The Code of Health and Longevity

148 APPENDIX. among the French foldieiy), to excite an unnatural and fliort-lived courage ? What are the effeds of fuch drugs ? and how do they manage the feeding up to this point, fo as to take advantage of this momentary excitement ? ^I'hefollowing interejling Letter was receivedfrom a Cler­ gyman. DEARSIR, Wefl Ham, March iQ. 1805. I perceive that only on one part of your wcll-dire6led Queries I am able to give you fatisfaflion, and that is, on what you would leaft exped froma D. D. andthe fo- ber vicar of a country parifli: the fubjed to which I al­ lude is cock-fighting. At the period of my childhood, when I ran wild, from ten to-fifteen, I was a great cock- fighter, and though it is many years ago, I find my me mory perfe£lly competent to even the minute narration of every faft. But before I proceed, I will intrude a remark or two upon your preliminary observations. In all the theore­ tical part I completely coincide : indeed, I was pleafed to find fo much harmony between your fentiments and thofe I lately tranfmitted to you, without the poffibility of any previous concertbetween us. I do not even queftion your fads, butfeem to differ at little withrefped to fome of the inferences. With re- fped to the South Sea Iflanders, and the difference be­ tween them and the Englifli failors, I doubt whether there was any fuperiority in the training of the former, which gave them the advantage. An Englifh failoris, perhaps, the very perfedion ofagility in hisown way *. I * An officer of a frigate who had been at the Sandwich Iflamls has decla­ red, that our failois ftood no chance rn boxing with the natives, who fight precifely