The Wunderkammer of the Mild Colonial Boy, Esq., a Reactionary Tory Gentleman, who armed only with a Steampowered Babbage Engine and Pure Intentions, wanders the Time Streams and Aetheric Plane gathering an Eccentric Hodgepodge of Curiousities, Frivolities, Whimsicalities and Nonsense.
Q. Why is your Tumblelog called "My Ear-Trumpet Has Been Struck by Lightning"?
A. Because "My Grandmother's Ear-Trumpet Has Been Struck by Lightning" wouldn't fit in the available space.
(Source: shriekingbanshee)
The British Code of Duel
“The British Code of Duel,” a little work professing to give the necessary instructions for man-killing according to honour, lays down the following rules as indispensable for the practice of principals and seconds in the pleasant and humane amusement of shooting at each other. “1. To choose out a snug sequestered spot, where the ground is level, and no natural, terrestrial, or celestial line presenting itself to assist either party in his views of sending his opponent into eternity. 2. To examine the pistols; see that they are alike in quality and length, and load in presence of each other. 3. To measure the distance; ten paces of not less than thirty inches being the minimum, the parties to step to it, not from it. 4. To fire by signal and at random; it being considered unfair to take aim at the man whose life you go out to take. 5. Not to deliver the pistols cocked, lest they should go off un-expectedly; and after one fire the second should use his endeavours to produce a reconciliation. 6. If your opponent fire in the air, it is very unusual, and must be a case of extreme anguish when you are obliged to insist upon another shot at him. 7. Three fires must be the ultimatum in any case; any more reduces duel to a conflict for blood,” says the code writer; “if the parties can afford it, there should be two surgeons in attendance, but if economical, one mutual friend will suffice; the person receiving the first fire, in case of wound, taking the first dressing. 8. It being always understood that wife, children, parents, and relations are no impediment with men of very different relative stations in society to their meeting on equal terms.” The consistency, morality, justice, and humanity of this code, I leave to the gratifying reflection of those who have most honourably killed their man.
—Bernard Blackmantle, The English Spy, p. 214
Death is not sufficient to deter men who make it their glory to despise it; but if every one that fought a duel were to stand in the pillory, it would quickly lessen the number of these imaginary men of honour, and put an end to so absurd a practice.
When honour is a support to virtuous principles, and runs parallel with the laws of God and our country, it cannot be too much cherished and encouraged; but when the dictates of honour are contrary to those of religion and equity, they are the greatest deprivations of human nature, by giving wrong ambitions and false ideas of what is good and laudable; and should therefore be exploded by all governments, and driven out as the bane and plague of human society.
Joseph Addison: Spectator, No. 199.
The practice of the duel, as a private mode, recognized only by custom, of deciding private differences, seems to be of comparatively recent date.
William Thomas Brande.
How! a man’s blood for an injurious, passionate speech—for a disdainful look? Nay, that is not all: that thou mayest gain among men the reputation of a discreet, well-tempered murderer, be sure thou killest him not in passion, when thy blood is hot and boiling with the provocation; but proceed with as great temper and settledness of reason, with as much discretion and preparedness, as thou wouldest to the communion: after several days’ respite, that it may appear it is thy reason guides thee, and not thy passion, invite him kindly and courteously into some retired place, and there let it be determined whether his blood or thine shall satisfy the injury.
William Chillingworth: Sermons.
Duelling was then [1822], as now, an absurd and shocking remedy for private insult.
Lord Cockburn.
It is astonishing that the murderous practice of duelling should continue so long in vogue.
Benjamin Franklin.
I shall therefore hereafter consider how the bravest men in other ages and nations have behaved themselves upon such incidents as we decide by combat; and show, from their practice, that this resentment neither has its foundation from true reason or solid fame, but is an imposture, made up of cowardice, falsehood, and want of understanding.
Sir Richard Steele: Tatler, No. 25.
Shakspeare, in As You Like It, has rallied the mode of formal duelling, then so prevalent, with the highest humour and address.
Bishop William Warburton.
(via Wax Bullets: 1909 | Shorpy Historical Photo Archive)
October 23, 1909. New York. “Duelling with wax bullets.” Paintball 1.0. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size.
That’s extreme paintball.
My hist’ry bud, the inimitable Richard Jurnack
[Pictured: Us in a knife fight just a few high noons ago. He said the Early Middle Ages existed. I politely disagreed. Sic semper tyrannus: el Duello. I wore my stripiest pants, floweriest top, and a moustache to distract him. It totally worked! (Unfortch, that means he’s dead now. RIP, Rich.)]
(via younghistorian)
~ The Young Gentleman and Lady’s Monitor, and English Teacher’s Assistant: Being a Collection of Select Pieces From our Best Modern Writers; Calculated to eradicate Vulgar Prejudices and Rusticity of Manners; Improve the Understanding; Rectify the Will; Purify the Passions; Direct the Minds of Youth to the Pursuit of proper Objects; and to facilitate their Reading, Writing, and Speaking the English language, with Elegance and Propriety, John Hamilton Moore, 1802.
via University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library
(click to enlarge)
ca. 1908, “German Dueling Society, Purposefully Cutting Face”
In Austria and Germany during the early 20th century, young men studying to be doctors of lawyers would join societies famous for brutal “duels” in which the goal was to be wounded as to secure the mark of the social elite. The dueling scar was a symbol of courage, manliness, and perhaps most important, high class…
