The Incident of a late Prize fought at one of our Theatres, has given me some Occasion to amuse myself with the Rise, and Antiquity of Duelling; and to enquire what Considerations have given it such Credit, as to make it practicable as well in all Countries, as in all Times.  Religion and Civil Policy have ever declar’d against the Custom of receiving Challenges, and deny that any Man has a Right, by a Tryal at Sharps, to destroy his Fellow-Creature.  History, ’tis true; both sacred and prophane, is full of Instances of these sort of Combats:  but very few are recorded to have happen’d between Friends, none on the light and idle Misconstruction of Words, which has set most of our modern Tilters at Work.  The Athenians made it penal by a Law so much as to call a Man a Murtherer:  and the Detestation of Antiquity is so plain to this inhuman Kind of Proceeding, that when Eteocles and Polynices had kill’d each other upon the important Quarrel of disputed Empire, the Government order’d the Challenger’s Body to be thrown out as a Prey to the Dogs and Birds, and made it Death for any one to sprinkle Dust over it, or give it the least honorary Marks of Interment.

The Duelling so much in Fashion for a few late Centuries is so scandalous to Christianity and common Understanding, and grounded upon none of those specious Occasions which at first made it warrantable, that it is high Time the Wisdom of Commonwealths should interpose to discountenance and abrogate a pernicious Liberty, whose Source springs alone from Folly and Intemperance.  Sir Walter Raleigh has very wisely observ’d in his History of the World, that the acting of a private Combat, for a private Respect, and most commonly a frivolous One, is not an Action of Virtue, because it is contrary to the Law of God, and of all Christian Kings:  neither is it difficult, because even and equal in Persons and Arms:  neither for a publick Good, but tending to the contrary, because the Loss or Mutilation of an able Man, is also a Loss to the Commonweal.

Yet vile and immoral as this Custom is, it has so far prevail’d as to make way for a Science, and is pretended, like Dancing, to be taught By Rule and Book.  The Advertisements, which are of great Instruction to curious Readers, inform us, that a late Baronet had employ’d his Pen in laying down the solid Art of Fighting both on Foot and Horseback:  by reading of which Treatise any Person might in a short time attain to the Practice of it, either for the Defence of Life upon a just Occasion, or Preservation of Honour, in any accidental Scuffle or Quarrel.  That is, if I may have Permission, without being challeng’d, to divest the Title of its Pomp, this solid Art would soon put one in a Capacity of killing one’s Man, and standing a fair Chance of bequeathing one’s Cloaths and Neck to the Hangman.  It is observable,