| Citation |
RAG.779.141
2 Dec 1779:21,22,23 (232)
From the Town and Country Journal.
Account of England.
The diversions and pastimes of the English people may be
divided into those of the town, and those of the country;
and again subdivided into such as are peculiar to the higher
ranks of life, such as are practised by the lower class of
people, and such as are common to both. The diversions of
the town are operas, ridottos, masquerades, concerts of
music, and card assemblies, for persons of fashion. The
pastimes of the country, peculiar to the same degree, are
horse-races, stag, fox, and hare hunting. . . The common
people have likewise their town and country pastimes, which
they enjoy with great eagerness. Among these we number
cock-fighting, cudgeling, wrestling, duck-hunting, bowls,
skittles, or nine-pins, archery, prison-bars, cricket,
shovel-board, quoits, divers games of chance, and spectacles
of various kinds, such as tumbling, ballancing, vaulting,
feats of legerdemain, bear and bull baiting, ass races,
collections of wild beasts, music, dancing, drolls, puppet-
shews, and ringing bells, a Gothic diversion, which cannot
be enjoyed without disturbing several parishes. But the
most remarkable articles of vulgar entertainment, which are
now prohibited by the legislature, were boxing and prize
fighting, two diversions which, among other nations,
intailed the reproach of barbarity upon the English people.
Nothing was more common than to see the prize fighters wound
each other with swords, until one was maimed, and the
pleasure of the audience rose in proportion to the quantity
of blood that flowed upon the stage. . . There are other
amusements both of town and country pursued in common by
people of all ranks, such as stage plays, music-meetings,
tennis, fives, billiards, cards, riding, sailing, rowing,
swimming, angling, fowling, and coursing. But the most
constant and solid enjoyment upon which the English value
themselves in a peculiar manner, is good chear in their
clubs and festal meetings, where they eat great quantities
of flesh-meat, drink largely fermented liquors, and smoak
plentifully of tobacco. . . [several paragraphs on social
customs and family living]
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