PUGILISM other poets and by translations; and in 1801, a third Welshman, Edward Williams, being associated with them, they published the first two volumes of the "Myvyrian Archaiology;" a third volume appeared in 1807. Pughe also prepared a Welsh and English diction- ary (1793-1803), and the " Cambrian Biogra- phy " (1803) ; published a Welsh magazine entitled T Great; and translated into Welsh the "Paradise Lost," Heber's "Palestine," and other poems. His son, ANEURIST OWEN (1790- 1851), who dropped the name of Pughe, edit- ed "Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales," printed by the record commission in 1841. PUGILISM (Lat. pugil, a boxer), the art of fighting with the fists, practised in modern times according to certain rules, known as the rules of the English prize ring. It is said that Theseus was the inventor of the art of boxing, or the skilled use of the fists and arms in as- sault and defence. Homer describes pugilistic encounters, and Pollux, Hercules, and others are mentioned as excelling in pugilism. Box- ing was one of the most important exercises in the Olympic games. The ancient pugilists fought with the cestus, formed of strips of leather wound around the fist and arm, fre- quently as far up as the elbow. This was some- times studded over the fist with knobs loaded with lead or iron, and was practically the same as the brass knuckles of the present day. The cestus used by the Greeks was of various kinds, called fieiMxai, CTrelpat, floeiai, aijtalpai, and piip- firjKE^. The peiMxcu were the softest, and the pbpfjiTjKEG the hardest. The rules of boxing in ancient times resembled those of the modern prize ring, except that wrestling was not per- mitted. The right arm was used chiefly in of- fence, the left arm serving to protect the person. The ears were much exposed to injury in the old games, and they were sometimes protected by covers. With the cestus, especially when loaded with knobs of metal, the ancient pugi- listic encounters must have been terribly severe, resulting often in mutilation, and sometimes in death. At the Olympic games the boxers were usually naked, or wore simply a girdle around the loins. In the earliest times boxing at the games was permitted only between freemen and those who had not committed crime. Con- tests between boys were early introduced at Olympia. The art of boxing, as now prac- tised, may be said to date from the building in London of a theatre for exhibitions of the " manly art of self-defence " by one Broughton, about 1740. Broughton, who for 18 years was champion of England, is said to have in- vented boxing gloves. He held exhibitions in his theatre, and laid down certain rules for fighting, quite similar to those of the pres- ent day. But for many years before the time of Broughton pugilistic encounters had been common at fairs and festivals in England. The funds for the erection of Broughton's theatre were provided by about 80 of the no- blemen and gentry of England, and the en- counters were witnessed by the best blood in the land, including the prince of Wales. Jack- son, who was champion in 1795, is now re- garded as having been one of the most skil- ful professors of the art. He gave instruc- tion to many of the aristocracy, among whom were Lord Byron and Shaw, the life-guards- man. The prominent points in Jackson's sys- tem were the use of the legs in avoiding blows and the correct estimate of distance, striking no blows out of range. In 1817 the future em- peror Nicholas of Eussia witnessed a prize fight in England, and shook hands with the victor. Since that time the prize ring has gradually fal- len into disrepute ; but for a long time the prin- ciple of " fair play " was strictly adhered to in England. At the present day prize fighting is practised only in Great Britain and America. The brutality of such exhibitions has at last ex- cited the general condemnation of society, and for more than half a century the practice has been under the ban of the law. The rough character of the assemblages on such occasions, and the frequent " selling out " and fraud in the encounters, have disgusted those of the patrons and professors of the "manly art" who believed in fair play. It is thought that very few of the fights which have oc- curred within the past few years have been honestly conducted. Although prize fighting has deservedly fallen into disrepute, many per- sons practise boxing for exercise and amuse- ment, the rules being essentially those of the prize ring (commonly abbreviated to P. E.). The present rules are briefly as follows. The ring shall be on turf, formed of a square of 24 ft., bounded by a double line of ropes at- tached to eight stakes. The lower rope is 2 ft. and the upper 4 ft. from the ground. The choice of " corners " is determined by the toss of a coin. The winner of the choice selects his corner according to the state of the wind and the position of the sun, it being an advan- tage to have the sun in his opponent's face. The loser takes the opposite corner. A space is marked off in each corner large enough to accommodate the man, his second, and his " bot- tle-holder," who are allowed to attend their man in the ring. The colors of the men are tied around the stakes at their respective corners. Each man names his second and bottle-holder. The seconds agree upon two umpires, one for each man. The umpires usually select a ref- eree, unless one be agreed upon in some other way. The referee directs the contest, and de- cides the fight and all questions of fairness, and his decision is binding and final. The umpires watch the fight in the interests of their respective men, and call upon the referee for a decision regarding all questions of fair- ness. The referee withholds all expressions of opinion until he is appealed to by the umpires, or until the close of the fight. The referee and umpires are so placed as to be able to watch the fight, but no one is allowed within the ring except the men with their seconds
