instructed to exert their bodily strength in the maintenance of their country's rights; and their minds improved by such exertion, into every manly and generous principle.

In the vacant intervals of industry and labour, commonly called the holy-days, indolence and inactivity, which at this day mark this portion of time, were found only in those whose lives were disfigured with age or infirmity. The view which Fitz-Stephen gives us of the Easter holydays is animated. "In Easter holydays they fight battles upon the water. A shield is hanged upon a pole, fixed in the middle of the stream. A boat is prepared without oars, to be borne along by the violence of the water; and in the forepart thereof standeth a young man, ready to give charge upon the shield with his lance. If so be that he break his lance against the shield, and doth not fall, he is thought to have performed a worthy deed. If without breaking his lance he runs strongly against the shield, down he falleth into the water; for the boat is violently forced with the tide: but on each side of the shield ride two boats, furnished with young men, who recover him who falleth soon as they may. In the holydays all the summer the youths are exercised in leaping, dancing, shooting, wrestling, casting the stone, and practising their shields; and the maidens trip with their timbrels, and dance as long as they can well see. In winter, every holyday before dinner, the boars prepared for brown are set to fight, or else bulls or bears are baited."

These were the laudable pursuits to which leisure was devoted by our forefathers, so far back as the year 1130. Their immediate successors breathed the same generous spirit. In the year 1222, the fifth year of Henry III., we find, that certain masters in exercises of this kind made a public profession of their instructions and discipline, which they imparted to those who were desirous of attaining excellence and victory in these honourable achievements. About this period, the persons of better rank and family introduced the play of Tennis (c); and erected courts or oblong edifices for the performance of the exercise.

About the year 1253, in the 38th year of Henry III., the Quintan was a sport much in fashion in almost every part of the kingdom. This contrivance consisted of an upright post firmly fixed in the ground, upon the top of which was a cross piece of wood, moveable upon a spindle; one end of which was broad like the flat part of a halberd, while at the other end was hung a bag of sand. The exercise was performed on horseback. The matterly performance was, when, upon the broad part being struck with a lance, which sometimes broke it, the assailant rode swiftly on, so as to avoid being struck on the back by the bag of sand, which turned round instantly upon the stroke given with a very swift motion. He who executed this feat in the most dexterous manner was declared victor, and the prize to which he became intitled was a peacock. But if, upon the aim taken, the contender miscarried in striking at the broadside, his impotency of skill became the ridicule and contempt of the spectators.

Dr. Plot, in his Natural History of Oxfordshire, tells us, that this pastime was in practice in his time at Deddington in this county. "They first (says this author) fixed a post perpendicularly in the ground, and then placed a small piece of timber upon the top of it, fastened on a spindle, with a board nailed to it on one end, and a bag of sand hanging at the other. Against this board they anciently rode with spears: now as I saw it at Deddington only with strong flaves, which violently bringing about the bag of sand, if they make not good speed away, it strikes them in the neck or shoulders, and sometimes perhaps strikes them down from their horses; the great design of the sport being to try the agility both of man and horse, and to break the board; which, whoever did, was accounted conqueror: for whom heretofore there was some reward always appointed." (d)

Matthew Paris, speaking of this manly diversion, says, "The London youths made trial of their strength on horseback, by running at the Quintan; in doing which, whoever excelled all the rest was rewarded with a peacock." This sport is continued to this day in Wales; and being in use only upon marriages, it may be considered as a votive pastime, by which these heroic spirits seem to wish, that the male issue of such marriage may be as strong, vigorous, and active, as those who are at that time engaged in the celebration of this effective exertion of manhood. Virtuous exercises of this kind would

(c) The word Tennis seems to owe its original to the French language: if so, the game is of French production. Yet the word tennis will hardly be found to afford incontrovertible evidence upon this subject. For the holding or keeping possession of the ball is no part of the game, but rather a circumstance casually attending it: since, during the performance of it the ball is in continual motion, so there can be no tennis at this juncture. Perhaps a place in France called Tenois (as there is a town which differs only in a letter, called Senois, in the district of Champagne) was the place where the balls were first made, and the game first introduced.

(d) This was certainly an exercise derived from a military institution of the Romans, though not instrumentally the same. Whoever considers the form and disposition of the Roman camps, which were formed into a square figure, will find there were four principal gates or piazzas. Near the Quaestorium, or Quaestor's apartment, was the Forum, or what is now called a strolling-house, and from being near the Quaestor's station called Quaestorium forum. At this part was a fifth gate Quintana, where the soldiers were instructed in the discipline of the Palaestra, which was to aim at and strike their javelins against an upright post fixed in the ground, as a kind of preparation to a real engagement with an enemy. By the frequent practice of this exercise, sometimes called exercitium ad palum by Roman writers, the soldiers at length acquired not only a dexterity and address in the management of their arms, but a constant and regular exactness in the direction of them. Titus Livius Patavinus, cap. 2. Pancirollus Rerum Memorial, lib. ii. tit. 21. Vulturius in Augustanis Monumentis, lib. li. p. 237.

Upon the irruption of the Istri into the Roman camps, which they plundered, says Livius, ad Quaestorium forum, quintanamque pervenerunt. would be too rude and barbarous for the attendants on pleasure in the present age. The hand would tremble at the weight of the javelin; and the heart would pant upon the apprehension of personal insecurity. While these exertions of triumphant prowess continued, the sordid degeneracy of disposition, the supple baseness of temper, were unknown: for the love of country, as the Roman orator has wisely observed, included all other virtues. But if we guard the palace of honour, like the brazen cattle of Danaë, with every possible security, importunate corruption will be ever waiting at the gate, to seize an opportunity of intrusion. These feats of honourable contest were succeeded by the gilded bargains of exhibition, and all the long train of dependents in the interest of indolence: for the writers of these times inform us, that the loft pleasures of the stage forced the paffes to public favour in the year 1391, and likewise in the year 1429; so that utility, which before stood on the right hand of pleasure, was now ordered to withdraw for a season. The drama, it seems, was attempted by a set of useless and insignificant persons called paribanders; who, because they had the knowledge of the alphabet, ignorantly presumed that this included every other species of knowledge. The subject was truly serious, the creation of the world; but the performance must have been ludicrous. It was, however, honoured with the attendance of noble personages; and royalty itself deigned to cast a favourable eye upon it, for the king and queen were present. These interludes lasted no longer than the time requisite for the former confederacy of utility and pleasure to resume its powers; as when the pliable bow by being too much bent is put out of shape, and by its elasticity recovers its former position. The lance, the shield, the ball, and the equestrian procession, came forward again, and put the dramatic usurper to flight. After this period, these objects of generous pleasure seem to have had their audience of leave, and one general object, indeed no less manly than the former, to have filled their stations, which was archery. This had a continuance to the reign of Charles I., for we find in many hospitals founded in that reign among the articles of benefaction recorded upon their walls, this singular provision, arms for the boys, which signified bows and arrows.

There are many places at this day, formerly referred to, for the practice of this noble art, distinguished by appellations which indicate their ancient usage: such as Brentford Butts, Newington Butts, and many others of the like denomination. It appears from 3 Hen. VIII. that by the intrusion of other pernicious games, archery had been for a long time disused; to revive which this statute was made. It seems that the bows of the best kind were made of yew; and that this wood might be readily obtained for this purpose, yew-trees were planted in churchyards. The sons of those only who were persons of fortune and fashion, if under 17 years of age, were permitted to use such bows. The words of the statute are singular, and run thus: "No person under seventeen years, except he, or his father or mother, have lands or tenements to the yearly value of ten pounds, or be worth in value or moveables the sum of forty marks sterling, shall shoot with any bow of yew, which shall be bought for him, after the feast of our Lady next coming, under the pain to lose and forfeit five shillings and eightpence." Two observations arise here upon these words. One, that the yew-wood, not being so common as other wood, might probably be found deficient, as it was the best wood for making bows, if not restrained in the use of it to particular ages and persons, as young people wantonly destroy what is put into their hands for useful purposes. The other observation is, that the age of 17 is by this statute distinguished as the age of discretion, when young people are more attentive and considerate in things of private concern; an age in these times which few ever arrive at, and some never. This statute makes provision of other kinds of wood for the common people in the following manner: "To the intent that every person may have bows of mean price, be it enacted, that every bowyer shall, for every bow that he maketh of yew, make four other bows, meet to shoot with, of elm, witch hazel, ash, or other wood apt for the same, under pain to lose and forfeit for every such bow to lacking the sum of three shillings and fourpence." It seems there was a species of yew at this time called elk, which wood was stronger and more pliant than the common yew mentioned in this statute, and the price of it fixed. "Moreover, no bowyer shall sell or put to sale to any of the king's subjects, any bow of yew of the tax called elk, above the price of three shillings and fourpence, under the pain to forfeit twenty shillings for every bow sold above the said price."

From these several considerations which occur in this statute, we can trace three resplendent qualities, courage, strength, and agility; which three united, inspired to more, generosity and magnanimity. Upon the decline of this and other polished (F) amusements, a savage deformity of manners sprung up, but flanged here and there with the opposite character of lazy opulence, which began now to erect her velvet standard in defiance of chaste and regular manners.

Towards the beginning of James I.'s reign, military prowess seems to have founded a retreat (F). He, to gratify the importunity of the common people, and at

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(F) How widely different the conceptions of politeness at this day from what they were in the most refined ages of Greece and Rome! These two states agreed in fixing the standard of this accomplishment upon the fitness and propriety of things. We bend to an arbitrary imposition of language, truing to the sense and meaning of our opposite Gallic neighbours, as if this island was at all times to be the foot-ball of that continent. To define politeness in its ancient and true sense, it is a manly exertion of conduct, founded upon every noble and virtuous principle. Gallic politeness is an effeminate impotence of demeanor, founded upon fallacy, evasion, and every insidious artifice. There can be no security, no happiness, no prosperity, awaiting this kingdom, so long as we fawn to fashions that disgrace humanity, and to manners which consist of more than Punic peridy.

(F) It has been confidently asserted by some historians, that James was, during his whole life, struck with terror upon the sight of a drawn sword; which was the reason of his great unwillingness in bestowing the honour of knighthood.