PUGILISTICA THE HISTORY OF BRITISH BOXING [Illustration: FIRST FIGHT OF SPRING AND LANGAN, ON WORCESTER RACE-COURSE, January 24th, 1824. _See_ page 25. ] PUGILISTICA THE HISTORY OF BRITISH BOXING CONTAINING LIVES OF THE MOST CELEBRATED PUGILISTS; FULL REPORTS OF THEIR BATTLES FROM CONTEMPORARY NEWSPAPERS, WITH AUTHENTIC PORTRAITS, PERSONAL ANECDOTES, AND SKETCHES OF THE PRINCIPAL PATRONS OF THE PRIZE RING, FORMING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE RING FROM FIG AND BROUGHTON, 1719–40, TO THE LAST CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE BETWEEN KING AND HEENAN, IN DECEMBER 1863 BY HENRY DOWNES MILES EDITOR OF “THE SPORTSMAN’S MAGAZINE.” AUTHOR OF “THE BOOK OF FIELD SPORTS,” “ENGLISH COUNTRY LIFE,” ETC., ETC. VOLUME TWO Edinburgh JOHN GRANT 1906 TO THE HONOURABLE ROBERT GRIMSTON, THE CONSTANT AND LIBERAL PATRON AND UPHOLDER OF THE ATHLETIC SPORTS AND MANLY EXERCISES OF THE PEOPLE, THESE RECORDS OF THE COURAGE, SKILL, FORBEARANCE AND FORTITUDE OF BRITISH BOXERS ARE APPROPRIATELY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. _Wood Green, August, 1880._ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PREFACE TO VOLUME II. The favour with which the first volume of PUGILISTICA has been received gives the author encouraging hope that the present instalment of his history will prove yet more interesting and acceptable. The two periods comprised in these pages embrace the lives of several of the most skilful and courageous boxers who have illustrated the art of attack and defence. In the first, we have the battles of Spring (Thos. Winter), John Langan, Ned Painter, Oliver, Neat of Bristol, Thomas Hickman, Dan Donnelly, and Carter, with minor stars in an Appendix. In the second, Jem Ward, Peter Crawley, Tom Cannon, Josh. Hudson, Ned Neale, Ned Baldwin, Young Dutch Sam, Alec Reid, Tom Gaynor, Bishop Sharpe, Brown of Bridgnorth, and Sampson of Birmingham. Dick Curtis, Barney Aaron, Harry Jones, and light-weights forming the Appendix.