Men of Muscle, and the Highland Games of Scotland, etc.

THE TAIT FAMILY. A prince can make a belted knight, A Marquis, Duke, and a' that ; But an honest man's aboon his might, Guid faith, he maunna fa' that.-Burus. I N the history of athletics. it is seldom that brothers equalling each other can be found. It seems that one good one in a family is about as much as nature can afford. In the boxing world there are many instances of brothers following the "noble art," but there has always been only one good one, and another indifferently talented. The great J cm Bulcher had a brother Tom who could fight, but not half like Jem. Corbett and M'Coy also have brothers who box, but they are little heard of, and would never be men– tioned but for the fact of their being brothers of the champions. The Tait family form perhaps the only exception to the rule:* William and John were champion all-round athletes, while Gavin, whose right hand was maimed in his boyhood, was one of the finest at sprinting, jumping, and hurdle– racing the world has ever seen. There were seven brothers in the Tait family, two of whom were named William. Their father was a shepherd in Glendoch, in the parish of Crawford– john, Lanarkshire. William (the first) died at the age of 16. Next came James, born 1822, and still alive; then John, 1829, then George and Archie (twins) 1832. George is the ·:<- See note on • !'Lennan F amily. 12