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_ TO GEORGE WILKS,
ESQ., PROPRIETOR OF "WILKS' SPIRIT OF
THE TIMES:" - Dear Sir: Since I had
the pleasure of meeting
you at the Gordon Hotel, in London, last Monday, it has
struck
me that you would not perhaps consider it lost time, after
having
come so far to look after "the big match" you made
between
Heenan and me, just to run down here to see how I go on with
my
training, and to have, if you like, an hour or two's walk
with me.
Whether I win or lose, I feel obliged to you for getting me
this
chance, and if I can afford you any information, or be of
any
service to you, why I should like to do so. In fact, sir, I
have
nothing to conceal or make a mystery of in my preparation,
and
I only am "not at home" to general visitors, because it
would
interfere with my work, and bother me if I had to see
everybody
that called. As I said before, I have no secrets about my
method
of getting ready for the fight; I only take the usual means
of
keeping in good health, and nearly all my training is
confined,
as you will see if you come down to walks with my old
friend,
Bob Fuller, who you will recollect meeting with me at the
Gor-
don. I am happy to say I am as well as I could wish to be
at
present; and I assure you I am also glad to hear that your
friend
Heenan is doing equally well. I hope you will excuse me
for
taking the liberty to say, that the reports which have
been
spread about my being so greatly disappointed in not
meeting
Heenan soon after his arrival in this country, are a good
deal
overdone. I was rather disappointed, it is true, but it was
as
much on account of my not being able to give him, a
stranger,
the hospitable greeting of an Englishman, as from any
curiosity
to know the kind of man I have to contend with. I
suppose,
however, he had good reasons for the course he took, and if
it is
likely to be of service to him, I shall be the last man to
complain
of any advantage he may derive from it. He is a stranger
here;
and if there is to be any "best of it" before we go into the
ring,
I am more willing that he should have it than myself. I
will
do my best, when we do get there, you may rely upon it.
My
colors are the British flag, and if my countrymen do not
object
to my upholding them, I will try to make sure that no
disgrace
to them shall occur through me, even though I should not
come
off victorious.
_
And now, sir, as I may not see you
before the day of the fight
(unless you can spare time to run down here), I wish you
would
say in your paper for me, that I feel grateful to the
newspapers
of your country for the kind manner in which they have
always
spoken of me in connection with the national match with
Hee-
nan. So far as I am concerned, I have not heard of a
single
unfriendly word, and you can, if you please, say for me in
ac-
knowledging it, that I hope and trust Heenan will have
nothing
to complain of from me whilst he is here, from first to
last, how-
ever the battle may go. After it is decided, and whether I
win
or lose, I think it likely I may pay a visit to America; and
if I
do, I will in person thank the Americans for the liberality
of
feeling, and great good will, that they have all along
shown
towards me.
_
Hoping you may find it convenient to
come down, I remain,
dear sir,
______Yours,
very faithfully,
______Tom
Sayers.
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