Boxiana; Or, Sketches of Modern Pugilism, Containing All the Transactions of Note, Connected with the Prize Ring, During the Years, 1821, 1822, 1823 |
Common terms and phrases
a-side Abbot amateurs appeared attended backers battle Belasco Belcher bets Bill blow bout boxer Bristol Cabbage chaffing challenge Champion claret combatants contest Cooper coves Crawley Cribb Curtis Davis defeated Dick Dick Curtis endeavoured Fancy fell fibbed fight Fives Court forfeit fought friends Gas-man gave Gipsy going guineas Halton hand head hero Hickman honour Jack JACK HARDY Jem Belcher JEM WARD John Bull Josh Hudson latter London manner Martin match milling minutes Neale Neat nobber occasion odds Oliver opponent persons Peter PETER CRAWLEY PETER WARREN present proved pugilism pugilist punishment Randall Randall's received ring ropes round Sampson scratch set-to Shelton sparring spectators sporting Spring stakes stand-up fight stone thing threw throw Tom Cribb Tom Oliver Tom Owen Tom Spring took place trainer Tuesday Turner umpires Ward Warren whilst
Popular passages
Page 145 - In the first round every one thought it was all over. After making play a short time, the Gasman flew at his adversary like a tiger, struck five blows in as many seconds, three first, and then following him as he staggered back, two more, right and left, and down he fell, a mighty ruin. There was a shout, and I said,
Page 142 - Reader! have you ever seen a fight? If not, you have a pleasure to come, at least if it is a fight like that between the Gas-man and Bill Neate. The crowd was very great when we arrived on the spot ; open carriages were coming up, with streamers flying and music playing, and the country -people were pouring in over hedge and ditch in all directions, to see their hero beat or be beaten.
Page 145 - ... suspended. No one could tell how it would end. This was the only moment in which opinion was divided ; for, in the next, the Gas-man aiming a mortal blow at his. adversary's neck, with his right hand, and failing from the length he had to reach, the other returned...
Page 12 - With respect to liquors, they must be always taken cold ; and home-brewed beer, old, but not bottled, is the best. A little red wine, however, may be given to those who are not fond of malt liquor; but never more than half a pint after dinner. Too much liquor swells the abdomen, and of course injures the breath.
Page 146 - grinned horrible a ghastly smile," yet he was evidently dashed in his opinion of himself; it was the first time he had ever been so punished; all one side of his face was perfect scarlet, and his right eye was closed in dingy blackness, as he advanced to the fight, less confident, but still determined. After one or two rounds, not receiving another such remembrancer, he rallied and went at it with his former impetuosity.
Page 17 - The blood, the fountain whence the spirits flow, The generous stream that waters every part, And motion, vigour, and warm life conveys To every particle that moves or lives...
Page 143 - twas not fighterlike. If he was sure of the victory (as he was not), the less said about it the better. Modesty should accompany the Fancy as its shadow. The best men were always the best behaved. Jem Belcher, the Game Chicken (before whom the Gas-man could not have lived) were civil, silent men. So is Cribb, so is Tom Belcher, the most elegant of sparrers, and not a man for every one to take by the nose. I enlarged on this topic in the mail (while Turtle was asleep), and said very wisely (as I thought)...
Page 142 - Gas says he has lost 3ooo/. which were promised him by different gentlemen if he had won. He had presumed too much on himself, which had made others presume on him. This spirited and formidable young fellow seems to have taken for his motto the old maxim that " there are three things necessary to success in life — Impudence! Impudence! Impudence!
Page 146 - Gasman aiming a mortal blow at his adversary's neck, with his right hand, and failing from the length he had to reach, the other returned it with his left at full swing, planted a tremendous blow on his cheek-bone and eyebrow, and made a red ruin of that side of his face. The Gasman went down, and there was another shout — a roar of triumph as the waves of fortune rolled tumultuously from side to side. This was a settler. Hickman got up, and "grinned horrible a ghastly smile...
Page 397 - Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York ; And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths ; Our bruised arms hung up for monuments ; Our stern alarums changed to merry meetings, Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.