DIGITISED MANUSCRIPTS

I (ee a, In these ill-lit and ill-guarded streets a gang of young men, who were partly recruited from the higher classes, assumed the name of ‘ Mohawks’ (amongst them were the son of a bishop and a baronet), and com- mitted, in the year 1712, outrages that can hardly be realised. One of their amusements, called ‘Tip- ping the Lion, was to squeeze the nose of their ) victim flat on his face, and to bore out his eyes with their fingers. Some of them called themselves the ‘ Dancing- masters,’ from their skill in making men caper by thrusting swords into their legs ; others, the ‘Tum- blers,’ who set women on their heads and ill-treated them. When we hear of these practices we feel in- clined to sympathise with the harmless proclivities of our ‘ Mashers.’ It would be a mistake, however, to esti- mate the general tone of society from these instances. The sense of honour, little as it may harmonise with our present ideas, found its expression in in- numerable duels. Many a gallant life was unfor- tunately sacrificed to a petty quarrel. A famous encounter took place in Hyde Park in 1712 between the Duke of Hamilton and Lord Mohun, . who had opposed each other in a lawsuit. The Duke killed his adversary, and dropped mortally wounded himself on his antagonist, whose second, General Macartney, was afterwards accused of having treache- rously stabbed him to death.