st scrupulous attention to the customary etiquette
of such occasions; and Tallyho, who had never witnessed any thing of the
kind before, and consequently could have no conception of its splendour,
was at various parts of the ceremony enraptured; he fancied himself
in Fairy-land, and that every thing he saw and heard was the effect of
enchantment. Our friends returned home highly gratified with their day's
amusement.

CHAPTER XXV

"Behold the Ring! how strange the group appears
Of dirty blackguards, commoners and peers;
Jews, who regard not Moses nor his laws,
All ranks of Christians eager in the cause.
What eager bets--what oaths at every breath,
Who first shall shrink, or first be beat to death.
Thick fall the blows, and oft the boxers fall,
While deaf'ning shouts for fresh exertions call;
Till, bruised and blinded, batter'd sore and maim'd,
One gives up vanquish'd, and the other lam'd.
Say, men of wealth! say what applause is due
For scenes like these, when patronised by you?
These are your scholars, who in humbler way,
But with less malice, at destruction play.
You, like game cocks, strike death with polish'd steel;
They, dung-hill-bred, use only nature's heel;
They fight for something--you for nothing fight;
They box for love, but you destroy in spite."

~392 ~~ THE following Tuesday having been appointed by the knowing ones
for a pugilistic encounter between Jack Randall, commonly called the
Nonpareil, and Martin, as well known by the appellation of The Master of
the Rolls, from his profession being that of a baker; an excellent day's
sport was anticipated, and the lads of the fancy were all upon the "_qui
vive_."

Our friends had consequently arranged, on the previous night, to
breakfast at an early hour, and take a gentle ride along the road, with
a determination to see as much as possible of the attractive amusements
of a milling-match, and to take a view as they went along of the company
they were afterwards to mingle with.

"We shall now," said Dashall (as they sat down to breakfast) "have a
peep at the lads of the ring, and see a little of the real science of
Boxing."

"We have been boxing the compass through the difficult straits of a
London life for some time," replied Bob, "and I begin to think that,
with all its