COCK-FIGHTING.

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the Persians, Themistocles commanding the Grecianforces, as the army was advancing to meet the enemy, theysaw two cocks fighting; he made his army halt to beholdthem, at the same time observing, “ They do not fight fortheir household gods, for the monuments of their ancestors,nor for glory, nor for liberty, nor safety of children; butonly because one will not give way to the other.” This isrecorded by yElian who adds, “ Those observations so en-couraged the army, that they fought like Greeks,—likemen who had every thing dear and valuable dependent uponthe issue of that day’s exertions.” They conquered anarmy, their superior in point of number, of ten to one.In consequence of this victory, the victory of Marathon ,cock-fighting was enjoined as a public and sacred solemnityby the laws of Athens. But because it was common atAthens,—although with much pleasure we confess, we be-lieve the Grecian people to have been among the first, thewisest, the bravest, the best, the most civilized, and politeof ancient nations: yet, considering the moral customs ofsociety to have improved in the period of upwards of2000 years, we cannot, in the present advanced state ofour own times, see any possible reason why one of themost barbarous traits in the manners of the Athenians should be continued among us. They were a people su-premely blessed by nature, assisted by art, and improvedby a virtuous and wise legislation; but they had the greatmisfortune to have the chief source of their moral actionspoisoned by false religious impressions,—the slaves of abjectsuperstition ; among them augury and divination by the flight,noise, and actions of birds and other animals, was suffered todirect them in their most important concerns. But shall it besaid in our days, when we are supremely blessed by theinfallible light of a purer creed; upon comparison, we may say,by the purest emanation of the Almighty will, respecting allthat is proper for man to know. Then let us conjure ourcountrymen by that faith they profess—by that consciousnessof it they experience—and by the gentle effulgence of un-sullied humanity, which we know they are proud to ac-knowledge,—not to suffer the fame of their country to beany longer held up by surrounding nations as a foil to ex-hibit the superior brilliancy of European virtue. LetBritain be as superiorly eminent for every virtue as herbravery and wisdom remain unrivalled.

It has been remarked, that in the time of Julius Cassar,cocks were kept in England, by the natives, for plea-sure ; but that fowls were not bred there for food. Pegge