Indeed it may be said, and will be shown in the course of our story, that Borrow entered upon Bible distribution in the spirit of a pugilist rather than that of an evangelist.

But to return to Borrow's pugilistic experiences.

He claims, as we have seen, occasionally to have put on the gloves with John Thurtell.

He describes vividly enough his own conflicts with the Flaming Tinman and with Petulengro.

His one heroine, Isopel Berners, had 'Fair Play and Long Melford' as her ideal, 'Long Melford' being the good right-handed blow with which Lavengro conquered the Tinman.