Boxiana; From the Days of the Renowned Broughton and Slack, to the Championship of Cribb Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1830 edition. Excerpt: ... CELEBRATED PUGILISTS * " * f ' " 4 i * SINCE THE DAYS CP THE RENOWNED CHAMPION, JAMES BELCHER. I'll read you matter, deep and dangerous, As full of peril and advent'rous spirit, . As to o'erwalk a current, roaring loud, On the unsteadfast footing of a spear. *j *' i' . . . . JACK O'DONNEL. Thumps follow thumps, and blows succeeding blows, Swell the black eye, and crush the bleeding nose; Beneath the pond'rous fist the jaw-bone cracks, And the cheeks ring with their redoubled thwacks O'donkel was a native of Ireland, but, it seems, he left the sod at a very early period of his life, in quest of fame, and was not long in finding his way to the long foitvi, (London, ) entertaining a tolerably sound opinion, that if an individual is to obtain notoriety in any science whatever, it is in the Metropolis, where it will be quickly discerned, and his friends augment in proportion as he advances towards perfection. O'donnel was not deceived in this respect, and upon portraying some pretensions to the gymnastic art, several patrons stepped forward, and placed him under the tuition of an eminent boxer. He improved so fast in the science as to stamp him a pugilist of considerable rank, and also to raise him in the eyes of his countrymen as their future Champion, reminding them of their proud days, when Peter Corcoran flourished in all his greatness. At the age of eighteen, O'donnel was matched against Pardo Wilson, (related to the family of the Belchers, ) for twenty guineas a-side, to fight atWormwood Scrubs, on October 26,1802. Pardo Wilson was a pugilist of some experience, and displayed considerable science throughout the fight; but, after ten rounds of hard fighting, during which O'donnel evinced great superiority of skill and...