From: London Labour and the London Poor (1851)

A fondness for ‘sparring’ and ‘boxing’ lingers among the rude members of some classes of the working men, such as the tanners. With the great majority of Costermongers this fondness is still as dominant as it was amongst the ‘higher classes’, when boxers were the pets of princes and nobles. The sparring among the costers is not for money, but for beer and ‘a lark’ – a convenient word meaning much mischief. Two out of every ten landlords, whose houses are patronised by these lovers of ‘the art of self defence’, supply gloves. Some charge 2d. a night for their use; others only 1d. Continue reading →

A man’s bare arm is his natural weapon, at all times by his side, ready for his protection; and where art is united to muscular strength, it is extremely powerful and efficacious.

That any sanction given to its use will make that use more frequent, is probable: but then it will only substitute it, in common cases, for some more dangerous practice or weapon.

Let a contrast be drawn between the fair contest with the fist, and the modes of fight prevalent even in some parts of this country; or let us contemplate the offensive and defensive forms of attack in foreign countries; and then it will be seen whether a knowledge of pugilism is not a public benefit, as well as an individual security.

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