I haven't posted about statistics in months and months. I figure I might as well use this for something.
I've been working for quite a while at reading the 1812 first volume of Pierce Egan's Boxiana; or Sketches of Ancient and Modern Pugilism. Volume one's subtitle is "From the Days of the Renowned Boughton and Slack, to the Championship of Cribb." It is an astounding tome, brought to my attention by the references made to it by A.J. Liebling in his fantastic collection "The Sweet Science." The full text of Boxiana is available to view on Google Books.
I have enjoyed it highly, and I've read about 120 of the books 420+ pages so far. I wanted a place I could put down some of the most delicious passages I read in the book, so that if you search for "Boxiana" online you can find this page to get a sample of what to expect. The volume is highly readable for something approaching its 200th birthday, and I'd say you could even enjoy it just as a sketch of the time even if you aren't particularly interested in boxing.
Now, on with the quotes. I'll use the page numbers on the Google Books edition so you can find where I got the passages from.
pp. 109-110
I've been working for quite a while at reading the 1812 first volume of Pierce Egan's Boxiana; or Sketches of Ancient and Modern Pugilism. Volume one's subtitle is "From the Days of the Renowned Boughton and Slack, to the Championship of Cribb." It is an astounding tome, brought to my attention by the references made to it by A.J. Liebling in his fantastic collection "The Sweet Science." The full text of Boxiana is available to view on Google Books.
I have enjoyed it highly, and I've read about 120 of the books 420+ pages so far. I wanted a place I could put down some of the most delicious passages I read in the book, so that if you search for "Boxiana" online you can find this page to get a sample of what to expect. The volume is highly readable for something approaching its 200th birthday, and I'd say you could even enjoy it just as a sketch of the time even if you aren't particularly interested in boxing.
Now, on with the quotes. I'll use the page numbers on the Google Books edition so you can find where I got the passages from.
pp. 109-110
Mr. Brady, well known in the annals of pugilism, was the patron of Humphries, and prevented from attending the battle by business of a private nature; but who felt so anxiously for the issue of the contest, that his servant was ordered to witness the conflict, and convey to him the earliest intelligence. Humphries, immediately after the fight, like the heroes of old, wrote the following laconic epistle to Mr. Brady."Sir,
" I have done the Jew and am in good health.
"Richard Humphries."
p. 119
Warr again contended for victory with Dan Mendoza; and it should seem that Bill entertained an idea that there was a chance left of taking the shine out of the Jew; but a quarter of an hour sufficiently satisfied him it was grounded in error!I'll post more as I find them, but here's two to start with.
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