s is entitled to
none at all. Because he has a pair of tolerably strong fists, and knows
to a certain extent how to use them, is he a swaggerer or oppressor? To
what ill account does he turn them? Who more quiet, gentle, and
inoffensive than he? He beats off a ruffian who attacks him in a dingle;
has a kind of friendly tussle with Mr. Petulengro, and behold the extent
of his fistic exploits.

Ay, but he associates with prize-fighters; and that very fellow,
Petulengro, is a prize-fighter, and has fought for a stake in a ring.
Well, and if he had not associated with prize-fighters, how could he have
used his fists? Oh, anybody can use his fists in his own defence,
without being taught by prize-fighters. Can they? Then why does not the
Italian, or Spaniard, or Affghan use his fists when insulted or outraged,
instead of having recourse to the weapons which he has recourse to?
Nobody can use his fists without being taught the use of them by those
who have themselves been taught, no more than any one can "whiffle"
without being taught by a master of the art. Now let any man of the
present day try to whiffle. Would not any one who wished to whiffle have
to go to a master of the art. Assuredly! but where would he find one at
the present day? The last of the whifflers hanged himself about a
fortnight ago on a bell-rope in a church steeple of "the old town," from
pure grief that there was no further demand for the exhibition of his
art, there being no demand for whiffling since the discontinuation of
Guildhall banquets. Whiffling is lost. The old chap left his sword
behind him; let any one take up the old chap's sword and try to whiffle.
Now much the same hand as he would make who should take up the whiffler's
sword and try to whiffle, would he who should try to use his fists who
had never had the advantage of a master. Let no one think that men use
their fists naturally in their own disputes--men have naturally recourse
to any other thing to defend themselves or to offend others; they fly to
the stick, to the stone, to the murderous and cowardly knife, or to abuse
as cowardly as the knife, and occasionally more murderous. Now which is
best when you hate a person, or have a pique against a person, to clench
your fist and say "Come on," or to have recourse to the stone, the knife,
or murderous calumny? The use of the fist is almost lost in England. Yet
are the people better than they were when they knew how to use