The Theater (1720) | Page 5

by a Tryal at
Sharps, to destroy his Fellow-Creature. History, 'tis true; both sacred
and prophane, is full of Instances of these sort of Combats: but very
few are recorded to have happen'd between Friends, none on the light
and idle Misconstruction of Words, which has set most of our modern
Tilters at Work. The Athenians made it penal by a Law so much as to
call a Man a _Murtherer_: and the Detestation of Antiquity is so plain

to this inhuman Kind of Proceeding, that when Eteocles and Polynices
had kill'd each other upon the important Quarrel of disputed Empire,
the Government order'd the Challenger's Body to be thrown out as a
Prey to the Dogs and Birds, and made it Death for any one to sprinkle
Dust over it, or give it the least honorary Marks of Interment.
The Duelling so much in Fashion for a few late Centuries is so
scandalous to Christianity and common Understanding, and grounded
upon none of those specious Occasions which at first made it
warrantable, that it is high Time the Wisdom of Commonwealths
should interpose to discountenance and abrogate a pernicious Liberty,
whose Source springs alone from Folly and Intemperance. Sir Walter
Raleigh has very wisely observ'd in his History of the World, that _the
acting of a private Combat, for a private Respect, and most commonly
a frivolous One, is not an Action of Virtue, because it is contrary to the
Law of God, and of all Christian Kings: neither is it difficult, because
even and equal in Persons and Arms: neither for a publick Good, but
tending to the contrary, because the Loss or Mutilation of an able Man,
is also a Loss to the Commonweal_.
Yet vile and immoral as this Custom is, it has so far prevail'd as to
make way for a Science, and is pretended, like Dancing, to be taught
By Rule and Book. The Advertisements, which are of great Instruction
to curious Readers, inform us, that a late Baronet had employ'd his Pen
in laying down the solid Art of Fighting both on Foot and _Horseback_:
by reading of which Treatise any Person might in a short time attain to
the Practice of it, either for the Defence of Life upon a just Occasion, or
Preservation of Honour, in any accidental Scuffle or Quarrel. That is, if
I may have Permission, without being challeng'd, to divest the Title of
its Pomp, this solid Art would soon put one in a Capacity of killing
one's Man, and standing a fair Chance of bequeathing one's Cloaths and
Neck to the Hangman. It is observable, that Mr. Bysshe, in his
Collection of agreeable and sublime Thoughts, for the Imitation of
future Poets, when he comes to the Topick of Honour, ingeniously
refers his Readers to the Word _Butcher_; tacitly implying that the
Thoughts upon both Heads have a Coherence, as the Terms themselves
are synonomous. In short, your Practitioners in Duelling are so

barbarous in their Nature; that their whole Study is picking up
Occasions to be engaged in a Quarrel. They are a sort of Quixots,
whose heads are so full of mischievous Chivalry, that they will mistake
the Sails of a _Wind-mill_ for the Arms of a _Gyant_; and it is fifty to
one, if the most innocent Motions, Looks, or Smiles, are not, by their
Prepossessions, construed Airs of Defiance, Offence, or Ridicule.
There is a Passage in Hamlet, which never fails of raising Laughter in
the Audience; 'tis where the Clowns are preparing a Grave for Ophelia,
and descanting on the Unreasonableness of her being buried in
Christian Burial, _who willfully sought her own Salvation. Will you ha'
the Truth or on't?_ says one of them wisely, _if this had not been a
Gentlewoman, she should have been buried out of_ Christian Burial.
_Why there though say'st it_; replies his Fellow, _and the more is the
Pity that great Folk should have Countenance in this World to drown,
or hang themselves more than us poor Folk_. The Application is so
easy, that I shall leave it for everyone to make it for himself.
Next to my first Wish, that Duelling were totally restrain'd, methinks, I
could be glad that our young hot _Bravo's_ would not be altogether
brutal, but quarrel mathematically, and with some Discretion. I would
recommend the Caution, which Shakespear has prescrib'd by an
Example, of offering and accepting a Challenge. In one of his Plays,
there is an hereditary Quarrel betwixt two Families, and the Servants on
each Side are so zealous in their Masters Cause, that they never meet
without a Desire of fighting, yet are shy of giving the Occasion of
Combat. The transcribing a short Passage will give the best Idea of
their Conduct.
Samp. _I will bite my