Collection of three volumes from 1822 and 1824 each comprising the issues of the London-based magazine "Entirely appropriated to sporting subjects and fancy pursuits." Each issue contains articles on hunting shooting fishing racing wrestling cricket and more covering events all over England and Scotland. Of particular interest however is the extensive coverage of what they refer to as "Battles" - boxing. Often describing headline bouts in round-by-round detail with poetic language such as this: "Harris received a heavy facer which darkened one of his peepers but he floored his adversary by a hit in the wind which doubled him up." Many entries describe bouts of 40 50 rounds or more fights lasting ninety minutes or more. A tremendous set of volumes describing many early sports and leisure activities but pugilistic ones in particular. The volumes while beautiful are in poor condition their covers having torn away from the spines and exhibiting significant wear to the pages binding and covers. The January-June 1824 edition is missing its cover entirely but oddly enough its pages are in the finest condition of the three volumes (despite being loose in the book). Still the books represent hundreds of page of histocial documents relating to the early days of sports. Three volumes total.