Theevilhadreachedanalarmingheight，when，intheyear1808，anopportunitywasaffordedtoKingGeorgeIIIofshowinginastrikingmannerhisdetestationofthepractice，andofsettinganexampletotheIrishthatsuchmurderswerenottobecommittedwithimpunity。Adisputearose，inthemonthofJune1807，betweenMajorCampbellandCaptainBoyd，officersofthe21stregiment，stationedinIreland，aboutthepropermannerofgivingthewordofcommandonparade。Hotwordsensuedonthisslightoccasion，andtheresultwasachallengefromCampbelltoBoyd。Theyretiredintothemess-roomshortlyafterwards，andeachstationedhimselfatacorner，thedistanceobliquelybeingbutsevenpaces。Here，withoutfriendsorsecondsbeingpresent，theyfiredateachother，andCaptainBoydfellmortallywoundedbetweenthefourthandfifthribs。Asurgeonwhocameinshortly，foundhimsittinginachair，vomitingandsufferinggreatagony。Hewasledintoanotherroom，MajorCampbellfollowing，ingreatdistressandperturbationofmind。Boydsurvivedbuteighteenhours；andjustbeforehisdeath，said，inreplytoaquestionfromhisopponent，thattheduelwasnotfair，andadded，“Youhurriedme，Campbell——you’reabadman。“——“GoodGod！“repliedCampbell，“willyoumentionbeforethesegentlemen，wasnoteverythingfair？Didyounotsaythatyouwereready？“Boydansweredfaintly，“Oh，no！youknowIwantedyoutowaitandhavefriends。“Onbeingagainaskedwhetherallwasfair，thedyingmanfaintlymurmured“Yes:“butinaminuteafter，hesaid，“You’reabadman！“Campbellwasnowingreatagitation，andwringinghishandsconvulsively，heexclaimed，“Oh，Boyd！youarethehappiestmanofthetwo！Doyouforgiveme？“Boydreplied，“Iforgiveyou——Ifeelforyou，asIknowyoudoforme。“
Heshortlyafterwardsexpired，andMajorCampbellmadehisescapefromIreland，andlivedforsomemonthswithhisfamilyunderanassumedname，intheneighbourhoodofChelsea。Hewas，however，apprehended，andbroughttotrialatArmagh，inAugust1808。Hesaidwhileinprison，that，iffoundguiltyofmurder，heshouldsufferasanexampletoduellistsinIreland；butheendeavouredtobuoyhimselfup，withthehopethatthejurywouldonlyconvicthimofmanslaughter。Itwasprovedinevidenceuponthetrial，thattheduelwasnotfoughtimmediatelyaftertheoffencewasgiven，butthatMajorCampbellwenthomeanddrankteawithhisfamily，beforehesoughtBoydforthefatalencounter。Thejuryreturnedaverdictofwilfulmurderagainsthim，butrecommendedhimtomercyonthegroundthattheduelhadbeenafairone。HewascondemnedtodieontheMondayfollowing，butwasafterwardsrespitedforafewdayslonger。Inthemeantimethegreatestexertionsweremadeinhisbehalf。HisunfortunatewifewentuponherkneesbeforethePrinceofWales，tomovehimtousehisinfluencewiththeKing，infavourofherunhappyhusband。Everythingafondwifeandacourageouswomancoulddo，shetried，togaintheroyalclemency；butGeorgeIIIwasinflexible，inconsequenceoftherepresentationsoftheIrishViceroythatanexamplewasnecessary。Thelawwasthereforeallowedtotakeitscourse，andthevictimofafalsespiritofhonourdiedthedeathofafelon。
ThemostinveterateduellistsofthepresentdayarethestudentsintheUniversitiesofGermany。Theyfightonthemostfrivolouspretences，andsettlewithswordsandpistolstheschoolboydisputeswhichinothercountriesarearrangedbythemoreharmlessmediumofthefisticuffs。Itwasatonetimethecustomamongthesesavageyouthstoprefertheswordcombat，forthefacilityitgavethemofcuttingoffthenosesoftheiropponents。Todisfiguretheminthismannerwasanobjectofambition，andtheGermanduellistsreckonedthenumberofthesedisgustingtrophieswhichtheyhadborneaway，withasmuchsatisfactionasasuccessfulgeneraltheprovinceshehadreducedorthecitieshehadtaken。
Butitwouldbewearisometoenterintotheminutedetailofalltheduelsofmoderntimes。Ifanexaminationweremadeintothegeneralcauseswhichproducedthem，itwouldbefoundthatineverycasetheyhadbeeneitherofthemosttrivialorthemostunworthynature。Parliamentaryduelswereatonetimeverycommon，andamongstthenamesofthosewhohavesoiledagreatreputationbyconformingtothepractice，maybementionedthoseofWarrenHastings，SirPhilipFrancis，Wilkes，Pitt，Fox，Grattan，Curran，Tierney，andCanning。Sodifficultisitevenforthesuperiormindtofreeitselffromthetrammelswithwhichfoolishopinionhasenswathedit——notoneofthesecelebratedpersonswhodidnotinhissecretsoulcondemnthefollytowhichhelenthimself。Thebondsofreason，thoughiron-strong，areeasilyburstthrough；butthoseoffolly，thoughlitheandfrailastherushesbyastream，defythestoutesthearttosnapthemasunder。ColonelThomas，anofficeroftheGuards，whowaskilledinaduel，addedthefollowingclausetohiswillthenightbeforehedied:——“Inthefirstplace，IcommitmysoultoAlmightyGod，inhopeofhismercyandpardonfortheirreligiousstepInowincompliancewiththeunwarrantablecustomsofthiswickedworld
putmyselfunderthenecessityoftaking。“Howmanyhavebeeninthesamestateofmindasthiswise，foolishman！Heknewhiserror，andabhorredit，butcouldnotresistit，forfearoftheopinionoftheprejudicedandunthinking。Noothercouldhaveblamedhimforrefusingtofightaduel。
Thelistofduelsthathavesprungfromthemostdegradingcausesmightbestretchedouttoanalmostindefiniteextent。Sterne’sfatherfoughtaduelaboutagoose；andthegreatRaleighaboutatavernbill。[Raleigh，atoneperiodofhislife，appearedtobeaninveterateduellist，anditwassaidofhimthathehadbeenengagedinmoreencountersofthekindthananymanofnoteamonghiscontemporaries。Morethanonefellow-creaturehehaddeprivedoflife；
buthelivedlongenoughtobeconvincedofthesinfulnessofhisconduct，andmadeasolemnvownevertofightanotherduel。Thefollowinganecdoteofhisforbearanceiswellknown，butitwillbearrepetition:——
Adisputearoseinacoffee-housebetweenhimandayoungmanonsometrivialpoint，andthelatter，losinghistemper，impertinentlyspatinthefaceoftheveteran。SirWalter，insteadofrunninghimthroughthebody，asmanywouldhavedone，orchallenginghimtomortalcombat，coollytookouthishandkerchief，wipedhisface，andsaid，“Youngman，ifIcouldaseasilywipefrommyconsciencethestainofkillingyou，asIcanthisspittlefrommyface，youshouldnotliveanotherminute。“Theyoungmanimmediatelybeggedhispardon。]Scoresofduelsmanyofthemfatalhavebeenfoughtfromdisputesatcards，oraplaceatatheatre，whilehundredsofchallenges，givenandacceptedover-night，inafitofdrunkenness，havebeenfoughtoutthenextmorningtothedeathofoneorbothoftheantagonists。
Twoofthemostnotoriousduelsofmoderntimeshadtheiroriginincausesnomoreworthythanthequarrelofadogandthefavourofaprostitute:thatbetweenMacnamaraandMontgomeryarisingfromtheformer；andthatbetweenBestandLordCamelford，fromthelatter。ThedogofMontgomeryattackedadogbelongingtoMacnamara，andeachmasterinterferinginbehalfofhisownanimal，highwordsensued。Theresultwasthegivingandacceptingachallengetomortalcombat。Thepartiesmetonthefollowingday，whenMontgomerywasshotdead，andhisantagonistseverelywounded。Thisaffaircreatedagreatsensationatthetime，andHeaviside，thesurgeonwhoattendedatthefatalfieldtorenderhisassistance，ifnecessary，wasarrestedasanaccessorytothemurder，andcommittedtoNewgate。
IntheduelbetweenBestandLordCamelford，twopistolswereusedwhichwereconsideredtobethebestinEngland。Oneofthemwasthoughtslightlysuperiortotheother，anditwasagreedthatthebelligerentsshouldtossupapieceofmoneytodecidethechoiceofweapons。Bestgainedit，and，atthefirstdischarge，LordCamelfordfell，mortallywounded。Butlittlesympathywasexpressedforhisfate；hewasaconfirmedduellist，hadbeenengagedinmanymeetingsofthekind，andthebloodofmorethanonefellow-creaturelayathisdoor。Ashehadsowed，sodidhereap；andtheviolentmanmetanappropriatedeath。
Itnowonlyremainstonoticethemeansthathavebeentakentostaytheprevalenceofthismadnessoffalsehonourinthevariouscountriesofthecivilizedworld。TheeffortsofthegovernmentsofFranceandEnglandhavealreadybeenmentioned，andtheirwantofsuccessisbuttoowellknown。Thesameeffortshavebeenattendedwiththesameresultselsewhere。Indespoticcountries，wherethewillofthemonarchhasbeenstronglyexpressedandvigorouslysupported，adiminutionoftheevilhasforawhileresulted，butonlytobeincreasedagain，whendeathrelaxedtheirongrasp，andasuccessorappearedoflessdecidedopinionsuponthesubject。ThiswasthecaseinPrussiaunderthegreatFrederick，ofwhoseaversiontoduellingapopularanecdoteisrecorded。Itisstatedofhimthathepermittedduellinginhisarmy，butonlyupontheconditionthatthecombatantsshouldfightinpresenceofawholebattalionofinfantry，drawnuponpurpose，toseefairplay。Thelatterreceivedstrictorders，whenoneofthebelligerentsfell，toshoottheotherimmediately。Itisadded，thattheknowndeterminationoftheKingeffectuallyputastoptothepractice。
TheEmperorJosephIIofAustriawasasfirmasFrederick，althoughthemeasuresheadoptedwerenotsosingular。Thefollowingletterexplainshisviewsonthesubject:——
“MYGENERAL，“YouwillimmediatelyarresttheCountofK。andCaptainW。TheCountisyoung，passionate，andinfluencedbywrongnotionsofbirthandafalsespiritofhonour。CaptainW。isanoldsoldier，whowilladjusteverydisputewiththeswordandpistol，andwhohasreceivedthechallengeoftheyoungCountwithunbecomingwarmth。
“Iwillsuffernoduellinginmyarmy。Idespisetheprinciplesofthosewhoattempttojustifythepractice，andwhowouldruneachotherthroughthebodyincoldblood。
“WhenIhaveofficerswhobravelyexposethemselvestoeverydangerinfacingtheenemy——whoatalltimesexhibitcourage，valour，andresolutioninattackanddefence，Iesteemthemhighly。
Thecoolnesswithwhichtheymeetdeathonsuchoccasionsisserviceabletotheircountry，andatthesametimeredoundstotheirownhonour；butshouldtherebemenamongstthemwhoarereadytosacrificeeverythingtotheirvengeanceandhatred，Idespisethem。I
considersuchamanasnobetterthanaRomangladiator。
“Orderacourt-martialtotrythetwoofficers。InvestigatethesubjectoftheirdisputewiththatimpartialitywhichIdemandfromeveryjudge；andhethatisguilty，lethimbeasacrificetohisfateandthelaws。
“Suchabarbarouscustom，whichsuitstheageoftheTamerlanesandBajazets，andwhichhasoftenhadsuchmelancholyeffectsonsinglefamilies，Iwillhavesuppressedandpunished，evenifitshoulddeprivemeofonehalfofmyofficers。Therearestillmenwhoknowhowtounitethecharacterofaherowiththatofagoodsubject；
andheonlycanbesowhorespectsthelaws。