ThelamentableduelbetweentheDukeofHamiltonandLordMohuntookplaceinNovember1712，andsprangfromthefollowingcircumstances。Alawsuithadbeenpendingforelevenyearsbetweenthesetwonoblemen，andtheylookeduponeachotherinconsequencewithacertaindegreeofcoldness。Theymettogetheronthe13thofNovemberinthechambersofMr。Orlebar，aMasterinChancery，when，inthecourseofconversation，theDukeofHamiltonreflectedupontheconductofoneofthewitnessesinthecause，sayingthathewasapersonwhohadneithertruthnorjusticeinhim。LordMohun，somewhatnettledatthisremark，appliedtoawitnessfavourabletohisside，madeanswerhastily，thatMr。Whiteworth，thepersonalludedto，hadquiteasmuchtruthandjusticeinhimastheDukeofHamilton。TheDukemadenoreply，andnoonepresentimaginedthathetookoffenceatwhatwassaid；andwhenhewentout，oftheroom，hemadealowandcourteoussalutetotheLordMohun。Intheevening，GeneralMacartneycalledtwiceupontheDukewithachallengefromLordMohun，andfailinginseeinghim，soughthimathirdtimeatatavern，wherehefoundhim，anddeliveredhismessage。TheDukeacceptedthechallenge，andthedayafterthemorrow，whichwasSunday，the15thofNovember，atseveninthemorning，wasappointedforthemeeting。
　　AtthathourtheyassembledinHydePark，theDukebeingattendedbyhisrelative，ColonelHamilton，andtheLordMohunbyGeneralMacartney。TheyjumpedoveraditchintoaplacecalledtheNursery，andpreparedforthecombat。TheDukeofHamilton，turningtoGeneralMacartney，said，“Sir，youarethecauseofthis，lettheeventbewhatitwill。“LordMohundidnotwishthatthesecondsshouldengage，buttheDukeinsistedthat“Macartneyshouldhaveashareinthedance。“Allbeingready，thetwoprincipalstookuptheirpositions，andfoughtwithswordssodesperatelythat，afterashorttime，theybothfelldown，mortallywounded。TheLordMohunexpireduponthespot，andtheDukeofHamiltoninthearmsofhisservantsastheywerecarryinghimtohiscoach。
　　Thisunhappyterminationcausedthegreatestexcitement，notonlyinthemetropolis，butalloverthecountry。TheTories，grievedatthelossoftheDukeofHamilton，chargedthefatalcombatontheWhigparty，whoseleader，theDukeofMarlborough，hadsorecentlysettheexampleofpoliticalduels。They。calledLordMohunthebullyoftheWhigfaction，hehadalreadykilledthreemeninduels，andbeentwicetriedformurder，andassertedopenly，thatthequarrelwasconcoctedbetweenhimandGeneralMacartneytorobthecountryoftheservicesoftheDukeofHamiltonbymurderinghim。Itwasalsoasserted，thatthewoundofwhichtheDukediedwasnotinflictedbyLordMohun，butbyMacartney；andeverymeanswasusedtopropagatethisbelief。ColonelHamilton，againstwhomandMacartneythecoroner’sjuryhadreturnedaverdictofwilfulmurder，surrenderedafewdaysafterwards，andwasexaminedbeforeaprivycouncilsittingatthehouseofLordDartmouth。Hethendeposed，thatseeingLordMohunfall，andtheDukeuponhim，herantotheDuke’sassistance，andthathemightwiththemoreeasehelphim，heflungdownboththeirswords，and，ashewasraisingtheDukeup，hesawMacartney，makeapushathim。Uponthisdepositionaroyalproclamationwasimmediatelyissued，offeringarewardof500poundsfortheapprehensionofMacartney，towhichtheDuchessofHamiltonafterwardsaddedarewardof300pounds。
　　UponthefurtherexaminationofColonelHamilton，itwasfoundthatreliancecouldnotbeplacedonallhisstatements，andthathecontradictedhimselfinseveralimportantparticulars。HewasarraignedattheOldBaileyforthemurderofLordMohun，thewholepoliticalcirclesofLondonbeinginafeverofexcitementfortheresult。AlltheTorypartyprayedforhisacquittal，andaTorymobsurroundedthedoorsandalltheavenuesleadingtothecourtofjusticeformanyhoursbeforethetrialbegan。Theexaminationofwitnesseslastedsevenhours。ThecriminalstillpersistedinaccusingGeneralMacartneyofthemurderoftheDukeofHamilton，but，inotherrespects，saythenewspapersoftheday，prevaricatedfoully。Hewasfoundguiltyofmanslaughter。Thisfavourableverdictwasreceivedwithuniversalapplause，“notonlyfromthecourtandallthegentlemenpresent，butthecommonpeopleshowedamightysatisfaction，whichtheytestifiedbyloudandrepeatedhuzzas。“[“PostBoy，“
　　Decemberl3th，1712。]
　　Asthepopulardeliriumsubsided，andmenbegantoreasoncoollyuponthesubject，theydisbelievedtheassertionsofColonelHamilton，thatMacartneyhadstabbedtheDuke，althoughitwasuniversallyadmittedthathehadbeenmuchtoobusyandpresuming。Hamiltonwasshunnedbyallhisformercompanions，andhisliferenderedsoirksometohim，thathesoldoutoftheGuards，andretiredtoprivatelife，inwhichhediedheart-brokenfouryearsafterwards。
　　GeneralMacartneysurrenderedaboutthesametime，andwastriedformurderintheCourtofKing’sBench。Hewas，however，foundguiltyofmanslaughteronly。
　　AttheopeningofthesessionofParliamentof1713，theQueenmadepointedallusioninherspeechtothefrequencyofduelling，andrecommendedtotheLegislaturetodevisesomespeedyandeffectualremedyforit。Abilltothateffectwasbroughtforward，butthrownoutonthesecondreading，totheverygreatregretofallthesensibleportionofthecommunity。
　　Afamousduelwasfoughtin1765betweenLordByronandMr。
　　Chaworth。Thedisputearoseataclub-dinner，andwasrelativetowhichofthetwohadthelargestquantityofgameonhisestates。
　　Infuriatedbywineandpassion，theyretiredinstantlyintoanadjoiningroom，andfoughtwithswordsacrossatable，bythefeebleglimmerofatallow-candle。Mr。Chaworth，whowasthemoreexpertswordsmanofthetwo，receivedamortalwound，andshortlyafterwardsexpired。LordByronwasbroughttotrialforthemurderbeforetheHouseofLords；anditappearingclearly，thattheduelwasnotpremeditated，butfoughtatonce，andintheheatofpassion，hewasfoundguiltyofmanslaughteronly，andorderedtobedischargeduponpaymentofhisfees。Thiswasaverybadexampleforthecountry，andduellingofcoursefellintonodisreputeaftersuchaverdict。
　　InFrance，moreseveritywasexercised。Intheyear1769，theParliamentofGrenobletookcognizanceofthedelinquencyoftheSieurDuchelas，oneofitsmembers，whochallengedandkilledinaduelacaptainoftheFlemishlegion。TheservantofDuchelasofficiatedassecond，andwasarraignedwithhismasterforthemurderofthecaptain。Theywerebothfoundguilty。Duchelaswasbrokenaliveonthewheel，andtheservantcondemnedtothegalleysforlife。
　　Abarbarousandfiercely-contestedduelwasfoughtinNovember1778，betweentwoforeignadventurers，atBath，namedCountRiceandtheVicomteduBarri。Somedisputearoserelativetoagamblingtransaction，inthecourseofwhichDuBarricontradictedanassertionoftheother，bysaying，“Thatisnottrue！“CountRiceimmediatelyaskedhimifheknewtheverydisagreeablemeaningofthewordshehademployed。DuBarrisaidhewasperfectlywellawareoftheirmeaning，andthatRicemightinterpretthemjustashepleased。Achallengewasimmediatelygivenandaccepted。Secondsweresentfor，who，arrivingwithbutlittledelay，thewholeparty，thoughitwasnotlongaftermidnight，proceededtoaplacecalledClavertonDown，wheretheyremainedwithasurgeonuntildaylight。Theythenpreparedfortheencounter，eachbeingarmedwithtwopistolsandasword。Thegroundhavingbeenmarkedoutbytheseconds，DuBarrifiredfirst，andwoundedhisopponentinthethigh。CountRicethenlevelledhispistol，andshotDuBarrimortallyinthebreast。Soangrywerethecombatants，thattheyrefusedtodesist；bothsteppedbackafewpaces，andthenrushingforward，dischargedtheirsecondpistolsateachother。Neithershottookeffect，andboththrowingawaytheirpistols，preparedtofinishthesanguinarystrugglebythesword。Theytooktheirplaces，andwereadvancingtowardseachother，whentheVicomteduBarrisuddenlystaggered，grewpale，and，fallingtotheground，exclaimed，“Jevousdemandemavie。“Hisopponenthadbutjusttimetoanswer，thathegrantedit，whentheunfortunateDuBarriturneduponthegrass，andexpiredwithaheavygroan。Thesurvivorofthissavageconflictwasthenremovedtohislodgings，wherehelayforsomeweeksinadangerousstate。Thecoroner’sjury，inthemeanwhile，satuponthebodyofDuBarri，anddisgracedthemselvesbyreturningaverdictofmanslaughteronly。CountRice，uponhisrecovery，wasindictedforthemurdernotwithstandingthisverdict。Onhistrialheenteredintoalongdefenceofhisconduct，pleadingthefairnessoftheduel，anditsunpremeditatednature；and，atthesametime，expressinghisdeepregretfortheunfortunatedeathofDuBarri，withwhomformanyyearshehadbeenboundintiesofthestrictestfriendship。Theseconsiderationsappeartohaveweighedwiththejury，andthisfierceduellistwasagainfoundguiltyofmanslaughteronly，andescapedwithamerelynominalpunishment。
　　Aduel，lessremarkablefromitscircumstances，butmoresofromtherankoftheparties，tookplacein1789。ThecombatantsonthisoccasionweretheDukeofYorkandColonelLenox，thenephewandheiroftheDukeofRichmond。ThecauseofoffencewasgivenbytheDukeofYork，whohadsaid，inpresenceofseveralofficersoftheGuards，thatwordshadbeenusedtoColonelLenoxatDaubigny’stowhichnogentlemanoughttohavesubmitted。ColonelLenoxwentuptotheDukeonparade，andaskedhimpubliclywhetherhehadmadesuchanassertion。TheDukeofYork，withoutansweringhisquestion，coldlyorderedhimtohispost。Whenparadewasover，hetookanopportunityofsayingpubliclyintheorderlyroombeforeColonelLenox，thathedesirednoprotectionfromhisrankasaprinceandhisstationascommandingofficer；addingthat，whenhewasoffduty，heworeaplainbrowncoatlikeaprivategentleman，andwasreadyassuchtogivesatisfaction。ColonelLenoxdesirednothingbetterthansatisfaction；
　　thatistosay，torunthechanceofshootingtheDukethroughthebody，orbeinghimselfshot。HeaccordinglychallengedhisRoyalHighness，andtheymetonWimbledonCommon。ColonelLenoxfiredfirst，andtheballwhizzedpasttheheadofhisopponent，soneartoitastograzehisprojectingcurl。TheDukerefusedtoreturnthefire，andthesecondsinterfering，theaffairterminated。
　　ColonelLenoxwasveryshortlyafterwardsengagedinanotherduelarisingoutofthis。AMr。SwiftwroteapamphletinreferencetothedisputebetweenhimandtheDukeofYork，atsomeexpressionsinwhichhetooksomuchoffence，astoimaginethatnothingbutashotatthewritercouldatoneforthem。TheymetontheUxbridgeRoad，butnodamagewasdonetoeitherparty。
　　TheIrishwereforalongtimerenownedfortheirloveofduelling。Theslightestoffencewhichitispossibletoimaginethatonemancouldoffertoanother，wassufficienttoprovokeachallenge。
　　SirJonahBarringtonrelates，inhisMemoirs，that，previoustotheUnion，duringthetimeofadisputedelectioninDublin，itwasnounusualthingforthree-and-twentyduelstobefoughtinaday。Evenintimesoflessexcitement，theyweresocommonastobedeemedunworthyofnotebytheregularchroniclersofevents，exceptincaseswhereoneorbothofthecombatantswerekilled。
　　Inthosedays，inIreland，itwasnotonlythemanofthemilitary，butofeveryprofession，whohadtoworkhiswaytoeminencewiththeswordorthepistol。Eachpoliticalpartyhaditsregularcorpsofbullies，orfire-eaters，astheywerecalled，whoqualifiedthemselvesforbeingthepestsofsocietybyspendingalltheirsparetimeinfiringattargets。Theyboastedthattheycouldhitanopponentinanypartofhisbodytheypleased，andmadeuptheirmindsbeforetheencounterbeganwhethertheyshouldkillhim，disable，ordisfigurehimforlife——layhimonabedofsufferingforatwelve-month，ormerelygrazealimb。