, and we believe 
 asa boxer, than any man in the two counties. In 
 him were united all the qualifications which con- 
 stitute a finished wrestler or pugilist. He possessed 
 youth, length, strength, courage, activity, and
 
 98 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 science, fully equal, if not superior, to any hero of 
 that or any other time of modern date, and there 
 is no donbt, if he had remained in the county, he 
 would have shone as a star of the first magnitude. 
 In the situation he then filled, he was considered a 
 very good scholar, but at times, unfortunately for 
 himself, he deviated from that propriety of conduct 
 always expected from those in his situation. We 
 have the greatest reason to believe he was the master 
 of Richardson, of Caldbeck ; then in his prime, and 
 whom he resembled in his manner of wrestling, the 
 inside being his favourite aim. Soon after the 
 period alluded to, Bell emigrated to America, where, 
 we have been informed he has succeeded in estab- 
 lishing himself comfortably. In this contest with 
 Fletcher, wiiom at a previous period he had thrown 
 with ease, he went down Avhen making play. Of 
 one or two succeeding trials which Fletcher acceded 
 to for mutual accommodation, we cannot speak deci- 
 sively. We have heard them very diflferently repre- 
 sented, some affirming Fletcher had not the least 
 chance, and others, among whom may be enumerated 
 Fletcher himself, maintain that he had none the 
 worst of them. 
 
 In the following year, namely, 1807, no less than 
 one hundred and twenty wrestlers from different 
 parts of the county entered the ring to contend for 
 a very handsome belt with plated buckles and 
 sliders. The same William Armstrong who con- 
 tested the last fall with Jacob Fletcher the preceding 
 year, again distinguished himself on this occasion. 
 He wrestled through the ring with much eclat^ and 
 though vanquished by us for the pi'ize, he lost no 
 laurels in that contest ; contending for victory to 
 the last, and though the advantages might certainly 
 be considered against him, he was not disposed of 
 without difficulty. This was the only time we ever 
 wrestled or witnessed wrestling at Lorton, and the 
 well-known John Brownngg, of Patterdale, was the 
 first man we threw. Brownrigg was acknowledged 
 by all who knew him to bo an exerllent wrestler, 
 and was more particularly known forbi'ing the con- 
 queror of Gr.orgf! Stamper, of Newlands, a very 
 powciful man, and the only wrestler, w« beliere,
 
 WRESTLIANA. 99 
 
 •who ever vanquished both Thomas Nicholson and 
 "William Richardson without being at some future 
 time defeated by them. Bron'nrigg was about the 
 size of "William Armstrong, and consequently, on 
 encountering us, the advantages of length and 
 strength were against him. This well-kno's\7i 
 wrestler died some time ago. 
 
 "We will not dwell much upon the numerous 
 meetings in this vicinity in which we ourselves 
 played the first fiddle. "We shall only observe, that 
 in 1808, Blake Fell races, which had laid dormant 
 for many years, were revived; and the weather 
 proving favourable, they were well attended. 
 Having carried olf the prize with much ease the 
 first day, a most determined opposition, often spoken 
 of, was contrived against the ensuing day. The 
 writer, with considerable adroitness, managed to call 
 in against us, successively, no less than seven of the 
 best wrestlers upon the ground, among whom were 
 Joseph Bushby, of Mockerkin, and the two best of 
 the younger Tinians, John and Joseph. Notwith- 
 standing this deep-laid scheme, their opposition 
 proved of no avail, as none of these selected cham- 
 pions appeared to have the least chance of arresting 
 our career of victory. "We have elsewhere observed 
 that the best wrestling in the west of Cumberland 
 was on Arlecdon Moor, where one, two, and some- 
 times three prizes were given every year, one of 
 them, for a number of jears, amounting to two 
 guineas. On that Moor we were never thrown 
 from the year 1805 to the year ISlo, during which 
 time we either won, or could have won, all the 
 prizes, if we except one carrried off by "William 
 Mackereth, of Cockerraouth, in 1814, for which we 
 did not wrestle ; therefore, how that event might 
 have terminated can remain a matter of opinion only. 
 However, independent of that circumstance, the 
 multiplicity of our victories there sufficiently evince 
 that, although we were sometimes thrown in the 
 ■west of Cumberland, our being so was more owing 
 to carelessness, or accident, than to any superiority, 
 or even equality, of those who threw us. As the 
 name of every other celebrated wrestler within the 
 eighteenth century will occur, either in our review
 
 100 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 of the wrestling at Ambleside, Carlisle, Penrith, or 
 Keswick races, or in the biographical remarks on 
 those who do, we will immediately proceed to the 
 methodical consideration of them, with this prelimi- 
 nary observation, that the short memoirs annexed 
 to some of the most celebrated will be found in that 
 period of our review where every such wrestler has 
 ]ast entered any of the rings in question for the pur- 
 pose of wrestling. 
 
 Previous to the year 1S09 the wrestling in the 
 vicinity of Ambleside, and throughout the lake 
 circuit in general, was considered very inferior to 
 that usually witnessed about Penrith, and the 
 greatest part of Cumberland, It was, probably, 
 through a laudable desire to remedy this deficiency, 
 and to bring this manly exercise into more general 
 estimation that J. Wilson, Esq., a gentleman then 
 residing at Elleray, and who was extremly attached 
 to many athletic amusements, through a conviction 
 of their utility, by his own liberality and example 
 promoted the donation of a larger sum of money to 
 wrestle for at the annual sports near Ambleside in 
 the year 1809, than had ever been known at any 
 preceding period in that part of "Westmorland. 
 Among the competitors collected to contend for this 
 liberal prize, was Thomas Nicholson, of Threlkeld, 
 in Cumberland, then in the height of his provincial 
 reputation. We say provincial, because it was 
 previous to what might be termed his attainment 
 of the comparative metropolitan stamp by his re- 
 peated victories at Carlisle. Nicholson was the 
 winner of this prize, throAving a distinguished 
 wrestler of the name of Dixon, and the two well 
 known wrestlers, Eowland and John Long. It is, 
 however, due to that impartiality which ought to be 
 the invariable maxim of every historical writer to 
 observe, that there were, and yet are, many in the 
 vicinity of Ambleside that witnessed the contest who 
 positively aflSrm he had no right to it. Their 
 opinion is that he was thrown by J. Dixon (a 
 brother to the Dixon be tlirew) a wrestler of no 
 celebrity. It appears, liowever, that it had been 
 the opinion of thn stewards, that the fall in question 
 was considered not fair, as they decided for another
 
 WRESTLIA.XA. 101 
 
 trial. This, Dixon conscious of his inferiority' 
 declined, and consequently Xicholson was declared 
 the stander, and was the ultimate victor. Notwith- 
 standing the magnitude of the prize, the competitors 
 were not numerous, and the contests between 
 Nicholson and the two Longs were considered the 
 principal attraction of the day. 
 
 Influenced by the same motives which occasioned 
 the above display at Ambleside, a much more con- 
 siderable sum was, by the zeal and example of Mr. 
 Henry Pearson, solicitor at Carlisle, collected to 
 wrestle for during the races at that ancient city. 
 Previous to this period, wrestling in the immediate 
 vicinity of Carlisle was in no very great estimation ; 
 — it was seldom witnessed, and consequently could 
 not be duly appreciated : and it was probably owing 
 to this circumstance, that there was not any Avrestler 
 of celebrity, either iu the city itself, or within some 
 miles of it : therefore, notwithstanding the novelty 
 of such an exhibition on the Swifts, and the very 
 handsome sum subscribed, the competitors were not 
 unusually numerous. Among these however, from 
 what might be called west from Carlisle, were the 
 celebrated Richardson, of Caldbeck, and Thomas 
 Nicholson, of Threlkeld ; and from the east, the 
 equally distinguished Eobert Rowantree, from the 
 neighbourhood of Bewcastle, and the Earls, of 
 Curawhinton. 
 
 As some wagers were pending whether the 
 prize would be carried east or west, it Avas 
 deemed desirable that the best wrestlers on either 
 side should not encounter each other till the close 
 of the contest. Accordingly, in wrestling through 
 the ring, Nicholson successively threw the eastern 
 heroes above alludod to, and in consequence of some 
 dispute arising respecting the fall between them, he 
 threw Rowantree a second time with such ease as to 
 convince the amateurs of his superiority over him. 
 The same good fortune did not attend Richardson. 
 He was thrown by a noted wrestler of the name of 
 Harrison ; and Harrison was the final opponent of 
 Nicholson, who, by throwing him for the prize, was 
 entitled to rank higher as a wrestler than any man 
 in the county.
 
 102 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 The gentlemen of Penrith, well aware of the 
 imiversal satisfaction the revival of this trulv British 
 amusement had given to all ranks at Carlisle, deter- 
 mined to adopt the same means of increasing the 
 popularity of the ensuing races at that town ; and 
 Dr. Pearson, brother to Mr. Pearson, of Carlisle, 
 exerting himself in the business, it was attended 
 with corresponding success. As Penrith was deemed 
 a kind of central situation between Carlisle and 
 Ambleside, and situate in a much more noted country 
 for wrestling than either of them, the competitors 
 for that prize were more numerous than at the other 
 places. From ^Nicholson's previous success, the 
 established character Richardson had long possessed, 
 and the celebrity Harrison had acquired by throwing 
 him at Carlisle, these three heroes were considered 
 by the amateurs to stand the best chance for the 
 prize. '"Tisnot in mortals to command success," 
 for however much they might deserve it, they "were 
 all thrown at the close of the third round ; and the 
 prize was won by a lad of the name of Golding, said 
 to be only eighteeen years of age. The man 
 whom Golding last thraw was Paul Gedlin, from 
 Culgaith, who, by all accounts, had at that time won 
 as many prizes as Richardson himself, many more 
 than Nicholson, and was as good a wrestler as either 
 of them. Some time previous to this he had been 
 matched to wrestle Richardson five foils, for five 
 guineas aside, though more than a stone below his 
 weight. The parties met accordino^to appointment, 
 but the wager was never determined, owing to some 
 disagreement about the holds. Our accounts re- 
 specting this meeting do not coincide ; some affirm 
 that each man won a fall, and others that one fall 
 only was wrestled, which was won by Richardson. 
 However that might be, the fact was, that Gedlin 
 was the better loose-hold wrestler, and Richardson 
 was anxious for a tigliter hold than he would allow 
 to be fair ; and on the other hand, Richardson did 
 not choose to risk his reputation and his friend s 
 money with a slack hold, against an adversary 
 whom he knew he could throw with a light one. 
 Gedlin was rather advanced in years when thrown 
 by Golding, but was always considered a very su-
 
 WRESTLIA>-A. 103 
 
 perior wrestler, and had won a great many prizes. 
 In the course of the wrestling alluded to, he threw 
 John Nicholson, brother to Tom, who had previously- 
 thrown Richardson on tliat occasion. Hai-rison, we 
 believe, visited Liverpool soon after, and making one 
 ring a very ostensible reason for never entering 
 another in quest of athletic renown, we must here 
 take our final leave of him. As for Golding, the 
 very young and unexpected winner of this prize, 
 although no doubt a very promising youth, and at 
 that time heavier than Nicholson, yet it would be 
 absurd to suppose he was an equal match for several 
 of the competitors on that occasion. His most for- 
 midable point as a wrestler was a very vigorous 
 assault outside with the left leg. A short time after 
 this contest at Penrith, he wrestled against T. 
 Nicholson for a belt ; the result was what might 
 naturally be expected from the celebrity of that 
 hero. In the course of that, or the ensuing year, 
 Golding removed to London, and distinguished him- 
 self for the annual prize given there during the 
 Easter holidays, for the young men from Cumber- 
 land and AVestmorland to wrestle for. 
 
 In the year 1810, the patrons of the Ambleside 
 wrestling disseminated handbills all over the country 
 to announce that a belt of considerble'value, and five 
 guineas, would be given to wrestle for at their annual 
 sports at the head of Windermere Lake. The 
 competitors, however, did not exceed sixteen couple, 
 one half of whom were merely nominal. At this 
 meeting we were present, as were Thomas and John 
 Nicholson, and Joseph Slack, from Blencow ; all, of 
 course, from Cumberland. The "Westmorland com- 
 petitors were the same Nicholson had vanquished the 
 preceding year, with the accession of Henry Chap- 
 man, a Bampton man, and Miles Dixon, a brother 
 to the two already noticed in the yc;.r 1809. John 
 Nicholson was thrown by Rowland Long, but both 
 he and his brother were again thrown by T. Nichol- 
 son. Chapman was defeated both for the prize and 
 a subsequent wager by Slack, who laid down to T. 
 Nicholson; but on the other hand. Miles Dixon 
 threw us, and finally Nicholson. The circumstance 
 of Dixon throwing two of the very first Cumberland
 
 104 WRESTLTANA. 
 
 wrestlers was certainly an unexpected one, althongh 
 he was a stone heavier than either. Nicholson was 
 no stranger to liira, as they had had frequent trials 
 together, and Dixon was consequently no stranger 
 to his opponent's superiority ; while Nicholson's 
 knowledge of that fact in this instance contributed 
 to his defeat by rendering him careless respecting his 
 hold, as through his negligence in that point, Dixon 
 took him from tlie ground, and twisted him down 
 without a single struggle. As for ourselves, we con- 
 tend that Dixon derived no honour from the result 
 of the contest between us, as he had a firm hold of 
 the waistband of the breeches during the whole time 
 of the wrestle. Notwithstanding this incalculable 
 advantage, the result was for some time extremely 
 dubious. In short, we will aver that we had such 
 manifest unfair play as reflected disgrace upon those 
 who should have been the umpires on the occasion, 
 as we several times desired him to quit his hold of 
 our breeches, and do declare that, to the best of onr 
 belief, that circumstance alone prevented us from 
 throwing him. After the victory was decided, both 
 Dixon and his friends refused to accept of two guineas 
 to one for a single trial only. 
 
 The great attraction of the Carlisle wrestling was 
 this year fully manifested by a greater assemblage 
 of people on the Swifts than was ever previously 
 remembered. The fkrl of Lonsdale gave five guineas 
 to the eleven subscribed by the gentlemen of Carlisle. 
 The first prize was again won by Nicholson, who 
 likewise this year threw both Rowantrce and John 
 Earl. Eichardson was thrown very unexpectedly 
 by some person of no previous cekbrity, but he won 
 tlie second prize which was contested for by the six- 
 teen last standers in great style, throwing at the 
 last, Joseph Slack, who had likewise wrestled the 
 last fall for the first prize. Being the last loser for 
 both of these prizes, certainly was as creditable to 
 Slack, as a wrestler, as if he had won one of them. 
 Slack, though only about five f(>et eight inches high, 
 was a heavier man than Nit-holson, but Tom's 
 length gave him such advantages that Slack never 
 coukl do any thing with him. lie was, however, 
 justly entitled to the appellation of a first-rate
 
 WKESTLIAXA. 105 
 
 wrestler, and though not considered a match for 
 Eichardson, had thrown him more than once in the 
 neighbourhood of Greystoke, at which place the late 
 Duke of Norfolk frequently gave prizes, particularly 
 huc'kskin breeches, to wrestle for. Slack was rather 
 addicted to rambling, had won many prizes in 
 different parts of the county, and continued to 
 wrestle occasionally for many years after the period 
 alluded to ; but as we do not think he ever entered 
 himself as a candidate for any capital prize after- 
 wards, his name or exploits will not agaiu^ occur in 
 the subsequent part of this work. 
 
 The Ambleside wrestling in 1811 was, we be- 
 lieve, better attended than on either of the two 
 preceding years. Miles Dixon did not wrestle, 
 and therefore Nicholson, who was again present, 
 had no opportunity of settling the last year's 
 accounts with him. Tom, however, as early as 
 the second round had to encounter a much more 
 formidab e opponent than ever Miles Dixon was, 
 in the person of John Lowden, from the neigh- 
 bourhood of Keswick. Lowden, although at 
 that time scarcely at his best, was not on good 
 terms with Tom, and on that account purposely 
 threw himself against him ; and it Avas not till after 
 three successive and keenly contested trials had taken 
 place that Nicholson got rid of this troublesome 
 customer. Lowden was not satisfied with the diffe- 
 rent decisions. He, indeed, acknowledged that Tom 
 won the last fall, but thought himself fully entitled 
 to the first, the second being considered a dogfall. 
 Tom in the next round threw Rowland Long, but 
 was himself thrown by John Long in the foiuih 
 round. Long was now arrrived near the end of his 
 journey, but proved unable to reach it, being thrown 
 by ^\'illiam Mackereth, a Cockermoth lad, then 
 working at his business (a mason) with Nicholson, 
 and on that account had accompanied him to the 
 field of hououi'. 
 
 It is universally allowed that the ring at Car- 
 lisle this year coulcl boast of a greater number of 
 first-rate wrestlers than ever entered any other ring 
 in the kingdom. "Wrestling was now the acknow- 
 ledged grand source of attraction at that place, and
 
 106 WRESTLIANA, 
 
 all ranks seemed to coincide in the opinion, that it 
 was entitled, in a national point of view, to take the 
 lead of every other amusement. Even the worthy 
 and respectable proprietor and editor of the Cumber- 
 land Pacqiiet^ who scarcely ever noticed any ath- 
 letic achievement in the ring, began to think the 
 subject worthy of honourable mention, and we ac- 
 cordingly select the following paragraphs from that 
 paper of the 2nd of October, 1811 : — 
 
 " Carlisle Wrestling. — On the first day of the races, 
 20 guineas were wrestled for on the Swifts, in a 
 roped ring, sixty yards diameter. We never wit- 
 nessed so fine an exhibition of agility and nerve, or a 
 diversion that gave such universal satisfaction. The 
 peaceable deportment of tlie different combatants 
 cannot be too highly praised, as they submitted in 
 all dubious falls, in the most implicit manner, to the 
 decison of the um))ire. The wrestling Avas most 
 severely contested, in the presence of nearly 12,000 
 people, by some of the most sinewy and active youths, 
 that we ever saw enter a ring. We oljserved 
 amongst the spectators, the Marquis of Queensbury, 
 the Earl of Lonsdale, Lord Lowther, Sir James 
 Graham, of Netherby, Sir James Graham, of 
 Kirkstone, Henry Fawcett, Esq., of Portland Place, 
 together with a great concourse of other gentlemen. 
 We understand the Lord I^ieutenant expressed his 
 most unqualified approbation of the diversion ; and 
 will annually give it his support, as long as there is 
 not any riot or confusion, which we may venture to 
 pledge ourselves, will never be the case, as the wrest- 
 lers are in general the sons of respectable yeoman 
 and farmers, in this and the adjoining counties, and 
 not like prize fighters, collected from the dregs of the 
 people. Want of room prevents us giving the names 
 of the different wrestlers ; but we understiind the first 
 prize was won by Thorns Nicholson, of Threlkeld, 
 near iveswick; who is esteemed one of the best 
 thirteen stone wrestlers in the kingdom. John 
 Richardson, of Staffield Hall, near Kirkosvvald, 
 gained the second prize, and is allowed by judges to 
 be inferior to no man as a wrestler, being tho 
 favourite at setting to, but he did not wrestle with 
 such luck, through the ring, for the first prize, as
 
 WRESTLIANA. 107 
 
 the champion. He was thrown by one Eobert 
 Eowantree, from Bewcastle, in one of the severest 
 struggles ever witnessed ; both being fourteen stone 
 wrestlers, they showed uncommon muscle when 
 stripped, and JRichardsou was thrown by a half jirk 
 of the hip, followed up by a sweeping cross-buttock. 
 Sir James Graham, of Netherby, and Humphrey 
 Senhouse, jun. Esq., of Netherhall, subscribed five 
 guineas, and Lord Lowther and Henry Fawcett, 
 Esq., each two guineas, towards this athletic diver- 
 sion, so much excelled in by our forefathers." 
 
 In respect to Nicholson's wrestling through the 
 ring this thii'd successive year of unequalled triumph, 
 we must be allowed to observe, that though entitled 
 to every credit, his pi'ogress was more smooth than 
 he could possibly have anticipated, His first fall 
 was gained under such circumstances as not to 
 entitle it to the appellation of a wrestle. Watson 
 who had thrown Rowland Long the first round, laid 
 down to him in the second. In the third he threw 
 Jordan, a well-known wrestler from the east of Pen- 
 rith. In the fourth, W. Earl. In the fifth he ac- 
 commodated matters with Douglas, a very likely 
 man and just in his prime, from Caldbeck; and in 
 the sixth threw his old opponent John Earl. We 
 will in this place bi'iefly notice some of the most 
 noted men who will not again come under our consi- 
 deration. The John Richardson alluded to in the 
 above quotation was certainly a very celebrated 
 wrestler, and we have heard, had once an intention 
 of advertising himself to wrestle any man in the 
 kingdom. Wrestling, it is to be observed, is ex- 
 t"emely different from boxing in respect to such chal- 
 lenges. A wrestler stakes a trifling sum of money on 
 the qualifications he natui'allypos&esses, and the science 
 he has acquired, that he cannot be excelled in what he 
 himseh has pursued, and what the world in general re- 
 gards as an amusement ; on the other hand, pugilism is 
 a profession, and on the good or bad success of a 
 contest, depends the comfort, and sometimes the sub- 
 sistance of the pugilist and his family. Being pre- 
 sent we can vouch for the accuracy of this hero 
 being the favourite for the first prize, and some were 
 even so confident of his capabilities as to take him
 
 108 WRESTLIAXA. 
 
 against the field ; this partiality we presume was 
 more owing to his education and connexions being 
 superior to those of wrestlers in general, than to his 
 individual merit as a wrestler. We admit that his 
 requisites entitled him to stand on equal grounds 
 with any other competitor, but against such a field 
 was indeed an overwhelming preference. With his 
 celebrated namesake from Caldbeck we believe he 
 had never contended, and with Nicholson only once. 
 It is true on that occasion the fall was given in his 
 favour, but he was not on fair grounds entitled to 
 it, it was a complete snap in every sense of the word, 
 but Kirkoswald being the scene of action, his friends 
 were averse to his giving Nicholson another chance, 
 otherwise we are informed, that he had no objections 
 to wrestling over, and was very ready to admit that 
 he did snap. He was in our opinion as likely a man 
 for wrestling as we ever saw, being upwards of four- 
 teen stone weight, and six feet three inches high ; 
 he generally struck outside with his right foot, and 
 followed it up if occasion required with his left side. 
 He did not at Carlisle, though the winner of the 
 second prize, fall in with any that could be con- 
 sidered an equal opponent except Rowantrce ; but 
 he wrestled an extra fall for two guineas with a man 
 of the name of Armstrong, but better known by 
 the appellation of solid oak, who was upwards of six 
 feet high, and without appearing particularly fleshy, 
 or corpulent, weighed eighteen stones. In this con- 
 test Richardson on making play, appeared to recoil 
 and go down from, if we may so express it, the 
 solidity of his opponent, who was, without exception 
 considered the strongest man in the north of Eng- 
 land. Richardson probably did not rightly consider 
 this, and so became the victim of liis own temerity, 
 otlierwise the result ought to have been different, as 
 oak had been thrown by Rowantree, and that licro, 
 though the conqueror of Richardson on this occasion, 
 did not rank so high in the estimation of those, who 
 from an equal knowledge of both the men and the 
 ex(!rcise, might be considered competent judges of 
 their comparative merits. 
 
 As this was the last year in whicih John and Wil- 
 liam Earl acted a distinguished part in the Carlisle
 
 WRESTLIAXA.. 109 
 
 wrestling, it is but justice to remark that they both, 
 particularly the former, greatly contributed to ren- 
 der the exercise worthy of the patronage it received. 
 They were about thirteen stone men, and had gained 
 a great many prizes. When the Carlisle wrestling 
 commenced, John had a familj^ and was past thai 
 time of life in which men in general get out of 
 practice, and often decline wrestling. Xotwith- 
 standing this disadvantage, Nicholson was the only 
 man of his weight who appeared equal to him as a 
 wrestler, for he this year threw Scott twice, who 
 gained the prize the succeeding year, and who had 
 previously thrown Richardson of Caldbeck. He was 
 particularly noted for slipping from his side or 
 breast, and consequently partial to loose holds. 
 
 This was likewise the last year in which Nicholson 
 himself ever entered a ring to contend for a prize. 
 The circumstance of Tom carrying away the prize 
 for three successive years will best speak his merits 
 as a wrestler. He did not want half an inch of six 
 feet, and generally weighed about twelve stone and 
 eight pounds. Boxiana remarks, " The great simi- 
 larity of Jem Belcher's portrait to a most distin- 
 guished hero on the Continent (Bonaparte) is truly 
 curious ;" the likeness, however, of the former distin- 
 guished pugilist to Tom Nicholson is much more so, 
 as the former likeness must have been confined to 
 the head and face, while in the latter it is preserved 
 through the whole frame, as there was not one 
 quarter of an inch difference between their height 
 nor as far as we can judge, a single pound in their 
 weight ; both weighing from twelve stone six 
 pounds, to thirteen stones. Nor was this resemblance 
 in person, though certainly very remarkable, more 
 so than the similarity visible in the diflferent contests 
 in which they were engaged. "We have heard 
 Nicholson assert that he was as good a man before he 
 was twenty years of age, as at any succeeding 
 period, this was exactly the case with Belcher, who 
 was at the same age open to all England. If an 
 amusement like wrestling can entitle any of its pro- 
 fessors to the appellation of champion, the victor at 
 Carlisle for three successive years had certainly a 
 better claim to the title than any other man, and it
 
 110 -NVRESTLIAXA, 
 
 is well known Belcher M-as for some years considered 
 the champion of England. In the great essentials 
 necessary for acquiring that enviable distinction, the 
 similarity was equally striking. The same cool and 
 undaunted courage, and the same varied and effec- 
 tive action were conspicuous in both, and if Jem's 
 propriety when fighting " might be deemed a model 
 for pugilists in general," it is but justice to remark, 
 that a fairer wrestler than Tom never entered a 
 ring ; and sorry are we that Jem did not, like Tom, 
 take his leave of the ring when in possession of the 
 great renown he had acquired. 
 
 It may not be thought improper in this short 
 account of Thomas Nicholson, to make some allusion 
 to the pugilistic contest in which he was engaged in 
 the year 1814, during the races at Carlisle. "We 
 have the highest authority for saying, that when 
 Tom left home for Carlisle, he knew nothing of the 
 match in question ; and that the behaviour of Ridley, 
 ■who was on the look-out for him, and the wishes 
 expressed by some amateurs to witness a trial of 
 skill between them, made Tom erroneously think 
 his character was at stake, and that he could not 
 decline the contest without incurring the charge of 
 having a white feather in him. We say erroneously, 
 because we think by his consenting to light to oblige 
 any man, or set of men whatever, he deviated from 
 that manly independence of character he wished to 
 preserve ; and sullied the renown he had acquired 
 as a free and first-rate wrestler, by becoming so much 
 the slave of others, as to subject himself to the cer- 
 tain degradation of being considered as a minor 
 pugilist, by fighting such a blackguard as Ridley 
 was universally known to be. In the battle itself, 
 Tom likewise suffered the opinion of others to in- 
 fluence his own judgment till he had received more 
 beating than would have satisfied a tolerably game 
 man ; yet even then, notwithstanding the superior 
 weight and practice of Ridley, the resources Tom 
 possessed in his science as a wrestler, joined to his 
 natural discrimination and fortitude when acting 
 upon his accustomed manner of boxing, enabled 
 him to bring the contest to such a state as clearly 
 evinced what would bave been the result if he had
 
 WRESTLIANA. HI 
 
 adopted that line of conduct at the commencement 
 of the battle. Respecting the termination of that 
 contest, it is the opinion of many wlio witnessed it, 
 and whose judgment wo think cannot be questioned, 
 that Tom was the fresher man when the combatants 
 were separated, and that the severe falls Ridley con- 
 stantly received, must soon have rendered him unable 
 to meet his opponent at the scratch. "Whatever dif- 
 ferent opinions might be entertained respecting the 
 science displayed during the contest, it was unani- 
 mously admitted that the courage and bottom exhi- 
 bited by both, were never excelled by any pugilists 
 in the kingdom. Tom, we believe, is not yet thirty 
 eight years of age. 
 
 As this was the only time the celebrated Henry 
 Graham, of Brigham, ever entered the Carlisle ring, 
 we cannot notice his exploits in a more proper place, 
 though he continued a most distinguished wrestler 
 for many years after. Harry has wrestled more 
 matches than any other man in the county, and 
 several of his opponents have always been con- 
 sidered as first-rate wrestlers as ever peeled in a 
 ring ; when we mention the names of Thomas 
 Nicholson, "William Richardson, and inform the 
 reader, that to these two he may add our own, the 
 truth of that assertion will not be disputed. Pre- 
 vious to this visit to Carlisle, Harry had won many 
 prizes, and ranked very high as a wrestler, but being 
 then in his very prime (we suppose about twenty 
 two years of age) it was his own opinion, as well as 
 that of his friends, that he was a competent match 
 for any wrestler whatever. This opinion was by 
 no means rashly grounded, when it is considered 
 that though only about five feet nine inches high, 
 he weighed between thirteen and fourteen stones, 
 possessed unrivalled activity, had been a wrestler 
 from a boy, and was then in full practice. At this 
 meeting, having thrown a wrestler of some celebrity 
 in the first round, Harry, in the second, came against 
 John Jordan a noted wrestler from the Penrith side. 
 On what account he was obliged to give Jordan a 
 second chance, we cannot possibly determine, as 
 Harry threw him so fair the first fall, that he him- 
 self never went to the ground. "We believe the
 
 112 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 truth is, that sport, more than fair play, was the 
 object of those assistant umpires who were within 
 the ring; and such was the confusion, that J. 
 Boadle, a good wrestler who had accompanied 
 Graham, after winning his first fall was never again 
 called upon. However that may he, Jordan won 
 the second fall, and Harry was crossed out. Feeling 
 dissatisfied at the usage he had experienced, Harry 
 expressed a wish on the following day to try a few 
 falls with any wrestler then at Carlisle. This being 
 repeated to the Champion Nicholson, Tom ottered 
 to stake three to two on himself for the best of five 
 falls, which ofi"er was immediately accepted. It was 
 then about eleven o'clock, and a meadow in Caldew- 
 gate at five, was the place and time appointed for 
 determining the wager. Both parties were true to 
 the appointment, and no time was lost in proceeding 
 to action. The first and second falls were similarly 
 contested, and terminated in the same manner. 
 Harry, eager to be at work, instantly made play ; 
 the superior length of Tom enabled him to defend 
 himself by lifting against his opponent, and he lost 
 no time m returning the assault by hankering his 
 heel. Notwithstanding the activity of Harry, he 
 could not in either of these instances resist the con- 
 sequences resulting from this favourite mode of 
 Tom's, in which he certainly excelled all the wrest- 
 lers we ever knew, and both the falls Avere imme- 
 diately conceded to Nicholson. The third fall was 
 contested in nearly a similar manner, but the termi- 
 nation was diftercnt. Harry, on finding his heel 
 again hooked, immediately turned his body round 
 with such rapidity as to bring Tom all but under- 
 neath him in the fall. Tom insisted it was a dog 
 fall, while Harry claimed it, in which he was sup- 
 ported by his friends, and in Avhich opinion the 
 spectators in general coincided. However, being 
 left to us, we decided it was not fair. In this place 
 we will remark that it has been maintained by Tom's 
 friends, that it was a drunken business altogether on 
 his part ; this story is utterly false. Tom was ap- 
 rently as sober when the wager was made as any 
 man on the Swifts ; on meeting in Caldewgate, he 
 remarked to us that a pint, or glass of ale, then
 
 AVREfiTLIA.XA. 113 
 
 before him, of which he had di-ank about one third, 
 was the only one he had tasted since he had made 
 the wager ; and on winning the two first falls he 
 jocularly remarked "that Graham, though a good 
 wrestler, was far too fond of making play ; and that 
 if Harry gave him more time, he himself was no bad 
 one in that respect;" besides, could any drunken 
 man have thrown such a wrestler as Graham was, 
 twice successively ? In the fourth trial Tom made 
 play, which Harry warded off with much skill, and 
 gave Tom a convincing proof of his quality by 
 striking him fairly down. The fifth fall was exactly 
 similar to the third, and being so decided by us, the 
 business was for some time suspended, as Harry's 
 friends in-isted that he had won ; however, on 
 Tom's off"ering to strike even, and begin again, it 
 was acceded to, and the contest was instantly renewed. 
 It is unnecessary to dwell on the ensuing falls. 
 Suffice it to observe, they were well contested, both 
 displaying great action and science. Harry won the 
 first, Tom the second, and Harry the third and 
 fourth ; no dispute occurred, and Tom acknowledged 
 defeat by paying his money cheerfully. 
 
 'We will now briefly give the reader our candid 
 opinion of the foregoing contest in which Harry 
 acquired so many laurels. Neither of them we be- 
 lieve spent the preceding evening in the most sober 
 or prudential manner ; and probably Tom's more 
 extensive acquaintance, joined to the circumstance 
 of his winning the prize, might have rendered him 
 the less fit for such a contest. Tom felt anxious for 
 another ti'ial, and how that would have terminated, 
 can now only be guessed at. Admitting that we 
 think the knowledge nine falls must have given them 
 of each other was not in Tom's favour, as Harry 
 had become perfectly awake to his favourite method, 
 and that Harry evidently gained ground as the con- 
 test advanced ; still we do think Tom was the better 
 wrestler, and would have thrown more men than 
 Harry ever could. As our reasons for this would 
 occupy a much greater portion of our remaining 
 pages than we can possibly spare, we are compelled 
 thus abruptly to take leave of the subject.
 
 114 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 The great fame Harry acquired by this conquest, 
 satisfied his friends that he was a match for any 
 man in the kingdom ; and our refusal to acquiesce 
 in that opinion, occasioned an agreement to wrestle 
 him within one month of his contest with Nicholson, 
 for the greatest sum we ever knew wrestled for, 
 either in Cumberland or Westmorland. At the 
 time of making this wager, nothing was farther 
 from our intention than wrestling Harry or any 
 other person, as we had been unwell for some time, 
 though we had been at Carlisle, where we were 
 thrown, after a smartish contest, by Joseph Bird, or 
 Holme Wi angle, a wrestler highly noted in that 
 part of the county. The preceding year we had 
 thrown Harry at Arlecdon with such ease, that we 
 believe three or four to one would then have been 
 against him for a single fall ; and a meeting be- 
 tween us for a number falls, would have been 
 thought ridiculous. But now the case was totally 
 altered ; through extreme illness we were obliged to 
 solicit at least a respite of our engagement. This was 
 not granted ; and, as six guineas were deposited, we 
 chose to appear rather than forfeit. The sum con- 
 tended for was sixty guineas, and the number of falls 
 wrestled was eleven. No wrestler ever entered a 
 ring in higher condition, or with greater confidence 
 than Harry, and his gaining the three first falls could 
 not fail to increase the good opinion of his friends, 
 as nothing but a most decisive victory could then be 
 contemplated. But the loss of three falls, instead of 
 depressing, only roused our energies; the listlessness 
 which pervaded the whole frame at the commence- 
 ment of the contest now gave place to that animated 
 feeling arising from exercise, and the situation in 
 which we were then placed ; and instead of the ex- 
 pected victory, Harry Avas somewhat obligated to 
 fortune for one fall out of the other eight .J* Harry 
 was some pounds the heavier man, but the advan- 
 tages of length and strength were so much against 
 him, that in the latter part of the contest, it is well 
 known he had not the slightest chance whatever. 
 This contest took place on Arlecdon Moor, on the 
 26th of October, 1811.
 
 WRESTLIAXA. 115 
 
 The following yeai* Harry was worsted at Cocker- 
 mouth, by John Fidler of Wythop Hall, a stronger 
 and heavier man than himself, and considered as a 
 first-rate wrestler. Fidler had not much catch at 
 Harry, whom he had accompanied at Arlecdon races 
 in 1810, where we threw them both for the prize. 
 Harry continued wrestling up to the year 1822, 
 during which time he gained many prizes, and we 
 believe was never afterwards defeated in a match ; 
 however the following circumstance is all that we 
 can notice in this work. 
 
 "William Richardson being at Cockermouth pre- 
 vious to his winning the prize at Carlisle in 1821, 
 accidentally fell in with Harry, and some words 
 passing between them respecting wrestling, a chal- 
 lenge for a trifling wager, to be decided immediately, 
 was the consequence. Harry at this time was so 
 increased in flesh as to weigh nearly sixteen stones, 
 but notwithstanding this disadvantage, he obtained 
 an easy victory. It is alleged by some that Richard- 
 son was not in a proper state to w'restle at that time ; 
 this is as strenuously denied by others. We cannot 
 say how the matter really was, but we are correct in 
 saying that Richardson acknowledged defeat in three 
 trials, and that Harry could have been backed to 
 wrestle him for any wager he thought proper, at 
 that, or any other time. 
 
 Yery few (if any) Cumberland wrestlers attended 
 the Ambleside sports in 1812, Miles Dixon, and a 
 butcher in Ambleside, were the two last standers, 
 and it being agreed between them that the latter 
 should be the ostensible winner of the prize, they 
 agreed to wrestle two or three falls for the gratifica- 
 tion of those gentlemen who had subscribed towards 
 the wrestling ; and in this friendly trial Miles Dixon 
 was victorious. This champion, though we believe 
 not an equal match for some of the Cumberland men 
 of his day, seems to have been entitled to rank as 
 the most renowned hero in that part of "Westmor- 
 land. About this, and the succeeding time, John 
 Long seems to have been considered superior to his 
 brother Rowland. The latter visited Carlisle in 
 1811, but notwithstanding his uncommon powers, 
 being both a very tall and heavy man, he was not so
 
 116 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 fortunate as to gain a single fall. Rowland is a 
 wrestler of nearly 30 years standing, and must during 
 that time have contended with a number of good 
 men. It is said he is extremely anxious to make 
 the prizes he has gained up to one hundred, as he is 
 only two or three short of that number ; but from 
 his increasing years, and corresponding numbness, 
 it is a great chance whether he will ever succeed n 
 doing so. This was the last year in which any con- 
 siderable sum was given at Ambleside. The gentle- 
 man w^ho so actively patronised it, returned to Edin- 
 burgh. The intention of making it a meeting of 
 much notoriety seems to have completely failed, as 
 the wrestling there Avas never at all equal to that 
 witnessed at Carlisle and Keswick. 
 
 In 1812, the first prize at Carlisle was-. won by 
 J. Scott, of Canobie, throwing at theJast William 
 Richardson, of Caldbeck, whom he had thrown 
 in the course of the wrestling the preceding year. 
 Scott though shorter by three inches than Nichol- 
 son, was we believe the heavier man. His being 
 the third stander in 1811, and the conqueror in 
 1812, is sufficient to stamp him as a very excellent 
 WTCstler, though he had not successively vanquished 
 such a hero as Richardson. This was the only year 
 William Mackereth attended the Carlisle wrestling. 
 His being considered a pupil of Nicholson's and the 
 victor at Ambleside in 1811, much was expected 
 from him. He was thrown very unexpectedly in 
 the first round, but being chosen in for the second 
 prize, he acquitted himself to the perfect satisfaction 
 of the amateurs, being one of the three last 
 standers, and the contest between him and William 
 Richardson, who threw him, is spoken of as one of 
 the best ever witnessed on the Swifts. Mackereth, 
 in person, greatly resembles Jack Carter the pugilist, 
 but is a much stronger man than Carter, In addi- 
 tion to the above exploits, he won the prize at 
 Arlecdon the succeeding year, throwing at the last 
 Robert Selkirk, for some time considered the leading 
 wrestler between that place and Duddon. 
 
 At Penrith, this year, where the wrestling had, 
 owing to various circumstances, dwindled so as to 
 excite no comparative interest with that at Carlisle,
 
 WKESTLIANA. 117 
 
 the prize was -won by Johu Slee, of Dacre, who, as 
 an outside striker with the left knee, excelled any 
 other wrestler at that time. Among those whom he 
 threw on this occasion, were James Robinson, and 
 the person who threw Wm. Dickinson, the two men 
 who alternately gained the prize at Carlisle the en- 
 suing years. 
 
 In 1813, Robert Rowantree, so often mentioned 
 as a distinguished wrestler in the course of this 
 work, gained the first prize. It was singular that 
 Richardson was again the last loser and the winner 
 of the second prize. Rowantree was six feet high, 
 and a very muscular man; attached to loose holds, 
 an excellent cross bittocker, and an extremely awk- 
 ward customer to get at. He had as a wrestler 
 largely contributed to the celebrity of the Carlisle 
 wrestling since its institution ; but now, fully satis- 
 fied with the laurels he had honourably acquired, he 
 took his leave of that, and for anything we know, 
 of every other ring. 
 
 The prize at Carlisle in 1814 was won by William 
 Dickinson, from Alston Moor, who weighed from 
 thirteen, to fourteen stones, and was about five feet 
 ten inches high. Dickinson had wrestled both at 
 Carlisle and Penrith the preceding year, and was 
 much noticed. He was justly considered a first-rate 
 wrestler, and his attendance was expected the 
 ensuing year ; but Dickinson, it appears, had other 
 prospects ; he married, and things not falling out 
 according to his expectation, he emigrated to America. 
 The last person he threw for the pi'ize was George 
 Dennison, the successor of that highly reputed bone 
 setter, Benjamin Taylor. Dennison, in addition 
 to coming last for the first prize, won the second, 
 and his exploits in the ring on this occasion, afforded 
 great satisfaction to the attendant gentlemen. The 
 fall between him and Dickinson was rather a singu- 
 lar one. Dennison threw in his leftside with much 
 force, intending to buttock his opponent ; Dickinson 
 left go, and Dennison, disappointed of his object, 
 staggered forward a considerable distance but could 
 not save himself from going down on his hands, 
 otherwise he would have won the fall, as he had 
 preserved his hold.
 
 118 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 In 1815 the prize at Carlisle was borne away by- 
 James Robinson, one of the Earl of Lonsdale's 
 game-keepers at Lowther Castle. The last stander 
 was William Slee, brother to John Slee, whom we 
 have noticed as the victor at Penrith in 1813. 
 Eobinson was a fourteen stone man, and Slee not 
 thirteen, and both coming from the neighbourhood 
 of Penrith, Slee, probably conscious that the chance 
 was against him, agreed to lie down, and there is no 
 doubt he \;vas well paid for it. This mode of pro- 
 ceeding was highly censured by many sincere friends 
 to the exercise, but in fact, it was only following up 
 the precedent allowed to Nicholson and Douglas in 
 1811. In wrestling over for the second prize, Slee 
 was thrown the first round, and the last standers 
 were Thomas Todd, of Alston, and the youngest of 
 three brothers of the name of Foster, all of whom 
 wrestled this year, and acquired great celebrity by 
 throwing several good wrestlers. Todd and Foster 
 could not agree about the hold, and consequently 
 never wrestled ; but on dividing the money, we 
 have been informed that Todd received more than 
 his opponent, it being the opinion of the umpire that 
 he was the fairer stander. 
 
 In 1816 Todd was one of the two last standers for 
 the first prize, but who had a right to be the other, 
 is somewhat difficult to determine. Being a specta- 
 tor that year, we do not hesitate to say that the con- 
 duct of the umpires was extremely blameable. In 
 the course of the wrestling, a fall between Thomas 
 Eichardson, of Hesket, and Joseph Graham, from 
 llavenglass, was given to tlie former. We assert 
 that Graham was not allowed a fair hold, that it 
 was a manifest snap, and that after all it was a com- 
 plete dogfall. On wrestling wlien there were but 
 four standers, Eichardson was indisputably tlirown ; 
 but such was the gross partiality shewn towards him, 
 that he was allowed to compound with the person 
 who threw him. Having thus become the other 
 List stander, it appeared that he had agreed with 
 Todd to divide the money between them, but the 
 point of honour had not been settled whether was to 
 be the ostensible victor ; accordingly they would 
 not make a wrestle of it, and notwithstanding the
 
 WRESTLIANA. 119 
 
 precedents before alluded to, Mr. Pearson very pro- 
 perly withheld the money. The proprietor of the 
 circus, awake to his own interest, gave a silver cup 
 to wrestle for the next day. The sum demanded for 
 admittance was not great, but the receipts far over- 
 balanced the value of the cup, which was won by 
 John Lowden, from Keswick, The last loser was 
 Andrew Armstrong, from Sowerby Hall, an excel- 
 lent wrestler, who weighed between twelve and thir- 
 teen stones, but not an equal match for Lowden, 
 who was nearly a stone heavier. Lowden was a 
 very cross stander, and as difficult to dispose of as 
 any wrestler within the last century. We have 
 noticed the contest between him and Nicholson at 
 Ambleside in another place. That contest took 
 place before Lowden was at his best, and being the 
 last year of Nicholson's wrestling, he never threw 
 that hero in a ring, but in the list of those he after- 
 wards threw, the names of Richardson, Mackereth, 
 Graham, and many others, might be enumerated ; 
 with us he was not so fortunate, as we threw him at 
 Arlecdon in the year 1813, when in his prime. 
 : The disputes respecting the wrestling in 1816 
 caused its suspension in 1817, but the proprietor of 
 the circus again ventui'ed to speculate on the cele- 
 brity of the exercise, by giving two oi* three prizes. 
 These were won by John M'Laughlan, (commonly 
 called Clatten) and John Liddle, both from the 
 vicinity of Dovenby, Laughlan threw Liddle at the 
 last for the first prize, and laid down to him for the 
 second, he likewise threw Todd and Robinson, 
 neither of them being able to do anything with him, 
 on account of his tremendous size. 
 
 As the wrestling at Carlisle races continued sus- 
 pended till the year 1821, we must now revert to 
 that at Keswick, which in 1818 was patronised in a 
 very liberal manner, and has continued augmenting 
 to the present time. The prize that year was won 
 by Thomas Richardson, of Hesket, throwing at the 
 last the celebrated William Wilson, of Ambleside. 
 In 1819 it was won by Andrew Armstrong, of 
 Sowerby Hall. In 1820, it was won by William 
 Wilson, of Ambleside, whose last opponent was 
 William Richardson, of Caldbeck, In 1821, so
 
 120 WRESTLIANA. 
 
 rapidly had wrestling increased in the estimation o 
 all ranks, that it was found the attendance at th 
 races, was in a great measure governed by it ; anc 
 the subscrii^tious proportionably increasing, it waf 
 extended to three days, the winner on the first day. 
 being debarred on the second. Notwithstanding a 
 very numerous field of wrestlers, the first prize was 
 won by Richard Abbot, a schoolmaster from White- 
 hall, who weighed very little more than eleven 
 stones. Neither could it be considered that Abbot 
 fell fortunately when wrestling through the ring, 
 his four last opponents being A. Armstrong, J. 
 Frears, T. Richardson, and T. Lock, all of them 
 good wrestlers, and averaging two stones above his 
 ■weight. Two of these four it will be recollected 
 had likewise been previously victors at Keswick, and 
 had distinguished themselves at Carlisle. Frears 
 and Lock were from the vicinity of "Whitehaven, 
 and both well known as wrestlers ; the latter on this 
 occasion greatly distinguished himself, throwing 
 both Edwaid Hawel, a very noted wrestler, and the 
 truly celebrated J. Lowden, who, though married, 
 took a fancy to enter the ring, and was the third 
 stander. The second prize was won by James Gra- 
 ham, then residing in Bassenthwaite, a very likely 
 man for excelling as a Avrestler ; standing above six 
 feet, and weighing fourteen stones. We are very 
 sorry our limits will not permit a more lengthy detail 
 of this celebrated meeting. 
 
 The great falling off in the attendance of all ranks 
 at Carlisle races since the suspension of the wrestling 
 occasioned its revival this year ; and it could boast 
 among the numerous spectators assembled to witness 
 it, many of the most distinguished characters in this 
 and the adjacent counties ; nay, such was its attrac- 
 tion, that the gentler sex, as in the days of auldlang 
 syne, deigned to regard it as an exercise worthy of 
 Englishmen to practise, and as an amusement which 
 false delicacy, or predetermined prejudice only 
 could discover anything so indecorous as to prevent 
 Englishwomen from sanctioning it with their pre- 
 sence. The first prize on this memorable day was 
 won by William Richardson, of Caldbeck ; and the 
 pecond by John Wcightman, a hero who had daring
 
 WRESTLIAX.Y, 121 
 
 the two preceding years risen to the top of the tree 
 in the vicinity of Carlisle. The last opponent of 
 Weightman was Joseph Abbot, from the vicinity of 
 Penrith, a very celebrated wi-estler, who likewise 
 highly distinguished himself at Penrith races this 
 year, where there were evident symptoms of this 
 athletic exercise again becoming an object worthy of 
 encouragement. Thomas Ford who acquired great 
 celebrity at this meeting by throwing Weigh tman, 
 and contesting the last fall with Richardson, has 
 generally resided within a few miles of Egremont. 
 He was thrown by Weightman for the second prize, 
 but appeared to be no unequal competitor for him ; 
 being six feet two inches high, and weighing up- 
 wards of fourteen stones. To say the least of Ford, 
 he was much noticed by the spectators for his manly 
 exertions, and the alacrity and cheerfulness with 
 which he always met his man. James Graham be- 
 fore alluded to, was likewise considered to stand on 
 very high ground though thrown by Weightman for 
 both prizes. 
 
 As for the victor, W. Richardson, whom we have 
 so often had occasion to allude to, this might very 
 justly be considered an excellent tie up for him, as 
 he was stated in the newspapers of the day, to be 
 forty-five jears of age ! and the winner of 240 belts ! ! 
 We cannot decisively contradict either statement, 
 but as far as we can judge they are both rather ex- 
 aggerated. We never met Richardson in a ring but 
 once, and that was during our novitiate. Richard- 
 son was in his prime, and we well remember he then 
 called himself about twenty-three years of age ; we 
 were turned of eighteen, therefore if he spoke cor- 
 rectly, he could not be more than forty-one at the 
 time he won this prize. Richardson might be about 
 five feet nine inches in height, and would weigh 
 from thirteen to fourteen stones. Being a wrestler 
 of twenty-five years standing, and for a long time 
 open to any man, he has wrestled more, and gained 
 a greater number of prizes, than any other man ever 
 did. His favourite method was the inside, and he 
 seems to have been (like Achilles) the most vulner- 
 able in the heel. It was by catching his heel that 
 Scott threw him two successive years, and by which
 
 122 WRESTLIAXA. 
 
 J. Nicholson (brother to Tom) threw him at different 
 limes ; and jet neither of them, though excellent 
 wrestlers, ought to have stood any chance with him. 
 We are likewise well informed, that in his casual 
 trials with T. Nicholson, he not unfrequently barred 
 that favourite finish off of that hero's, which was a 
 kind of acknowledgment of his inferiority. We do 
 not credit the assertions of his friends in regard to 
 his being Tom's master, our opinion is, that he was 
 not : and notwithstanding Tom was a stone the 
 lighter man, the fact of his repeatedly throwing the 
 very men who have thrown Richardson, as Rowan- 
 tree, Harrison, and Lowden, and the great reasons 
 there are to believe, that such men as his brother 
 John, and Scott, could never have thi-own him, 
 justify us in asserting Tom was the better wrestler, 
 and move capable of wrestling through rings than 
 Will was, although the latter was always considered 
 a more pains-taking wrestler. Many of Richardson's 
 friends assert, and among them are some well quali- 
 fied to judge, that he was the fairest stander, and 
 best wrestler of his time ; while those rather hostile 
 to him, contend, that he was a sulky (which is tanta- 
 mount to an unfair) stander, and was as much in- 
 debted to that, and his tremendous strength of arm, 
 as to his science. For our part we have no reason 
 to applaud or condemn ; we do not think any of our 
 readers will deem us incapable of forming an opinion, 
 and we assure them it is a free and unprejudiced one. 
 We have not the least doubt but that he was for a 
 number, or even for one fall, a competent match for 
 any man in the kingdom for very many years. For 
 us to endeavour to particularize his conquests would 
 be absurd ; and we have noticed his occasional de- 
 feats for the purpose of reflecting lustre on those 
 who threw such a hero, and not by any means to de- 
 tract from the great and well merited renown he 
 universally possessed. 
 
 We come now to the Keswick wrestling in 1822. 
 The first prize was won by John Liddlc, of Blind 
 Bothel, throwing at the last William Cass, of Lowes- 
 water ; and the second by Jonathan Watson, of Tor- 
 penhow. Weightman, who was the favourite, was 
 thrown by Cass for the first prize, and Watson threw
 
 ^Villio■i•Ll.\^'A. 321 
 
 him the last fall for the second. Watson likewise 
 threw J. Richardson, T. Lock, J. Graham, and T. 
 Tordiff. Watson had before thrown Weightman in 
 the course of the year, at MicklethAvaite, and W. 
 Richardson, at, or near Caldbeck : these conquests 
 we think entitle him to rank very high as a wrestler. 
 He is about five feet eight inches high, and near 
 thirteen stone weight ; is considered an excellent 
 ground wrestler, and is by trade a shoemaker. Not- 
 withstanding Watson gained the second prize, he 
 was throv^n in the first round for the first, by Wil- 
 liam Wilson, of Ambleside, undoubtedly the best 
 wrestler Westmorland ever produced ; and it is the 
 confirmed opinion of very many whose judgment is 
 entitled to every consideration, that at the time he 
 won at Keswick, he was the master of any man in 
 the kingdom. It is certain that upon that occasion 
 Richardson had not the sliadow of a chance with 
 him, and the preceding year he gave a convincing 
 proof of his powers by striking J. Laugh Ian down in 
 such a manner as we are convinced no other man 
 in the kingdom could have done. When thrown by 
 Weightman he was labouring under an asthmatic 
 complaint, otherwise he ought to have been in his 
 very prime. He stands near six feet four inches 
 high, and weighed, when in good health, about fif- 
 teen stones. 
 
 We come now to the consideration of the Carlisle 
 wrestling in 1822. The first prize was won by W. 
 Cass, and the second by John Weightman. As 
 those who wrestled may yet be considered in posses- 
 sion of the ring, that circumstance must of course 
 circumscribe our account of them. Cass is not far 
 from six feet high, and weighs sixteen stones. The 
 action he displays is an outside stroke with his left 
 foot, but its fatality consists in the swing, or twist, 
 with which it is accompanied, and his method of 
 parting with his men. He was not much noticed 
 previous to his throwing Weightman ; but in our 
 opinion he will, and is the only man who ought to 
 throw him again. Cass is equally as strong, fully as 
 heavy, and Weightman will find' it difficult to im- 
 prove his hold, and conunaad him as he does all his 
 other opponents. Cass certainly won very cleverly,
 
 124 -VVRESTLIANA. 
 
 and though we must admit he wrestled fortunately 
 through the ring, we think him the likeliest person 
 to win again. The redoubted Weightman is above 
 six feel three inches high, and weighs upwards of 
 fifteen stones. Weightman has certainly a very 
 good natured, and indeed we raiglit with truth say, 
 a prepossessing appearance. The whole science he 
 appears master of is the address he displays in the 
 application of his tremendous strength in breaking 
 his adversary's, and improving his own hold. He 
 appears to be master of Liddle, and in the match 
 between him and Richardson, the latter certainly 
 had no chance with him. Respecting his behaviour 
 towards the spectators on that occasion, we will re- 
 mark that there is a very material difference between 
 wrestling a private match, and contending for a 
 public prize. The latter is expressly for the amuse- 
 ment of the spectators, and they have a right, as in 
 a tneatre, to express in a certain degree, their opi- 
 nion of the conduct of the performers ; but with 
 the former they have no right whatever, excepting 
 to preserve Mr-play between the men ; and when it 
 is well known that this was neither the second nor 
 third instance in which matches with Richardson 
 never were decided, we have room to infer that the 
 fault in taking hold might not be all Weightman's. 
 I'he grand question now is, is there one man in the 
 present list who can throw him a main ? Our opi- 
 nion is, if there be one, there are not two. John 
 Liddle, the victor at Keswick, and from whom much 
 Avas anticipated at Carlisle, is upwards of fourteen 
 stones, and about five feet ten inches high. It is 
 scarcely fair to make lengthy remarks upon those 
 who may again appear in the ring, therefore we shall 
 only observe, that with one exception, there is no 
 wrestler of, or under his own weight at present that 
 can throw him. James Graham had for some time 
 been labouring under a bad state of health, and in 
 appearance, as well as powers, had evidently de- 
 chned. We likewise think that T. Richardson can- 
 not be what he has been. As a hiper, he is cer- 
 tainly tlie quickest and best on the list. lie is 
 taller, but not so lieavy as Liddle ; and though we 
 do not think him a T. Nicholson, yet very few at
 
 WKESTLIANA. 125 
 
 present are an equal match for him. John Fearon, 
 who threw Weightman at Carlisle, is about the same 
 height, but heavier than that Jiero. The fame of 
 Weightman was his principal inducement for entering 
 that ring, and by throwing him he accomplished his 
 object. Eespecting the contest between them, it 
 was a bad one, and "Weightman lost the fall at a 
 time when he ought to have been certain of winning 
 it. John M'Laughlan, the fourth stander on that 
 occasion, is near six feet six inches high, and at pre- 
 sent weighs about seventeen stones. Had he been in 
 practice and taken more pains in procuring an equal 
 hold, Weightman ought not to have thrown him ; as 
 though not excelling in action, he is by no means 
 deficient in science. Having been some years mar- 
 ried previous to his present settlement in White- 
 haven as a publican, his practice must have been 
 latterly very confined, otherwise he ought, and we 
 think, would have been the present champion. 
 Weight and age considered, no wrestler more dis- 
 tinguished himself at Carlisle than Robert Waters, 
 the third stander. He appeared a little one, is a 
 very young one, and gave most convincing proofs of 
 his science and quickness, the two great essentials 
 which constitute a finished wrestler. T. Todd, the 
 last loser, is full five feet ten inches high, and 
 weighs twelve stones and four pounds. Putting 
 hearsay out of the question, and giving our opinion 
 of what we have personally witnessed, Todd is the 
 best and most finished wrestler we ever saw. He 
 has not the power of Nicholson, but excepting him, 
 we never saw a thirteen, nor is there at present any 
 fourteen stone man, in our opinion, able to throw 
 him the best of three, or five falls. The prize given 
 for lads afforded much amusement, and many of 
 them displayed infinite science, and seemed quite at 
 home in the ring. The two last, though not the 
 tallest, or heaviest, among the competitors, were 
 both we were told, above the age specified in the 
 advertisement. 
 
 In concluding this treatise, we will briefly remark 
 there are, and were, some excellent wrestlers in the 
 eastern part of this county, with whose names and
 
 126 WKESXLIAXA. 
 
 per time for noticing them. As for the present 
 heroes, our circumscribed limits, and the recollection 
 that we have freely criticised the exploits of those 
 only, who may be considered to have taken their 
 leave of the ring, will, we hope, prove a sufficient 
 apology for our brief notice of them. Of the per- 
 formance itself, we will only observe, that the disad- 
 vantages invariably connected with any original 
 work must plead in extenuation of its most glaring 
 defects. At any rate, it may serve as a kind of data, 
 or landmark, to those who may feci disposed to sail 
 in that tract, where its precedence must be allowed 
 to have broken the ice. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 MICHAEL AND WILLIAM ALSOP, PKINTEK8. 
 
 W"
 
 University of California 
 
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