els were not unknown in those days.
Wilkes had fought one or two, as well as other editors; but these were
the circumstances of Mr. Bate's encounter:

'The cause of quarrel arose from some offensive paragraphs that had
appeared in the _Morning Post_, highly reflecting on the character of a
lady, for whom Captain Stoney had a particular regard. Mr. Bate had
taken every possible method, consistent with honor, to convince Captain
Stoney that the insertion of the paragraphs was wholly without his
knowledge, to which Mr. Stoney gave no credit, and insisted on the
satisfaction of a gentleman, or the discovery of the author. This
happened some days before, but meeting, as it were by accident, on the
day before mentioned (January 13, 1777), they adjourned to the Adelphi,
called for a room, shut the door, and, being furnished with pistols,
discharged them at each other without effect. They then drew swords, and
Mr. Stoney received a wound in the breast and arm, and Mr. Bate one in
the thigh. Mr. Bate's sword bent and slanted against the captain's
breastbone, which Mr. Bate apprising him of, Captain Stoney called to
him to straighten it, and in the interim, while the sword was under his
foot for that purpose, the door was broken open, or the death of one of
the parties would most certainly have been the issue.'

Another eminent writer in the _Public Advertiser_ was John Horne,
afterward John Horne Tooke, the author of the 'Diversions of Purley,' a
man to be always remembered with gratitude in America, for the part
which he took in the struggle between the colonies and the mother
country. His connection with the press was one long series of trials for
libel, in which he always got the worst of the fray. In fact, he rather
appeared to like being in hot water, for he more than once wrote an
article with the full intention of standing the trial which he knew
would be sure to follow its publication. One of his reasons may have
been that this was the only way in which he could indulge his penchant
for forensic disputation. He had been bred a clergyman, but, disliking
the retirement of a quiet country parsonage, he threw up his preferment,
abandoned his clerical functions altogether, and came to London to keep
his terms at the Temple. The benchers, however, holding the force of the
maxim, 'Once in orders always in orders,' refused to admit him to the
degree of barrister at law. In 1771 he founded the Society of the
Supporters of the Bi