Over his second’s, and to clasp
His rival’s in a quiet grasp;
To watch the noble attitude
He takes, the crowd in breathless mood;
And then to see, with adamant start,
The muscles set, and the great heart
Hurl a courageous splendid light
Into the eye, and then—the Fight!”
But this is general: Hazlitt is specific. His particular Fight was the great one between Neate of Bristol and Tom Hickman the Gasman, Neate being the victor. On May 20, 1823, Neate met Spring of Hertfordshire (so translated out of his natural patronymic of Winter), in a contest for the championship, and Neate himself went under. This latter battle was mock-heroically celebrated by Maginn in Blackwood’s, and Hood’s casual meteorological simile heaped up honors on the winner:
“The Spring! I shrink and shudder at her name.