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diff --git a/old/tgamt210.txt b/old/tgamt210.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6b421de --- /dev/null +++ b/old/tgamt210.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10104 @@ +******The Project Gutenberg Etext of Andrew Steinmetz's******** +*********The Gaming Table: Its Votaries and Victims*********** +Volume #2 #2 in our series by Andrew Steinmetz + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association / Illinois + Benedictine College" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Illinois Benedictine College". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + +Scanned with OmniPage Professional OCR software +donated by Caere Corporation, 1-800-535-7226. +Contact Mike Lough <Mikel@caere.com> + + + + + +THE GAMING TABLE: ITS VOTARIES AND VICTIMS, + +In all Times and Countries, especially in England and in France. + +BY ANDREW STEINMETZ, ESQ., + + + + + +OF THE MIDDLE TEMPLE, BARRISTER-AT-LAW; FIRST-CLASS EXTRA +CERTIFICATE SCHOOL OF MUSKETRY, HYTHE; late OFFICER INSTRUCTOR +MUSKETRY, THE QUEENS OWN LIGHT INFANTRY MILITIA. AUTHOR OF 'THE +HISTORY OF THE JESUITS,' 'JAPAN AND HER PEOPLE,' 'THE ROMANCE OF +DUELLING,' &c., &c. + +'The sharp, the blackleg, and the knowing one, +Livery or lace, the self-same circle, run; +The same the passion, end and means the same-- +Dick and his Lordship differ but in name.' + + + + +IN TWO VOLUMES.--VOL. II. + + +CONTENTS OF VOL. II. + + +I. CHEVALIERS D'INDUSTRIE, OR POLITE SHARPERS +II. PROFESSIONAL GAMESTERS AND THEIR FRAUDS +III. ANECDOTES OF THE PASSIONS AND VICISSITUDES OF GAMESTERS +IV. ACTROCITIES, DUELS. SUICIDES, AND EXECUTION OF GAMBLERS +V. ODDITIES AND WITTICISMS OF GAMBLERS +VI. THE GAMING CLUBS +VII. DOINGS IN GAMING HOUSES +VIII. THE DOCTRINE OF PROBABILITIES APPLIED TO GAMBLING +IX. THE HISTORY OF DICE AND CARDS +X. PIQUET, BASSET, FARO, HAZARD, PASSE-DIX, PUT, + CROSS AND PILE, THIMBLE-RIG +XI. COCK-FIGHTING +XII. THE TURF, HISTORICAL, SOCIAL, MORAL +XIII. FORTUNE-TELLING BY CARDS (FOR LADIES) +XIV. AMUSING CARD TRICKS + + + + + +THE GAMING TABLE. + + +CHAPTER I. + +CHEVALIERS D'INDUSTRIE, OR POLITE SHARPERS. + +Chevaliers d'industrie, or polite and accomplished sharpers, have +always existed in every city, from the earliest times to the +present. The ordinary progress of these interesting gentlemen is +as follows. Their debut is often difficult, and many of them are +stopped short in their career. They only succeed by means of +great exertion and severe trials; but they endure everything in +order to be tolerated or permitted to exercise their calling. To +secure credit they ally themselves with men of respectability, or +those who pass for such. When they have no titles they fabricate +them; and few persons dispute their claims. They are found +useful for the pleasures of society, the expenses of which they +often pay--at the cost of the dupes they make in the world. The +income of chevaliers d'industrie is at first derived from those +inexperienced persons whom they get in their clutches by means of +every kind of enticement, in order to ruin them some day--if they +have any 'expectations' or are likely to be rich; or in order to +make accomplices of them if they have only aptitudes for the +purpose. After having led them from error to error, after +suggesting to them all sorts of wants and vices, they make them +gamble, if they are of age; they hold up play to them as an +inexhaustible source of wealth. + +The 'protector' next hands over his 'young friends' to +'executioners,' who fleece them for the common benefit of the +confederates. They do not always wait for the coming of age of +their young dupes in order to strike the grand 'stroke.' When +they find that the father of a family shudders at the idea of a +public scandal, they immolate their victim at once--for fear lest +he should escape from their hands. Of course they are always +open to 'capitulate'--to come to terms; and if the aid of the law +is invoked they give in discreetly. + +About a century ago there flourished at Paris one of these +adventurers, who made a great noise and did a vast amount of +evil. This man of a thousand faces, this Proteus, as great a +corrupter as he was corrupted, changed his name, his quarters, +and field of operations, according to the exigences of business. +Although a man of ardent temperament and inconceivable activity, +his cold-blooded rascality was never in a hurry. He could wait; +he could bide his time. Taking in, at a glance, all the +requirements of a case, and seeing through all its difficulties, +he worked out his scheme with the utmost patience and consummated +his crime with absolute security. + +Sometimes he gave a concert for amateurs, elegant suppers for gay +ladies, and special soirees for the learned and the witty. He +was not particular as to the means of doing business; thus he +trafficked in everything,--for the sale of a living, or the +procuration of a mistress--for he had associates in all ranks, +among all professions of men. + +He had twenty Faro tables in operation every night, whilst his +emissaries were on the watch for new arrivals, and for those who +had recently come into property. + +In general, rogues soon betray themselves by some stupid bungle; +but such was not the case with this man; he defended himself, as +it were, on all sides, and always kept himself in position so as +to oppose to each of his vices the proof positive of the contrary +virtues. Thus, if accused of usury, he could prove that he had +lent, without interest, considerable sums of money. Cowardly and +base in a tete-a-tete, he was bold and redoubtable in public; +those who had made him tremble in secret were then compelled to +acknowledge him a man of courage. Even his more than suspected +probity was defended by such as believed themselves his +depositaries, whereas they were, in point of fact, only receivers +of stolen property. + +Affable, insinuating to a degree, he might be compared to those +brigands of Egypt who embraced their victims in order to strangle +them.[1] He never showed more devotedness than when he meditated +some perfidy, nor more assurance than when convicted of the +rascality. Playing fast and loose with honour and the laws, he +was sure to find, when threatened by the arm of justice, the +female relatives of the judges themselves taking his part and +doing their best to 'get him off.' Such was this extraordinary +chevalier d'industrie, who might have gone on with his diabolical +perpetrations had he not, at last, attempted too much, failing in +the grandest stroke he had ever meditated--and yet a vulgar +fraud--when he was convicted, branded, and sent to the +galleys.[2] + +[1] Senec., Epist. Ii. +[2] Dusaulx, De la Passion du Jeu. + +The following narrative elucidates a still more modern phase of +this elegant 'industry.' My authority is M. Robert-Houdin. + +CAUGHT IN A TRAP. + +M. Olivier de ---- was a dissipated young gentleman. His family +was one of the oldest and most respectable of the country, and +deservedly enjoyed the highest consideration. M. Olivier de +----, his father, was not rich, and therefore could not do much +for his son; the consequence was that owing to his outrageous +prodigality the son was sorely pinched for means to keep up his +position; he exhausted his credit, and was soon overwhelmed with +debt. Among the companions of his dissipation was a young man +whose abundant means filled him with admiration and envy; he +lived like a prince and had not a single creditor. One day he +asked his friend to explain the mystery of the fact that, without +possessing any fortune, he could gratify all his tastes and +fancies, whilst he himself, with certain resources, was compelled +to submit to privations, still getting into debt. + +Chauvignac--such was the name of the friend thus addressed--was a +card-sharper, and he instantly seized the opportunity to make +something out of the happy disposition of this modern prodigal +son, this scion of gentility. With the utmost frankness he +explained to the young man his wonderful method of keeping his +pockets full of money, and showed that nothing could be easier +than for Olivier to go and do likewise in his terrible +condition;--in short, on one hand there were within his grasp, +riches, pleasure, all manner of enjoyment; on the other, pitiless +creditors, ruin, misery, and contempt. The tempter, moreover, +offered to initiate his listener in his infallible method of +getting rich. In his frame of mind Olivier yielded to the +temptation, with the full determination, if not to get money by +cheating at cards, at any rate to learn the method which might +serve as a means of self-defence should he not think proper to +use it for attack--such was the final argument suggested by the +human Mephistopheles to his pupil. + +Taking Olivier to his house, he showed him a pack of cards. 'Now +here is a pack of cards,' he said; 'there seems to be nothing +remarkable about it, does there?' Olivier examined the pack and +declared that the cards did not appear to differ in the least +from all others. 'Well,' said Chauvignac, 'nevertheless they +have been subjected to a preparation called biseautage, or having +one end of the cards made narrower than the other. This +disposition enables us to remove from the pack such and such +cards and then to class them in the necessary order so that they +may get into the hand of the operator.' Chauvignac then +proceeded to apply his precepts by an example, and although the +young man had no particular qualification for the art of +legerdemain, he succeeded at once to admiration in a game at +Ecarte, for he had already mastered the first process of +cheating. Having thus, as he thought, sufficiently compromised +his victim, Chauvignac left him to his temptations, and took +leave of him. + +Two days afterwards the professor returned to his pupil and +invited him to accompany him on a pleasure trip. Olivier excused +himself on account of his desperate condition--one of his +creditors being in pursuit of him for a debt of one thousand +francs. 'Is that all?' said Chauvignac; and pulling out his +pocket-book he added,--'Here's a bank-note; you can repay me to- +morrow.' 'Why, man, you are mad!' exclaimed Olivier. 'Be it +so,' said Chauvignac; 'and in my madness I give you credit for +another thousand-franc bank-note to go and get thirty thousand +francs which are waiting for you.' 'Now, do explain yourself, +for you are driving ME mad.' 'Nothing more easy. Here is the +fact,' said Chauvignac. 'M. le Comte de Vandermool, a wealthy +Belgian capitalist, a desperate gamester if ever there was one, +and who can lose a hundred thousand francs without much +inconvenience, is now at Boulogne, where he will remain a week. +This millionnaire must be thinned a little. Nothing is easier. +One of my friends and confreres, named Chaffard, is already with +the count to prepare the way. We have only now to set to work. +You are one of us--that's agreed--and in a few days you will +return, to satisfy your creditors and buy your mistress a shawl.' + +'Stop a bit. You are going too fast. Wait a little. I haven't +as yet said Yes,' replied Olivier. 'I don't want your Yes now; +you will say it at Boulogne. For the present go and pay your +bill. We set out in two hours; the post-horses are already +ordered; we shall start from my house: be punctual.' + +The party reached Boulogne and put up at the Hotel de l'Univers. +On their arrival they were informed that no time was to be lost, +as the count talked of leaving next day. The two travellers took +a hasty dinner, and at once proceeded to the apartment of the +Belgian millionnaire. Chaffard, who had preceded them, +introduced them as two of his friends, whose property was +situated in the vicinity of Boulogne. + +M. le Comte de Vandermool was a man about fifty years of age, +with an open, candid countenance. He wore several foreign +decorations. He received the two gentlemen with charming +affability; he did more; he invited them to spend the evening +with him. Of course the invitation was accepted. When the +conversation began to flag, the count proposed a game--which was +also, of course, very readily agreed to by the three comperes. + +While the table was prepared, Chauvignac gave his young friend +two packs of cards, to be substituted for those which should be +furnished by the count. Ecarte was to be the game, and Olivier +was to play, the two other associates having pretended to know +nothing about the game, and saying that they would content +themselves by betting with each other. Of course Olivier was +rather surprised at this declaration, but he soon understood by +certain signs from Chauvignac that this reservation was intended +to do away with the count's suspicions, in case of their success. + +The count, enormously rich as he was, would only play for +bank-notes. 'Metal smells bad in a room,' he said. The novice, +at first confused at being a party to the intended roguery, +followed the dictates of his conscience and, neglecting the +advantages of his hands, trusted merely to chance. The result +was that the only thousand-franc bank-note he had was speedily +transferred to the count. At that moment Chauvignac gave him a +significant look, and this, together with the desire to retrieve +his loss, induced him to put into execution the culpable +manoeuvres which his friend had taught him. His work was of the +easiest; the count was so short-sighted that he had to keep his +nose almost upon the cards to see them. Chance now turned, as +might be expected, and thousand-franc bank-notes soon accumulated +in the hands of Olivier, who, intoxicated by this possession, +worked away with incredible ardour. Moreover, the count was not +in the least out of humour at losing so immensely; on the +contrary, he was quite jovial; indeed, from his looks he might +have been supposed to be the winner. At length, however, he said +with a smile, taking a pinch from his golden snuff-box--'I am +evidently not in vein. I have lost eighty thousand francs. I +see that I shall soon be in for one hundred thousand. But it is +proper, my dear sir, that I should say I don't make a habit of +losing more than this sum at a sitting; and if it must be so, I +propose to sup before losing my last twenty thousand francs. +Perhaps this will change my vein. I think you will grant me this +indulgence.' The proposal was agreed to. + +Olivier, almost out of his senses at the possession of eighty +thousand francs, could not resist the desire of expressing his +gratitude to Chauvignac, which he did, grasping his hand with +emotion and leading him into a corner of the room. + +Alas! the whole thing was only an infamous conspiracy to ruin the +young man. The Belgian capitalist, this count apparently so +respectable, was only an expert card-sharper whom Chauvignac had +brought from Paris to play out the vile tragi-comedy, the +denouement of which would be the ruin of the unfortunate Olivier. + +At the moment when the latter left the card-table to go to +Chauvignac, the pretended millionnaire changed the pack of cards +they had been using for two other packs. + +Supper went off very pleasantly. They drank very moderately, for +the head had to be kept cool for what had to follow. They soon +sat down again at the card-table. 'Now,' said the Parisian card- +shaper, on resuming his seat, 'I should like to end the matter +quickly: I will stake the twenty thousand francs in a lump.' + +Olivier, confident of success after his previous achievement, +readily assented; but, alas, the twenty thousand francs of which +he made sure was won by his adversary. + +Forty thousand francs went in like manner. Olivier, breathless, +utterly prostrate, knew not what to do. All his manoeuvres were +practised in vain; he could give himself none but small cards. +His opponent had his hands full of trumps, and HE dealt them to +him! In his despair he consulted Chauvignac by a look, and the +latter made a sign to him to go on. The wretched young man went +on, and lost again. Bewildered, beside himself, he staked +fabulous sums to try and make up for his losses, and very soon +found, in his turn, that he owed his adversary one hundred +thousand francs(L4166)! + +At this point the horrible denouement commenced. The pretended +count stopped, and crossing his arms on his breast, said +sternly--'Monsieur Olivier de ----, you must be very rich to +stake so glibly such enormous sums. Of course you know your +fortune and can square yourself with it; but, however rich you +may be, you ought to know that it is not sufficient to lose a +hundred thousand francs, but that you must pay it. Besides, I +have given you the example. Begin, therefore, by putting down +the sum I have won from you; after which we can go on.' . . . + +'Nothing can be more proper, sir,' stammered out young Olivier, +'I am ready to satisfy you; but, after all, you know that . . . . + +gaming debts . . . . my word . . . .' + +'The d--l! sir,' said the pretended count, giving the table a +violent blow with his fist--'Why do you talk to me about your +WORD. Gad! You are well entitled to appeal to the engagements +of honour! Well! We have now to play another game on this +table, and we must speak out plainly. Monsieur Olivier de ----, +you are a rogue . . . Yes, a rogue! The cards we have been +using are biseautees and YOU brought them hither.' + +'Sir! . . You insult me!' said Olivier. + +'Indeed? Well, sir, that astonishes me!' replied the false +Belgian ironically. + +'That is too much, sir. I demand satisfaction, and that on the +very instant. Do you understand me? Let us go out at once.' + +'No! no! We must end this quarrel here, sir. Look here--your +two friends shall be your "seconds;" I am now going to send for +MINE.' + +The card-sharper, who had risen at these words, rang the bell +violently. His own servant entered. 'Go,' said he, 'to the +Procureur de Roi, and request him to come here on a very +important matter. Be as quick as you can.' + +'Oh, sir, be merciful! Don't ruin me!' exclaimed the wretched +Olivier; 'I will do what you like.' At these words, the sharper +told his servant to wait behind the door, and to execute his +order if he should hear nothing to the contrary in ten minutes. + +'And now, sir,' continued the sharper, turning to Olivier, 'and +now, sir, for the business between you and me. These cards have +been substituted by you in the place of those which I supplied . +. . You must do them up, write your name upon the cover, and +seal it with the coat of arms on your ring.' + +Olivier looked first at Chauvignac and then at Chaffard, but both +the fellows only made signs to him to resign himself to the +circumstances. He did what was ordered. + +'That is not all, sir,' added the false Belgian; 'I have fairly +won money from you and have a right to demand a guarantee for +payment. You must draw me short bills for the sum of one hundred +thousand francs.' + +As the wretched young man hesitated to comply with this demand, +his pitiless creditor rose to ring the bell. + +'Don't ring, sir, don't ring,' said Olivier, 'I'll sign.' + +He signed, and the villany was consummated. Olivier returned to +his family and made an humble avowal of his fault and his +engagements. His venerable father received the terrible blow +with resignation, and paid the 100,000 francs, estimating his +honour far above that amount of money.[3] + +[3] This narrative is condensed from the account of the affair by +Robert-Hondin, Tricherics des Grecs devoilees. + + +AN ATTORNEY 'DONE' BY A GAMBLER. + +A turfite and gambler, represented under the letters of Mr H--e, +having lost all his money at Doncaster and the following York +Meeting, devised a plan, with his coadjutor, to obtain the means +for their departure from York, which, no doubt, will be +considered exceedingly ingenious. + +He had heard of an attorney in the town who was very fond of +Backgammon; and on this simple piece of information an elaborate +plan was concocted. Mr H--e feigned illness, went to bed, and +sent for a large quantity of tartar emetic, which he took. After +he had suffered the operation of the first dose he sent for a +doctor, who pronounced him, of course, very languid and ill; and +not knowing the cause, ordered him more medicine, which the +patient took good care not to allow to stay on his stomach. + +On the second day he asked the doctor, with great gravity, if he +considered him in danger, adding, 'because he had never made a +WILL to bequeath his property.' The doctor replied, 'No, not in +absolute danger, but there was no harm in making a WILL.' + +The attorney, accordingly, was sent for--of course the very man +wished for--the lover of Backgammon before mentioned. The good +man came; he took the 'instructions,' and drew up the last will +and testament of the ruined turfite, who left (in the will) about +L50,000, which no man ever heard of, living or dead. + +The BUSINESS being done, the patient said that if he had a +moment's relaxation he thought he should rally and overcome the +malady. The poor lawyer said if he could in any way contribute +to his comfort he should be happy. The offer was embraced by +observing that if he could sit up in bed--but he was afraid he +was not able--a hit at Backgammon would be a great source of +amusement. + +The lawyer, like all adepts in such matters, was only too willing +to catch at the idea; the board was brought. + +Of course the man who had L50,000 to leave behind could not be +expected to play 'for love;' and so when Mr H--e proposed 'a +pound a hit or treble a gammon,' the lawyer not only thought it +reasonable, but, conscious of his power in the game, eagerly +accepted the terms of playing. They played; but the lawyer was +gammoned almost incessantly, till he lost L50. Then H--e +proposed 'double or quits to L1000,'--thereupon the poor lawyer, +believing that fortune could not always forsake him, said he had +but L2000 in the world, but that he would set the L1000. He +lost; and became almost frantic. In the midst of his excessive +grief, H--e said, 'You have a HORSE, what is it worth?' L50 was +the answer. 'Well, well, you may win all back now, and I'll set +L50 on your horse.' + +They began again. Lost! 'You have a COW in your paddock, +haven't you? What's that worth?' asked Mr H--e. The attorney +said L12. 'Well, I'll set that sum by way of giving you a +chance.' The game proceeded, and the poor lawyer, equally +unfortunate, raved and swore he had lost his last shilling. 'No, +no!' said H--e,' you have not: I saw a HAY-RICK in your ground. +It is of no use now that the horse and cow are gone-- what is +that worth?' L15, replied the attorney, with a sigh. 'I set L15 +then,' said H--e. + +This seemed to be 'rather too much' for the lawyer. The loss of +the hay-rick--like the last straw laid on the overladen camel's +back--staggered him. Besides, he thought he saw--as doubtless he +did see--H--e twisting his fingers round one of the dice. Up he +started at once, and declared that he was cheated! + +Thereupon the sick man forgot his sickness, jumped out of bed, +and gave the lawyer a regular drubbing, got the cheque for the +L2000,--but the horse, cow, and hay he said he would leave 'until +further orders.' + + +A VERY CURIOUS STORY. + +An Archbishop of Canterbury was once on a tour, when a genteel +man, apparently in earnest conversation, though alone in a wood, +attracted his notice. His Grace made up to him, and, after a +little previous conversation, asked him what he was about. +Stranger. 'I am at play.' +Archbishop. 'At play? With whom? I see nobody.' +Sir. 'I own, sir, my antagonist is not visible: I am playing +with God.' +Abp. 'At what game, pray, sir?' +Str. 'At Chess.' +Abp. 'Do you play for anything?' +Str. 'Certainly.' +Abp. 'You cannot have any chance, as your adversary must be so +superior to you.' +Str. 'He takes no advantage, but plays merely as a man.' +Abp. 'When you win or lose, how do you settle accounts?' +Str. 'Very exactly and punctually.' +Abp. 'Indeed! Pray, how stands your game now?' +Str. 'There! I have just lost!' +Abp. 'How much have you lost?' +Str. 'Fifty guineas.' +Abp. 'How do you manage to pay it? Does God take your money?' +Str. 'No! The poor are his treasurers. He always sends some +worthy person to receive it, and you are at present his +purse-bearer.' + +Saying this, the stranger put fifty guineas into his Grace's +hand, and retired, adding--'I shall play no more to-day.' + +The prelate was delighted; though he could not tell what to make +of this extraordinary man. The guineas were all good; and the +archbishop applied them to the use of the poor, as he had been +directed. + +The archbishop, on his return, stopped at the same town, and +could not help going in search of the chess-player, whom he found +engaged as before, when the following dialogue ensued:-- +Abp. 'How has the chance stood since we met before?' +Str. 'Sometimes for me--sometimes against me. I have lost and +won.' +Abp. 'Are you at play now?' +Str. 'Yes, sir. We have played several games to-day.' +Abp. 'Who wins?' +Str. 'The advantage is on my side. The game is just over. I +have a fine stroke--check-mate-- there it is.' +Abp. 'How much have you won?' +Str. 'Five hundred guineas.' +Abp. 'That is a large sum. How are you to he paid?' +Str. 'God always sends some good rich man when I win, and YOU +are the person. He is remarkably punctual on these occasions.' + +The archbishop had received a considerable sum on that day, as +the stranger knew; and so, producing a pistol by way of receipt, +he compelled the delivery of it. His Grace now discovered that +he had been the dupe of a thief; and though he had greatly +bruited his first adventure, he prudently kept his own counsel in +regard to the last. + +Such is the tale. Se non e vero e ben trovato. + + +SKITTLE SHARPERS. + +'I know a respectable tradesman,' says a writer in Cassell's +Magazine--'I know him now, for he lives in the house he occupied +at the time of my tale--who was sent for to see a French +gentleman at a tavern, on business connected with the removal of +this gentleman's property from one of the London docks. The +business, as explained by the messenger, promising to be +profitable, he of course promptly obeyed the summons, and during +his walk found that his conductor had once been in service in +France. This delighted Mr Chase--the name by which I signify the +tradesman--for he, too, had once so lived in France; and by the +time he reached the tavern he had talked himself into a very good +opinion of his new patron. The French gentleman was very urbane, +gave Mr Chase his instructions, let him understand expense was +not to be studied, and, as he was at lunch, would not be +satisfied unless the tradesman sat down with him. This was a +great honour for the latter, as he found his employer was a +baron. Well, the foreigner was disposed to praise everything +English; he was glad he had come to live in London--Paris was +nothing to it; they had nothing in France like the English beer, +with which, in the exuberance of his hospitality, he filled and +refilled Mr Chase's glass; but that which delighted him above all +that he had seen "vos de leetle game vid de ball--vot you call-- +de--de--aha! de skittel." Mr Chase assented that it was a very +nice game certainly; and the French gentleman seeming by this +time to have had quite enough beer, insisted, before they went to +the docks--which was essential--that they should see just one +game played. + +'As he insisted on paying Mr Chase for all the time consumed with +him, and as his servant, of course, could not object, the party +adjourned to the "Select Subscription Ground" at once. In the +ground there was a quiet, insignificant-looking little man, +smoking a cigar; and as they were so few, he was asked to assist, +which, after considerable hesitation and many apologies for his +bad play, he did. The end is of course guessed. The French +gentleman was a foolish victim, with more money than wits, who +backed himself to do almost impossible feats, when it was evident +he could not play at all, and laid sovereigns against the best +player, who was the little stranger, doing the easiest. What +with the excitement, and what with the beer, which was probably +spiced with some unknown relish a little stronger than nutmeg, Mr +Chase could not help joining in winning the foreign gentleman's +money; it seemed no harm, he had so much of it. + +'By a strange concurrence of events, it so happened that by +random throws the Frenchman sometimes knocked all the pins down +at a single swoop, though he clearly could not play--Mr Chase was +sure of that--while the skilful player made every now and then +one of the blunders to which the best players are liable. That +the tradesman lost forty sovereigns will be easily understood; +and did his tale end here it would have differed so little from a +hundred others as scarcely to deserve telling; but it will +surprise many, as it did me, to learn that he then walked to and +from his own house--a distance of precisely a mile each +way--fetched a bill for thirty pounds, which a customer had +recently paid him, got it discounted, went back to the skittle- +ground, and, under the same malignant star, lost the whole. + +'It was the only case in my experience of the work going on +smoothly after such a break. I never could account for it, nor +could Mr Chase. Great was the latter's disgust, on setting the +police to work, to find that the French nobleman, his servant, +and the quiet stranger, were all dwellers within half a mile or +so of his own house, and slightly known to him--men who had +trusted, and very successfully, to great audacity and well- +arranged disguise.' + +A vast deal of gambling still goes on with skittles all over the +country. At a place not ten miles from London, I am told that as +much as two thousand pounds has been seen upon the table in a +single 'alley,' or place of play. The bets were, accordingly, +very high. The instances revealed by exposure at the police- +courts give but a faint idea of the extent of skittle sharping. + +Amidst such abuses of the game, it can scarcely surprise us that +the police have been recently directed to prohibit all playing at +skittles and bowls. However much we may regret the interference +with popular pastimes, in themselves unobjectionable, it is +evident that their flagrant abuse warrants the most stringent +measures in order to prevent their constantly repeated and dismal +consequences. Even where money was not played for, pots of beer +were the wager--leading, in many instances, to intoxication, or +promoting this habit, which is the cause of so much misery among +the lower orders. + + +CHAPTER II. + +PROFESSIONAL GAMESTERS AND THEIR FRAUDS. + +A gambling house at the end of the last century was conducted by +the following officials:-- + +1. A Commissioner,--who was always a proprietor; who looked in +of a night, and audited the week's account with two other +proprietors. + +2. A Director,--who superintended the room. + +3. An Operator,--who dealt the cards at the cheating game called +Faro. + +4. Two Croupiers, or crow-pees, as they were vulgarly called, +whose duty it was to watch the cards and gather or rake in the +money for the bank. + +5. Two Puffs,--who had money given to them to decoy others to +play. + +6. A Clerk,--who was a check on the Puffs, to see that they sank +none of the money given to them to play with. + +7. A Squib,--who was a puff of a lower rank, serving at half +salary, whilst learning to deal. + +8. A Flasher,--to swear how often the bank had been stripped by +lucky players. + +9. A Dunner,--who went about to recover money lost at play. + +10. A Waiter,--to fill out wine, snuff candles, and attend the +room. + +11. An Attorney,--who was generally a Newgate solicitor. + +12. A Captain,--who was to fight any gentleman who might be +peevish at losing his money. + +13. An Usher,--who lighted the gentlemen up and down stairs, and +gave the word to the porter. + +14. A Porter,--who was generally a soldier of the Foot Guards. + +15. An Orderly-man,--who walked up and down the outside of the +door, to give notice to the porter, and alarm the house at the +approach of the constables. + +16. A Runner,--who was to get intelligence of the Justices' +meetings. + +17. Link Boys, Coachmen, Chairmen, Drawers, and others, who +brought the first intelligence of Justices' meetings, of +constables going out, at half a guinea reward. + +18. Common Bail, Affidavit Men, Ruffians, Bravos, Assassins, &c. +&c. + +It may be proper to remark that the above list of officials was +only calculated for gambling houses of an inferior order. In +these it is evident that the fear of interruption and the +necessity for precaution presided over the arrangements. There +were others, however, which seemed to defy law, to spurn at +justice, and to remain secure, in every way, by the +'respectability' of their frequenters. These were houses +supported at an amazing expense--within sight of the palace-- +which were open every night and all night--where men of the first +rank were to be found gambling away immense sums of money, such +as no man, whatever his fortune might be, could sustain. 'What, +then,' says a writer at the time, 'are the consequences? Why, +that the UNDONE part of them sell their VOTES for bread, and the +successful give them for honours. + +'He who has never seen the gamblers' apartments in some of the +magnificent houses in the neighbourhood of St James's, has never +seen the most horrid sight that the imagination of a thinking man +can conceive. + +'A new pack of cards is called for at every deal, and the "old" +ones are then thrown upon the floor, and in such an immense +quantity, that the writer of this letter has seen a very large +room nearly ANKLE-DEEP, in the greatest part of it, by four +o'clock in the morning! Judge, then, to what height they must +have risen by daylight.' + +It is a melancholy truth, but confirmed by the history of all +nations, that the most polite and refined age of a kingdom is +never the most virtuous; not, indeed, that any such compliment +can be paid to that gross age, but still it was refined compared +with the past. The distinctions of personal merit being but +little regarded--in the low moral tone that prevailed--there +needed but to support a certain 'figure' in life (managed by the +fashionable tailor)[4], to be conversant with a few etiquettes of +good breeding and sentiments of modern or current honour, in +order to be received with affability and courteous attention in +the highest circles. The vilest sharper, having once gained +admission, was sure of constant entertainment, for nothing formed +a greater cement of union than the spirit of HIGH GAMING. There +being so little cognizance taken of the good qualities of the +heart in fashionable assemblies, no wonder that amid the medley +of characters to be found in these places the 'sharper' of polite +address should gain too easy an admission. + +[4] 'How shalt THOU to Caesar's hall repair? + For, ah! no DAMAGED coat can enter there!' + + BEATTIE'S Minstrel. + +This fraternity of artists--whether they were to be denominated +rooks,[5] sharps, sharpers, black-legs, Greeks, or gripes--were +exceedingly numerous, and were dispersed among all ranks of +society. + +[5] So called because rooks are famous for stealing materials out +of other birds' nests to build their own. + + +The follies and vices of others--of open-hearted youth in +particular--were the great game or pursuit of this odious crew. +Though cool and dispassionate themselves, they did all in their +power to throw others off their guard, that they might make their +advantage of them. + +In others they promoted excess of all kinds, whilst they +themselves took care to maintain the utmost sobriety and +temperance. 'Gamesters,' says Falconer, 'whose minds must be +always on the watch to take advantages, and prepared to form +calculations, and to employ the memory, constantly avoid a full +meal of animal food, which they find incapacitates them for play +nearly as much as a quantity of strong liquor would have done, +for which reason they feed chiefly on milk and vegetables.' + +As profit, not pleasure, was the aim of these knights of +darkness, they lay concealed under all shapes and disguises, and +followed up their game with all wariness and discretion. Like +wise traders, they made it the business of their lives to excel +in their calling. + +For this end they studied the secret mysteries of their art by +night and by day; they improved on the scientific schemes of +their profound master, Hoyle, and on his deep doctrines and +calculations of chances. They became skilful without a rival +where skill was necessary, and fraudulent without conscience +where fraud was safe and advantageous; and while fortune or +chance appeared to direct everything, they practised numberless +devices by which they insured her ultimate favours to themselves. + +Of these none were more efficacious, because none are more +ensnaring, than bribing their young and artless dupes to future +play by suffering them to win at their first onsets. By rising a +winner the dupe imbibed a confidence in his own gambling +abilities, or deemed himself a favourite of fortune. He engaged +again, and was again successful--which increased his exultation +and confirmed his future confidence; and thus did the simple +gudgeon swallow their bait, till it became at last fast hooked. + +When rendered thus secure of their prey, they began to level +their whole train of artillery against the boasted honours of his +short-lived triumph. Then the extensive manors, the ancient +forests, the paternal mansions, began to tremble for their future +destiny. The pigeon was marked down, and the infernal crew began +in good earnest to pluck his rich plumage. The wink was given on +his appearance in the room, as a signal of commencing their +covert attacks. The shrug, the nod, the hem--every motion of the +eyes, hands, feet--every air and gesture, look and word--became +an expressive, though disguised, language of fraud and cozenage, +big with deceit and swollen with ruin. Besides this, the card +was marked, or 'slipped,' or COVERED. The story is told of a +noted sharper of distinction, a foreigner, whose hand was thrust +through with a fork by his adversary, Captain Roche, and thus +nailed to the table, with this cool expression of concern-- 'I +ask your pardon, sir, if you have not the knave of clubs under +your hand.' The cards were packed, or cut, or even SWALLOWED. A +card has been eaten between two slices of bread and butter, for +the purpose of concealment. + +With wily craft the sharpers substituted their deceitful +'doctors' or false dice; and thus 'crabs,' or 'a losing game,' +became the portion of the 'flats,' or dupes. + +There were different ways of throwing dice. There was the +'Stamp'--when the caster with an elastic spring of the wrist +rapped the cornet or box with vehemence on the table, the dice as +yet not appearing from under the box. The 'Dribble' was, when +with an air of easy but ingenious motion, the caster poured, as +it were, the dice on the board--when, if he happened to be an old +practitioner, he might suddenly cog with his fore-finger one of +the cubes. The 'Long Gallery' was when the dice were flung or +hurled the whole length of the board. Sometimes the dice were +thrown off the table, near a confederate, who, in picking them +up, changed one of the fair for a false die with two sixes. This +was generally done at the first throw, and at the last, when the +fair die was replaced. The sixes were on the opposite squares, +so that the fraud could only be detected by examination. Of +course this trick could only be practised at raffles, where only +three throws are required. + +A pair of false dice was arranged as follows:-- + + {Two fours +On one die, {Two fives + {Two sixes + + {Two fives +On the other, {Two threes + {Two aces + +With these dice it was impossible to throw what is at Hazard +denominated Crabs, or a losing game--that is, aces, or ace and +deuce, twelve, or seven. Hence, the caster always called for his +main; consequently, as he could neither throw one nor seven, let +his chance be what it might, he was sure to win, and he and those +who were in the secret of course always took the odds. The false +dice being concealed in the left hand, the caster took the box +with the fair dice in it in his right hand, and in the act of +shaking it caught the fair dice in his hand, and unperceived +shifted the box empty to his left, from which he dropped the +false dice into the box, which he began to rattle, called his +main seven, and threw. Having won his stake he repeated it as +often as he thought proper. He then caught the false dice in the +same way, shifted the empty box again, and threw till he threw +out, still calling the same main, by which artifice he escaped +suspicion. + +Two gambling adventurers would set out with a certain number of +signs and signals. The use of the handkerchief during the game +was the certain evidence of a good hand. The use of the snuff- +box a sign equally indicative of a bad one. An affected cough, +apparently as a natural one, once, twice, three, or four times +repeated, was an assurance of so many honours in hand. Rubbing +the left eye was an invitation to lead trumps,--the right eye the +reverse,--the cards thrown down with one finger and the thumb was +a sign of one trump; two fingers and the thumb, two trumps, and +so on progressively, and in exact explanation of the whole hand, +with a variety of manoeuvres by which chance was reduced to +certainty, and certainty followed by ruin.[6] + +[6] Bon Ton Magazine, 1791. + + + CHEATING AT WHIST. + +In an old work on cards the following curious disclosures are +made respecting cheating at whist:-- + +'He that can by craft overlook his adversary's game hath a great +advantage; for by that means he may partly know what to play +securely; or if he can have some petty glimpse of his partner's +hand. There is a way by making some sign by the fingers, to +discover to their partners what honours they have, or by the wink +of one eye it signifies one honour, shutting both eyes two, +placing three fingers or four on the table, three or four +honours. FOR WHICH REASON ALL NICE GAMSTERS PLAY BEHIND +CURTAINS. + +'Dealing the cards out by one and one to each person is the best +method of putting it out of the dealer's power to impose on you. +But I shall demonstrate that, deal the cards which way you will, +a confederacy of two sharpers will beat any two persons in the +world, though ever so good players, that are not of the gang, or +in the secret, and "THREE poll ONE" is as safe and secure as if +the money was in their pockets. All which will appear presently. + +The first necessary instructions to be observed at Whist, as +principals of the secret, which may be likewise transferred to +most other games at cards, are:-- + +Brief or short cards, + +Corner-bend, + +Middle-bend (or Kingston-bridge). + +'Of brief cards there are two sorts: one is a card longer than +the rest,--the other is a card broader than the rest. The long +sort are such as three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine; +the broad sort are such as aces, kings, queens, and knaves. The +use and advantage of each are as follows:-- + +'Example:--When you cut the cards to your adversary, cut them +long, or endways, and he will have a three, four, five, six, +seven, eight, or nine at bottom. When your adversary cuts the +cards to you, put them broadside to him, and he will naturally +cut (without ever suspecting what you do) ace, king, queen, or +knave, &c., which is sufficient advantage to secure any game. + +'And in case you cannot get cards of proper sizes ready-made to +mix with others, you may shave them with a razor or penknife from +the threes to the nines each side, and from the aces to the +knaves each end; then put them up in the same case or cover, and +if they are done as they ought to be, they will pass upon +anybody. + +'As Whist is a tavern-game, the sharpers generally take care to +put about the bottle before the game begins, so quick, that a +BUBBLE cannot be said to see clearly even when he begins to play. + +'The next is the corner-bend, which is four cards turned down +finely at one corner--a signal to cut by. + +'The other is vulgarly called Kingston-bridge, or the middle- +bend. It is done by bending your own or adversary's TRICKS two +different ways, which will cause an opening, or arch, in the +middle, which is of the same use and service as the other two +ways, and only practised in its turn to amuse you. + +'The next thing to be considered is, who deals the cards, you or +your adversary; because that is a main point, and from whence +your advantage must arise. Suppose, for example, + {Sharpers, +A and B { + {Partners, + + {Bubbles, or Flats, +C and D { + { Partners. + +After a deal or two is formally played, A and B will begin to +operate in the following manner:-- + +'When A or B is to deal, they observe the PRECEDING DEAL to take +up the tricks thus:-- +1. A bad card. 2. A good card. +3. A bad card. 4. A good card. + +(Meaning the best and worst that fall in that list). + +'When C or D deals, they must be taken up thus:-- +1. A good card. 2. A bad card. +3. A good card. 4. A bad card. + +'By this rule it is plain that the best cards fall to A and B +every deal. How is it possible, therefore, that C and D should +ever win a game without permission? But it would be deemed ill +policy, and contrary to the true interest of A and B, to act thus +every deal. I will, therefore, suppose it is practised just when +they please, according as bets happen in company; though the rule +with gamesters, in low life, is at the first setting out to +stupify you with wine and the loss of your money, that you may +never come to a perfect understanding of what you are doing. It +may be truly said that many an honest gentleman has been kept a +month in such a condition by the management and contrivance of a +set of sharpers. + +'Now you may imagine it not in the power of A and B to cause the +tricks to be taken up after the manner aforesaid: there is +nothing so easy nor so frequently practised, especially at Three +poll One; for in playing the cards the confederates will not only +take care of their own tricks, but also of yours, for the cards +may be so played, and shoved together in such a manner, as will +even cause you to take them right yourself; and if a trick should +lie untowardly on the table, A or B will pay you the compliment +of taking it up for you, and say--"Sir, that's yours." This +operation will the more readily be apprehended by seeing it +practised half a score times; when once you are aware of it, it +will otherwise (I may say fairly) pass upon any person that has +not been let into the secret. This being allowed, the next point +and difficulty is to shuffle and cut. + +'I say, that either A or B are such curious workmen, and can make +a sham shuffle with a pack of cards so artfully, that you would +believe they were splitting them, when at the time they will not +displace a single card from its order! Such is the SHARPER'S +shuffling. + +'Now, to cut the cards, a BEND is prepared for you to cut to-- +the middle is the best; and it is odds but you unwarily cut to +it; if not, SLIP is the word; but if you have no opportunity to +do that neither, then deal away at all hazards, it is but an +equal bet that they come in your favour; if right, proceed; if +otherwise, miss a card in its course, and it brings the cards +according to your first design; it is but giving two at last +where you missed; and if that cannot be conveniently done, you +only lose the deal, and there is an end of it. + +'But when A or B is to cut, they make it all safe; for then they +make the CORNER-BEND, which any one that knows may cut to, a +hundred times together. + +'Piping at Whist. By piping I mean, when one of the company that +does not play, which frequently happens, sits down in a +convenient place to smoke a pipe, and so look on, pretending to +amuse himself that way. Now, the disposing of his fingers on the +pipe whilst smoking discovers the principal cards that are in the +person's hand he overlooks; which was always esteemed a +sufficient advantage whereby to win a game. There is another +method, namely, by uttering words. "Indeed" signifies diamonds; +"truly," hearts; "upon my word," clubs; "I assure you," spades. +But as soon as these methods become known, new ones are invented; +and it is most curious that two persons may discover to each +other what sort of cards they have in hand, and which ought first +to be played, many different ways, without speaking a word.' + +There can be no doubt that the act of sorting the cards is +capable of giving an acute observer a tolerably accurate idea of +his partner's or either of his opponents' hands; so that where +cheating is suspected it would be better to play the cards +without sorting them. The number of times a sorter carries a +card to a particular part indicates so many of a suit; your own +hand and his play will readily indicate the nature of the cards +in which he is either strong or weak. + +I now quote Robert-Houdin's account of + +CARD TELEGRAPHY. + +Although there are 32 cards in the game of Piquet, all of them +may be designated by twelve different signs, namely, eight for +the nature of the cards, and four for the colours. + +At Ecarte, the number of the signals is still less, as it is only +the figures that require indication: but to make these +indications it is necessary to execute a sort of pantomime, +according to certain authors, such as blowing the nose, coughing, +drumming on the table, sneezing, &c. Such evolutions, however, +are totally unworthy of your modern Greek, and would soon be +denounced as gross fraud. The signals which he employs are only +appreciable by his confederate,--as follows:-- + +If he looks + +1. At his confederate, he designates A king. + +2. At the play of his adversary . . . A queen. + +3. At the stake . . . . . . . . . . . A knave. + +4. At the opposite side . . . . . . . An ace. + +And whilst he indicates the nature of the cards he at the same +time makes known the colour by the following signs:-- + +1. The mouth slightly open . . . . . Hearts. + +2. The mouth shut . . . . . . . . . . Diamonds. + +3. The upper-lip slightly pouting + over the lower . . . . . . . Clubs. + +4. The lower-lip drawn over the + upper . . . . . . . . . . . Spades. + +Thus, if the Greek wishes to announce, for instance, the knave +and ace of hearts, he successively directs his looks upon the +play of his adversary, upon the stake, and to the opposite side, +whilst keeping his mouth slightly open. + +It is evident that this telegraphy may be employed at all games +where there is a gallery. In effect, nothing is easier at Piquet +than to indicate, by the aid of these signals, the colour in +which the player should discard and that in which he should keep +what cards he has. + +These are the simplest signs; but some of the Greeks have a great +number of them, to designate everything; and even sometimes to +communicate and receive intelligence, when necessary. This +telegraphy is so imperceptible that it is difficult to describe +it, and altogether impossible to detect it.[7] + +[7] Tricheries des Grecs devoilees. + + +Robert-Houdin has exhausted the subject of card-trickery, in +connection with that prestidigitation which, it seems, all card- +sharpers cultivate, the description of which, however, is by no +means so entertaining as the visible performance. I find, +nevertheless, in his book, under the title of 'Small Trickeries +made innocent by Custom,' certain things alluded to which I can +attest by experience. + +I. At Whist, no communication whatever must be made by a player +to his partner, excepting those authorized by the laws of the +game; but some persons go further, and by the play of their +features 'telegraph' to their partners the value of their hands. + +II. Any one with a good memory and endowed with quick perception +may form a very accurate estimate of the hands held by all the +players by remembering THE TRICKS AS THEY ARE PLAYED AND TURNED +DOWN--all of a suit, or trumped. Cards 'stick together' most +lovingly, and the ordinary shuffling scarcely alters their +sequence; and so, if a trick has been taken by an ace over a +king, for instance, and in the next deal you get the same king, +you may be sure that the ace is either on your right or your +left, according to the deal; of course, if you get the ace, then +the same probability, or rather necessity, exists as to the king; +and so on. Knave, queen, king, ace, of the same name, are almost +sure to be separated in the deal between the four players, or one +player will have two of them. The observation is a tax upon the +faculties; but I am sure, quite sure, that the thing can be done, +and is, when done, of material service; although, of course, the +knowledge can be turned to account only by an expert player, with +a partner who can understand the game which he wishes to play. + +Whist is, decidedly, one of the fairest of games; but for that +very reason, it is open to the greatest over-reaching, or, if you +like, cheating. + +With regard to dice, of course, they were and, doubtless, are +still loaded. Such were formerly called 'dispatches,' because +they would 'in five minutes dispatch L500 out of the pocket of +any young man when intoxicated with champagne.' + +Roulette and Rouge et Noir tables were and are so arranged as +always to make the bank win at the will of the attendant, +regulating them with a touch. + +At Hazard, they used 'low or high dice,' that is, with only +certain numbers on them, high or low,--a pair of which every +sharper always had in his possession, changing them with great +dexterity. They also used 'cramped' boxes, by which they +'cogged' or fastened the dice in the box as they dropped them IN, +and so could drop them OUT with the required face upwards. + + +CHAPTER III. + +ANECDOTES OF THE PASSIONS AND VICISSITUDES OF GAMESTERS. + +Although all the motives of human action have long been known-- +although psychology, or the science of soul and sentiment, has +ceased to present us with any new facts--it is quite certain that +our edifice of Morals is not quite built up. We may rest assured +that as long as intellectual man exists the problem will be +considered unsolved, and the question will be agitated. Future +generations will destroy what we establish, and will fashion a +something according to their advancement, and so on; for if there +be a term which, of all others, should be expunged from the +dictionaries of all human beings, it seems to be Lord Russell's +word FINALITY. Something NEW will always be wanted. 'Sensation' +is the very life of humanity; it is motion--the reverse of +'death'--which we all abhor. + +The gamester lives only for the 'sensation' of gaming. Menage +tells us of a gamester who declared that he had never seen any +luminary above the horizon but the moon. Saint Evremond, writing +to the Count de Grammont, says--'You play from morning to night, +or rather from night to morning. All the rays of the gamester's +existence terminate in play; it is on this centre that his very +existence depends. He enjoys not an hour of calm or serenity. +During the day he longs for night, and during the night he dreads +the return of day.' + +Being always pre-occupied, gamesters are subject to a ridiculous +absence of mind. Tacitus tells us that the Emperor Vitellius was +so torpid that he would have forgotten he was a prince unless +people had reminded him of it from time to time.[8] Many +gamesters have forgotten that they were husbands and fathers. +During play some one said that the government were about to levy +a tax on bachelors. 'Then I shall be ruined!' exclaimed one of +the players absorbed in the game. 'Why, man, you have a wife and +five children,' said the speaker. + +[8] Tanta torpedo invaserat animum Vitellii, ut si principem eum +fuisse non meminissent, ipse oblivisceretur. Hist., lib. iii. + + +This infatuation may be simply ridiculous; but it has also a +horrible aspect. A distracted wife has rushed to the gaming +table, imploring her husband, who had for two entire days been +engaged at play, to return to his home. + +'Only let me stay one moment longer--only one moment. . . . . I +shall return perhaps the day after to-morrow,' he stammered out +to the wretched woman, who retired. Alas! he returned sooner +than he had promised. His wife was in bed, holding the last of +her children to her breast. + +'Get up, madam,' said the ruined gambler, 'the bed on which you +lie belongs to us no longer!' . . . + +When the gamester is fortunate, he enjoys his success elsewhere; +to his home he brings only consternation. + +A wife had received the most solemn promise from her husband that +he would gamble no more. One night, however, he slunk out of +bed, rushed to the gaming table, and lost all the money he had +with him. He tried to borrow more, but was refused. He went +home. His wife had taken the precaution to lock the drawer that +contained their last money. Vain obstacle! The madman broke it +open, carried off two thousand crowns--to take his revenge, as he +said, but in reality to lose the whole as before. + +But it is to the gaming room that we must go to behold the +progress of the terrible drama--the ebb and flow of opposite +movements--the shocks of alternate hope and fear, infinitely +varied in the countenance, not only of the actors, but also of +the spectators. What is visible, however, is nothing in +comparison to the secret agony. It is in his heart that the +tempest roars most fiercely. + +Two players once exhibited their rage, the one by a mournful +silence, the other by repeated imprecations. The latter, shocked +at the sang-froid of his neighbour, reproached him for enduring, +without complaint, such losses one after the other. 'Look here!' +said the other, uncovering his breast and displaying it all +bloody with lacerations. + +It is only at play that we can observe, from moment to moment, +all the phases of despair; from time to time there occur new +ones--strange, eccentric, or terrible. After having lost +quietly, and even with serenity, half his fortune, the father of +a family staked the remainder, and lost it without a murmur. +Facere solent extrema securos mala.[9] The bystanders looked at +him; his features changed not; only it was perceived that they +were fixed. It seemed that he was unconscious of life. Two +streams of tears trickled from his eyes, and yet his features +remained the same. He was literally a weeping statue. The +spectators were seized with fright, and, although gamesters, they +melted into pity. + +[9] 'Great calamities render us CARELESS.' + + +At Bayonne, in 1725, a French officer, in a rage at billiards, +jammed a billiard-ball in his mouth, where it stuck fast, +arresting respiration, until it was, with difficulty, extracted +by a surgeon. Dusaulx states that he was told the fact by a +lieutenant-general, who was an eye-witness. + +It is well known that gamblers, like dogs that bite a stone flung +at them, have eaten up the cards, crushed up the dice, broken the +tables, damaged the furniture, and finally 'pitched into' each +other--as described by Lucian in his Saturnalia. Dusaulx assures +us that he saw an enraged gambler put a burning candle into his +mouth, chew it, and swallow it. A mad player at Naples bit the +table with such violence that his teeth went deep into the wood; +thus he remained, as it were, nailed to it, and suddenly expired. + +The other players took to flight; the officers of justice visited +the place; and the corpse was deprived of the usual ceremony of +burial.[10] + +[10] Gazette de Deux-Ponts, du 26 Novembre, 1772. + + +The following strange but apparently authentic fact, is related +in the Mercure Francois (Tome I. Annee 1610). + +'A man named Pennichon, being a prisoner in the Conciergerie +during the month of September, 1610, died there of a wonderfully +sudden death. He could not refrain from play. Having one day +lost his money, he uttered frightful imprecations against his +body and against his soul, swearing that he would never play at +cards again. Nevertheless, a few days after, he began to play +again with those in his apartment, and on a dispute respecting +discarding, he repeated his execrable oaths. And when one of the +company told him he should fear the Divine justice, he only swore +the more, and made such confusion that there had to be another +deal. But as soon as three other cards were given him, he placed +them in his hat, which he held before him, and whilst looking at +them, with his elbows on the table and his face in the hat, he so +suddenly expired that one of the party said--"Come, now play," +and pushed him with his elbow, thinking he was asleep, when he +fell down dead upon the floor.' + +In some cases the effect of losses at play is simply +stupefaction. Some players, at the end of the sitting, neither +know what they do nor what they say. M. de Crequi, afterwards +Duc de Lesdiguieres, leaving a gambling party with Henry IV., +after losing a large sum, met M. de Guise in the court-yard of +the castle. 'My friend,' said he to the latter, 'where are the +quarters of the Guards now-a-days?' M. de Guise stepped back, +saying, 'Excuse me, sir, I don't belong to this country,' and +immediately went to the king, whom he greatly amused with the +anecdote. + +A dissipated buck, who had been sitting all night at Hazard, went +to a church, not far from St James's, just before the second +reading of the Lord's Prayer, on Sunday. He was scarcely seated +before he dozed, and the clerk in a short time bawled out AMEN, +which he pronounced A--main. The buck jumped up half asleep and +roared out, 'I'll bet the caster 20 guineas!' The congregation +was thrown into a titter, and the buck ran out, overwhelmed with +shame. A similar anecdote is told of another 'dissipated buck' +in a church. The grand masquerade given on the opening of the +Union Club House, in Pall Mall, was not entirely over till a late +hour on the following Sunday. A young man nearly +intoxicated--certainly not knowing what he was about-- reeled +into St. James's church, in his masquerade dress, with his hat +on. The late Rev. Thomas Bracken, attracted by the noise of his +entrance, looked directly at him as he chanced to deliver the +following words:--'Friend! how camest thou in hither, not having +on a wedding garment?' It seemed so to strike the culprit that +he instantly took off his hat and withdrew in confusion. + +At play, a winner redoubles his caution and sang-froid just in +proportion as his adversary gets bewildered by his losses, +becoming desperate; he takes advantage of the weakness of the +latter, giving him the law, and striving for greater success. +When the luck changes, however, the case is reversed, and the +former loser becomes, in his turn, ten times more pitiless--like +that Roman prefect, mentioned by Tacitus, who was the more +inexorable because he had been harshly treated in his youth, co +immmitior quia toleraverat. The joy at winning back his money +only makes a gamester the more covetous of winning that of his +adversary. A wealthy man once lost 100,000 crowns, and begged to +be allowed to go and sell his property, which was worth double +the amount he had lost. 'Why sell it?' said his adversary; 'let +us play for the remainder.' They played; luck changed; and the +late LOSER ruined the other. + +Sometimes avidity makes terrible mistakes; many, in order to win +more, have lost their all to persons who had not a shilling to +lose. During the depth of a severe winter, a gamester beheld +with terror the bottom of his purse. Unable to resolve on +quitting the gaming table--for players in that condition are +always the most stubborn--he shouted to his valet--'Go and fetch +my great sack.' These words, uttered without design, stimulated +the cupidity of those who no longer cared to play with him, and +now they were eager for it. His luck changed, and he won thrice +as much as he had lost. Then his 'great sack' was brought to +him: it was a BEAR-SKIN SACK he used as a cloak! + +In the madness of gaming the player stakes everything after +losing his money--his watch, his rings, his clothing; and some +have staked their EARS, and others their very LIVES-- instances +of all which will be related in the sequel. + +Not very long ago a publican, who lost all his money, staked his +public-house, lost it, and had to 'clear out.' The man who won +it is alive and flourishing. + +'The debt of honour must be paid: 'these are the terrible words +that haunt the gamester as he wakes (if he has slept) on the +morning after the night of horrors: these are the furies that +take him in hand, and drag him to torture, laughing the while. . +. . + +What a 'sensation' it must be to lose one's ALL! A man, +intoxicated with his gains, left one gaming house and entered +another. As soon as he entered he exclaimed, 'Well, I am filled, +my pockets are full of gold, and here goes, ODDS OR EVEN?' +'Odds,' cried a player. It was ODDS, and the fortunate winner +pocketed the enormous sum just boasted of by the other. + +On the other hand, sudden prosperity has deranged more heads and +killed more people than reverses and grief; either because it +takes a longer time to get convinced of utter ruin than great +good fortune, or because the instinct of self- preservation +compels us to seek, in adversity, for resources to mitigate +despair; whereas, in the assault of excessive joy, the soul's +spring is distended and broken when it is suddenly compressed by +too many thoughts and too many sensations. Sophocles, Diagoras, +Philippides, died of joy. Another Greek expired at the sight of +the three crowns won by his three sons at the Olympic games. + +Many fine intellects among players have been brutified by loses; +others, in greater number, have been so by their winnings. Some +in the course of their prosperity perish from idleness, get +deranged, and ruin themselves after ruining others. An instance +is mentioned of an officer who won so enormously that he actually +lost his senses in counting his gains. Astonished at himself, he +thought he was no longer an ordinary mortal; and required his +valets to do him extraordinary honours, flinging handfuls of gold +to them. The same night, however, he returned to the gaming +house, and recovered from his madness when he had lost not only +all his gains, but even the value of an appointment which he +held. + +UNFORTUNATE WINNING. + +M. G--me was a most estimable man, combining in himself the best +qualities of both heart and head. He was good-humoured, witty, +and benevolent. With these qualifications, and one other which +seldom operates to a man's disadvantage--a clear income of three +thousand a year--the best society in Paris was open to him. He +had been a visitor in that capital about a month, when he +received an invitation to one of the splendid dinners given +weekly at the salon. As he never played, he hesitated about the +propriety of accepting it, but on the assurance that it would not +be expected of him to play; and, moreover, as he might not again +have so good an opportunity of visiting an establishment of the +kind, he resolved to go--merely for the satisfaction of his +curiosity. He had a few stray napoleons in his purse, to throw +them--'just for the good of the house,' as he considered it-- +could hardly be called PLAY, so he threw them. Poor fellow! He +left off a winner of fourteen hundred napoleons, or about as many +pounds sterling--and so easily won! He went again, again, and +again; but he was not always a winner; and within fifteen months +of the moment when his hand first grasped the dice-box he was +lying dead in a jail! + +LORD WORTHALL'S DESPERATE WAGER. + +At a gambling party Lord Worthall had lost all his money, and in +a fit of excitement staked his whole estate against L1000, at +cutting low with cards, and in cutting exclaimed,-- + + 'Up now Deuce, or else a Trey, + Or Worthall's gone for ever and aye.' + +He had the luck to cut the deuce of diamonds; and to commemorate +the serious event, he got the deuce of diamonds cut in marble and +had it fixed on the parapet of his mansion. + +THE CELEBRATED THADDEUS STEVENS. + +He was an inveterate gamester on a small scale, and almost +invariably, after a day's duty in the House, would drop in at a +favourite casino, and win or lose fifty dollars--that being the +average limit of his betting. + +A PROVIDENT GAMBLER. + +A Monsieur B--, well known in Parisian life, having recently lost +every shilling at a certain sporting club where play is carried +on in Paris, went to the country, where his sister lent him L150. + +He won all back again, and got a considerable sum of money in +hand. He then went to his hotel, to his bootmaker, and tailor, +paid them, and made arrangements to be fed, clothed, and shod for +ten years. + +A MAGNIFICENT FORTUNE WASTED. + +Lord Foley, who died in 1793, entered upon the turf with an +estate of L18,000 per annum, and L100,000 ready money. He left +with a ruined constitution, an encumbered estate, and not a +shilling of ready money! + +AN ENTERPRISING CLERK. + +Lord Kenyon, in 1795, tried a clerk 'for misapplying his master's +confidence,' and the facts were as follows. He went with a bank +note of L1000 to a gaming house in Osendon Street, where he won a +little. He also won two hundred guineas at another in Suffolk +Street. He next accompanied some keepers of a third house to +their tables, where he lost above nine hundred pounds. He played +there almost every night; and finally lost about L2500! + +GAMBLING FOR RECRUITS FOR THE ARMY. + +An Irish officer struck out a mode of gambling, for recruits. He +gave five guineas bounty, and one hundred to be raffled for by +young recruits,--the winner to be paid immediately, and to +purchase his discharge, if he pleased, for L20. The dice-box was +constantly going at his recruiting office in Dublin. + +DOUBLING THE STAKES. + +A dashing young man of large fortune, about the year 1820, lost +at a subscription house at the West End, L80,000. The winner was +a person of high rank. The young man, however, by doubling the +stakes, not only recovered his losses, but in his turn gained +considerably of his antagonist. + +AN ANNUITY FOR A GAMBLING DEBT. + +A fashionable nobleman had won from a young and noble relative +the sum of L40,000. The cash not being forthcoming, he accepted +an annuity of L4000. + +SIR WILLIAM COLEPEPPER. + +It is told of Sir William Colepepper that, after he had been +ruined himself at the gaming table, his whole delight was to sit +there and see others ruined. Hardened wretch--'Who though he +plays no more, overlooks the cards'--with this diabolical +disposition! + +THE BITER BITTEN. + +A certain duchess, of a ci-devant lord-lieutenant, who expected +to make a pigeon of Marshal Blucher, was fleeced of L200,000; to +pay which her lord was obliged to sell a great part of his +property, and reside on the continent. + +HUNTED DOWN. + +A stout-hearted and gallant military baronet lost an immense sum +at a celebrated gaming house; but was so fortunate as to recover +it, with L1200 more. This last sum HE PRESENTED TO THE WAITERS. +He was pursued by two of the 'play-wrights' to a northern +watering-place, where he was so plucked that all his possessions +were brought to the hammer. A competency was, however, saved +from the magnificent wreck. + +COMING OF AGE. + +When Sir C-- T--, a weak young man, with a large fortune, came of +age, the Greeks, thinking him an excellent quarry, went to York +Races, made him drunk and plundered him of a large sum. The next +morning one of the party waited upon him to acquaint him of his +loss--(L20,000 or L30,000), and brought bonds for his signature +to that amount! + +HEAVY LIABILITIES TO BEGIN WITH. + +In the year 1799, when the Marquis of Donegal succeeded to the +title on his father's death, his debts, principally to gamblers +and money-lenders, amounted to two hundred and fifty thousand +pounds sterling! + +A GENTLEMAN TURNED BARBER. + +In an old magazine I find the following curious statement:-- + +'There is now living in Barnaby Street, Carnaby Market, a man +who, although exercising the menial office of penny barber, was +in his younger days in possession of estates and personal +property to a large amount, and is the only lineal descendant +remaining of the very ancient family of the H--s of Bristol. + +'His relations dying when he was young, he was placed under +proper guardians, and received a liberal education, first at +Westminster, and afterwards at Cambridge, suitable to his rank +and fortune. When of age he converted his estates into money, +and retired to Dublin, where he remained some time. He then made +the tour of Europe, and returned to Ireland, where he went +through all the scenes of dissipation to which young men are so +much addicted, till at last he was beset by those harpies the +gamblers, and stripped of his immense fortune in one single +night! + +'He then subsisted for some little time on the bounty of his +undoers, who intended to make him one of them; but, not having +sufficient address for the profession, he was dismissed and "left +in the lurch;" and most of his friends discarding him, he +embarked with his last guinea for England. Here he has +encountered many difficulties, often been in gaol for debt, and +passed through various scenes of life, as valet, footman, thief- +taker, and at length, a penny-barber! He has a wife and large +family and lives in a very penurious manner, often lamenting his +early folly.'[11] + +[11] 'The Western County Magazine, 1791. By a Society of +Gentlemen.' This well-conducted old magazine was printed and +published at Salisbury, and was decidedly a credit to the town +and county. + +PENSIONED OFF BY A GAMING HOUSE. + +A visitor at Frascati's gaming house in Paris tells us:-- + +'I saw the Chevalier de la C--(a descendant of the once +celebrated romance-writer) when he was nearly ninety. The mode +of life of this old man was singular. He had lost a princely +property at the play-table, and by a piece of good fortune of +rare occurrence to gamesters, and unparalleled generosity, the +proprietors of the salon allowed him a pension to support him in +his miserable senility, just sufficient to supply him with a +wretched lodging--bread, and a change of raiment once in every +three or four years! In addition to this he was allowed a +supper--which was, in fact, his dinner--at the gaming house, +whither he went every night at about eleven o'clock. Till +supper-time (two o'clock in the morning) he amused himself in +watching the games and calculating the various chances, although +incapable of playing a single coup. At four o'clock he returned +to his lodging, retired to bed, and lay till between nine and ten +o'clock on the following night. A cup of coffee was then brought +to him, and, having dressed himself, at the usual hour he again +proceeded to the salon. This had been his round of life for +several years; and he told me that during all that time +(excepting on a few mornings about Midsummer) he had never beheld +the sun!' + +A Mr R--y, son of a baronet, left Wattier's club one night with +only L4 in his pocket, saying that he would look in at the hells. + +He did so, and, returning after three o'clock in the morning, +offered to bet L500 that he had above L4000. The result proved +that he had L4300, all won at gaming tables, from the small +beginning of L4. He then sat down to play games of skill at +Wattier's, and went home at six o'clock without a single pound! +The same man subsequently won L30,000, and afterwards lost it +all, with L15,000 more, and then 'went to the Continent.' + +A major of the Rifle Brigade, in consequence of gambling in +London, by which he lost vast sums of money, went out of his +senses and died a few years ago in an asylum. This occurred +within the last ten or twelve years. + +Says Mr Seymour Harcourt, in his 'Gaming Calendar,' 'I have +myself seen hanging in chains a man whom, a short time before, I +saw at a Hazard table!' + +Hogarth lent his tremendous power to the portrayal of the ruined +gamester, and shows it to the life in his print of the gaming +house in the 'Rake's Progress.' + +Three stages of that species of madness which attends gaming are +there described. On the first shock all is inward dismay. The +ruined gamester is represented leaning against a wall with his +arms across, lost in an agony of horror. Shortly after this +horrible gloom bursts into a storm and fury. He tears in pieces +whatever comes near him, and, kneeling down, invokes curses on +himself. His next attack is on others--on every one whom he +imagines to have been instrumental in his ruin. The eager joy of +the winning gamester, the attention of the usurer, and the +profound reverie of the highwayman, are all strongly marked in +this wonderful picture. + +HOW MANY GAMESTERS LIVE BY PLAY? + +It is an observation made by those who calculate on the gaming +world, that above nine-tenths of the persons who play LIVE by it. + +Now, as the ordinary establishment of a GENTEEL gamester, as he +is commonly called, cannot be less than L1000 per annum, luck, +which turns out EQUAL in the long run, will not support him; he +must therefore LIVE by what they call among themselves the BEST +OF THE GAME--or, in plain English, cheating. + +So much for the inner and outer life of gamblers. And now I +shall introduce Mr Ben. Disraeli, recounting, in the happiest +vein of his younger days, a magnificent gambling scene, quite on +a par with the legend of the Hindoo epic before quoted,[12] and +which, I doubt not, will (to use the young Disraeli's own words) +make the reader 'scud along and warm up into friskiness.' + +[12] Chapter II. + + +A curious phrase occurs in the 9th chapter of 'The Young Duke,' +in the paragraph at the beginning, after the words--'O ye +immortal gods!' + +Although the scene of the drama is part of a novel, yet there can +be no doubt of its being 'founded on fact'--at any rate, I think +there never was a narrative of greater verisimilitude. + +'After dinner, with the exception of Cogit, who was busied in +compounding some wonderful liquid for the future refreshment, +they sat down to Ecarte. Without having exchanged a word upon +the subject, there seemed a general understanding among all the +parties, that to-night was to be a pitched battle--and they began +at once, very briskly. Yet, in spite of their universal +determination, midnight arrived without anything very decisive. +Another hour passed over, and then Tom Cogit kept touching the +baron's elbow, and whispering in a voice which everybody could +understand. All this meant that supper was ready. It was +brought into the room. + +'Gaming has one advantage--it gives you an appetite; that is to +say, so long as you have a chance remaining. The duke had +thousands,--for at present his resources were unimpaired, and he +was exhausted by the constant attention and anxiety of five +hours. He passed over the delicacies, and went to the side- +table, and began cutting himself some cold roast beef. Tom Cogit +ran up, not to his Grace, but to the baron, to announce the +shocking fact, that the Duke of St James was enduring great +trouble; and then the baron asked his Grace to permit Mr Cogit to +serve him. + +'Our hero devoured--we use the word advisedly, as fools say in +the House of Commons--he devoured the roast beef, and rejecting +the hermitage with disgust, asked for porter. + +'They set to again, fresh as eagles. At six o'clock, accounts +were so complicated, that they stopped to make up their books. +Each played with his memorandums and pencil at his side. Nothing +fatal had yet happened. The duke owed Lord Dice about L5000, and +Temple Grace owed him as many hundreds. Lord Castlefort also was +his debtor to the tune of 750, and the baron was in his books, +but slightly. + +'Every half-hour they had a new pack of cards, and threw the used +ones on the floor. All this time Tom Cogit did nothing but snuff +the candles, stir the fire, bring them a new pack, and +occasionally made a tumbler for them. + +'At eight o'clock the duke's situation was worsened. The run was +greatly against him, and perhaps his losses were doubled. He +pulled up again the next hour or two; but, nevertheless, at ten +o'clock owed every one something. No one offered to give over; +and every one, perhaps, felt that his object was not obtained. +They made their toilets, and went down-stairs to breakfast. In +the mean time the shutters were opened, the room aired; and in +less than an hour they were at it again. + +'They played till dinner-time without intermission; and though +the duke made some desperate efforts, and some successful ones, +his losses were, nevertheless, trebled. Yet he ate an excellent +dinner, and was not at all depressed; because the more he lost +the more his courage and his resources seemed to expand. At +first, he had limited himself to 10,000; after breakfast, it was +to have been 20,000; then 30,000 was the ultimatum; and now he +dismissed all thoughts of limits from his mind, and was +determined to risk or gain everything. + +'At midnight he had lost L48,000. + +'Affairs now began to be serious. His supper was not so hearty. +While the rest were eating, he walked about the room, and began +to limit his ambition to recovery, and not to gain. + +'When you play to win back, the fun is over: there is nothing to +recompense you for your bodily tortures and your degraded +feelings; and the very best result that can happen, while it has +no charms, seems to your cowed mind impossible. + +'On they played, and the duke lost more. His mind was jaded. He +floundered--he made desperate efforts, but plunged deeper in the +slough. Feeling that, to regain his ground, each card must tell, +he acted on each as if it must win, and the consequences of this +insanity (for a gamester at such a crisis is really insane) were, +that his losses were prodigious. + +'Another morning came, and there they sat, ankle-deep in cards. +No attempt at breakfast now--no affectation of making a toilet, +or airing the room. The atmosphere was hot, to be sure, but it +well became such a hell. There they sat, in total, in positive +forgetfulness of everything but the hot game they were hunting +down. There was not a man in the room, except Tom Cogit, who +could have told you the name of the town in which they were +living. There they sat, almost breathless, watching every turn +with the fell look in their cannibal eyes, which showed their +total inability to sympathize with their fellow-beings. All the +forms of society had been forgotten. There was no snuff-box +handed about now, for courtesy, admiration, or a pinch; no +affectation of occasionally making a remark upon any other topic +but the all-engrossing one. + +'Lord Castlefort rested with his arms on the table:--a false +tooth had got unhinged. His Lordship, who, at any other time, +would have been most annoyed, coolly put it in his pocket. His +cheeks had fallen, and he looked twenty years older. + +'Lord Dice had torn off his cravat, and his hair flung down over +his callous, bloodless checks, straight as silk. + +'Temple Grace looked as if he were blighted by lightning; and his +deep-blue eyes gleamed like a hyaena. + +'The baron was least changed. + +'Tom Cogit, who smelt that the crisis was at hand, was as quiet +as a bribed rat. + +'On they played till six o'clock in the evening, and then they +agreed to desist till after dinner. Lord Dice threw himself on a +sofa. Lord Castlefort breathed with difficulty. The rest walked +about. While they were resting on their oars, the young duke +roughly made up his accounts. He found that he was minus about +L100,000. + +'Immense as this loss was, he was more struck--more appalled, let +us say--at the strangeness of the surrounding scene, than even by +his own ruin. As he looked upon his fellow-gamesters, he seemed, +for the first time in his life, to gaze upon some of those +hideous demons of whom he had read. He looked in the mirror at +himself. A blight seemed to have fallen over his beauty, and his +presence seemed accursed. He had pursued a dissipated, even more +than a dissipated, career. Many were the nights that had been +spent by him not on his couch; great had been the exhaustion that +he had often experienced; haggard had sometimes even been the +lustre of his youth. But when had been marked upon his brow this +harrowing care? When had his features before been stamped with +this anxiety, this anguish, this baffled desire, this strange, +unearthly scowl, which made him even tremble? What! was it +possible?--it could not be--that in time he was to be like those +awful, those unearthly, those unhallowed things that were around +him. He felt as if he had fallen from his state, as if he had +dishonoured his ancestry, as if he had betrayed his trust. He +felt a criminal. + +'In the darkness of his meditations a flash burst from his lurid +mind, a celestial light appeared to dissipate this thickening +gloom, and his soul felt, as it were, bathed with the softening +radiancy. He thought of May Dacre, he thought of everything that +was pure, and holy, and beautiful, and luminous, and calm. It +was the innate virtue of the man that made this appeal to his +corrupted nature. His losses seemed nothing; his dukedom would +be too slight a ransom for freedom from these ghouls, and for the +breath of the sweet air. + +'He advanced to the baron, and expressed his desire to play no +more. There was an immediate stir. All jumped up, and now the +deed was done. Cant, in spite of their exhaustion, assumed her +reign. They begged him to have his revenge,--were quite annoyed +at the result,--had no doubt he would recover if he proceeded. + +'Without noticing their remarks, he seated himself at the table, +and wrote cheques for their respective amounts, Tom Cogit jumping +up and bringing him the inkstand. Lord Castlefort, in the most +affectionate manner, pocketed the draft; at the same time +recommending the duke not to be in a hurry, but to send it when +he was cool. Lord Dice received his with a bow, Temple Grace +with a sigh, the baron with an avowal of his readiness always to +give him his revenge. + +'The duke, though sick at heart, would not leave the room with +any evidence of a broken spirit; and when Lord Castlefort again +repeated--"Pay us when we meet again," he said, "I think it very +improbable that we shall meet again, my Lord. I wished to know +what gaming was. I had heard a great deal about it. It is not +so very disgusting; but I am a young man, and cannot play tricks +with my complexion." + +'He reached his house. The Bird was out. He gave orders for +himself not to be disturbed, and he went to bed; but in vain he +tried to sleep. What rack exceeds the torture of an excited +brain and an exhausted body? His hands and feet were like ice, +his brow like fire; his ears rung with supernatural roaring; a +nausea had seized upon him, and death he would have welcomed. In +vain, in vain he courted repose; in vain he had recourse to every +expedient to wile himself to slumber. Each minute he started +from his pillow with some phrase which reminded him of his late +fearful society. Hour after hour moved on with its leaden pace; +each hour he heard strike, and each hour seemed an age. Each +hour was only a signal to cast off some covering, or shift his +position. It was, at length, morning. With a feeling that he +should go mad if he remained any longer in bed, he rose, and +paced his chamber. The air refreshed him. He threw himself on +the floor, the cold crept over his senses, and he slept.'[13] + +[13] 'The Young Duke,' by B. Disraeli, chapter VIII. This +gambling is the turning-point in the young duke's career; he +proves himself at length not unworthy of his noble ancestry arm +his high hereditary position,--takes his place in the Senate, and +weds the maiden of his love. + + +CHAPTER IV. + +ATROCITIES, DUELS, SUICIDES, AND EXECUTION OF GAMBLERS. + +The history of all nations is but the record of their cupidity; +and when the fury of gaming appears on the scene, it has never +failed to double the insolence and atrocities of tyranny. + +The atrocious gambling of the Hindoo Rajas has been related;[14] +and I have incidentally adverted to similar concomitants of the +vice among all nations. I now propose to bring together a series +of facts specially elucidative of the harrowing theme. + +[14] Chapter II. + + +One of the Ptolemys, kings of Egypt, required all causes to be +submitted to him whilst at play, and pronounced even sentence of +death according to chance. On one occasion his wife, Berenice, +pronounced thereanent those memorable words:--'There cannot be +too much deliberation when the death of a man is concerned'-- +afterwards adopted by Juvenal--Nulla unquam de morte hominis +cunctatio longa est.[15] + +[15] Aelian, Var. Hist. lib. XLIV. c. xiii.; Juvenal, Sat. vi. + + +Tolomnius, King of the Veii, happened to be playing at dice when +the arrival of Roman ambassadors was announced. At the very +instant he uttered the word KILL, a term of the game; the word +was misinterpreted by the hearers, and they went forthwith and +massacred the ambassadors. Livy suggests that this was an excuse +alleged AFTER the commission of the deed; but gamesters are +subject to such absence of mind that there is really nothing +incredible or astonishing in the act. 'Sire,' exclaimed a +messenger to the Caliph Alamin, 'it is no longer time for play-- +Babylon is besieged!' 'Silence!' said the caliph, 'don't you see +I am on the point of giving checkmate?' The same story is told +of a Duke of Normandy. + +Wars have arisen from very trivial causes--among the rest +gambling. Henry, the son of William the Conqueror, was playing +at chess with Louis, the son of Philip, King of France. The +latter, perceiving that he was losing the game got into a +passion, and calling Henry the son of a bastard, flung the chess- +board into his face. Henry took the chess-board and struck Louis +with it so violently that he drew blood, and would have killed +him if his brother, who happened to come in, had not prevented +him. The two brothers took to flight, but a great and lasting +war was the consequence of the gambling fracas. + +A gaming quarrel was the cause of the slap in the face given by +the Duc Rene to Louis XII., then only Duc d'Orleans. This slap +was the origin of a ligue which was termed 'the mad war.' The +resentment of the outraged prince was not appeased until he +mounted the throne, when he uttered these memorable words:--'A +King of France does not avenge insults offered to a Duke of +Orleans.' + +Many narratives of suicide committed by desperate gamblers are on +record, some of which I now adduce. + +SIR JOHN BLAND, OF KIPPAX PARK. + +Sir John Bland, of Kippax Park, flirted away his whole fortune at +Hazard. 'He, t'other night,' says Walpole, 'exceeded what was +lost by the late Duke of Bedford, having at one period of the +night (though he recovered the greater part of it) lost two and +thirty thousand pounds.' Sir John Kippax shot himself in 1705. + +LORD MOUNTFORD. + +Lord Mountford came to a tragic end through his gambling. He had +lost money; feared to be reduced to distress; asked for a +government appointment, and determined to throw the die of life +or death on the answer received from court. The answer was +unfavourable. He consulted several persons, indirectly at first, +afterwards pretty directly, on the easiest mode of finishing +life; invited a dinner-party for the day after; supped at +White's, and played at Whist till one o'clock of the New Year's +morning. Lord Robert Bertie drank to him 'a happy new year;' he +clapped his hand strangely to his eyes. In the morning, he sent +for a lawyer and three witnesses, executed his will, made them +read it over twice, paragraph by paragraph, asked the lawyer if +that will would stand good though a man were to shoot himself. +Being assured it would, he said--'Pray stay, while I step into +the next room;' went into the next room and shot himself, placing +the muzzle of the pistol so close to his head that the report was +not heard. + +A SUICIDE ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL. + +Gamblers have been known to set as coolly and deliberately about +blowing out their brains as if they had only been going to light +their cigars. Lord Orford, in his correspondence with Horace +Walpole, mentions two curious instances. + +One of the fashionable young men of Lord Orford's day had been +unhappily decoyed into a gambling house, where his passion for +play became so great that he spent nearly the whole of his time +in throwing the dice. He continued to gamble until he had not +only lost a princely fortune, but had incurred a large amount of +debt among his tradesmen. With the loss of his money, and the +utter beggary which stared him in the face, the unfortunate +victim of play lost all relish for life; and sought in death the +only refuge he could fancy from the infamy and misery which he +had brought upon himself. But whilst fully resolved on self- +destruction, he thought, before carrying his fatal purpose into +execution, he might as well do his tradesmen an act of justice, +even if in so doing he should do injustice to others. He insured +his life to the extent of his debts, amounting to several +thousand pounds. Being acquainted with several of the directors +of the company (he called them his life-and-death brokers) in +which he insured, he invited them to dinner the following day, +with the ostensible view of celebrating the completion of the +insurance. The tradesmen also received strict orders to be +present; and as the non-payment of their accounts for a long +period to come was the penalty of not acceding to his wishes in +this respect, it can scarcely be necessary to say that they were +all 'punctual as lovers to the moment sworn.' The dinner over, +and a liberal allowance of wine having been quaffed, the ruined +gambler desired the servant to call up all who were in the hall +below. In a few seconds the dining-room was filled with +tradesmen, all eager to receive payment of their accounts. 'Now, +gentlemen,' said the gambler, addressing his guests, and pointing +to the little crowd of tradesmen,--'now, gentlemen, these are all +my tradesmen; they are honest industrious men, to whom I am +indebted, and as I see no other earthly means of being ever able +to meet their just claims, you will be so kind as to pay them out +of the sum for which I insured my life yesterday. Allow me, +gentlemen, to bid you farewell.' And so saying, he pulled a +pistol from his pocket, and placing it to his head, that instant +blew out his brains. Of course his insurance office must have +been one that undertook to pay insurances whatever might be the +cause of death, not excepting suicide--which, like duelling, has +usually been a bar to such claims. + +REVELATIONS OF A GAMBLER ON THE POINT OF COMMITTING SELF-MURDER. + +The following is 'A full and particular account of a person who +threw himself into the Thames, from Blackfriars Bridge, on +Wednesday, July 10, 1782; with the melancholy paper he left +behind him, accounting to his wife and children for so rash an +action.' It is said that several thousands of the papers were +dispersed through London, and it is to be hoped that some of them +might produce that good effect which seems to have been so +anxiously desired by the person who wished them to be +distributed. + + 'Midnight, July 10, 1782. + +'Whoever thou art that readest this paper, listen to the voice of +one from the DEAD. While thine eyes peruse the lines their +writer may be suffering the most horrid punishments which an +incensed Creator can inflict upon the greatest sinner. + +'Reader, art thou of my own sex? Art thou a man? Oh, in +whatever rank of life, whether high or low,--beware of gambling! +Beware of so much as approaching an E O table! Had I ever met +with such a dreadful warning as I now offer thee, I might perhaps +have been saved from death--have been snatched from damnation. +Reader, art thou a woman? Oh, whether rich or poor, whether +wife, mother, sister, or daughter,--if thou suspect that the late +hours, the feverish body, the disturbed mind, the ruffled temper, +the sudden extravagance of him whom thou lovest, are caused by +frequenting the gaming table, oh, fail not to discover thy +suspicions--fail not to remonstrate! Had but my dear wife +remonstrated with me, when she saw me, in consequence of my +winnings, indulge in expense, which she must have known I could +not honestly afford, she would not now, within the next hour, be +deprived of her husband--of the only support of herself and her +three poor children in this world,--and deprived of him in a +manner which effectually cuts off all hopes of our ever meeting +in the happiness of another. * * * * + +'Yes, in less than an hour, coward as I am, I shall have deserted +my duty and my family in this world; and, wretch as I am, shall +have rushed into all the horrors of hell in another world, by +drowning myself. + +'By curiosity I was first led to the E O table. Ashamed to stand +idle I put upon E, it came E; upon O, it came O. Fortune +favoured me (as I foolishly called it), and I came away a winner. + +Something worse than curiosity, though hardly more dangerous, +carried me to another table another night. My view in going was +answered. My view was to WIN, and again I WON in the course of +the evening. Again I went, and again I won. For some weeks this +was the constant story. Oh, happy had I lost at first! Now I +went every night. Everything I ought to have done, neglected. +Up all night, I was forced to lie in bed all day. The strength +of my mind, which at THIS moment might save me, was hourly +wasting away. My wife was deceived with continual falsehoods, to +which nothing but her fondness for me blinded her. Even my +winnings, with the expense and extravagance in which I indulged +myself and family, were every day more than half exhausted. But +I felt that I was always to win. Fortune favoured me. Fortune +was now my deity. * * * * + +'But fortune, my new, my false deity, deserted me. My luck +TURNED. I am undone! Ruined! A beggar! My wife and children +will want a morsel of bread to eat. * * * * To destroy myself is +the only way to preserve my family from want, and to keep myself +from the GALLOWS. This morning I absolutely hesitated whether I +should not procure a sum of money with which to try my luck by +FORGERY. Gamesters, think of that-- FORGERY! O my dear wife, is +not anything better than seeing me conveyed to Tyburn? Yes, it +is better that before many hours you and your three helpless +daughters should be hanging in tears (I little merit) over my +lifeless, cold, and swollen body. + +'Readers, farewell! From my sad and voluntary death, learn +wisdom. In consequence of gaming I go to seek my destruction in +the Thames. Oh, think in what manner he deserves to be punished +who commits a crime which he is fully persuaded merits, and will +not fail to meet, the severest punishment.' + + The narrative proceeds to state that, 'between one and two +o'clock in the morning he took a sad farewell of this world, and +leaped over Blackfriars Bridge. It pleased Providence, however, +that he should be seen committing this desperate action by two +watermen, who found his body after it had been a considerable +time under water. In consequence of the methods used by the men +of the Humane Society, he was at length almost miraculously +restored to life and to his family. It is further stated that-- +'In consequence of the advice of a worthy clergyman he was +restored to reason and to religion. He now wonders how he could +think of committing so horrid a crime; and is not without hope +that by a life of continual repentance and exemplary religion, he +may obtain pardon hereafter. The paper which he wrote before he +set forth to drown himself he still desires should be made as +public as possible, and that this narrative should be added to +it. + +INCORRIGIBLE. + +In the year 1799, Sir W. L--, Bart., finding his eldest son +extremely distressed and embarrassed, told him that he would +relieve him from all his difficulties, on condition that he would +state to him, without reserve, their utmost extent, and give him +his honour never to play again for any considerable sum. The +debts--amounting to L22,000--were instantly discharged. Before a +week had elapsed he fell into his old habits again, and lost +L5000 more at a sitting; upon which he next morning shot himself! + +SUICIDE IN 1816. + +In 1816 a gentleman, the head of a first-rate concern in the +city, put a period to his existence by blowing out his brains. +He had gone to the Argyle Rooms a few nights before the act, and +accompanied a female home in a coach, with two men, friends of +the woman. When they got to her residence the two men proposed +to the gentleman to play for a dozen champagne to treat the lady +with, which the gentleman declined. They, however, after a great +deal of persuasion, prevailed on him to play for small sums, and, +according to the usual trick of gamblers, allowed him to win at +first, till they began to play for double, when there is no doubt +the fellows produced loaded dice, and the gentleman lost to the +amount of L1800! This brought him to his senses--as well it +might. He then invented an excuse for not paying that sum, by +saying that he was under an agreement with his partner not to +draw for a larger amount than L300 for his private account--and +gave them a draft for that amount, promising the remainder at a +future day. This promise, however, he did not attend to, not +feeling himself bound by such a villainous transaction, +especially after giving them so much. But the robbers found out +who he was and his residence, and had the audacity to go, armed +with bludgeons, and attack him publicly on his own premises, in +the presence of those employed there, demanding payment of their +nefarious 'debt of honour,' and threatening him, if he did not +pay, that he should fight! + +This exposure had such an effect on his feelings that he made an +excuse to retire--did so--and blew out his brains with a pistol! + +This rash act was the more to be lamented because it prevented +the bringing to condign punishment, the plundering villains who +were the cause of it.[16] + +[16] Annual Register, vol. lviii. + + +OTHER INSTANCES. + +A gallant Dutch officer, after having lost a splendid fortune not +long since (1823) in a gambling house at Aix-la-Chapelle, shot +himself. A Russian general, also, of immense wealth, terminated +his existence in the same manner and for the same cause. More +recently, a young Englishman, who lost the whole of an immense +fortune by gambling at Paris, quitted this world by stabbing +himself in the neck with a fork. A short time previously another +Englishman, whose birth was as high as his wealth had been +considerable, blew his brains out in the Palais Royal, after +having literally lost his last shilling. Finally, an unfortunate +printer at Paris, who had a wife and five children, finished his +earthly career for the same cause, by suffocating himself with +the fumes of charcoal; he said, in his farewell note to his +unhappy wife--'Behold the effect of gaming!'[17] + +[17] Ubi supra. + + +'IF I LOSE I SHALL COMMIT SUICIDE.' + +A young man having gambled away his last shilling, solicited the +loan of a few pounds from one of the proprietors of the hell in +which he had been plundered. 'What security will you give me?' +asked the fellow. 'My word of honour,' was the reply. 'Your +word of honour! That's poor security, and won't do,' rejoined +the hellite; 'if you can pawn nothing better than that, you'll +get no money out of me.' 'Then you won't lend me a couple of +pounds?' 'Not without security,' was the reply. 'Why, surely, +you won't refuse me a couple of sovereigns, after having lost so +much?' 'I won't advance you a couple of shillings without +security.' + +Still bent upon play, and greedy for the means to gratify his +passion, the unhappy man, as if struck by a sudden thought, +exclaimed--'I'll give you security--the clothes on my back are +quite new, and worth eight guineas; you shall have them as +security. Lend me two sovereigns on them.' + +'Suppose you lose,' doggedly rejoined the other, 'I cannot strip +them off your back.' 'Don't trouble yourself on that head,' +replied the desperate wretch; 'if I lose I shall commit suicide, +which I have been meditating for some time, and you shall surely +have my clothes. I shall return to my lodgings before daylight, +in the most worn-out and worthless dressing-gown or great-coat +you can procure for me, leaving my clothes with you.' + +The two sovereigns were advanced, and in ten or twelve minutes +were lost. The keeper of the table demanded the clothes, and the +unfortunate man stripped himself with the utmost coolness of +manner, and wrapping his body in a worn-out greatcoat, quitted +the place with the full purpose of committing self-murder. He +did not direct his steps homeward, however, but resolved to +accomplish the horrid deed by suspending himself from a lamp-post +in a dark lane near the place. While making the necessary +preparations he was observed by a constable, who at once took him +into custody, and on the following morning he was carried before +the magistrate, where all the circumstances of the affair came +out. + +SUICIDE AT VERDUN. + +During the great French War, among other means resorted to in +order to ease the English prisoners at Verdun of their loose +cash, a gaming table was set up for their sole accommodation, +and, as usual, led to scenes of great depravity and horror. For +instance, a young man was enticed into this sink of iniquity, +when he was tempted to throw on the table a five-franc piece; he +won, and repeated the experiment several times successfully, +until luck turned against him, and he lost everything he had. +The manager immediately offered a rouleau of a thousand francs, +which, in the heat of play, he thoughtlessly accepted, and also +lost. He then drew a bill on his agent, which his captain (he +was an officer in the English army) endorsed. The proceeds of +this went the way of the rouleau. He drew two more bills, and +lost again. The next morning he was found dead in his bed, with +his limbs much distorted and his fingers dug into his sides. On +his table was found an empty laudanum bottle, and some scraps of +paper on which he had been practising the signature of Captain +B----. On inquiry it was found that he had forged that officer's +name to the two last bills. + +'IN AT THE DEATH.' + +In 1819 an inquest was held on the body of a gentleman found +hanging from one of the trees in St James's Park. The evidence +established the melancholy fact that the deceased was in the +habit of frequenting gambling houses, and had sunk into a state +of dejection on account of his losses; and it seemed probable +that it was immediately after his departure from one of these +receptacles of rogues and their dupes that he committed suicide. +The son of the gate-keeper at St James's saw several persons +round the body at four o'clock in the morning, one of whom, a +noted gambler, said: 'Look at his face; why, have you forgotten +last night? Don't you recollect him now?' They were, no doubt, +all gamblers--in at the death.' + +The three following stories, if not of actual suicide, relate +crimes which bear a close resemblance to self-murder. + +A GAMBLER PAWNING HIS EARS. + +A clerk named Chambers, losing his monthly pay, which was his +all, at a gaming table, begged to borrow of the manager's; but +they knew his history too well to lend without security, and +therefore demanded something in pawn. 'I have nothing to give +but my ears,' he replied. 'Well,' said one of the witty demons, +'let us have them.' The youth immediately took a knife out of +his pocket and actually cut off all the fleshy part of one of his +cars and threw it on the table, to the astonishment of the +admiring gamesters. He received his two dollars, and gambled on. + +A GAMBLER SUBMITTING TO BE HANGED. + +The following incident is said to have occurred in London:--Two +fellows were observed by a patrol sitting at a lamp-post in the +New Road; and, on closely watching them, the latter discovered +that one was tying up the other, who offered no resistance, by +the neck. The patrol interfered to prevent such a strange kind +of murder, and was assailed by both, and very considerably beaten +for his good offices; the watchmen, however, poured in, and the +parties were secured. On examination next morning, it appeared +that the men had been gambling; that one had lost all his money +to the other, and had at last proposed to stake his clothes. The +winner demurred--observing that he could not strip his adversary +naked in the event of his losing. 'Oh,' replied the other, 'do +not give yourself any uneasiness about that; if I lose I shall be +unable to live, and you shall hang me, and take my clothes after +I am dead, for I shall then, you know, have no occasion for +them.' The proposed arrangement was assented to; and the fellow +having lost, was quietly submitting to the terms of the treaty +when he was interrupted by the patrol, whose impertinent +interference he so angrily resented. + +TWO GAMBLERS TOSSING WHO SHOULD HANG THE OTHER. + +In the year 1812 an extraordinary investigation took place at Bow +Street. Croker, the officer, was passing along Hampstead Road; +he observed at a short distance before him two men on a wall, and +directly after saw the tallest of them, a stout man, about six +feet high, hanging by his neck from a lamp-post attached to the +wall, being that instant tied up and turned off by the short man. + +This unexpected and extraordinary sight astonished the officer; +he made up to the spot with all speed, and just after he arrived +there the tall man, who had been hanged, fell to the ground, the +handkerchief with which he had been suspended having given way. +Croker produced his staff, said he was an officer, and demanded +to know of the other man the cause of such conduct; in the mean +time the man who had been hanged recovered, got up, and on +Croker's interfering, gave him a violent blow on his nose, which +nearly knocked him backward. The short man was endeavouring to +make off; however, the officer procured assistance, and both were +brought to the office, where the account they gave was that they +worked on canals. They had been together on Wednesday afternoon, +tossed for money, and afterwards for their CLOTHES; the tall man +who was hanged won the other's jacket, trousers, and shoes; they +then tossed up which should HANG THE OTHER, and the short one won +the toss. They got upon the wall, the one to submit, and the +other to hang him on the lamp-iron. They both agreed in this +statement. The tall one, who had been hanged, said if he had won +the toss he would have hanged the other. He said he then felt +the effects upon his neck of his hanging, and his eyes were so +much swelled that he saw DOUBLE. + +The magistrates, continues the report in the 'Annual Register,' +expressed their horror and disgust; and ordered the man who had +been hanged to find bail for the violent and unjustifiable +assault upon the officer; and the short one, for hanging the +other--a very odd decision in the latter case--since the act was +murder 'to all intents and purposes' designed and intended. The +report says, however, that, not having bail, they were committed +to Bridewell for trial.[20] The result I have not discovered. + +[20] Annual Register, 1812, vol. liv. + + +Innumerable duels have resulted from quarrels over the gaming +table, although nothing could be more Draconic than the law +especially directed against such duels. By the Act of Queen Anne +against gaming, all persons sending a challenge on account of +gaming disputes were liable to forfeit all their goods and to be +committed to prison for two years. No case of the kind, however, +was ever prosecuted on that clause of the Act, which was, in +other respects, very nearly inoperative. + +GAMBLING DUELS IN THE YEAR 1818. + +It so happened that almost every month of the year 1818 was +'distinguished' by a duel or two, resulting from quarrels at +gambling or in gambling houses. + +January. 'A meeting took place yesterday at an early hour, +between Captain B--r--y and Lieutenant T--n--n, in consequence of +a dispute at play. Wimbledon Common was the ground, and the +parties fired twice, when the lieutenant was slightly wounded in +the pistol hand, the ball grazing the right side; and here the +affair ended.' + +January. 'A meeting took place on the 9th instant, at Calais, +between Lieut. Finch, 20th regiment of Dragoons, and Lieut. +Boileau, on half-pay of the 41st regiment. Lieut. Finch was +bound over, some days back, to keep the peace in England; in +consequence of which he proceeded to Calais, accompanied by his +friend, Captain Butler, where they were followed by Lieut. +Boileau and his friend Lieut. Hartley. It was settled by Captain +Butler, previous to Lieut. Finch taking his ground, that HE WAS +BOUND IN HONOUR to receive LIEUT. BOILEAU'S FIRE as he had given +so serious a provocation as a blow. This arrangement was, +however, defeated, by Lieut. Finch's pistol "accidentally" going +off, apparently in the direction of his opponent, which would +probably have led to fatal consequences had it not been for the +IMPLICIT RELIANCE placed by Lieut. Boileau's friend on the STRICT +HONOUR of Capt. Butler, whose anxiety, steadiness, and +gentlemanly conduct on this and every other occasion, were too +well known to leave a doubt on the minds of the opposite party, +that Lieut. Finch's pistol going off was ENTIRELY ACCIDENTAL. A +reconciliation, therefore, immediately took place.' + +February 17. 'Information was received at the public office, +Marlborough Street, on Saturday last, that a duel was about to +take place yesterday, in the fields contiguous to Chalk Farm, +between Colonel Tucker and Lieut. Nixon, the latter having +challenged the former in public company, for which and previous +abuse the colonel inflicted severe chastisement with a thick +stick. Subsequent information was received that the colonel's +friends deemed it unnecessary for him to meet the challenger, but +that his remedy was to repeat the former chastisement when +insulted. It was further stated that a few half-pay officers, of +inferior rank, had leagued together for the purpose of procuring +others to give a challenge, and which it was the determination to +put down by adopting the colonel's plan.' + +February. 'A captain in the army shook hands with a gallant +lieut.-colonel (who had distinguished himself in the Peninsula) +at one of the West End gaming houses, and Lieut. N--, who was +present, upbraided the colonel with the epithet of "poltroon." +On a fit opportunity the colonel inflicted summary justice upon +the lieutenant with a cane or horse-whip. This produced a +challenge; but the colonel was advised that he would degrade +himself by combat with the challenger, and he therefore declined +it, but promised similar chastisement to that inflicted. It was +then stated that the colonel was bound to fight any other person +who would stand forth as the champion of Lieut. N--, to which the +colonel consented,--when a Lieut. J--n--e appeared as the +champion, and the meeting was appointed for Tuesday morning at +Turnham Green. The information of the police was renewed, and +Thomas Foy apprehended the parties at an inn near the spot, early +in the morning. They were consequently bound over to keep the +peace. It appears, however, that the lieutenant in this instance +was not the champion of the former, but had been challenged by +the colonel.' + +April. 'A meeting was to have taken place yesterday in +consequence of a dispute at play, between Captain R--n--s and Mr +B--e--r, a gentleman of fortune; but it was prevented by the +interference of the police, and the parties escaped. It took +place, however, on the following day, on Wimbledon Common, and +after exchanging a single shot the matter was adjusted.' + +May. 'In consequence of a dispute at a gaming table, on Monday +night, in the vicinity of Piccadilly, Mr M--, who was an officer +in the British service at Brussels, and Mr B--n, a medical man, +met, at three in the morning, on Tuesday, in the King's Road. +They fought at twelve paces. Mr B--n was wounded on the back +part of the hand, and the affair was adjusted.' + +July. 'A duel was fought yesterday morning, on Wimbledon Common, +between a Mr Arrowsmith and Lieut. Flynn, which ended in the +former being wounded in the thigh. The dispute which occasioned +the meeting originated in a gaming transaction.' + +September. 'A duel was fought this morning on Hounslow Heath, +between Messrs Hillson and Marsden. The dispute arose in one of +the stands at Egham races. The latter was seriously wounded in +the left side, and conveyed away in a gig.' + +November. 'A duel originating, over a dispute at play was fixed +to take place on Wimbledon Common, at daybreak, yesterday +morning, but information having been received that police +officers were waiting, the parties withdrew.' + +GAMING DUEL AT PARIS, 1827. + +A medical student, named Goulard, quarrelled at billiards with a +fellow-student named Caire. Their mutual friends, having in vain +tried every means of persuasion to prevent the consequences of +the dispute, accompanied the young men without the walls of +Paris. Goulard seemed disposed to submit to an arrangement, but +Cairo obstinately refused. The seconds measured the ground, and +the first shot having been won by Goulard, he fired, and Caire +fell dead. Goulard did not appear during the prosecution that +followed; he continued absent on the day fixed for judgment, and +the court, conformably to the code of criminal proceedings, +pronounced on the charge without the intervention of a jury. It +acquitted Goulard of premeditation, but condemned him for +contumacy, to perpetual hard labour, and to be branded; and this +in spite of the fact that the advocate-general had demanded +Goulard's acquittal of the charge. + +THE END OF A GAMESTER. + +In 1788, a Scotch gentleman, named William Brodie, was tried and +convicted at Edinburgh, for stealing bank-notes and money, with +violence. This man, at the death of his father, twelve years +before, inherited a considerable estate in houses, in the city of +Edinburgh, together with L10,000 in money; but, by an unhappy +connection and a too great propensity to gaming, he was reduced +to the desperation which brought him at last to the scaffold. It +is stated that his demeanour on receiving the dreadful sentence +was equally cool and determined; moreover, that he was dressed in +a blue coat, fancy vest, satin breeches, and white silk +stockings; a cocked hat; his hair full dressed and powdered; and, +lastly, that he was carried back to prison in a chair. Such was +the respectful treatment of 'gentlemen' prisoners in Scotland +towards the end of the last century. + +DUEL WITH A SHARPER. + +A Monsieur de Boisseuil, one of the Kings equerries, being at a +card-party, detected one of the players cheating, and exposed his +conduct. + +The insulted 'gentleman' demanded satisfaction, when Boisseuil +replied that he did not fight with a person who was a rogue. + +'That MAY be,' said the other, 'but I do not like to be CALLED +one.' + +They met on the ground, and Boisseuil received two desperate +wounds from the sharper. + +This man's plea against Boisseuil is a remarkable trait. Madame +de Stael has alluded to it in her best style. 'In France,' she +says, 'we constantly see persons of distinguished rank, who, when +accused of an improper action, will say--"It may have been wrong, +but no one will dare assert it to my face!" Such an expression +is an evident proof of confirmed depravity; for, what would be +the condition of society if it was only requisite to kill one +another, to commit with impunity every evil action,--to break +one's word and assert falsehood--provided no one dared tell you +that you lied?' + +In countries where public opinion is more severe on the want of +probity and fair-dealing, should a man transgress the laws of +these principles of human conduct, ten duels a day would not +enable him to recover the esteem he has forfeited. + +MAJOR ONEBY AND MR GOWER. + +This duel originated as follows:--It appears that a Major Oneby, +being in company with a Mr Gower and three other persons, at a +tavern, in a friendly manner, after some time began playing at +Hazard; when one of the company, named Rich, asked if any one +would set him three half-crowns; whereupon Mr Gower, in a jocular +manner, laid down three half-pence, telling Rich he had set him +three pieces, and Major Oneby at the same time set Rich three +half-crowns, and lost them to him. + +Immediately after this, Major Oneby, in a angry manner, turned +about to Mr Gower and said--'It was an impertinent thing to set +down half-pence,' and called him 'an impertinent puppy' for so +doing. To this Mr Gower answered--'Whoever calls me so is a +rascal. 'Thereupon Major Oneby took up a bottle, and with great +force threw it at Mr Gower's head, but did not hit him, the +bottle only brushing some of the powder out of his hair. Mr +Gower, in return, immediately tossed a candlestick or a bottle at +Major Oneby, which missed him; upon which they both rose to fetch +their swords, which were then hung in the room, and Mr Gower drew +his sword, but the Major was prevented from drawing his by the +company. Thereupon Mr Gower threw away his sword, and the +company interposing, they sat down again for the space of an +hour. + +At the expiration of that time, Mr Gower said to Major Oneby--'We +have had hot words, and you were the aggressor, but I think we +may pass it over'--at the same time offering him his hand; but +the Major replied--'No, d--n you, I WILL HAVE YOUR BLOOD.' + +After this, the reckoning being paid, all the company, excepting +Major Oneby, went out to go home, and he called to Mr Gower, +saying--'Young man, come back, I have something to say to you.' +Whereupon Mr Gower returned to the room, and immediately the door +was closed, and the rest of the company excluded--when a clashing +of swords was heard, and Major Oneby gave Mr Gower a mortal +wound. It was found, on the breaking up of the company, that +Major Oneby had his great coat over his shoulders, and that he +had received three slight wounds in the fight. Mr Gower, being +asked on his death-bed whether he had received his wounds in a +manner among swordsmen called fair, answered--'I think I did.' +Major Oneby was tried for the offence, and found guilty of +murder, 'having acted upon malice and deliberation, and not from +sudden passion.' + +THE NEPHEW OF A BRITISH PEER. + +In 1813, the nephew of a British peer was executed at Lisbon. He +had involved himself by gambling, and being detected in robbing +the house of an English friend, by a Portuguese servant, he shot +the latter dead to prevent discovery. This desperate act, +however, did not enable him to escape the hands of justice. +After execution, his head was severed from his body and fixed on +a pole opposite the house in which the murder and robbery were +committed. + +The following facts will show the intimate connection between +gambling and Robbery or Forgery. + +EDWARD WORTLEY MONTAGU AND THE JEW ABRAHAM PAYBA. + +Edward Wortley Montagu was the only son of the celebrated Lady +Mary Wortley Montagu, whose eccentricities he inherited without +her genius. Montagu, together with Lords Taffe and Southwell, +was accused of having invited one Abraham Payba, alias James +Roberts, a Jew, to dine with them at Paris, in the year 1751; and +of having plied him with wine till he became intoxicated, and so +lost at play the sum of 800 louis d'ors. It was affirmed that +they subsequently called at his house, and that on his exhibiting +an evident disinclination to satisfy their demands, they +threatened to cut him across the face with their swords unless he +instantly paid them. Terrified by their violence, and, at the +same time, unwilling to part with his gold, the Jew had cunning +enough to give them drafts on a Paris banker, by whom, as he had +no dealings with him, he well knew that his bills would be +dishonoured; and, to escape the vengeance of those whom he had +outwitted, quitted Paris. On ascertaining how completely they +had been duped, Montagu, with his associates Lords Taffe and +Southwell, repaired to the house of the Jew, and after ransacking +his drawers and strong boxes, are said to have possessed +themselves of a very considerable sum of money, in addition to +diamonds, jewels, and other valuable articles. The Jew had it +now in his power to turn on his persecutors, and accordingly he +appealed to the legislature for redress. Lord Southwell +contrived to effect his escape, but Lord Taffe and Montagu were +arrested, and were kept in separate dungeons in the Grand +Chatelet, for nearly three months. The case was subsequently +tried in a court of law, and decided in favour of the +accused,--the Jew being adjudged to make reparation and defray +the costs! Against the injustice of this sentence he appealed to +the high court of La Tournelle at Paris, which reversed it. Lord +Taffe and Montagu afterwards appealed, in their turn, but of the +definitive result there is no record. + +DR WILLIAM DODD. + +Le Sage, in his 'Gil Blas,' says that 'the devil has a particular +spite against private tutors;' and he might have added, against +popular preachers. By popular preachers I do not mean such grand +old things as Bossuet, Massillon, and Bourdaloue. All such men +were proof against the fiery darts of the infernal tempter. From +their earliest days they had been trained to live up to the Non +nobis Domine, 'Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name, give +glory.' All of them had only at heart the glory of their church- +cause; though, of course, the Jesuit Bourdaloue worked also for +his great Order, then culminating in glory. + +The last-named, too, was another La Fontaine in simplicity, +preparing for his grandest predications by sorrily rasping on an +execrable fiddle. So, if the devil had lifted him up to a high +mountain, showing him all he would give him, he would have simply +invited him to his lonely cell, to have a jig to the tune of his +catguts. + +Your popular preachers in England have been, and are, a different +sort of spiritual workers. They have been, and are, +individualities, perpetually reminded of the fact, withal; and +fiercely tempted accordingly. The world, the flesh, and the +devil, incessantly knock at their door. If they fall into the +snare it is but natural, and much to be lamented. + +Dr Dodd had many amiable qualities; but his reputation as a +scholar, and his notoriety as a preacher, appear to have entirely +turned his head. + +He had presented to him a good living in Bedfordshire; but the +income thereof was of no avail in supplying his wants: he was +vain, pompous, in debt, a gambler. Temptation came upon him. To +relieve himself he tried by indirect means to obtain the rectory +of St George's, Hanover Square, by sending an anonymous letter to +Lady Apsley, offering the sum of L3000 if by her means he could +be presented to the living; the letter was immediately sent to +the chancellor, and, after being traced to the sender, laid +before the king. His name was ordered to be struck out of the +list of chaplains; the press abounded with satire and invective; +Dodd was abused and ridiculed, and even Foote, in one of his +performances at the Haymarket, made him a subject of +entertainment. Dodd then decamped, and went to his former pupil, +Lord Chesterfield, in Switzerland, who gave him another living; +but his extravagance being undiminished, he was driven to schemes +which covered him with infamy. After the most extravagant and +unseemly conduct in France, he returned to England, and forged a +bond as from his pupil, Lord Chesterfield, for the sum of L4200, +and, upon the credit of it, obtained a large sum of money; but +detection instantly following, he was committed to prison, tried +and convicted at the Old Bailey, Feb. 24, and executed at +Tyburn, June 27 (after a delay of four months), exhibiting every +appearance of penitence. The great delay between the sentence +and execution was owing to a doubt for some time respecting the +admissibility of an evidence which had been made use of to +convict him. + +Lord Chesterfield has been accused of a cold and relentless +disposition in having deserted his old tutor in his extremity. +But Mr Jesse says that he heard it related by a person who lived +at the period, that at a preliminary examination of the +unfortunate divine, Lord Chesterfield, on some pretence, placed +the forged document in Dodd's hands, with the kind intention that +he should take the opportunity of destroying it, but the latter +wanted either the courage or the presence of mind enough to avail +himself of the occasion. This, however, is scarcely an excuse, +for, certainly, it was not for Dr Dodd to destroy the fatal +document. If Lord Chesterfield had wished to suppress that vital +evidence he could have done so. + +Dr Johnson exerted himself to the utmost to try and save poor +Dodd; but George III. was inexorable. Respecting this benevolent +attempt of the Doctor, Chalmers writes as follows:-- + +Dr Johnson appears indeed in this instance to have been more +swayed by popular judgment than he would perhaps have been +willing to allow. The cry was--"the honour of the clergy;" but +if the honour of the clergy was tarnished, it was by Dodd's +crime, and not his punishment; for his life had been so long a +disgrace to his cloth that he had deprived himself of the +sympathy which attaches to the first deviation from rectitude, +and few criminals could have had less claim to such a display of +popular feeling.' + +All applications for the Royal mercy having failed, Dr Dodd +prepared himself for death, and with a warmth of gratitude wrote +to Dr Johnson as follows:-- + + 'June 25, Midnight. + +'Accept, thou GREAT and GOOD heart, my earnest and fervent thanks +and prayers for all thy benevolent and kind efforts in my +behalf.--Oh! Dr Johnson! as I sought your knowledge at an early +hour in my life, would to Heaven I had cultivated the love and +acquaintance of so excellent a man!--I pray God most sincerely to +bless you with the highest transports--the infelt satisfaction of +HUMANE and benevolent exertions!--And admitted, as I trust I +shall be, to the realms of bliss before you, I shall hail YOUR +arrival there with transport, and rejoice to acknowledge that you +were my comforter, my advocate, and my FRIEND. God be EVER with +YOU!' + +Dr Johnson's reply. + +'To the Reverend Dr Dodd. + +'Dear Sir,--That which is appointed to all men is now coming upon +you. Outward circumstances, the eyes and thoughts of men, are +below the notice of an immortal being about to stand the trial +for eternity, before the Supreme Judge of heaven and earth. Be +comforted: your crime, morally or religiously considered, has no +very deep dye of turpitude. It corrupted no man's principles. +It attacked no man's life. It involved only a temporary and +reparable injury. Of this, and of all other sins, you are +earnestly to repent; and may God, who knoweth our frailty, and +desireth not our death, accept your repentance, for the sake of +His Son Jesus Christ our Lord! + +'In requital of those well-intended offices which you are pleased +so emphatically to acknowledge, let me beg that you make in your +devotions one petition for my eternal welfare. +'I am, dear Sir, + 'Your affectionate servant, + + 'SAM. JOHNSON. + +Next day, 27th June, Dr Dodd was executed. + +CAPTAIN DAVIS. + +Captain Davis was some time in the Life Guards, and a lieutenant +in the Yeomen of the Household--a situation which placed him +often about the persons of the Royal family. He was seldom known +to play for less stakes than L50, often won or lost large sums, +and was represented as a gentleman of extensive and independent +fortune, although some of his enemies declared otherwise, and +repeated anecdotes to confirm the assertion. He was at length +committed for forgeries to an immense amount. To the fidelity of +a servant he owed his escape from Giltspur Street prison--another +fatal example of the sure result of gambling. Heir to a +title--moving in the first society--having held a commission in +the most distinguished of the Royal regiments--he was reduced to +the alternative of an ignominious flight with outlawry, or +risking the forfeiture of his wretched life, to the outraged laws +of his country. When in Paris, he at one time had won L30,000, +and on his way home he dropped into another gambling house, where +he lost it all but L3000. He set out in life with L20,000 in +money! + +DESPERATE CAREER OF HENRY WESTON. + +Henry Weston was nephew to the distinguished Admiral Sir Hugh +Palliser. + +Having unlimited control of the large property of his employer, a +Mr Cowan, during the absence of the latter from town, he was +tempted first to gamble in the funds, wherein being unfortunate, +he next went to a gambling house in Pall Mall, and lost a very +large sum; and at length, gamed away nearly all his master's +property. + +In this tremendous result--lost to all intents and purposes--he +made a supreme effort to 'patch up' the ruin he had made. He +forged the name of General Tonyn; and so dexterously, that he +obtained from the Bank of England the sum of L10,000. + +This huge robbery from Peter was not to pay Paul. Not a bit of +it. It was to try the fickle goddess of gaming once more--a +Napoleonic stroke for an Austerlitz of fortune. + +He lost this L10,000 in two nights. + +Did he despair at this hideous catastrophe? Did he tear his +hair--rush out of the room--blow his brains out or drown himself? + +Not a bit of it. He 'set his wits to work' once more. He +procured a woman to personate General Tonyn's sister--forged +again--and again obtained from the Bank of England another large +supply of ready cash--with which, however, he 'went off' this +time. + +He was caught; and then only he thought of self-murder, and cut +his throat--but not effectually. He recovered, was tried at the +Old Bailey, and hanged on the 6th of July, 1796. + +No doubt the reader imagines that the man of such a career was an +OLD stager--some long-visaged, parchment-faced fellow the OTHER +side of forty at least. Well, this hero of the gaming table, +Henry Weston, was aged only TWENTY-THREE years! What terrible +times those must have been to produce such a prodigy! + +To the judge who tried him Henry Weston sent a list of a number +of PROFESSIONAL GAMBLERS, among them was a person of high rank. +Weston, at different times, lost above L46,000 at play; and at a +house in Pall Mall, where he lost a considerable part of it, +three young officers also lost no less than L35,000. + +ARTHUR THISTLEWOOD. + +It seems that the wretched traitor Arthur Thistlewood, who paid +the forfeit of his life for his crimes, had dissipated by gaming +the property he had acquired by a matrimonial connection-- +L12,000. An unfortunate transaction at cards, during the Lincoln +races, involved him in difficulties, which he found it impossible +to meet; and he fled to avoid the importunities of his more +fortunate associates. He was afterwards known only as the +factious demagogue and the professed gambler! + +FOUNTLEROY, THE FORGER. + +Henry Fountleroy was a gentleman of rank, a partner in the +banking house of Marsh, Sibbold, and Co., of Berners Street. He +was convicted of having forged a deed for the transfer of L5450 +long annuities, in fraud of a certain Frances Young. Like +Thurtell, Fountleroy defended himself, and battled with the +prejudicial reports circulated against him--among the rest his +addiction to gambling. 'I am accused,' he said, 'of being an +habitual gambler, an accusation which, if true, might easily +account for the diffusion of the property. I am, indeed, a +member of two clubs, the Albion and the Stratford, but never in +my life did I play in either at cards, or dice, or any game of +chance; this is well known to the gentlemen of these clubs; and +my private friends, with whom I more intimately associated, can +equally assert my freedom from all habit or disposition to +play.'[21] + +[21] See the case in 'Celebrated Trials,' vol. vi + +I close this record of crime and misery by a few narratives of a +more miscellaneous character. + +GAMBLING FOR LIFE. + +Marshal Grammont used to tell a story of three soldiers, who, +having committed offences punishable by death, it was ordered +that one of them should be hanged as an example, and the three +were directed to decide which of them should suffer by throwing +dice. The first threw fourteen, the second seventeen, and the +last, taking up the dice as coolly as though he were engaged in a +trivial game, threw eighteen! Thereupon he exclaimed, with an +expression of vexation, 'Ah, now! if I had been playing for money +I should not have been so lucky!' + +This may appear 'taking it very cool;' but I think the following +cases of Englishmen' rather stronger.' + +ONE OF MANY INSTANCES. + +In the Times of February 11th, 1819, mention is made of a gang of +nearly thirty persons, male and female, and all presenting the +most shocking appearance of both want and depravity, who were +brought to the Marlborough Street Office. Among these wretched +beings was a woman named Hewitt, said to be the wife of one +Captain Hewitt, a leader of the ton, who, after ruining himself +and family at the gambling table, ran away from them, and was not +since heard of. His wife being left to herself, and having +probably been tainted by his evil example, by an easy gradation +became first embarrassed, then a prostitute, then a thief, and on +the occasion above mentioned exhibited one of the most +distressing spectacles of vice and misery that could be +conceived. + +TRURTELL THE MURDERER. + +This man, it is well known, was executed for the murder of Weare. + +Thurtell was evidently no common man. His spoken defence, as +reported, is one of the finest specimens of impassioned +eloquence--perfectly Demosthenic. His indignation at the reports +circulated in prejudice of his case was overwhelming. Nothing +can be finer than the turn of the following sentence:--'I have +been represented by the Press--WHICH CARRIES ITS BENEFITS OR +CURSES ON RAPID WINGS from one extremity of the kingdom to the +other--as a man more depraved, more gratuitously and habitually +profligate and cruel, than has ever appeared in modern times.' + +Touching his gambling pursuits, he said:--'I have been +represented to you as a man who was given to gambling, and the +constant companion of gamblers. To this accusation in some part +my heart, with feeling penitence, pleads guilty. I have gambled; +I have been a gambler, but not for the last three years. During +that time I have not attended or betted upon a horse-race, or a +fight, or any public exhibition of that nature. If I have erred +in these things, half of the nobility of the land have been my +examples; some of the most enlightened statesmen of the country +have been my companions in them. I have, indeed, been a gambler; +I have been an unfortunate one. But whose fortune have I +ruined?--whom undone? My own family have I ruined; I have undone +myself!'[22] + +[22] See the entire speech in 'Celebrated Trials,' vol. vi. 547. + + +A MOST WONDERFUL END OF A GAMBLER. + +In the Annual Register for the year 1766 occurs the following +'circumstantial and authentic account of the memorable case of +Richard Parsons,' transmitted by the high sheriff of +Gloucestershire to his friend in London. + +On the 20th of February, 1766, Richard Parsons and three more met +at a private house in Chalfold, in order to play at cards, about +six o'clock in the evening. They played at Loo till about eleven +or twelve that night, when they changed their game for Whist. +After a few deals a dispute arose about the state of the game. +Parsons asserted with oaths that they were six, which the others +denied; upon which he wished 'that he might never enter the +kingdom of heaven, and that his flesh might rot upon his bones, +if there were not six in the game.' These wishes were several +times repeated both then and afterwards. Upon this the candle +was put out by a party present, who said he was shocked with the +oaths and expressions he heard, and that he put out the candle +with a design to put an end to the game. Presently upon this +they adjourned to another house, and there began a fresh game, +when Parsons and his partner had great success. They then played +at Loo again till four in the morning. During the second playing +Parsons complained to one Rolles, his partner, of a bad pain in +his leg, which from that time increased. There was an appearance +of a swelling, and afterwards the colour changing to that of a +mortified state. On the following Sunday he took advice of a +surgeon, who attended him until his death. Notwithstanding all +the applications that were made the mortification increased, and +showed itself in different parts of the body. He was visited by +a clergyman, who administered the sacrament to him, without any +knowledge of what had happened before--the man appearing to be +extremely ignorant of religion, having been accustomed to swear, +to drink, to game, and to profane the Sabbath. After receiving +the sacrament he said--'Now, I must never sin again.' He hoped +God would forgive him, having been wicked not above six years, +and that whatever should happen he would not play at cards again. + +After this he was in great agony--chiefly delirious; spoke of his +companions by name, and seemed as if his imagination was engaged +at cards. He started, had distracted looks and gestures, and in +a dreadful fit of shaking and trembling died on the 4th of March, +just about a fortnight after the utterance of his terrible +imprecation. + +The worthy sheriff of Gloucestershire goes on to say that the +man's eyes were open when he died, and could not be closed by the +common method, so that they remained open when he was put into +the coffin. From this circumstance arose a report that he WISHED +HIS EYES MIGHT NEVER CLOSE; 'but,' says the sheriff, 'this is a +mistake; for, from the most creditable witnesses, I am fully +convinced no such wish was uttered; and the fact is, that he did +close his eyes after he was taken with the mortification, and +either dozed or slept several times. + +'When the body came to be laid out, it appeared all over +discoloured or spotted; and it might, in the most literal sense, +be said, that his flesh rotted on his bones before he died.' + +At the request of the sheriff, the surgeon (a Mr Pegler) who +attended the unfortunate man, sent in the following report:-- +'Sir,--You desire me to acquaint you, in writing, with what I +know relating to the melancholy case of the late Richard Parsons; +a request I readily comply with, hoping that his sad catastrophe +will serve to admonish all those who profane the sacred name of +God. + +'February 27th last I visited Richard Parsons, who, I found, had +an inflamed leg, stretching from the foot almost to the knee, +tending to a gangrene. The tenseness and redness of the skin was +almost gone off, and became of a duskish and livid colour, and +felt very lax and flabby. Symptoms being so dangerous, some +incisions were made down to the quick, some spirituous +fomentations made use of, and the whole limb dressed up with such +applications as are most approved in such desperate +circumstances, joined with proper internal medicines. The next +day he seemed much the same; but on March the 1st he was worse, +the incisions discharged a sharp fetid odor (which is generally +of the worst consequence). On the next day, which was Sunday, +the symptoms seemed to be a little more favourable; but, to my +great surprise, the very next day I found his leg not only +mortified up to the knee, but the same began anew in four +different parts, viz., under each eye, on the top of his +shoulder, and on one hand; and in about twelve hours after he +died. I shall not presume to say there was anything supernatural +in the case; but, however, it must be confessed, that such cases +are rather uncommon in subjects so young, and of so good a habit +as he had always been previous to his illness.' + +On one occasion Justice Maule was about to pass sentence on a +prisoner, who upon being asked to say why judgment should not be +pronounced, 'wished that God might strike him dead if he was not +innocent of the crime.' After a pause, the judge said:--'As the +Almighty has not thought proper to comply with your request, the +sentence of the court is,' &c. + +A SAD REMINDER. + +Every Englishman recollects the fate of that unhappy heiress, the +richest of all Europe, married to a man of rank and family, who +was plundered in the course of a few years of the whole of his +wealth, in one of those club houses, and was obliged to surrender +himself to a common prison, and ultimately fly from his country, +leaving his wife with her relations in the greatest despair and +despondency.'[23] + +[23] Rouge et Noir: the Academicians of 1823. + + +GEORGE IV. + +There are few departments of human distinction in which Great +Britain cannot boast a 'celebrity'--genteel or ungenteel. In the +matter of gambling we have been unapproachable--not only in the +'thorough' determination with which we have exhausted the +pursuit--but in the vast, the fabulous millions which make up the +sum total that Englishmen have 'turned over' at the gaming table. + +I think that many thousands of millions would be 'within the +mark' as the contribution of England to the insatiate god of +gambling. + +I have presented to the reader the record of gambling all the +world over--the gambling of savages--the gambling of the ancient +Persians, Greeks, and Romans--the gambling of the gorgeous +monarchs of France and their impassioned subjects; but I have now +to introduce upon the horrible stage a Prince Royal, who +surpassed all his predecessors in the gaming art, having right +royally lost at play not much less than a million sterling, or, +as stated, L800,000--before he was twenty-one years of age! + +If the following be facts, vouched for by a writer of +authority,[24] the results were most atrocious. + +[24] James Grant (Editor of the Morning Advertiser), Sketches in +London. + + +'Every one is aware that George IV., when Prince of Wales, was, +as the common phrase is, over-head-and-ears in debt; and that it +was because he would thereby be enabled to meet the claims of his +creditors, that he consented to marry the Princess Caroline of +Brunswick. But although this is known to every one, +comparatively few people are acquainted with the circumstances +under which his debts were contracted. Those debts, then, were +the result of losses at the gaming table. He was an inveterate +gambler--a habit which he most probably contracted through his +intimacy with Fox. It is a well-ascertained fact that in two +short years, after he attained his majority, he lost L800,000 at +play. + +'It was with the view and in the hope that marriage would cure +his propensity for the gaming table, that his father was so +anxious to see him united to Caroline; and it was solely on +account of his marriage with that princess constituting the only +condition of his debts being paid by the country, that he agreed +to lead her to the hymeneal altar. + +'The unfortunate results of this union are but too well known, +not only as regarded the parties themselves, but as regarded +society generally. To the gambling habits, then, of the Prince +of Wales are to be ascribed all the unhappiness which he entailed +on the unfortunate Caroline, and the vast amount of injury which +the separation from her, and the subsequent trial, produced on +the morals of the nation generally.' + + +CHAPTER V. + +ODDITIES AND WITTICISMS OF GAMBLERS. + +OSTENTATIOUS GAMESTERS. + +Certain grandees and wealthy persons, more through vanity or +weakness than generosity, have sacrificed their avidity to +ostentation--some by renouncing their winnings, others by +purposely losing. The greater number of such eccentrics, +however, seem to have allowed themselves to be pillaged merely +because they had not the generosity or the courage to give away +what was wanted. + +The Cardinal d'Este, playing one day with the Cardinal de +Medicis, his guest, thought that his magnificence required him to +allow the latter to win a stake of 10,000 crowns--'not wishing,' +he said, 'to make him pay his reckoning or allow him to depart +unsatisfied.' Brantome calls this 'greatness;' the following is +an instance of what he calls 'kindness.' + +'Guilty or innocent,' he says, 'everybody was well received at +the house of this cardinal, who kept an open table at Rome for +the French chevaliers. These gentlemen having appropriated a +portion of his plate, it was proposed to search them: 'No, no!' +said the cardinal, 'they are poor companions who have only their +sword, cloak, and crucifixes; they are brave fellows; the plate +will be a great benefit to them, and the loss of it will not make +me poorer.' + +Vigneul de Marville tells us of certain extravagant abbes, named +Ruccellai and Frangipani, who carried their ostentation to such a +pitch as to set gold in dishes on their tables when entertaining +their gaming companions! Were any of these base enough to put +their hands in and help themselves? This is not stated by the +historian. These two Italian abbes were ne plus ultras in luxury +and effeminacy. In the reign of Henry IV., they laid before +their guests vermilion dishes filled with gloves, fans, coins to +play with after the repast, essences and perfumes.[25] I wonder +if the delightful scent called Frangipani, vouchsafed to us by +Rimmel and Piesse and Lubin, was named after this exquisite +ecclesiastic of old? + +[25] Melanges d' Hist. et de Lit. + + +One day when Henry IV. was dining at the Duc de Sully's, the +latter, as soon as the cloth was raised, brought in cards and +dice, and placed upon the table two purses of 4000 pistoles each, +one for the King, the other to lend to the lords of his suite. +Thereupon the king exclaimed:--'Great master, come and let me +embrace you, for I love you as you deserve: I feel so comfortable +here that I shall sup and stay the night.' Evidently Sully was +more a courtier than usual on this occasion--as no doubt the +whole affair was by the king's order, with which he complied +reluctantly; but he made the king play with his own money only. +The Duc de Lerme, when entertaining Monsieur the brother of Louis +XIII. at his quarters near Maestricht, had the boldness to bring +in, at the end of the repast, two bags of 1000 pistoles each, +declaring that he gave them up to the players without any +condition except to return them when they pleased.[26] + +[26] Mem. de Jeu M. le Duc d'Orleans. + + +This Duc de Lerme was at least a great lord, and the army which +he commanded may have warranted his extravagance; but what are we +to think when we find the base and mean-spirited Fouquet giving +himself the same princely airs? During certain festivities +prepared for Louis XIV., Fouquet placed in the room of every +courtier of the king's suite, a purse of gold for gambling, in +case any of them should be short of money. Well might Duclos +remark that 'Nobody was shocked at this MAGNIFICENT SCANDAL![27] + +[27] Consideration sur les Moeeurs, + + +They tell of a certain lordly gamester who looked upon any money +that fell from his hands as lost, and would never stoop to pick +it up! This reminds us of the freedman Pallas mentioned by +Tacitus, who wrote down what he had to say to his slaves, lest he +should degrade his voice to their level--ne vocem +consociaret![28] + +[28] Ann. l. xiii + + +AN INSINUATING, ELEGANT GAMESTER. + +Osterman, Grand Chancellor of Russia, during the reign of the +Empress Anne, obtained information that the court of Versailles +had formed a scheme to send an insinuating, elegant gamester, to +attack the Duke of Biran on his weak side--a rage for play--and +thereby probably gain some political advantage over him. + +The chancellor called on the duke to make the necessary +communication, but the minister did not choose to be at home. +The chancellor, then pretending to be suffering from a severe fit +of gout, wrote to his sovereign, stating that he had important +matter to reveal, but was unable to move, and the Duke of Biran +was consequently ordered to wait on him by the empress. +Osterman, affecting great pain, articulated with apparent +difficulty these words--'The French are sending a gamester!' +Thereupon the duke withdrew in a pet, and represented to the +empress that the chancellor was delirious from the gout, and had +really nothing to communicate. + +The subject had long been forgotten by the duke, when an elegant, +easy, dissipated marquis actually arrived. He had extensive +credit on a house of the English Factory, and presently +insinuated himself into the good graces of the duke, whom he soon +eased of all his superfluous cash. + +The chancellor became alarmed for the consequences, and resolved +to try and play off the French for their clever finesse. He +looked about for a match for the redoubtable French gamester, and +soon got information of a party who might serve his turn. This +was a midshipman at Moscow, named Cruckoff, who, he was assured, +was without an equal in the MANAGEMENT of cards, and the +knowledge of Quizze--then the fashionable court game--and that at +which the Duke of Biran had lost his money. The chancellor +immediately despatched a courier to Moscow to fetch the Russian +gamester. + +The midshipman was forthwith made an ensign of the Guards, in +order to entitle him to play at court. He set to work at once in +accordance with his instructions, but after his own plan in the +execution. He began with losing freely; and was, of course, soon +noticed by the marquis, and marked as a pigeon worth plucking. +The young Russian, however, forced him into high play, and he +lost the greater part of his former gain. The marquis got +nettled, lost his self-command, and proposed a monstrous stake, +to the extent of his credit and gains, of which he thought he +might make himself sure by some master-stroke of art. +Accordingly, by means of a sleight, he managed to hold fifteen in +hand, but his wily antagonist was equal to the occasion: by the +aid of some sweetmeats from an adjoining table he SWALLOWED a +card, and, being first in hand, the chance was determined in his +favour, and he ruined the marquis. + +Once more the chancellor waited on the duke, and plainly told him +that he had been anxious to guard him against the French +gamester, purposely sent to fleece him, if he had had the +patience to hear him. The duke then became outrageous, and +wished to arrest the Frenchman as a cheat; but Osterman coolly +said he had punished him in kind; and, producing a large bag, +returned the duke's money, bidding him in future not to be so +impatient when information was to be communicated by gouty +persons. + +The clever ensign was allowed to retain the rest of the spoil, +with an injunction, however, never to touch a card again, unless +he wished to end his days among the exiles of Siberia. + +A PENITENT SONNET, + +written by the Lord Fitz-Gerald[29] (a great gamester) a little +before his death, which was in the year 1580. + +[29] This Lord Fitzgerald was eldest son to the Earl of Kildare, +and died at the age of twenty-one. + +'By loss in play, men oft forget +The duty they do owe +To Him that did bestow the same, +And thousand millions moe. + +'I loath to hear them swear and stare, +When they the Main have lost, +Forgetting all the Byes that wear +With God and Holy Ghost. + +'By wounds and nails they think to win, +But truly 'tis not so; +For all their frets and fumes in sin +They moneyless must go. + +'There is no wight that used it more +Than he that wrote this verse, +Who cries Peccavi now, therefore; +His oaths his heart do pierce. + +'Therefore example take by me, +That curse the luckless time +That ever dice mine eyes did see, +Which bred in me this crime. + +'Pardon me for that is past, +I will offend no more, +In this most vile and sinful cast, +Which I will still abhor.'[30] + +[30] Harl. Miscel. + + +LOVE AND GAMBLING. + +Horace Walpole, writing to Mann, says:-- 'The event that has made +most noise since my last is the extempore wedding of the youngest +of the two Gunnings, two ladies of surpassing loveliness, named +respectively Mary and Elizabeth, the daughters of John Gunning, +Esq., of Castle Coote, in Ireland, whom Mrs Montague calls "those +goddesses the Gunnings." Lord Coventry, a grave young lord, of +the remains of the patriot breed, has long dangled after the +eldest, virtuously, with regard to her honour, not very +honourably with regard to his own credit. About six weeks ago +Duke Hamilton, the very reverse of the earl, hot, debauched, +extravagant, and equally damaged in his fortune and person, fell +in love with the youngest at the masquerade, and determined to +marry her in the spring. About a fortnight since, at an immense +assembly at my Lord Chesterfield's, made to show the house, which +is really most magnificent, Duke Hamilton made violent love at +one end of the room, while he was playing at Faro at the other +end; that is, he saw neither the bank nor his own cards, which +were of three hundred pounds each: he soon lost a thousand. I +own I was so little a professor in love that I thought all this +parade looked ill for the poor girl; and could not conceive, if +he was so much engaged with his mistress as to disregard such +sums, why he played at all. However, two nights afterwards, +being left alone with her, while her mother and sister were at +Bedford House, he found himself so impatient that he sent for a +parson. The Doctor refused to perform the ceremony without +license or ring; the duke swore he would send for the archbishop; +at last they were married with a ring of the BED-CURTAIN, at +half-an-hour after twelve at night, at May-fair Chapel.' + +This incident occurred in 1752, and reminds us of the marriage- +scene described by Dryden in one of his tales, which was quoted +by Lord Lyndhurst on that memorable occasion when he opposed Lord +Campbell's Bill for the suppression of indecent publications, and +made a speech which was more creditable to his wit than his +taste, and perfectly horrifying to Lord Campbell, who inflicted a +most damaging verbal castigation on his very sprightly but +imprudent opponent. + +'MANNERS MAKE THE MAN. + +Mr Manners, a relation of the Duke of Rutland, many years ago, +lost a considerable sum to a well-known gamester, who set up his +carriage in consequence. Being at a loss for a motto, Mr Manners +suggested the following:-- + +MANNERS MAKE(S) THE MAN.' + +SHARP PRACTICE--NOT BY AN ATTORNEY. + +The commanding officer of a Militia regiment having passed an +evening with several of his officers, carried one of them, who +was much intoxicated, to town with him. How the rest of the +night was passed was not known--at least to the young man; but in +the morning the colonel slipped into his hand a memorandum of his +having lost to him at play L700--for which sum he was actually +arrested ON THE PARADE the same day, and was compelled to grant +an annuity to a nominee of the colonel for L100 per annum! + +A GAMESTER TO THE BACK-BONE. + +Archdeacon Bruges mentions a gentleman who was so thorough a +gamester, that he left in his will an injunction that his bones +should be made into dice, and his skin prepared so as to be a +covering for dice-boxes![31] + +[31] A similar anecdote is related of a Frenchman. + + +FOOTE'S WITTICISMS. + +A blackleg, famous for 'cogging a die,' said that there had been +great sport at Newmarket. 'What!' said Foote, 'I suppose you +were detected, and kicked out of the Hazard room.' + +F--d, the Clerk of the Arraigns, brought off Lookup when indicted +for perjury. Foote, afterwards playing with him at Whist, said, +'F--d, you can do anything, after bringing of Lookup. I don't +wonder you hold thirteen trumps in your hand. The least he could +do was to teach you the "long shuffle" for your services.' + +The Rev. Dr Dodd was a very unlucky gamester, and received a +guinea to forfeit twenty if he ever played again above a guinea. +This, among gamblers, is termed being TIED UP. When the doctor +was executed for forgery a gentleman observed to Foote--'I +suppose the doctor is launched into eternity by this time.' 'How +so?' said Foote, 'he was TIED UP long ago.' + +EFFECT OF A SEVERE LOSS AT PLAY. + +Lord C-- lost one night L33,000 to General Scott. The amiable +peer, however, benefited by the severe lesson, and resolved never +again to lose more than one hundred at a sitting! He is said to +have strictly kept his resolve. + +PADDY'S DECISION. + +Some gamblers duping a country fellow at the game called Put, in +a public-house near St Pancras, one of them appealed to an +Irishman who was looking on whether he had not THREE TREYS IN HIS +HAND? 'You had all that,' said Paddy; 'and what's more, I saw +you TAKE THEM ALL out of your pocket.' + +GAMBLING CAUSED BY GRIEF. + +The Honourable Jesse Anker, in order to dissipate the gloom +occasioned by the loss of his wife, whom he passionately loved, +had recourse to gaming, by which, at different times, he lost +considerable sums, but not so as to injure his property, which +was very large, in any material degree. The remedy did not prove +effectual; he shot himself at his lodgings at Bath. + +A GAMBLER'S EXCUSE FOR NOT BEING A SECOND IN A DUEL. + +A gentleman who had been called out, applied to a friend who had +won a large sum of money to be his second. 'My dear friend,' +answered the gamester, 'I won fifteen hundred guineas last night, +and shall cut a poor figure at fighting to-day; but if you apply +to the person I won them of, he will fight like a devil, for he +has not a farthing left.' + +'MORE FORTUNATE.' + +Lord Mark Stair and Lord Stair were at play in a coffee-house, +when a stranger overlooked the game, and disturbed them with +questions. Lord Mark said--'Let us throw dice to see which of us +shall pink this impudent fellow.' Lord Stair won. The other +exclaimed--'Ah! Stair, Stair! you have been always more +fortunate in life than I.' + +CAPTAIN ROCHE. + +Captain Roche, alias Tyger, alias Savage Roche, who stuck his +gaming companion's hand to the table with a fork for concealing a +card under it, happened to be at the Bedford Billiard-table, +which was extremely crowded. Roche was knocking the balls about +with his cue, and Major Williamson, another celebrity, with whom +he was engaged on business, desired him to leave off, as he +hindered gentlemen from playing. 'Gentlemen?' sneeringly +exclaimed Roche; 'why, major, except you and me (and two or three +more) there is not a gentleman in the room--the rest are all +blacklegs.' + +On leaving the place, the major expressed his astonishment at his +rudeness, and wondered, out of so numerous a company, it was not +resented. 'Oh, sir,' said Roche, 'there was no fear of that; +there was not a thief in the room who did not suppose himself one +of "the two or three gentlemen" I mentioned.' + +FARO AT ROUTS. + +The following advertisement appeared in the Courier newspaper in +1794:-- + +'As Faro is the most fashionable circular game in the haut ton in +exclusion of melancholy Whist, and to prevent a company being +cantoned into separate parties, a gentleman of unexceptionable +character will, on invitation, do himself the honour to attend +the rout of any lady, nobleman, or gentleman, with a Faro Bank +and Fund, adequate to the style of play, from 500 to 2000 +guineas. + +'Address, G. A., by letter, to be left at Mr Harding's, +Piccadilly, nearly opposite Bond Street. + +'N.B.--This advertisement will not appear again.' + +PROSPECT OF L5200 PER ANNUM FROM A CAPITAL OF L2000. + +The following advertisement appeared in the Morning Chronicle in +1817:-- + +'Any person who can command Two Thousand Pounds in ready money, +may advance it in a speculation which will realize at least L100 +per week, and perhaps not require the advance of above one half +the money. The personal attendance of the party engaging is +requisite; but there will be no occasion for articles of +partnership, or any establishment, as the profits may be divided +daily.' + +OF WHAT TRADE IS A GAMING-HOUSE KEEPER? + +At a Westminster election the keeper of a notorious gaming house +in St Ann's parish was asked, as usual, what his trade was, when, +after a little hesitation, he said, 'I am an ivory turner.' + +THE GAME PLAYED IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY. + +Mrs Law, executrix of George Law, late proprietor of the Smyrna +Coffee House, St James's Street, in 1807, found, among her +husband's papers, several notes and memoranda of money advanced +to a Mr Nelthorpe, which she put in suit. The latter alleged +that they were for gambling purposes, and called Mrs Law to say +whether her husband did not keep a common gambling house; and his +counsel contended that it was clear the notes were for gaming +transactions, BECAUSE they were for 100 GUINEAS, 200 GUINEAS, and +so on--disdaining the vulgar enumeration of pounds. But the lord +chancellor said that THE GAME PLAYED IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY--as +far as counsel was concerned--was for GUINEAS. + +THE ORIGINAL OF A RECENT PROPOSAL. + +Not long since an advertisement appeared, and was noticed by +several of the papers, purporting to enable any person to realize +a large fortune by a small advance to the advertiser. It will +readily be seen that the following is the ORIGINAL of the scheme, +put forth in the Morning Chronicle, in 1818:-- + +'Important Offer. A gentleman of respectability has discovered a +method of winning at any game of chance, fairly and honourably, +to a certainty, by a method hitherto unknown;--he will SELL THE +SECRET for a consideration, or treat with a gentleman able to +join him with a capital of L300, by which a fortune may be made; +in either case he will engage with one person only. This will be +found well worth the attention of a member of the superior clubs. +**** No personal application will be answered.' + +GAME AND GAMBLING. + +A gentleman celebrated for his quickness at repartee, when +informed that a young nobleman of his acquaintance (remarkably +fond of a fashionable game) had shot an immense number of RED +partridges, and also of the BLACK game, which abounded on his +estates, replied--'I am not in the least surprised; he was at all +times, EVEN WHEN IN LONDON, devotedly attached to the GAME OF +ROUGE ET NOIR.' + +CATCHING A TARTAR. + +'My skill at billiards,' says a confessing gamester, 'gave me a +superiority over most I met with. I could also hide my skill +very dexterously, which is generally found a work of great +difficulty, and judiciously winning or losing, I contrived to +make it answer my purpose,--until one day, going to a table which +I was very much in the practice of frequenting, and where no one +was then engaged, I was invited by a stranger to play. I +accepted the invitation for a small stake, and won very easily, +so much so, that on commencing a new game I offered to give him +six, to place us more on an equality. He accepted it eagerly, +but it produced him no benefit; he played so badly, and managed +both his cue and mace so awkwardly--for I made no objection to +his changing them as often as he pleased--that, playing very +carelessly, I could not avoid beating him. We continued +increasing the stakes every successive game; money seemed of no +value to him; he appeared to have plenty, and lost it with a +spirit that told me I had got hold of an excellent subject, who +could pay me well for beating him. I did not wish to win too +palpably, and therefore kept increasing the advantage I yielded +him, till it amounted to sixteen. He now proposed making the bet +ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, and that I should give him eighteen. His +eagerness, as well as the manner in which he handled his tools, +convinced me of his inexperience, and I accepted the +proposal;--but, to my surprise, he won the game. He laughed so +heartily at the event, and conducted himself so extravagantly, +that I felt persuaded the thing was accidental. He proposed +doubling the stakes, which I refused; yet I agreed to play him +for the same sum as before, but giving him only fourteen. By +some chance he won again; and then I declined playing any more; +but he pushed me so hard, and offered to play the even game +rather than I should give over, that I was induced to yield. He +declared he did not want my money, and wished to give me an +opportunity of recovering it. It was the depth of artifice, and +I discovered it too late. He won . . . and I had no money to +pay! One of the bystanders took part with him; my case did not +invite or interest any one to stand by me. I was treated with +great indignity; and though I gave up my watch and every article +of value I possessed, yet I was not allowed to depart without +very ill usage. I had transgressed the laws of gaming, by +betting after I had ceased to be able to pay; but I had so +confidently felt that I had my antagonist in my own power, that I +considered the stake as my own as soon as the bet was made. The +injuries I received were very severe, and confined me to my bed +for several days.'[32] + +[32] Confessions of a Gamester. + + +The splendid and fascinating game of Billiards seems to have been +an English invention; and it became greatly in vogue during the +reign of Louis XIV. of France, to whom it was recommended by his +physicians as an exercise after meals. + +It is said that Chamillard, who played with the king, entirely +owed his political fortune to the skill which he displayed in +this game. Billiards has not as yet been placed, like skittles +and bowls, under the interdict of the police authorities, and it +is difficult to see how they could venture upon so tremendous an +experiment. The game seems to be more in vogue than ever, and +doubtless heavy sums are lost and won at it. Billiard matches +have during the last three years become quite one of the winter +exhibitions, and particularly this season have the public shown +their taste for the game. Perhaps the extraordinary performances +of some of the first-class cueists have stirred up the shades of +Kentfield's days, his homely game of cannons off list cushions +and gently-played strength strokes; or by chance those that +favour Marden's style, his losing hazards and forcing half balls, +have revived once more, and we yearn with wonder to see the great +spot strokes of the present age, when as many red hazards can be +scored in one break as were made in olden times in an evening's +play. At the present time Roberts, sen., may claim the honour in +the billiard world of having brought the spot stroke to light: he +has made no less than 104 consecutive hazards in one break, and +up to the present winter that wonderful performance stood +unparalleled. Cook, however, very recently in an exhibition +match with J. Bennett, scored the spot hazard no less than 119 +times, making 388 off the balls, the biggest break on record. +Such feats as these, supplemented by the but little inferior play +of Roberts, jun., and Bennett, have done more than excite +surprise, and have caused old heads carefully to look into the +style of play of 1869 and to ponder thereon. It appears that +they affirm, and not without reason, that much of the success of +the spot stroke arises from the position of the spot being +further from the top cushion than formerly, and by this means not +only is the angle of the striker's ball for position made easier, +by a greater scope for screw or side, but the mouth of the +pockets themselves are easier of access; and the chance of a +wobble all but avoided. Billiard players and table makers should +meet and arrange a regular standard size for table pockets and +balls, with the spots at regulated positions. We should then be +able to compare merits with greater certainty, and such terrible +scores would not trouble the markers. + +As a healthful exercise, and in its tendency to promote the +physical development of the body, the game of Billiards is +unsurpassed; but it is much to be regretted that it is generally- +played in ill-ventilated and crowded rooms, often reeking with +the pestilential fumes of tobacco, and not without the adjunct of +frequent alcoholic potations. Moreover, there can be no doubt +that many modern instances of billiard sharping occur, such as I +have just quoted, in which the unwary are unscrupulously +'fleeced.' I know of several. + +'NOT KNOWING YOUR MAN.' + +A certain high military character sat down to play with a Russian +prince, who introduced loaded dice. The travelled Englishman +lost every bet; for the Russian never missed his seven or eleven, +and modestly threw only ten times. The supposed pigeon then took +up the box with fair dice; and, having learned to 'secure,'[33] +called different mains at pleasure; threw sixteen times; won all +the aristocrat's money, and wished him good night. Such is the +effect of not knowing your man! + +[33] This term means making sure of what you throw. + + +A BLIND GAMESTER. + +John Metcalfe, much better known by the nickname of blind Jack of +Knaresborough, was a celebrity at Harrowgate during the first +quarter of the present century. This extraordinary man had been +deprived of his eyesight at so early a period that he retained no +idea of either light or vision; but his remaining faculties were +so actively employed that few persons in the full enjoyment of +sight have surpassed him in the execution of undertakings, which +seemed particularly to require the exercise of that faculty. He +traversed the neighbourhood without a guide or companion; +surveyed tracts of country to plan and lay down roads, where none +had ever been before; contracted for the building of bridges, and +fulfilled his contracts without the assistance of another person, +either as architect or superintendent of the work; became a guide +to those who, possessing sight, could not find their way across +the neighbouring moors when covered with deep falls of snow and +impenetrable fogs; rode well, and followed the hounds with a zeal +and spirit equal to that of the most dashing horseman in the +field, and, finally, played at many games of chance, or skill, +with a knowledge and ingenuity that enabled him to come off +victorious in many contests with persons eager to try his ability +or to prove their own. + +Such a man was sure to attract notice in any place or +neighbourhood, but particularly at a place of general resort. +Besides, he possessed a facetious mode of talking, and on several +occasions exercised a practical sort of wit, which was equally +certain of gaining patronage. Visitors of the highest rank +treated him with kindness, and even familiarity; and as he never +forgot himself, or trespassed upon those who thus favoured him, +he continued in fashion as long as he lived, and terminated his +singular career at more than 80 years of age. + +Among his many exploits was the following. Various trials of his +skill and activity were proposed by gentlemen who offered to +support their opinions with their money. But Metcalfe had a +determination of his own, and refused taking a share in any of +the ingenious proposals urged upon him, until a country squire, +the Nimrod of a neighbouring district, submitted a plan which he +expected would baffle all his manoeuvres. He asked the blind man +if he was willing to run 100 yards against his favourite mare. +The offer was immediately accepted--provided he might CHOOSE THE +GROUND, which should be an open space on the adjoining moor. The +stakes were deposited the same evening; and a fine level space +being selected, and the distance marked out with great exactness +early the following morning, the decision followed with little +delay. The party selected to ride against the blind man was much +admired for his horsemanship; and at the appointed time, every +preparation being completed, the signal was given and the race +commenced. The horseman was instantly far ahead, but before he +could finish his stipulated distance the fore feet of his hunter +sank deep in a bog, from which, being unable to extricate them, +he came completely over, treating his rider with a tremendous +somerset. The loud shouts of the spectators announced to the +blind man that his expectations were realized. The turf showed +no apparent difference, and was sufficiently strong to carry a +man with safety,--perhaps it would have borne a horse going only +at a moderate pace, but at full speed his feet pierced the sod, +and entangled him in the hidden danger. Metcalfe passed his +extended rival, terminated his career, and won the race before +those who had run to the prostrate horseman could render him any +assistance. Indeed, it was too late for that purpose, he had +finished his earthly course having ruptured a vessel near the +heart in his fall! + +A NOBLE LORD AND A COMMONER, IN 1823. + +A young and wealthy commoner, who seemed to vie with the pea- +green in the desperate folly of getting rid of a suddenly +obtained fortune of L130,000 in ready money, as fast as possible, +and whose relish for the society of legs, bullies, and fighting +men was equally notorious, went to the Fishmonger's Hall Club +late one morning, much flushed with wine. The well-lighted +avenues directed him to the French Hazard table. There was no +play going on at the time, but at the entrance of this PIGEON, +who before had been DRAWN of a good round sum, the box and dice +were soon put in motion, and 'seven's the main, seven,' was +promptly the cry. A certain noble lord, who had been for years +an experienced NURSE of the dice, and who knew how to NICK the +MAINS or THROW CRABS, as well as the best leg in England, held +the bow. The commoner commenced by backing the noble lord IN. +The noble lord threw OUT. He then backed the noble lord OUT, and +the noble lord threw in. He backed the noble lord OUT again, who +threw five to the main. The commoner betted the odds deeply at +the rate of three to two. The noble lord threw the FIVE. The +commoner, uneasy, changed about, and backed the noble lord IN for +a large stake,--the noble lord then threw OUT. The commoner now +rose in a rage, and insinuated broadly that he was cheated, +robbed, and it could not be fair play. Of course much +indignation was shown by the noble lord, and it was with +difficulty that a fight was prevented; but his lordship, +nevertheless, condescended to demonstrate that he played his own +money at the time, and what he lost found its way into the bank, +with which 'he was not at all connected.' This reasoning +satisfied the suspicious young commoner (poor easy man!); an +apology was given; and peace was restored. + +DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND. + +A party of players were assembled to throw for a stake, which was +enormous. It was, however, agreed that the LOWEST throw should +win. The players threw until one of them turned up two aces. +All but one had thrown, and shouts of applause greeted the lucky +caster, when the last who was to throw exclaimed--'Hold! I'll try +and beat that.' . . . + +Rattling the dice, he turned down the box on the table, and on +lifting it up displayed the two dice ONE UPON THE TOP OF THE +OTHER, and both aces! He was therefore declared the winner.[34] + +[34] Menageana. + + +A TENDER MOTHER. + +A French lady had an only child, a handsome young man, much +addicted to gaming. He lost at one sitting L40,000, and being +destitute of other resources, he joined a company of strolling +players. They chanced some time afterwards to pass a short time +at Worcester, near which his mother, who was considerably +advanced in years, resided. The lady, though highly displeased +with her son's life, yet, hearing of his performance, could not +resist a wish to see him; and for this purpose she went thither +incog. He supported the principal character in 'The Gamester.' + +The feelings of the mother were so excited at the passages which +closely applied to her son's conduct, that she exclaimed aloud, +'Ay, there he is--the--the beggar--the scoundrel! Always the +same--no change in him!' The delusion so increased at the fifth +act, when Beverley lifts his hand to kill the child, that the +lady in a most distressing tone cried out--'Wretch that thou art, +don't kill the child--I'll take it home with me!' + +TWO MASTERS OF THE ART. + +A Frenchman who had become notorious for the unerring certainty +with which he won from all who ventured to play with him, at +length found himself unable to induce persons to sit down to the +table with him, there being not the slightest chance of winning +against his play. After being thus idle for some time, an +Englishman, who had heard of his triumphs, expressed his +readiness to enter the lists against him. They sat down, and +played for three hours without intermission, and at the end of +that time were exactly in the same position as when they begun. +They at length paused to take some refreshment. 'Sare,' said the +Frenchman, in a sort of whisper, to a party who accompanied his +antagonist, 'your friend is a very clever man at de cards--deuced +clever, sare.' 'He is a very clever fellow,' observed the +Englishman. 'I shall try him again,' said Monsieur; and as he +made the observation he proceeded to the room in which they had +been playing, and which was fixed on as the scene of their +continued contest. He had scarcely quitted the place when the +other made his appearance, and observed that the Frenchman was +the most skilful player he had ever met with. The parties again +met, and the cards were again produced. The game was renewed at +eleven o'clock, and continued without intermission till six +o'clock on the following morning, at which time they found, to +the surprise of each other, that they were still as they began. +'Sare,' said the Frenchman, 'you are the best player I ever met +with.' 'And you, Monsieur,' returned the other, 'are the only +gentleman I ever played with, from whom I could win nothing.' +'Indeed, sare!' said Monsieur, hesitatingly. 'It is a fact, I +assure you.' 'Sare, I am quite astonished at your skill.' 'And +I'm not less so at yours, Monsieur.' 'You're de most skilfullest +man at de cards in England.' 'Not while you are in it, +Monsieur,' replied the Englishman, with a smile. 'Sare, I +CHEATED, and yet could not win from you!' remarked the Frenchman, +hurriedly and with much emphasis, feeling it impossible any +longer to conceal his surprise at the circumstance of being +unable to play a winning game with the Englishman. 'And, +Monsieur, I did the same thing with you, and yet you are no +loser!' remarked the other, with corresponding energy of tone. + +The problem was thus solved: both had been cheating during the +whole night, and were exactly equal in dexterity, both being +unconscious of the dishonest practices of each other; and the +result was that each got up from the table with the same amount +of money as he had when he sat down. The cheats cordially shook +hands, apparently much gratified that they had at length +ascertained how it had happened that neither could pluck the +other. + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE GAMING CLUBS. + +On the subject of Clubs Mr Cunningham in his 'Clubs of London,' +and Mr Timbs in his 'Club Life in London,' have said pretty well +everything that we want to know, and by their help, and that of +other writers, I shall endeavour to give an account of the +gambling carried on in such places. + +1. ALMACK'S. + +'The gaming at Almack's,' writes Walpole to Horace Mann, 'which +has taken the pas of White's, is worthy of the decline of our +empire, or commonwealth, which you please. The young men of the +age lose ten, fifteen, twenty thousand pounds in an evening +there. Lord Stavordale, not one-and-twenty, lost L11,000 there +last Tuesday, but recovered it by one great hand at Hazard. He +swore a great oath--"Now, if I had been playing DEEP I might have +won millions!" His cousin, Charles Fox, shines equally here and +in the House of Commons.' + +Among the rules of the establishment, it was ordered 'that every +person playing at the twenty-guinea table do not keep less than +twenty guineas before him,' and 'that every person playing at the +new guinea table do keep fifty guineas before him.' That the +play ran high may be inferred from a note against the name of Mr +Thynne, in the Club-books:--'Mr Thynne having won ONLY 12,000 +guineas during the last two months, retired in disgust, March +21st, 1772.' Indeed, the play was unusually high--for rouleaus +of L50 each, and generally there was L10,000 in specie on the +table. The gamesters began by pulling off their embroidered +clothes, and putting on frieze great coats, or turned their coats +inside out for luck! They put on pieces of leather (such as are +worn by footmen when they clean knives) to save their laced +ruffles; and to guard their eyes from the light, and to keep +their hair in order, wore high-crowned straw hats with broad +brims adorned with flowers and ribbons; they also wore masks to +conceal their emotions when they played at quinz.[35] Each +gamester had a small neat stand by him, to hold his tea, or a +wooden bowl with an edge of ormolu, to hold the rouleaus of +guineas. + +[35] Quinze, the French for fifteen. This is a game at cards, in +which the winner is he who counts fifteen, or nearest to that +number, in all the points of his hand. Three, five, or six might +play at it. Two entire packs of cards are used, so disposed that +the spades and clubs are on one side, and the hearts and diamonds +on the other. The entire art of the game consists in making +fifteen; below that number the party loses. + +2. THE COCOA-TREE CLUB. + +This club was remarkable for high if not for foul play. Walpole, +writing to Horace Mann in 1780, says:--'Within this week there +has been a cast at Hazard at the Cocoa-tree (in St James's +Street) the difference of which amounted to one hundred and +fourscore thousand pounds! Mr O'Birne, an Irish gamester, had +won one hundred thousand pounds of a young Mr Harvey of Chigwell, +just started into an estate by his elder brother's death. +O'Birne said,--"You can never pay me." "I can," said the youth, +"my estate will sell for the debt." "No," said O'Birne, "I will +win ten thousand,--you shall throw for the odd ninety." They +did, and Harvey won!' + +3. GRAHAM'S CLUB. + +This gaming club is remarkable for a scandal which made some +noise at the time of its occurrence, and one version of which a +writer in the Times has been at some pains to rectify. In Mr +Duncombe's 'Life' of his father occurs the following account of +this curious transaction. + +'In Graham's Club there was also a good deal of play, and large +sums were lost and won among the noblemen and gentlemen who were +its members. An unpleasant rumour circulated in town in the +winter of 1836, to the effect that a noble lord had been detected +in cheating by means of marked cards. The presumed offender was +well known in society as a skilful card-player, but by those who +had been most intimate with him was considered incapable of any +unfair practice. He was abroad when the scandal was set afloat, +but returned to England directly he heard of it, and having +traced the accusation to its source, defied his traducers. Thus +challenged, they had no alternative but to support their +allegation, and it took this shape:--They accused Henry William +Lord de Ros of marking the edges of the court cards with his +thumb-nail, as well as of performing a certain trick by which he +unfairly secured an ace as the turn-up card. His accusers were +---- ----, who had formerly kept a gaming table; Mr ---- ----, +also a professional gambler; Lord Henry Bentinck, and Mr F. +Cumming. Lord Henry appears to have taken no very active part in +the proceedings; the other three had lost money in play with Lord +de Ros, and, as unsuccessful gamblers have done before and since, +considered that they had lost it unfairly. + +'Lord de Ros, instead of prosecuting the four for a libel, +brought an action only against Cumming, which permitted the +others to come forward as witnesses against him. The cause came +on in the Court of King's Bench before Lord Denman. The +plaintiff's witnesses were Lord Wharncliffe, Lord Robert +Grosvenor, the Earl of Clare, and Sir Charles Dalbiac, who had +known and played with him from between 20 to 30 years, as a very +skilful but honourable Whist player. The evidence of Mr +Lawrence, the eminent surgeon, proved that Lord de Ros had long +suffered under a stiffness of the joints of the fingers that made +holding a pack of cards difficult, and the performance of the +imputed trick of legerdemain impossible. For the defence +appeared the keeper of the house and his son; two or three +gamblers who had lived by their winnings; one acknowledged to +have won L35,000 in 15 years. Mr Baring Wall, one of the +witnesses, swore that he had never witnessed anything improper in +the play of Lord de Ros, though he had played with and against +him many years; another witness, the Hon. Colonel Anson, had +observed nothing suspicious; but the testimony of others went to +prove that the aces and kings had been marked inside their edges; +and one averred that he had seen Lord de Ros perform sauter la +coupe a hundred times. The whole case wore much the look of a +combination among a little coterie who lived by gambling to drive +from the field a player whose skill had diminished their income; +nevertheless, the incidents sworn to by some of them wore a +suspicious significance, and a verdict was given against Lord de +Ros, which he only survived a short time.' + +On this statement the Times' reviewer comments as follows:-- + +'If many old scandals may be revived with impunity, there are +some that cannot. Mr Duncombe the younger has hit on one which +affects several gentlemen still living, and his injurious version +of it cannot be neutralized or atoned for by an apology to one. +We call attention to it in the hope that any more serious notice +will be rendered needless by the simple exposure of its +inaccuracies. + +'It is difficult to conceive a more inexcusable misstatement, for +the case was fully reported,[36] and the public judgment +perfectly coincided with the verdict. Lord de Ros was not abroad +when the scandal was set afloat. He went abroad after the scene +at Graham's had set all London talking, and he returned in +consequence of a peremptory call from his friends. He was most +reluctantly induced to take the required steps for the +vindication of his character; and it is preposterous to suppose +that any little coterie would have dreamt of accusing a man of +his rank and position with the view of driving a skilful player +from the field. His accusers were not challenged. Neither were +they volunteers. They became his accusers, because they formed +the Whist party at which he was first openly denounced. They +signed a paper particularizing their charge, and offered to refer +the question to a tribunal of gentlemen, with the Duke of +Wellington or Lord Wharncliffe to preside. Would a little +coterie, who lived by gambling, have made this offer? Or would +Lord de Ros have refused it if he had been the intended victim of +a conspiracy? Lord Henry Bentinck signed the paper, appeared as +a witness, and took quite as active a part in the proceedings as +any of the four, except Mr Cumming, who undertook the sole legal +liability by admitting the publication of the paper. + +[36] The Times of February 11 and 13, 1837. + + +'The evidence was overwhelming. Suspicions had long been rife; +and on no less than ten or twelve occasions the marked packs had +been examined in the presence of unimpeachable witnesses, and +sealed up. These packs were produced at the trial. Several +witnesses swore to the trick called sauter la coupe. It was the +late Sir William Ingilby who swore that he had seen Lord de Ros +perform it from 50 to 100 times; and when asked why he did not at +once denounce him, he replied that if he had done so before his +Lordship began to get blown upon, he should have had no +alternative between the window and the door. Of course, every +one who had been in the habit of playing with Lord de Ros prior +to the exposure would have said the same as Sir Charles Dalbiac +and Mr Baring Wall. With regard to the gentlemen whose names we +have omitted we take it for granted that the author is not aware +of the position they held, and continue to hold, or he would +hardly have ventured to describe them so offensively. He has +apologized to one, and he had better apologize to the other +without delay. + +'The case was complete without the evidence of either of the +original accusers, and the few friends of Lord de Ros who tried +to bear him up against the resulting obloquy were obliged to go +with the stream. When Lord Alvanley was asked whether he meant +to leave his card, he replied, "No, he will stick it in his +chimney-piece and count it among his honours.' " + +Having read through the long case as reported in the Times, I +must declare that I do not find that the evidence against Lord de +Ros was, after all, so 'overwhelming' as the reviewer declares; +indeed, the 'leader' in the Times on the trial emphatically +raises a doubt on the subject. Among other passages in it there +is the following:-- + +'In the process of the trial it appeared that the most material +part of the evidence against Lord de Ros, that called sauter la +coupe,--which, for the sake of our English readers we shall +translate into CHANGING THE TURN-UP CARD,--the times and places +at which it was said to have been done could not be specified. +Some of the witnesses had seen the trick done 50 or 100 times by +Lord de Ros, but could neither say on what day, in what week, +month, or even year, they had so seen it done. People were +excessively struck at this deviation from the extreme punctuality +required in criminal cases by the British courts of law.' + +'The disclosures,' says Mr Grant,[27] 'which took place in the +Court of Queen's Bench, on the occasion of the trial of Lord de +Ros, for cheating at cards, furnished the strongest demonstration +that he was not the only person who was in the habit of cheating +in certain clubs; while there were others who, if they could not +be charged with direct cheating, or cheating in their own +persons, did cheat indirectly, and by proxy, inasmuch as they, by +their own admission, were, on frequent occasions, partners with +Lord de Ros, long after they knew that he habitually or +systematically cheated. The noble lord, by the confession of the +titled parties to whom I allude, thus cheated for himself and +them at the same time.' + +[37] Sketches in London. + + +Lord de Ros was at the head of the barons of England. He was the +son of Lord Henry Fitzgerald, and Lady de Ros, who inherited in +her own right that ancient title, which dates from the reign of +Henry III. He had studied at Eton and Oxford, and afterwards on +the Continent, and there was not a more accomplished man in +Europe. He possessed an ample fortune, was a member of several +of the clubs--White's, Boodle's, Brookes', and Graham's, and one +of the best Whist players in England. + +It appears that at Graham's Club, at the commencement of the +season, and before Lord de Ros came to town, whispers were +circulated of unfair play, and various persons were supposed +guilty. A determination was therefore formed that the club +should be dissolved and reconstructed, leaving out the names of +certain persons to whom suspicion attached. The main object of +the master of the club, and of some of those who attended it for +the purpose of professional gain, was that its character should +be cleared. Not long after Lord de Ros came to town he received +an anonymous letter, cautioning him against continuing to play at +Graham's, and intimating to him, if he did so, that measures +would be taken which he would have reason to regret. Of course +his Lordship disregarded the threat; he attended the club for +several days more assiduously than before, and continued to play +until the end of the season, in the beginning of July. In +September the Satirist newspaper published a distinct charge of +unfair play against Lord de Ros, whilst the latter was at Baden, +and he returned to England and commenced an action for libel +against the newspaper. + +He was charged with being in the habit of marking the cards, the +effect being to create a very slight and almost imperceptible +indentation, and to make a ridge or wave on the back, so that a +practised eye would be able, on looking at the right place, +knowing where to expect a mark, to discern whether the ace was +there or not. He was also charged with cheating by reversing the +cut--that is, when the cards had come to him, after having been +cut by his adversary, instead of putting the bottom card at the +top, keeping the bottom card at the bottom, by some shuffling +contrivance when he dealt. Another witness said:-- + +'When he took up the two parcels of cards, after the operation of +cutting the pack by his right-hand adversary, he was always +attacked with a hacking cough, or what I may properly denominate, +especially from the result it produced, a 'king cough,' because a +king or an ace was invariably its effect. The cough always came +on at the most convenient moment to distract the attention of the +other players, and was evidently indulged in for the purpose of +abstracting their attention from the table and from the manoeuvre +he was about to perform. However, I never saw him "slip the +card," and I never had cognizance of its execution, but certain +it was that the ace or the king, which was at the bottom of the +pack prior to the cut, invariably found its way to the same +position after the cut, and hence was the turn-up card. With +regard to the operation of dealing, his Lordship delivered the +cards particularly slow, examining every card minutely towards +its corners, as if looking for some mark.' + +Many curious facts came out during the trial. + +It was Mr Brooke Greville who admitted that he was a considerable +winner at play--having 'no hesitation in saying that he had won +L35,000 in the course of 15 years,' chiefly at Whist; that he had +followed play as an occupation, at Graham's Club. He lost, +however, L14,000 at Brighton in 1828, a considerable portion of +it to Lord de Ros; but this loss he made up in three or four +years (that is, won L14,000 in that time), and, excepting that +reverse, he was generally fortunate at play.' + +A Captain J. Alexander, half-pay R. N., declared that he had won +as much as L700 at a time, having, however, to pay half to +another partner; his winnings might be L1600 a-year. 'I began to +play,' he said, 'about 25 or 28 years ago, and, expecting that I +should be asked the question, I have looked into my accounts, and +find that I am about L10,000 better than as though I had not +played. That is a yearly average of L500.' He had, however, +lost about L1000 during the previous year. + +This Captain Alexander was asked how many hours he played before +dinner, and he answered--'From three to five hours'--adding, +however, that 'he HAD played ALL NIGHT.' Then the counsel said, +'I suppose you take but a slight dinner?' He replied:-- + +'Why, I generally make as good a dinner as I can get.' The +learned counsel continued:-- + +'A small boiled chicken and a glass of lemonade, perhaps?' This +seemed an offensive question, and the captain said,-- + +'I believe never, and (with increased earnestness of manner) +mind, I DENY THE LEMONADE ALTOGETHER; I never take lemonade. +(Laughter, in which the noble lords on the bench joined +involuntarily.) + +Sir W. Ingilby entered into a description and practical +illustration of the trick of sauter la coupe with a pack of +cards, and it is said that the performance of the honourable +baronet elicited demonstrations of laughter, which the judge +suppressed, and even REPROBATED. Altogether, it must have been a +most interesting and exciting trial. + +As before stated, Lord Denman was the presiding judge; there was +a special jury; the attorney-general, Sir W. Follet, and Mr +Wightman appeared for the noble plaintiff; and the keen-witted +and exquisitely polished Mr Thesiger (now Lord Cholmondeley), Mr +Alexander, and Mr W. H. Watson for the defendant. A great many +of the nobility were present, together with several foreigners of +distinction. + +4. BROOKES' CLUB, IN ST JAMES'S STREET. + +This was a house notorious for very high gaming, and was +frequented by the most desperate of gamblers, among the rest Fox, +Brummell, and Alderman Combe. According to Captain Gronow:-- + +At Brookes's, for nearly half a century, the play was of a more +gambling character than at White's. . . . On one occasion Lord +Robert Spencer contrived to lose the last shilling of his +considerable fortune given him by his brother, the Duke of +Marlborough. General Fitzpatrick being much in the same +condition, they agreed to raise a sum of money, in order that +they might keep a Faro bank. The members of the club made no +objection, and ere long they carried out their design. As is +generally the case, the bank was a winner, and Lord Robert +bagged, as his share of the proceeds, L100,000. He retired, +strange to say, from the fetid atmosphere of play, with the money +in his pocket, and never again gambled. The lowest stake at +Brookes' was L50; and it was a common event for a gentleman to +lose or win L10,000 in an evening. Sometimes a whole fortune was +lost at a single sitting.[38] + +[38] Walpole, passim. + + +5. WHITE'S CLUB. + +White's Club seems to have won the darkest reputation for +gambling. Lord Lyttleton, writing to Dr Doddridge, in 1750, +says:--'The Dryads of Hogley are at present pretty secure, but I +tremble to think that the rattling of a dice-box at White's may +one day or other (if my son should be a member of that noble +academy) shake down all our fine oaks. It is dreadful to see, +not only there, but almost in every house in the town, what +devastations are made by that destructive fury, the spirit of +play.' A fact stated by Walpole to Horace Mann shows the +character of the company at this establishment:--'There is a man +about town, Sir William Burdett, a man of very good family, but +most infamous character. In short, to give you his character at +once--there is a wager in the bet-book at White's (a MS. of which +I may one day or other give you an account), that the first +baronet that will be hanged is this Sir William Burdett.' Swift +says:--'I have heard that the late Earl of Oxford, in the time of +his ministry, never passed by White's chocolate-house (the common +rendezvous of infamous sharpers and noble cullies) without +bestowing a curse upon that famous academy as the bane of half +the English nobility.' + +It was from the beginning a gaming club, 'pure and simple.' The +play was mostly at Hazard and Faro. No member was to hold a Faro +bank. Whist was comparatively harmless. Professional gamblers, +who lived by dice and cards, provided they were free from the +imputation of cheating, procured admission to White's. It was a +great supper-house, and there was play before and after supper, +carried on to a late hour and to heavy amounts. + +At White's they betted on every possible thing, as shown by the +betting-book of the establishment--on births, deaths, and +marriages; the length of a life; the duration of a ministry; a +placeman's prospect of a coronet; the last scandal at Ranelagh or +Madame Cornely's; or the shock of an earthquake! 'A man dropped +down at the door of White's; he was carried into the house. Was +he dead or not? The odds were immediately given and taken for +and against. It was proposed to bleed him. Those who had taken +the odds that the man was dead protested that the use of a lancet +would affect the fairness of the bet.' I have met with a similar +anecdote elsewhere. A waiter in a tavern in Westminster, being +engaged in attendance on some young men of distinction, suddenly +fell down in a fit. Bets were immediately proposed by some of +the most thoughtless on his recovery, and accepted by others. +The more humane part of the company were for sending immediately +for medical assistance, but this was overruled; since, by the +tenor of the bets, he was to be 'left to himself,' and he died +accordingly! + +According to Walpole--'A person coming into the club on the +morning of the earthquake, in 1750, and hearing bets laid whether +the shock was caused by an earthquake or the blowing up of +powder-mills, went away in horror, protesting they were such an +impious set that he believed if the last trump were to sound they +would bet puppet-show against Judgment.' + +And again: 'One of the youths at White's, in 1744, has committed +a murder, and intends to repeat it. He betted L1500 that a man +could live twelve hours under water; hired a desperate fellow, +sunk him in a ship, by way of experiment, and both ship and man +have not appeared since. Another man and ship are to be tried +for their lives instead of Mr Blake, the assassin.' + +He also tells us of a very curious entry in the betting-book. +Lord Mountford bets Sir John Bland twenty guineas that Nash +outlives Cibber.' 'How odd,' says Walpole, 'that these two old +creatures, selected for their antiquities, should live to see +both their wagerers put an end to their own lives! Cibber is +within a few days of eighty-four, still hearty, and clear, and +well. I told him I was glad to see him look so well. "Faith," +said he, "it is very well that I look at all." Lord Mountford +would have been the winner: Cibber died in 1757, Nash in 1761.' + +Hogarth's scene at the gambling house is taken at White's. 'We +see the highwayman, with his pistols peeping out of his pocket, +waiting by the fireside till the heaviest winner takes his +departure, in order to "recoup" himself for his losings; and in +the Beaux' Stratagem, Aimwell asks of Gibbet--"Ha'n't I seen your +face at White's?" "Ay, and at Will's too," is the highwayman's +answer.' + +According to Captain Gronow, George Harley Drummond, of the +famous banking-house, Charing Cross, only played once in his +whole life at White's Club, at Whist, on which occasion he lost +L20,000 to Brummell. This even caused him to retire from the +banking-house, of which he was a partner. + +'Walpole and a party of friends (Dick Edgecumbe, George Selwyn, +and Williams), in 1756, composed a piece of heraldic satire--a +coat of arms for the two gaming clubs at White's--which was +"actually engraven from a very pretty painting of Edgecumbe, whom +Mr Chute, as Strawberry King at Arms," appointed their chief +herald-painter. The blazon is vert (for a card-table); three +parolis proper on a chevron sable (for a Hazard table); two +rouleaux in saltire between two dice proper, on a canton sable; a +white ball (for election) argent. The supporters are an old and +young knave of clubs; the crest, an arm out of an earl's coronet +shaking a dice-box; and the motto, Cogit amor nummi--"The love of +money compels." Round the arms is a claret-bottle ticket by way +of order.' + +6. WATTIER'S CLUB. + +This great Macao gaming house was of short duration. Mr Raikes +says of it:--'The club did not endure for twelve years +altogether; the pace was too quick to last; it died a natural +death in 1819, from the paralyzed state of its members. The +house was then taken by a set of blacklegs, who instituted a +common bank of gambling. To form an idea of the ruin produced by +this short-lived establishment among men whom I have so +intimately known, a cursory glance to the past suggests the +following melancholy list, which only forms a part of its +deplorable results: none of the dead reached the average age of +man.' Among the members were Beau Brummell and the madman Bligh. + +7. CROCKFORD'S CLUB. + +This once celebrated gaming house is now 'The Wellington,' where +the rattle of knives and forks has succeeded that of dice. It +was erected in 1827, and at its opening it was described as 'the +new Pandemonium--the drawing-rooms, or real hell, consisting of +four chambers: the first an ante-room, opening to a saloon +embellished to a degree which baffles description; thence to a +small curiously-formed cabinet or boudoir, which opens to the +supper-room. All these rooms are panelled in the most gorgeous +manner; spaces are left to be filled up with mirrors and silk, or +gold enrichments; while the ceilings are as superb as the walls. +A billiard-room on the upper floor completes the number of +apartments professedly dedicated to the use of the members. +Whenever any secret manoeuvre is to be carried on, there are +smaller and more retired places, both under this roof and the +next, whose walls will tell no tales.' + +'It rose,' says a writer in the Edinburgh Review, 'like a +creation of Aladdin's lamp; and the genii themselves could hardly +have surpassed the beauty of the internal decorations, or +furnished a more accomplished maitre d'hotel than Ude. To make +the company as select as possible, the estabishment was regularly +organized as a club, and the election of members vested in a +committee. "Crockford's" became the rage, and the votaries of +fashion, whether they like play or not, hastened to enroll +themselves. The Duke of Wellington was an original member, +though (unlike Blucher, who repeatedly lost everything he had at +play) the great captain was never known to play deep at any game +but war or politics. Card-tables were regularly placed, and +Whist was played occasionally; but the aim, end, and final cause +of the whole was the Hazard bank, at which the proprietor took +his nightly stand, prepared for all comers. Le Wellington des +Joueurs lost L23,000 at a sitting, beginning at twelve at night, +and ending at seven the following evening. He and three other +noblemen could not have lost less, sooner or later, than L100,000 +a piece.[39] Others lost in proportion (or out of proportion) to +their means; but we leave it to less occupied moralists and +better calculators to say how many ruined families went to make +Mr Crockford a MILLIONNAIRE--for a millionnaire he was in the +English sense of the term, after making the largest possible +allowance for bad debts. A vast sum, perhaps half a million, was +sometimes due to him; but as he won, all his debtors were able to +raise, and easy credit was the most fatal of his lures. He +retired in 1840, much as an Indian chief retires from a hunting +country when there is not game enough left for his tribe, and the +club tottered to its fall.' + +[39] 'Le Wellington des Joueurs was the name given to Lord Rivers +in Paris. The other three, we believe, were Lord Sefton, Lord +Chesterfield, and Lord Granville or Lord Talbot.' Times, 7 Jan. +1868. + + +Crockford was originally a FISHMONGER, keeping a shop near Temple +Bar. By embarking in this speculation he laid the foundation of +the most colossal fortune that was ever made by play. + +It was said there were persons of rank and station, who had never +paid their debts to Crockford, up to 1844, and that some of his +creditors compounded with him for their gambling debts. His +proprietorship had lasted 15 or 16 years. + +Crockford himself was examined by the committee of the House of +Commons on the Gaming Houses; but in spite of his assurance by +the members that were indemnified witnesses in respect of pending +actions, he resolutely declined to 'tell the secrets of his +prison-house.' When asked whether a good deal of play was +carried on at his club, he said:--'There may have been so; but I +do not feel myself at liberty to answer that question--to DIVULGE +THE PURSUITS OF PRIVATE GENTLEMEN. Situated as I was, I do not +feel myself at liberty to do so. I do not feel myself at liberty +to answer that question.' + +When asked to whom he had given up the house, he fenced in like +manner, saying that he had given it up to a 'committee' of about +200 gentlemen,--concerning which committee he professed to 'know +absolutely nothing'--he could not even say to whom he had given +up the house--he gave it up to the gentlemen of the club four +years before--he could not even say (upon his word) whether he +signed any paper in giving it up--he believed he did not-- +adding--'I said I grew too old, and I could not continue in the +club any longer, and I wished to give up the club to the +gentlemen, who made their own arrangement.' + +Being asked, 'Do you think that a person is just as honourably +bound to pay a debt which he loses upon a game of Hazard, as he +would be to pay a bet which he loses on a horse-race?' Crockford +replied--'I think most certainly he would honourably be bound to +pay it.'--'Do you think that if the loser of a bet on a game at +Hazard had no charge to make of any kind of unfairness, and he +were to commence an action to recover that money back again, he +would lay himself open to a charge in the world of having acted +dishonourably?' The old gambler's reply was most emphatic, +overwhelming, indignant--'I should take all the pains I could to +avoid such a man.' + +If this evidence was not satisfactory, it was, at any rate, very +characteristic. + +A few interesting facts came out before the parliamentary +committee on Gaming, in 1844, respecting Crockford's. + +It was said that Crockford gave up the business in 1840, because +there were no more very high players visiting his house. + +'A number of persons,' according to the admission of the +Honourable Frederick Byng, 'who were born to very large +properties, were very nearly ruined at Crockford's.' + +The sums won on the turf were certainly larger than those won by +players at Crockford's; a man might lose L20,000 in one or more +bets, to one or more persons; but against this he might have won +an equivalent amount in small sums from 200 or more persons.[40] + +[40] This is not very clearly put, but the meaning is that much +more money was lost at Crockford's than on the turf. + + +Some years previously to Crockford's retirement, it is said that +he found the debts so bad that he was obliged to leave off his +custom of paying cheques; and said he would cancel all previous +debts, but that in future gentlemen would have to pay with money. + +He made them play for money instead of with counters, in +consequence of the large sums that were owing to him upon those +counters. + +8. THE TRAVELLERS' CLUB, + +next the Athenseum in Pall Mall, originated soon after the peace +of 1814, in a suggestion of the late Lord Londonderry, then Lord +Castlereagh, for the resort of gentlemen who had resided or +travelled abroad, as well as with a view to the accommodation of +foreigners, who, when properly recommended, receive an invitation +for the period of their stay.[41] Here Prince Talleyrand was +fond of a game at Whist. With all the advantage of his great +imperturbability of face, he is said to have been an indifferent +player. + +[41] Quarterly Review, No. cx. p. 481. + + +Rule 10 of the club directs, 'that no dice and no game of hazard +be allowed in the rooms of the club, nor any higher stake than +guinea points, and that no cards be introduced before dinner.' + +CHAPTER VII. + +DOINGS IN GAMING HOUSES. + +Besides the aristocratic establishments just described, there +were numerous houses or places of resort for gambling, genteel +and ungenteel. In vain did the officers of the law seem to exert +their utmost vigilance; if they drove the serpent out of one hole +it soon glided into another; never was the proverb--'Where +there's a will there's a way'--more strikingly fulfilled. + +COFFEE-HOUSE SHARPERS. + +Sir John Fielding thus describes the men in the year 1776. 'The +deceivers of this denomination are generally descended from +families of some repute, have had the groundwork of a genteel +education, and are capable of making a tolerable appearance. +Having been equally profuse of their own substance and character, +and learnt, by having been undone, the ways of undoing, they lie +in wait for those who have more wealth and less knowledge of the +town. By joining you in discourse, by admiring what you say, by +an officiousness to wait upon you, and to assist you in anything +you want to have or know, they insinuate themselves into the +company and acquaintance of strangers, whom they watch every +opportunity of fleecing. And if one finds in you the least +inclination to cards, dice, the billiard table, bowling-green, or +any other sort of Gaming, you are morally sure of being taken in. + +For this set of gentry are adepts in all the arts of knavery and +tricking. If, therefore, you should observe a person, without +any previous acquaintance, paying you extraordinary marks of +civility; if he puts in for a share of your conversation with a +pretended air of deference; if he tenders his assistance, courts +your acquaintance, and would be suddenly thought your friend, +avoid him as a pest; for these are the usual baits by which the +unwary are caught.'[42] + +[42] The Magistrate: Description of London and Westminster. + + +In 1792, Mr Br--gh--n, the son of a baronet, one day at a +billiard-table in St James's Street, won L7000 from a Mr B--, but +the latter, at the close of the day, recovered the loss, and won +L15,000 more. Payment was thus arranged--L5000 on the death of +the father of the former, and L10,000 secured by a reversionary +annuity, to commence on the father's decease, on the life of the +Duc de Pienne, between whom and B-- a previous gaming account +existed. + +In 1794, Mr ---- was a billiard player of the first class, +ranking with Brenton, Phillips, Orrel, and Captain Wallis, who +were the leaders of the day in this noble game of skill, tact, +and discretion.[43] Having accidentally sported his abilities +with two other players, he was marked as a 'pigeon' whom every +preparation was made for 'plucking.' Captain Cates, of Covent +Garden celebrity, was pitted against him at the coffee-room +billiard-table, during Epsom races, to play 21 games, for two +guineas each game, and five guineas the odds. Mr ---- won 13 +games to eight from his veteran opponent, who was invariably +backed by the leading sportingmen of the day, whilst the company +at large were casually the adherents of Mr ----. + +[43] The game of Chess may be played in application of the +principles of Strategy; the game of Billiards in application of +Tactics; indeed, all man's favourite diversions and pastimes most +significantly relate to war--which has been called his natural +state--exemplifying always either the brute-force that crushes, +the skill that foils, the stratagem that surprises, or the ruse +that deceives; and such is war to all intents and purposes. The +philosophic diversions of science also come in and lend their aid +in the game of war--the pastime of heroes and the necessary +defence of nations. + +The match was renewed at the ensuing Ascot meeting, at the rooms +of the celebrated Simson, so much frequented by the Etonians-- +where Mr ---- again obtained the victory, by 36 games to 17. +Immense sums were sported on these occasions. + +Mr ---- resided at Windsor, and was surprised by a message on the +Sunday evening preceding the Winchester races, purporting that a +gentleman wished to see him on very particular business. It +proved to be a request to play a match at Billiards during the +races at Winchester, for which the parties offered 10 guineas for +the journey. But it was explained to him that the match was of a +particular kind, and must be played in a PARTICULAR way-- either +to WIN or LOSE--so that those concerned might be sure of winning +upon the whole, let the match terminate how it would! . . . . +This +villainous proposal being made without the presence of a +third person, Mr ---- indignantly rejected it, instantly left the +room, and communicated the facts for the protection of the unwary +against a set of desperate sharpers. + +MILLER'S GAMING HOUSE. + +In 1796, one Thomas Miller was indicted for keeping a gaming +house; and wished to have the matter settled summarily by +admitting conviction; but Lord Kenyon, the presiding judge, chose +to have evidence brought forward. John Shepherd, an attorney of +the King's Bench, who had himself been plundered, stated that he +was at the defendant's, Leicester Street, on a certain night, and +saw Hazard played. Sometimes L20 or L30 depended on a throw. +One morning between three and four o'clock, a gentleman came in +much intoxicated. He had a great deal of money about him. +Miller said--'I did not mean to play; but now I'll set to with +this fellow.' Miller scraped a little wax with his finger off +one of the candles, and put the dice together, so that they came +seven every way. Seven was the main, and he could not throw +anything but seven. A dispute arose, and the persons at the +table gave it in Miller's favour. The young man said he had lost +about L70. Miller observed--'We have cleaned him.' If the +attorney had remarked on this at the time, they would have broken +his head, or thrown him out of the window. + +He had often seen men pawn their watches and rings to Miller, and +once a man actually pawned his coat, and went away without it! +When articles were offered to be pawned, Liston, who was a +partner in the concern, said--'I don't understand the value of +these things well,' and he would then call Miller.[44] + +[44] Even at the present day it is said that other 'articles' +besides 'valuables' are 'left' with the marker at billiards 'for +a consideration.' A fine umbrella, very little used, was lately +shown to me as having been sold for five shillings, by a marker; +it probably cost twenty-five. + + +Miller said there was no disgrace in standing in the pillory for +gaming. He could spare L500 out of his coffers without missing +it. His gaming table was once broken up by a warrant from Bow +Street, when he said it was too good a thing to relinquish, and +he set up another, one large enough for 20 or 30 persons to sit +at. They played at it all night, and on one or two occasions all +the next day too, so that Miller said to witness on his return in +the evening--'Some of the people are still here who came last +night. They stick to it rarely.' Sunday was the grand day. He +had seen more than 40 persons at a time there, and they +frequently offered half-a-crown for a seat. Wine and suppers +were furnished gratis. Some looked over the backs of others and +betted. A Mr Smith, the very man who had pawned his coat, +confirmed the above evidence. Miller was convicted, and the +judge, Lord Kenyon, made the following solemn observations before +passing sentence:-- + +'Gaming is a crime of greater enormity, and of more destructive +consequences to society, than many which the laws of the country +have made capital. What is the crime of stealing a sheep, or +picking a pocket of a handkerchief, when placed in comparison +with this crime, traced through all its consequences? + +'With regard to those in the higher walks of life, experience +tells us it often leads to self-murder and duelling, about +gambling debts, which terminate in the total ruin of families +once opulent, and reduce to beggary their innocent and helpless +children; and as for those in a lower sphere of life, when they +have lost their money, they often betake themselves to +housebreaking and the highway, in order to replenish their +coffers, and at last end their lives by the hand of justice.' + +With many other most excellent observations on the tendency of +this selfish and avaricious vice, he concluded by sentencing +Miller to a fine of L500, one year's imprisonment, and security +for his good behaviour for seven years, himself in L500 and two +others in L250 each, adding:--'It appeared that you played with +loaded dice. The Court has not taken that into consideration, +because it was not charged in the indictment.' + +ATTACKS ON GAMING HOUSES. + +In 1797 the Bedford Arms, Covent Garden, kept by one John +Twycross, was attacked, under warrant. The gaming-room stood an +hour's siege, for the doors were so plated with iron that the +repeated blows of a sledge-hammer made no impression on them. +The officers at length entered the back through the window. They +found fifteen persons at table, but not actually playing, so no +conviction could take place. + +In the same year a party of Bow Street officers searched a gaming +house at 19, Great Suffolk Street. They were an hour in +effecting their entrance. Two very stout doors, strongly bolted +and barred, obstructed them. All the gamesters but one escaped +by a subterraneous passage, through a long range of cellars, +terminating at a house in Whitcomb Street, whence their leader, +having the keys of every door, conducted them safely into the +open air. + +In the previous year a party, mostly French emigrants, were taken +at a house in Oxendon Street, with the table, cards, &c. A city +magistrate and a city officer had a dispute at cards, and a +knock-down game ensued. + +In 1799 the Marlborough Street officers apprehended at the gaming +house, No. 3, Leicester Square, thirteen out of twenty persons, +from the first floor, playing at Rouge et Noir. One of the +gamblers, when they first entered, threw up the sash, and, +stepping from the leads, fell into the area, and died in being +conveyed to the hospital. + +In the same year, two notorious gaming houses, Nos. 1 and 3, +King's Place, were attacked, by authority of a search warrant. +All the paraphernalia of the profession, as tables, dice, +counters, &c., were seized; but the inmates effected their escape +over the roofs of the adjoining houses. The proprietor of No. 3 +was smoked in a chimney, and three French emigrants intercepted +in their retreat. On one of them was found a gold watch, which +appeared, by the robbery-book, to have been stolen about five +years previously. The banks had been conveyed away,--at least, +they were not among the captures. + +'SOMETHING HONOURABLE TO THE BRITISH FLAG.' + +It is stated as highly honourable to the British flag that, among +the gamesters of the first quarter of the present century, no +Admirals were seen at the INFERIOR tables. Their proper pride +kept them from a familiar association with pursers, clerks, +grocers, horse-dealers, linen-drapers, silk-mercers, masons, +builders, timber-merchants, booksellers, &c., &c., and men of the +very lowest walks of life. + +COARSE LANGUAGE OF GAMESTERS. + +'I heard those who, in another place, even in the most polished +courts, would take a high rank for good breeding and gentlemanly +education, at these tables make use of language which, I hope, +Billingsgate itself would turn from with disgust. It cannot be +repeated; neither would it be believed, unless by such as, like +myself, have had "confirmation strong," too strong to be +rejected, if I did not, at the same time, reject the evidence of +my senses.'[45] + +[45] Seymour Harcourt, The Gaming Calendar. + + +BOASTED PROTECTION OF GREAT NAMES TO GAMING HOUSES. + +'On one occasion I was at the Pigeon Hole, in St James's Square +(since removed to King Street), when the apprehensions which the +rapid sale of The Greeks (a work exposing the system) excited +among the players were warmly debated. To my great astonishment, +a person who I supposed was a proprietor, boasted the +impenetrability of HIS house, and on what ground, think you? +Why, on that of it having the countenance of the Lord Chief +Justice of England! True or false, it seemed to revive the +flagging spirits of its visitors. They knew better. Not even +the warm feelings of a father would turn the scale of justice in +the even hand of Lord Ellenborough.' + +It must not, however, be taken for granted, merely because these +fellows assert it, that the sons of the late Chief Justice really +frequented that den of iniquity. It is part of the system of +these houses to delude the ignorant, by pretending that this or +the other person uses their tables. I had an instance of that +myself at ----, in Pall Mall. Asking who that gentleman was, +pointing to the party, I was answered--'That is Mr Hay, private +secretary to Lord Melville, the First Lord of the Admiralty.' +Now, I believe I may safely say, and from my own knowledge, too, +that Mr Hay, whose character and conduct is deservedly held in +the highest estimation, NEVER was at that or any such house; yet +his name was constantly quoted, and particularly to young +officers of the navy and marines, to whom his acquaintance held +out hopes of future advantage in their profession![46] + +[46] Id. ibid. + + +FORTUNATE RISE OF A CLUB-HOUSE WAITER. + +'A waitership at a club sometimes led to fortune. Thomas +Rumbold, originally a waiter at White's gaming club, got an +appointment in India, and suddenly rose to be Sir Thomas, and +Governor of Madras! On his return, with immense wealth, a bill +of pains and penalties was brought into the House by Dundas, with +the view of stripping Sir Thomas of his ill-gotten gains. This +bill was briskly pushed through the earlier stages; suddenly the +proceedings were arrested by adjournment, and the measure fell to +the ground. The rumour of the day attributed Rumbold's escape to +the corrupt assistance of Rigby; who, in 1782, found himself, by +Lord North's retirement, deprived of his place in the Pay Office, +and called upon to refund a large amount of public moneys +unaccounted for. In this strait, Rigby was believed to have had +recourse to Rumbold. Their acquaintance had commenced in earlier +days, when Rigby was one of the boldest "punters" at White's, and +Rumbold bowed to him for half-crowns as waiter. Rumbold is said +to have given Rigby a large sum of money, on condition of the +former being released from the impending pains and penalties. +The truth of the report has been vehemently denied; but the +circumstances are suspicious. The bill was dropped; Dundas, its +introducer, was Rigby's intimate associate. Rigby's nephew and +heir soon after married Rumbold's daughter. Sir Thomas himself +had married a daughter of Dr Law, Bishop of Carlisle. The worthy +bishop stood godfather to one of Rumbold's children; the other +godfather was the Nabob of Arcot, and the child was christened +"Mahomet." So, at least, Walpole informs Mann.'[47] + +[47] Timbs, Club Life in London. + + +PLAY IN 1820. + +According to the Morning Post of May 15, 1820, at one of the +gaming houses at the West End, in one night, property to the +amount of L50,000 is said to have changed hands. + +ACCOUNT OF A GAME AT HAZARD. + +The following account of a game at Hazard was given by a young +man, who, in the year 1820, was decoyed into one of the gambling +houses in the city, kept by one John Morley, who was convicted by +the Lord Mayor, in the penalty of L200, 'for keeping Hazard;' but +who, it is stated, left this country for Ireland the moment +proceedings were instituted. + +'The house in question was to all appearance devoted to the +game of billiards, and most of those who frequented it engaged +merely in that game. Through the agency of professed gamesters, +who shared in the profits of the concern, those who appeared to +be proper objects of plunder were soon introduced to the Hazard +table, which was kept in a retired and private part of the house. + +'The evidence of the young man was to the following effect:--He +had been in Morley's house; the game of Hazard was played in the +front room on the second floor; a door led into it from the +landing-place, and another from the public billiard-room, which +was the back room on the same floor; both these doors were during +the time of play kept barred and locked, and never opened except +to the voice of some person known to the master of the house. +During the play the door was seldom or never opened, but before +the play commenced there was an understanding given that +proceedings were about to begin. + +'In the centre of the room was a large circular table, over which +a lamp was suspended, and round the table the players sat, in +number, generally, from six to ten. + +'The play commenced by one of the players taking the dice-box +with two dice in it; two other dice were covered on the table, +and might be substituted for those in the box, upon application +to Morley, who acted as "groom porter." The person who held the +box was called the caster, and he called a main, that is, he +mentioned aloud any number on the dice from five to nine; and +throwing the dice on the table, counted the number on the two +dice as his chance, the number which he called being the chance +of his setter. Before the main is called, the caster throws down +his stake, which any person present has the option of covering, +or, as it is called, "setting," by placing a similar sum on the +table. For instance, if the caster, after being "set," call five +the main, and throws immediately four and one, or three and two, +he "nicks" it, that is, wins his money at once. If he throws six +and one, five and two, or four and three, each of which two +numbers makes seven, he bets the ODDS, which are three to two in +his favour--inasmuch as there are three ways of throwing seven, +and only two of throwing five; and he continues throwing until +either five or seven come off. By the former he loses, by the +latter he wins. + +'If he calls seven the main, and throws three and one, or six and +four, the odds are two to one against him--inasmuch as there are +only three ways each of throwing, the four and the ten and six +wins, throwing the seven, that is, three on each die.[48] If the +caster wishes, he calls a main, and continues to do so till he +loses, which, in the technical phraseology, is "throwing out." +He then passes the bow to the person next on the left hand, who, +in like manner, passes it to his neighbour. Morley is +remunerated for his table very handsomely. When the caster +throws in three mains successively, he pays to Morley what is +called a box (one of the pieces of the house with which the game +is played). The prices are eighteen-pence each, and he gives +them in exchange for notes, and retakes them. The caster pays +nothing unless he wins. The players generally leave off play at +eleven or twelve o'clock. On Saturday there is most play, as +Morley on that day always gives a dinner at four o'clock, +immediately after which the play commences. On other days tea +and coffee are given.' + +[48] I confess I do not understand the above passage. + + +A number of young men, most of whom were clerks, were called to +confirm the evidence as to the system, but none of them appeared. + +In a letter published in the Times of July 22, 1824, we read as +follows:-- + +'The action against the keepers of a certain notorious "hell," +which was noticed in the different journals as "coming on," is +withdrawn, or, more properly speaking, is "compromised." Thus it +will always be; and the different hells still flourish with +impunity, to the enrichment of a few knaves, and the ruin of many +thousands, till more effectual laws are framed to meet the evil. +As they net thousands a night, a few hundreds or even thousands +can be well spared to smother a few actions and prosecutions, +which are very rarely instituted against them, and never but by +ruined men, who are easily quieted by a small consideration, +which, from recent judgments, will not be withheld; therefore we +shall see recorded but very few convictions if any at all. At +the head of these infamous establishments is one yclept +"Fishmollgers' Hall,"[49] which sacks more plunder than all the +others put together, though they consist of about a dozen. This +place has been fitted up at an expense of L40,000, and is the +most splendid house, interiorly and exteriorly, in all the +neighbourhood. It is established as a bait for the fortunes of +the great, many of whom have already been severe sufferers. +Invitations to dinner are sent to noblemen and gentlemen, at +which they are treated with every delicacy, and the most +intoxicating wines. + +[49] Otherwise called Crock-odile Hall. + + +'After such "liberal" entertainment, a visit to the French Hazard +table, in the adjoining room, is a matter of course, when the +consequences are easily divined. A man thus allured to the den +may determine not to lose more than the few pounds he has about +him; but in the intoxication of the moment, and the delirium of +play, it frequently happens that, notwithstanding the best +resolves, he borrows money on his cheques, which are known to be +good, and are readily cashed to very considerable amounts. In +this manner L10,000, L20,000, L30,000, or more, have been often +swept away! + +They left King Street about three years ago, when, in conjunction +with T ---- (a man who a few years ago took the benefit of the +act, and subsequently took one or two "hells" in Pall Mall, but +has amassed full L150,000 of plunder) and A ----, who has L70,000 +of plunder, they opened a club-house in Piccadilly, with a French +Hazard bank of L10,000, when in a short time they divided between +the four--after all their heavy expenses were covered--upwards of +L200,000. In proportion to the extent of the bank and the +stakes, so do they collect the plunder.' + +PROGRESS IN THE GAMING TRADE. + +In the minor gaming houses the players assembled in parties of +from 40 to 50 persons, who probably brought on an average, each +night, from one to twenty shillings to play with. As the money +was lost, the losers fell off, if they could not borrow or beg +more; and this went on sometimes in the winter season for 14 to +16 hours in succession; so that from 100 to 150 persons might be +calculated to visit one gaming table in the course of a night; +and it not unfrequently happened that ultimately all the money +brought to the table got into the hands of one or two of the most +fortunate adventurers, save that which was paid to the table for +'box-hands'--that is, when a player won three times in +succession. At these establishments the price of a box varied +from one shilling to half-a-crown. Every man thus engaged was +destined to become either a more finished and mischievous +gambler, or to appear at the bar of the Old Bailey. The +successful players by degrees improved their external appearance, +and obtained admittance into houses of higher play, where two +shillings and sixpence or three shillings and fourpence was +demanded for the box-hand. If success attended them in the first +step of advancement, they next got initiated into better houses, +and associated with gamblers of a higher grade. + +PLAY IN 1838. + +About the year 1838 the gaming houses were kept open all day, the +dice were scarcely ever idle, day or night. From Sunday to +Sunday, all the year round, persons were to be found in these +places, losing their money, and wasting away their very bodies by +the consuming anxiety consequent on their position at the Hazard +or Roulette table. + +STATISTICS OF GAMBLING IN 1844. + +The following facts came out in evidence before the committee of +the House of Commons, in 1844. + +Down to that year there were no less than 12 gaming houses in St +James's and St George's. The play was higher in old times, but +not so GENERAL. + +'The increase of gambling houses was entirely the offspring of +Crockford's.' Such was the opinion of the Honourable Frederick +Byng, before the committee, who added, 'that the facility to +everybody to gamble at Crockford's led to the establishment of +other gambling houses fitted up in a superior style, and +attractive to gentlemen who never would have thought of going +into them formerly.' + +Previously, in the clubs, the gambling was confined to a very +high rate and to a very few people. The above-named witness said +he 'could have named all the gamblers in his early days at the +clubs. No person coming into a room where Hazard was carried on +would have been permitted to play for a SMALL SUM, and therefore +he left it.' + +The same gentleman remembered the time when gambling tables were +kept in private houses. + +'It is a fact that most of those who played very high were pretty +well cleaned out.' + +'Crockford increased gambling everywhere.' 'Persons of the +middling classes, butchers, and gentleman's servants went to the +low gambling houses.' + +These places held out inducements to robbery. 'If a servant or +shopman could scrape together L200 or L300, he had, by the agency +of the keepers of these houses, the opportunity of lending out +his money to the losers at 60 per cent.' + +DESPERATION AT GAMING HOUSES. + +The most particular inspection was made of the player's person by +the gaming house keeper's spies, and even his dress was strictly +observed. He was obliged, before entering the saloon, to deposit +his great coat and cane, which might perchance afford the +introduction of some WEAPON; and the elegance of the covering did +not save him from the humiliation of having it taken from him at +the door. The attempts which were sometimes made on the lives of +the bankers led to these precautions--like the indignities which +are practised only in prisons for the security of the unhappy +inmates. It is certain that gamesters, reduced to desperation, +and on the eve of committing suicide, have conveyed into these +places infernal machines with an intention of destroying at once +their cruel plunderers and themselves. + +'DEVILISH DOINGS IN A "HELL." ' + +In 'Doings in London,' a work published as lately as the year +1850, we find under this startling title a strange story. + +'A scandalous scene of violence, which often happens at these +places, but seldom becomes publicly known, on account of the +disgrace attending exposures, occurred lately at a low "hell" in +King Street, St James's. A gentleman who had lost considerable +sums of money at various times, announced his full determination +never to come to a place of the sort again with money. His +visits, therefore, were no longer wanted, and so orders were +given to the porters not to admit him again. About two o'clock +on a subsequent night, which happened to be Saturday, he sought +admittance, and was refused. A warm altercation ensued in the +passage between him and the porters, which brought down some of +the proprietors. One of them--a powerful man--a bankrupt +butcher--struck him a tremendous blow, which broke the bridge of +his nose, covered his face with blood, and knocked him down. On +getting up he was knocked down again. He arose once more, and +instantly received another blow, which would have laid him upon +his back, but one of the porters by this time had got behind him, +and as he was falling struck him at the back of his head, which +sent him upon his face. The watch had now arrived, into whose +hands the keeper of the "hell" and the porter were given. At the +watch-house they were ordered to find bail. The gentleman was +then about quitting, when he was suddenly called back. A certain +little lawyer, who alternately prosecutes and defends keepers of +gaming houses, was sent for. He whispered to the ex- butcher to +charge the gentleman with stealing his handkerchief and hat, +which, it was alleged, had been lost in the affray. Though +nothing was found upon the gentleman, who desired to be searched, +this preposterous and groundless charge was taken, and the +hellites admitted to bail; but the gentleman who had been so +cruelly beaten, being charged with a felony on purpose to cause +his detention, and the power held by magistrates to take bail in +doubtful cases not extending to night-constables, he was locked +up below with two wretches who had stolen lead, and five +disorderlies--his face a mass of blood and bruises--and there +detained till Monday morning, in a most pitiable condition. The +magistrate before whom the party appeared on that day, +understanding that the affair took place at a gaming house, +dismissed both complaints, leaving the parties to their remedy at +the sessions.' + +GAFFING. + +Gaffing is or was one of the ten thousand modes of swindling +practised in London. Formerly it was a game in very great vogue +among the macers, who congregated nightly at the 'flash houses.' +One of these is described as follows:--This gaffer laughed a +great deal and whistled Moore's melodies, and extracted music +from a deal table with his elbow and wrist. When he hid a +half-penny, and a flat cried 'head' for L10, a 'tail' was sure to +turn up. One of his modes of commanding the turn-up was this: he +had a half-penny with two heads, and a half-penny with two tails. + +When he gaffed, he contrived to have both half-pence under his +hand, and long practice enabled him to catch up in the wrinkles +or muscles of it the half-penny which it was his interest to +conceal. If 'tail' was called a 'head' appeared, and the 'tail' +half-penny ran down his wrist with astonishing fidelity. This +ingenious fellow often won 200 or 300 sovereigns a night by +gaffing; but the landlord and other men, who were privy to the +robbery, and 'pitched the baby card' (that is, encouraged the +loser by sham betting), always came in for the 'regulars,' that +is, their share of the plunder. + +This gaffer contrived to 'bilk' all the turnpikes in the kingdom. + +In going to a fight or to a race-course, when he reached a +turnpike he held a shilling between his fingers, and said to the +gatekeeper--'Here, catch,' and made a movement of the hand +towards the man, who endeavoured to catch what he saw. The +shilling, however, by a backward jerk, ran down the sleeve of the +coat, as if it had life in it, and the gate-keeper turned round +to look in the dust, when the tall gaffer drove on, saying--'Keep +the change.' + +A young fellow, who previously was a marker at a billiard-table, +and who had the appearance of a soft, inexperienced country-lad, +was another great hand at gaffing. There was a strong adhesive +power in his hand, and such exquisite sensibility about it, that +he could ascertain by dropping his palm, even upon a worn-out +half-penny or shilling, what side was turned up. Indeed, so +perfect a master was he of the science that Breslaw could never +have done more upon cards than he could do with a pair of 'grays' +(gaffing-coins). + +A well-known macer, who was celebrated for slipping an 'old +gentleman' (a long card) into the pack, and was the inheritor by +birth of all the propensities of this description, although the +inheritance was equally divided between his brother and himself, +got hold of a young fellow who had L170 in his pocket, and +introduced him to one of the 'cock-and-hen' houses near Drury +Lane Theatre, well-primed with wine. Gaffing began, and the +billiard-marker before described was pitched upon to 'do' the +stranger. The macer 'pitched the baby card,' and of course lost, +as well as the unfortunate victim. He had borrowed L10 of the +landlord, who was to come in for the 'regulars;' but when all was +over, the billiard-marker refused to make any division of the +spoil, or even to return the L10 which had been lost to him in +'bearing up' the cull. The landlord pressed his demand upon the +macer, who, in fact, was privately reimbursed by the marker; but +he was coolly told that he ought not to allow such improper +practices in his house, and that the sum was not recoverable, the +transaction being illegal. + +How these spurious coins are procured is a question; but I am +assured that they are still in use and often made to do service +at public-houses and other places. + +TOMMY DODD. + +This is a mode of gambling very much in vogue at the present +time. It is often played at public-houses among parties to +decide who is to pay the reckoning. Each party turns down a +half-penny, and, on uncovering it, the matter is decided as in +'heads or tails.' Of course this expeditious method is also used +in gambling for money. Not long ago a retired tradesman, +happening to be in a public-house, where such things were +connived at, allowed himself to be induced to play at Tommy Dodd +with two low sharpers. They soon eased him of all the cash he +had about him. A bright idea, however, occurred to him. 'Stop a +bit,' he said, 'I must have my revenge. Just wait till I go home +for more money.' The sharpers were rejoiced at the idea, and +rubbed their hands with delight, whilst the tradesman went, as +they felt sure, only to bring more money into their 'till.' The +man made all haste, for he was determined to have his revenge, +and soon returned with a large bag of money, which he clinked on +the table. + +He first pulled out some coppers, telling them to choose from the +lot the coins they would play with. They assented, although they +did not seem 'much to like it.' 'And now,' said the tradesman, +'let's set to business.' + +The game proceeded with alternate success on both sides; but the +tradesman went on DOUBLING THE STAKES EVERY TIME, WHETHER HE LOST +OR WON, and, of course, at length completely broke their bank, +and went off with their money. + +GAMBLING AT THE WINE AND OYSTER ROOMS, OR 'SALOONS.' + +The gambling which was carried on in the private rooms of the +wine and oyster houses, about thirty years ago, and perhaps +later, was just such as that which had so long flourished in the +low vicinity of St James's. Indeed, the constant frequenters of +the former had attained the most profound knowledge of the art of +robbing at the West End gaming houses. The blacklegs visited the +saloons every night, in order to pick up new acquaintances among +the young and inexperienced. They were polite, well-dressed, +gentlemanlike persons; and if they could trace anything 'soft' in +the countenance of a new visitor, their wits went to work at once +to establish an acquaintance with him. Wine was set a- going, +and cards were proposed. The master of the concern soon provided +a room, and play advanced, accompanied by the certainty of loss +to the unfortunate stranger. But if the invitation to play was +rejected, they made another plant upon him. The ruffians +attacked him through a passion of a different kind. They gave +the word to one of their female 'pals,' who threw herself in his +way, and prevailed upon him to accompany her to HER +establishment. In the morning the 'gentleman,' who in vain had +solicited him to play at the saloon the night before, would +call--just to pay 'a friendly visit.' Cards were again spoken +of, and again proposed, with the additional recommendation of the +'lady,' who offered to be the partner of her friend in the game. +The consequence was inevitable. Many young noblemen and +gentlemen were plundered by this scheme, of hundreds, nay, of +thousands of pounds. To escape without loss was impossible. +They packed and distributed the cards with such amazing +dexterity, that they could give a man, as it were, whatever cards +they pleased. + +CARDS THAT WOULD BEAT THE D--L HIMSELF! + +A number of sharpers were detected in a trick by which they had +won enormous sums. An Ecarte party, consisting of a nobleman, a +captain in the army, an Armenian gentleman, and an Irish +gentleman, sat down in one of the private chambers attached to +one of the large wine and shell-fish rooms. The Armenian and the +Irishman were partners, and were wonderfully successful; indeed, +so extraordinary was their luck in turning up cards, that the +captain, who had been in the town for some time, suspected the +integrity of his competitors, and, accordingly, handled the cards +very minutely. He soon discovered that there was an 'old +gentleman' (a card somewhat larger and thicker than the rest of +the pack, and in considerable use among the LEGS) in the midst of +them. The captain and his partner exclaimed that they were +robbed, and the cards were sealed up, and referred to a card- +maker for his opinion. + +'The old saying,' said the referee, 'that THE CARDS WOULD BEAT +THE CARD-MAKER, was never more true than it is in this instance, +for this pack would beat not only me, but the very d--l himself; +there is not only an OLD GENTLEMAN, but an OLD LADY (a card +broader than the rest) amongst them.' + +The two 'gentlemen' were immediately accused of the imposition, +but they feigned ignorance of the fraud, refused to return a +farthing of the 'swag,' and, in their turn, charged the losers +with having got up the story in order to recover what they had +fairly lost. + +GENEROSITY (?) OF A GAMING HOUSE KEEPER. + +A young West Indian chanced one night to enter one of the gaming +houses in London, and began trying his chance at Roulette. +Fortune favoured him at first, and he won about a hundred pounds. + +Instead of leaving off he only became the more excited by his +success, when his luck began to change, and he lost and lost +until he staked the last coin he had in his pocket. He then +pawned to the master of the table successively every ring and +trinket he had, for money to continue the stakes. All in vain. +His luck never returned; and he made his way down-stairs in a +mood which may well be imagined. But what was his surprise when +the master of the table came running after him, saying--'Sir, +these things may be valuable to you--do me the favour to take +them with you. Next time I hope you will be more lucky,' and +returned all his rings and trinkets. + +The moon was shining brightly at the time, and the young man +swore by it, that he would never again enter a gaming house, and +he kept his oath. Of course the generosity was but a decoy to +entice the youth to further ruin. + +HOSPITALITY OF GAMING HOUSES, AND POPULARITY OF CITY MEN AT THEM. + +Joseph Atkinson and his wife, who for many years kept a gaming +house at No. 15 under the Piazza, Covent Garden, gave daily +magnificent play dinners,--cards of invitation for which were +sent to the clerks of merchants, bankers, and brokers in the +city. Atkinson used to say that he liked CITIZENS--whom he +called FLATS--better than any one else, for when they had DINED +they played freely, and after they had lost all their money they +had credit to borrow more. When he had CLEANED THEM OUT, when +THE PIGEONS WERE COMPLETELY PLUCKED, they were sent to some of +their solvent friends. After dinner play was introduced, and, +till dinner time the nest day, different games at cards, dice, +and E O were continually going on. + +THE TRAFFIC IN HUSH MONEY. + +Theophilus Bellasis, an infamous character, was well known at Bow +Street, where he had been charged with breaking into the +counting-house of Sir James Sanderson, Bart. Bellasis was +sometimes clerk and sometimes client to John Shepherd, an +attorney of Bow Street; while at other times Shepherd was +prosecutor of those who kept gaming houses, and Bellasis +attorney. Sir William Addington, the magistrate, was so well +aware that these two men commenced prosecutions solely for the +purpose of HUSH MONEY, that he refused to act. The Joseph +Atkinson just mentioned at one time gave them L100, at another +L80; and in this way they had amassed an immense sum, and +undertook, for a specific amount, to defend keepers of gaming +houses against all prosecutions! + +WALKING OFF WITH A L200 BANK-NOTE. + +The runaway son of an extensive linen-draper went to a gaming +house in King Street, and pocketed a L200 bank-note from the +table. He was not kicked out, because it would not be safe for +the proprietors of these houses to run the risk of getting +involved in law; but he was civilly walked down-stairs by the +master of the establishment, who forbad him the house evermore. +The dashing youth, however, put both the money and the affront in +his pocket, and was only too thankful to get away in so good a +plight. + +PERQUISITES OF GAMBLING HOUSE WAITERS. + +A waiter in one of the gambling houses in St James's Street +received in Christmas boxes above L500. A nobleman, who had in +the course of a week won L80,000, gave him L100 of his winnings. +He was said to have actually borrowed of the waiter the money +which led to his extraordinary success! + +PAUL ROUBEL. + +Paul Roubel was a gaming house keeper, who seems to have been an +exception to his class, according to the following account:--'A +foreigner once applied for the situation of croupier at old Paul +Roubel's, stating as his qualification that he could cut or turn +up whatever card he pleased. The old man (for he was nearly +eighty, and a very good hearty fellow in his way) declined the +offer, saying--"You are too clever for me; my customers must have +some chance!" It is true Roubel kept a gambling house; but it is +also true that few men in higher walks of life possessed a kinder +heart, or a hand which opened more freely or more liberally to +the calls of humanity! Peace be to his manes!' + +TITLED GREEKS, OR 'DECOYS.' + +In all the gaming houses of any note there were unprincipled and +reckless persons paid by the hellites, employed in various +capacities, and for various purposes. Sometimes they played for +the proprietors against any one who chose to put down his money; +at other times, when there were no other individuals playing at +all, they pretended to be strangers themselves, and got up sham +games with the proprietors, with the view of practising a +deception on any strangers who might be in the room, and by that +means inducing them to put down their money. They were dressed +in the most fashionable manner, always exhibiting a profusion of +jewellery, and living in great splendour when they have any +particular person in their eye, in the various hotels throughout +town.[50] + +[50] Grant, Sketches in London. + + +In some cases, in the higher class of gaming establishments, the +Greeks, or decoys, being men of title or considerable standing in +society, did not receive a fixed salary for seducing young men of +fortune, but being in every case very needy men, they nominally +borrowed, from time to time, large sums of money from the hell- +keepers. It was, however, perfectly understood on both sides +that the amount so borrowed was never to be repaid.[51] + +[51] Grant, Ubi supra. + + +WHY CHEATS WERE CALLED GREEKS. + +M. Robert-Houdin says that this application of the term 'Greek' +originated from a certain modern Greek, named Apoulos, who in the +reign of Louis XIV. was caught cheating at court, and was +condemned to 20 years at the galleys. I think this a very +improbable derivation, and unnecessary withal. Aristotle of old, +as before stated, ranked gamesters 'with thieves and plunderers, +who for the sake of gain do not scruple to despoil their best +friends.' We afterwards find them bearing just as bad a +character among the Romans. Says Juvenal-- + + Graeculus esuriens in coelum jusseris, ibit. +'Bid the hungry Greek to heaven, to heaven he goes.' + +Dr Johnson translated the words, 'Bid him to h--l, to h--l he +goes'--which is wrong. A DIFFICULTY is implied, and everybody +knows that it is easier to go to the latter place than the +former. It means that a needy Greek was capable of doing +anything. Lord Byron protested that he saw no difference between +Greeks and Jews--of course, meaning 'Jews' in the offensive sense +of the word. Among gamblers the term was chiefly applied to +'decoys.' + +GAMING TABLE SLANG AND MANOEUVRES. + +Captain Sharp. A cheating bully, whose office it was to bully +any 'Pigeon,' who, suspecting roguery, refused to pay what he had +lost. + +St Hugh's bones. Dice. A bale of bard cinque deuces; a bale of +flat cinque deuces; a bale of flat size aces; a bale of bard +cater treys; a bale of flat cater treys; a bale of Fulhams; a +bale of light graniers; a bale of gordes, with as many highmen +and lowmen for passage; a bale of demies; a bale of long dice for +even or odd; a bale of bristles; a bale of direct +contraries,--names of false dice. + +Do. To cheat. + +Done up. Ruined. + +Down-hills. False dice which run low. + +Elbow-shaker. A gamester. + +Fulhams. Loaded dice. + +Fuzz. To shuffle cards closely: to change the pack. + +Game. Bubbles, Flats, Pigeons. + +Gull Gropers. Usurers who lend money to gamesters. + +Greeks. Cheats at play. + +Hedge. To secure a bet by betting on the other side. + +High Jinks. A gambler who drinks to intoxicate his Pigeon. + +Hunting. Drawing in the unwary. + +Main. Any number on the dice from five to nine. + +Paum. To hide a card or die. + +Pigeons. Dupes of sharpers at play. + +Vincent's Law. The art of cheating at cards, by the banker, who +plays booty, Gripe, who bets, and the Vincent, who is cheated. +The gain is called termage. + +Vowel. To give an I. O. U. in payment. + +Up-hills. False dice which run high. + +SPECIMEN OF A QUASI GAMING HOUSE CIRCULAR. + +'SIR,--I hope you will join with the rest of the parishioners in +recommending what friends you can to my shops. They shall have +good candles and fair play. Sir, we are a not gang of swindlers, + + Like other Gaming Houses, + We are men of character. + Our Party is, + Tom Carlos--alias Pistol, + Ned Mogg,--from Charing Cross, + Union Clarke, ------------ + + {The best in the world at + A Frenchman,{ + {sleight of hand. + My poor Brother, + and + Melting Billy, + Your humble Servant. +To the Church-Wardens, Overseers, and each +respectable inhabitant in the Parish.' + + A card was enclosed, as follows:-- + '**** + Gaming House Keeper, + and **** **** to + The Honourable House of Commons + No. 7 and 8 **** St, St James's.' + +This circular was sent to Stockdale, the publisher, in 1820, who +published it with the names in asterisks suppressed. It was +evidently intended to expose some doings in high places. + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE DOCTRINE OF PROBABILITIES APPLIED TO GAMBLING. + +A distinction must be made between games of skill and games of +chance. The former require application, attention, and a certain +degree of ability to insure success in them; while the latter are +devoid of all that is rational, and are equally within the reach +of the highest and lowest capacity. To be successful in throwing +the dice is one of the most fickle achievements of fickle +fortune; and therefore the principal game played with them is +very properly and emphatically called 'Hazard.' It requires, +indeed, some exertion of the mental powers, of memory, at least, +and a turn for such diversions, to play well many games at cards. + +Nevertheless, it is often found that those who do so give no +further proofs of superior memory and judgment, whilst persons of +superior memory and judgment not unfrequently fail egregiously at +the card-table. + +The gamester of skill, in games of skill, may at first sight seem +to have more advantage than the gamester of chance, in games of +chance; and while cards are played merely as an amusement, there +is no doubt that a recreation is more rational when it requires +some degree of skill than one, like dice, totally devoid of all +meaning whatever. But when the pleasure becomes a business, and +a matter of mere gain, there is more innocence, perhaps, in a +perfect equality of antagonists--which games of chance, fairly +played, always secure--than where one party is likely to be an +overmatch for the other by his superior knowledge or ability. + +Nevertheless, even games of chance may be artfully managed; and +the most apparently casual throw of the dice be made subservient +to the purposes of chicanery and fraud, as will be shown in the +sequel. + +In the matter of skill and chance the nature of cards is mixed,-- +most games having in them both elements of interest,--since the +success of the player must depend as much on the chance of the +'deal' as on his skill in playing the game. But even the chance +of the deal is liable to be perverted by all the tricks of +shuffling and cutting--not to mention how the honourable player +may be deceived in a thousand ways by the craft of the sharper, +during the playing, of the cards themselves; consequently +professed gamblers of all denominations, whether their games be +of apparent skill or mere chance, may be confounded together or +considered in the same category, as being equally meritorious and +equally infamous. + +Under the name of the Doctrine of Chances or Probabilities, a +very learned science,--much in vogue when lotteries were +prevalent,--has been applied to gambling purposes; and in spite +of the obvious abstruseness of the science, it is not impossible +to give the general reader an idea of its processes and +conclusions. + +The probability of an event is greater or less according to the +number of chances by which it may happen, compared with the whole +number of chances by which it may either happen or fail. +Wherefore, if we constitute a fraction whereof the numerator be +the number of chances whereby an event may happen, and the +denominator the number of all the chances whereby it may either +happen or fail, that fraction will be a proper designation of the +probability of happening. Thus, if an event has 3 chances to +happen, and 2 to fail, then the fraction 3/5 will fairly +represent the probability of its happening, and may be taken to +be the measure of it. + +The same may be said of the probability of failing, which will +likewise be measured by a fraction whose numerator is the number +of chances whereby it may fail, and the denominator the whole +number of chances both for its happening and failing; thus the +probability of the failing of that event which has 2 chances to +fail and 3 to happen will be measured by the fraction 2/5. + +The fractions which represent the probabilities of happening and +failing, being added together, their sum will always be equal to +unity, since the sum of their numerators will be equal to their +common denominator. Now, it being a certainty that an event will +either happen or fail, it follows that certainty, which may be +conceived under the notion of an infinitely great degree of +probability, is fitly represented by unity. + +These things will be easily apprehended if it be considered that +the word probability includes a double idea; first, of the number +of chances whereby an event may happen; secondly, of the number +of chances whereby it may either happen or fail. If I say that I +have three chances to win any sum of money, it is impossible from +the bare assertion to judge whether I am likely to obtain it; but +if I add that the number of chances either to obtain it or miss +it, is five in all, from this will ensue a comparison between the +chances that are for and against me, whereby a true judgment will +be formed of my probability of success; whence it necessarily +follows that it is the comparative magnitude of the number of +chances to happen, in respect of the whole number of chances +either to happen or to fail, which is the true measure of +probability. + +To find the probability of throwing an ace in two throws with a +single die. The probability of throwing an ace the first time is +1/6; whereof 1/ is the first part of the probability required. +If the ace be missed the first time, still it may be thrown on +the second; but the probability of missing it the first time is +5/6, and the probability of throwing it the second time is 1/6; +therefore the probability of missing it the first time and +throwing it the second, is 5/6 X 1/6 = 5/36 and this is the +second part of the probability required, and therefore the +probability required is in all 1/6 + 5/36 = 11/36. + +To this case is analogous a question commonly proposed about +throwing with two dice either six or seven in two throws, which +will be easily solved, provided it be known that seven has 6 +chances to come up, and six 5 chances, and that the whole number +of chances in two dice is 36; for the number of chances for +throwing six or seven 11, it follows that the probability of +throwing either chance the first time is 11/36, but if both are +missed the first time, still either may be thrown the second +time; but the probability of missing both the first time is +25/36, and the probability of throwing either of them on the +second is 11/36; therefore the probability of missing both of +them the first time, and throwing either of them the second time, +is 25/36 X 11/36 = 275/1296, and therefore the probability +required is 11/36 + 275/1296 = 671/1296, and the probability of +the contrary is 625/1296. + +Among the many mistakes that are committed about chances, one of +the most common and least suspected was that which related to +lotteries. Thus,supposing a lottery wherein the proportion of +the blanks to the prizes was as five to one, it was very natural +to conclude that, therefore, five tickets were requisite for the +chance of a prize; and yet it is demonstrable that four tickets +were more than sufficient for that purpose. In like manner, +supposing a lottery in which the proportion of the blanks to the +prize is as thirty-nine to one (as was the lottery of 1710), it +may be proved that in twenty-eight tickets a prize is as likely +to be taken as not, which, though it may contradict the common +notions, is nevertheless grounded upon infallible demonstrations. + +When the Play of the Royal Oak was in use, some persons who lost +considerably by it, had their losses chiefly occasioned by an +argument of which they could not perceive the fallacy. The odds +against any particular point of the ball were one and thirty to +one, which entitled the adventurers, in case they were winners, +to have thirty-two stakes returned, including their own; instead +of which, as they had but twenty-eight, it was very plain that, +on the single account of the disadvantage of the play, they lost +one-eighth part of all the money played for. But the master of +the ball maintained that they had no reason to complain, since he +would undertake that any particular point of the ball should come +up in two and twenty throws; of this he would offer to lay a +wager, and actually laid it when required. The seeming +contradiction between the odds of one and thirty to one, and +twenty-two throws for any chance to come up, so perplexed the +adventurers that they began to think the advantage was on their +side, and so they went on playing and continued to lose. + +The doctrine of chances tends to explode the long-standing +superstition that there is in play such a thing as LUCK, good or +bad. If by saying that a man has good luck, nothing more were +meant than that he has been generally a gainer at play, the +expression might be allowed as very proper in a short way of +speaking; but if the word 'good luck' be understood to signify a +certain predominant quality, so inherent in a man that he must +win whenever he plays, or at least win oftener than lose, it may +be denied that there is any such thing in nature. The asserters +of luck maintain that sometimes they have been very lucky, and at +other times they have had a prodigious run of bad luck against +them, which whilst it continued obliged them to be very cautious +in engaging with the fortunate. They asked how they could lose +fifteen games running if bad luck had not prevailed strangely +against them. But it is quite certain that although the odds +against losing so many times together be very great, namely, +32,767 to 1,--yet the POSSIBILITY of it is not destroyed by the +greatness of the odds, there being ONE chance in 32,768 that it +may so happen; therefore it follows that the succession of lost +games was still possible, without the intervention of bad luck. +The accident of losing fifteen games is no more to be imputed to +bad luck than the winning, with one single ticket, the highest +prize in a lottery of 32,768 tickets is to be imputed to good +luck, since the chances in both cases are perfectly equal. But +if it be said that luck has been concerned in the latter case, +the answer will be easy; for let us suppose luck not existing, or +at least let us suppose its influence to be suspended,--yet the +highest prize must fall into some hand or other, not as luck +(for, by the hypothesis, that has been laid aside), but from the +mere necessity of its falling somewhere. + +Among the many curious results of these inquiries according to +the doctrine of chances, is the prodigious advantage which the +repetition of odds will amount to. Thus, 'supposing I play with +an adversary who allows me the odds of 43 to 40, and agrees with +me to play till 100 stakes are won or lost on either side, on +condition that I give him an equivalent for the gain I am +entitled to by the advantage of my odds;--the question is, what I +am to give him, supposing we play at a guinea a stake? The +answer is 99 guineas and above 18 shillings,[52] which will seem +almost incredible, considering the smallness of the odds--43 to +40. Now let the odds be in any proportion, and let the number of +stakes played for be never so great, yet one general conclusion +will include all the possible cases, and the application of it to +numbers may be worked out in less than a minute's time.'[53] + +[52] The guinea was worth 21s. 6d. when the work quoted was +written. + + +[53] De Moivre, Doctrine of Chances. + + +The possible combinations of cards in a hand as dealt out by +chance are truly wonderful. It has been established by +calculation that a player at Whist may hold above 635 thousand +millions of various hands! So that, continually varied, at 50 +deals per evening, for 313 evenings, or 15,650 hands per annum, +he might be above 40 millions of years before he would have the +same hand again! + +The chance is equal, in dealing cards, that every hand will have +seven trumps in two deals, or seven trumps between two partners, +and also four court cards in every deal. It is also certain on +an average of hands, that nothing can be more superstitious and +absurd than the prevailing notions about luck or ill-luck. Four +persons, constantly playing at Whist during a long voyage, were +frequently winners and losers to a large amount, but as +frequently at 'quits;' and at the end of the voyage, after the +last game, one of them was minus only one franc! + +The chance of having a particular card out of 13 is 13/52, or 1 +to 4, and the chance of holding any two cards is 1/4 of 1/4 or +1/16. The chances of a game are generally inversely as the +number got by each, or as the number to be got to complete each +game. + +The chances against holding seven trumps are 160 to 1; against +six, it is 26 to 1; against five, 6 to 1; and against four nearly +2 to 1. It is 8 to 1 against holding any two particular cards. + +Similar calculations have been made respecting the probabilities +with dice. There are 36 chances upon two dice. + +It is an even chance that you throw 8. It is 35 to 1 against +throwing any particular doublets, and 6 to 1 against any doublets +at all. It is 17 to 1 against throwing any two desired numbers. +It is 4 to 9 against throwing a single number with either of the +dice, so as to hit a blot and enter. Against hitting with the +amount of two dice, the chances against 7, 8, and 9 are 5 to 1; +against 10 are 11 to 1; against 11 are 17 to 1; and against +sixes, 35 to 1. + +The probabilities of throwing required totals with two dice, +depend on the number of ways in which the totals can be made up +by the dice;--2, 3, 11, or 12 can only be made up one way each, +and therefore the chance is but 1/36;--4, 5, 9, 10 may be made up +two ways, or 1/8;--6, 7, 8 three ways, or 1/12. The chance of +doublets is 1/36, the chance of PARTICULAR doublets 1/216. + +The method was largely applied to lotteries, cock-fighting, and +horse-racing. It may be asked how it is possible to calculate +the odds in horse-racing, when perhaps the jockeys in a great +measure know before they start which is to win? + +In answer to this a question may be proposed:--Suppose I toss up +a half-penny, and you are to guess whether it will be head or +tail--must it not be allowed that you have an equal chance to win +as to lose? Or, if I hide a half-penny under a hat, and I know +what it is, have you not as good a chance to guess right, as if +it were tossed up? My KNOWING IT TO BE HEAD can be no hindrance +to you, as long as you have liberty of choosing either head or +tail. In spite of this reasoning, there are people who build so +much upon their own opinion, that should their favourite horse +happen to be beaten, they will have it to be owing to some fraud. + +The following fact is mentioned as a 'paradox.' + +It happened at Malden, in Essex, in the year 1738, that three +horses (and no more than three) started for a L10 plate, and they +were all three distanced the first heat, according to the common +rules in horse-racing, without any quibble or equivocation; and +the following was the solution:--The first horse ran on the +inside of the post; the second wanted weight; and the third fell +and broke a fore-leg.[54] + +[54] Cheany's Horse-racing Book. + + +In horse-racing the expectation of an event is considered as the +present value, or worth, of whatsoever sum or thing is depending +on the happening of that event. Therefore if the expectation on +an event be divided by the value of the thing expected, on the +happening of that event, the quotient will be the probability of +happening. + +Example I. Suppose two horses, A and B, to start for L50, and +there are even bets on both sides; it is evident that the present +value or worth of each of their expectations will be L25, and the +probabilities 25/50 or 1/2. For, if they had agreed to divide +the prize between them, according as the bets should be at the +time of their starting, they would each of them be entitled to +L25; but if A had been thought so much superior to B that the +bets had been 3 to 2 in his favour, then the real value of A's +expectation would have been L30, and that of B's only L20, and +their several probabilities 30/50 and 20/50. + +Example II. Let us suppose three horses to start for a +sweepstake, namely, A, B, and C, and that the odds are 8 to 6 A +against B, and 6 to 4 B against C--what are the odds--A against +C, and the field against A? Answer:--2 to 1 A against C, and 10 +to 8, or 5 to 4 the field against A. For + A's expectation is 8 + B's expectation is 6 + C's expectation is 4 + ---- + 18 + +But if the bets had been 7 to 4 A against B; and even money B +against C, then the odds would have been 8 to 7 the field against +A, as shown in the following scheme:-- +7 A +4 B +4 C +---- +15 + +But as this is the basis upon which all the rest depends, another +example or two may be required to make it as plain as possible. + +Example III. Suppose the same three as before, and the common +bets 7 to 4 A against B; 21 to 20 (or 'gold to silver') B against +C; we must state it thus:--7 guineas to 4 A against B; and 4 +guineas to L4, B against C; which being reduced into shillings, +the scheme will stand as follows:-- + +147 A's expectation. + 81 B's expectation. + 80 C's expectation. +---- +311 + +By which it will be 164 to 147 the field against A, (something +more than 39 to 35). Now, if we compare this with the last +example, we may conclude it to be right; for if it had been 40 to +35, then it would have been 8 to 7, exactly as in the last +example. But, as some persons may be at a loss to know why the +numbers 39 and 35 are selected, it is requisite to show the same +by means of the Sliding Rule. Set 164 upon the line A to 147 +upon the slider B, and then look along till you see two whole +numbers which stand exactly one against the other (or as near as +you can come), which, in this case, you find to be 39 on A, +standing against 35 on the slider B (very nearly). But as +164/311 and 147/311 are in the lowest terms, there are no less +numbers, in the same proportion, as 164 to 147,--39 and 35 being +the nearest, but not quite exact. + +Example IV. There are four horses to start for a sweepstake, +namely, A, B, C, D, and they are supposed to be as equally +matched as possible. Now, Mr Sly has laid 10 guineas A against +C, and also 10 guineas A against D. Likewise Mr Rider has laid +10 guineas A against C, and also 10 guineas B against D. After +which Mr Dice laid Mr Sly 10 guineas to 4 that he will not win +both his bets. Secondly, he laid Mr Rider 10 guineas to 4 that +he will not win both his bets. + +Now, we wish to know what Mr Dice's advantage or disadvantage is, +in laying these two last-mentioned wagers. + +First, the probability of Mr Sly's winning both his bets is 1/3 +of 14 guineas; and Mr Dice's expectation is 2/3 of 14 guineas, or +L9 16s., which being deducted from his own stake (10 guineas), +there remains 14s., which is his disadvantage in that bet. + +Secondly, Mr Rider's expectation of winning his two bets is 1/4, +and, therefore, Mr Dice's expectation of the 14 guineas, is 3/4, +or L11 0s. 6d., from which deduct 10 guineas (his own stake), and +there remains 10s. 6d., his advantage in this bet,--which being +deducted from 14s. (his disadvantage in the other), there remains +3s 6d., his disadvantage in paying both these bets. + +These examples may suffice to show the working of the system; +regular tables exist adapted to all cases; and there can be no +doubt that those who have realized large fortunes by horse-racing +managed to do so by uniformly acting on some such principles, as +well as by availing themselves of such 'valuable information' as +may be secured, before events come off, by those who make +horse-racing their business. + +The same system was applied, and with still greater precision, to +Cock-fighting, to Lotteries, Raffles, Backgammon, Cribbage, Put, +All Fours, and Whist, showing all the chances of holding any +particular card or cards. Thus, it is 2 to 1 that your partner +has not one certain card; 17 to 2 that he has not two certain +cards; 31 to 26 that he has not one of them only; and 32 to 25 +(or 5 to 4) that he has one or both--that is, when two cards are +in question. It is 31 to 1 that he has three certain cards; 7 to +2 that he has not two; 7 to 6 that he has not one; 13 to 6 that +he has either one or two; 5 to 2 that he has one, two, or three +cards; that is, when three cards are in question. + +With regard to the dealer and his partner, it is 57,798 to 7176 +(better than 8 to 1) that they are not four by honours; it is +32,527 to 32,448 (or about an even bet) that they are not two by +honours; it is 36,924 to 25,350 (or 11 to 7 nearly) that the +honours count; it is 42,237 to 22,737 (or 15 to 8 nearly) that +the dealer is nothing by honours.[55] + +[55] Proctor, The Sportsman's Sure Guide. Lond. A.D. 1733. + + +Such is a general sketch of the large subject included under the +term of the calculation of probabilities, which comprises not +only the chances of games of hazard, insurances, lotteries, &c., +but also the determination of future events from observations +made relative to events of the same nature. This subject of +inquiry dates only from the 17th century, and occupied the minds +of Pascal, Huygens, Fermot, Bernouilli, Laplace, Fourier, +Lacroix, Poisson, De Moivre; and in more modern times, Cournot, +Quetelet, and Professor De Morgan. + +In the matter of betting, or in estimating the 'odds' in betting, +of course an acquaintance with the method must be of some +service, and there can be no doubt that professional gamesters +endeavoured to master the subject. + +M. Robert-Houdin, in his amusing work, Les Tricheries des Grecs +devoilees, has propounded some gaming axioms which are at least +curious and interesting; they are presented as those of a +professional gambler and cheat. + +1. 'Every game of chance presents two kinds of chances which are +very distinct,--namely, those relating to the person interested, +that is, the player; and those inherent in the combinations of +the game.' + +In the former there is what must be called, for the want of a +better name, 'good luck' or 'bad luck,' that is, some mysterious +cause which at times gives the play a 'run' of good or bad luck; +in the latter there is the entire doctrine of 'probabilities' +aforesaid, which, according to M. Houdin's gaming hero, may be +completely discarded for the following axiom:-- + +2. 'If chance can bring into the game all possible combinations, +there are, nevertheless, certain limits at which it seems to +stop. Such, for instance, as a certain number turning up ten +times in succession at Roulette. This is possible, but it has +never happened.' + +Nevertheless a most remarkable fact is on record. In 1813, a Mr +Ogden betted 1000 guineas to ONE guinea, that calling seven as +the main, the caster would not throw that number ten times +successively. Wonderful to relate! the caster threw seven nine +times following. Thereupon Mr Ogden offered him 470 guineas to +be off the bet--which he refused. The caster took the box again +and threw nine,--and so Mr Ogden won his guinea![56] In this +case there seems to have been no suspicion whatever of unfair +dice being used. + +[56] Seymour Harcourt, The Gaming Calendar. + + +3. 'In a game of chance, the oftener the same combination has +occurred in succession, the nearer we are to the certainty that +it will not recur at the next cast or turn up. This is the most +elementary of the theories on probabilities; it is termed the +MATURITY OF THE CHANCES.' + +'Hence,' according to this great authority, 'a player must come +to the table not only "in luck," but he must not risk his money +excepting at the instant prescribed by the rules of the maturity +of the chances.' + +Founded on this theory we have the following precepts for +gamesters:-- + +1. 'For gaming, prefer Roulette, because it presents several +ways of staking your money[57]--which permits the study of +several. + +[57] 'Pair, impair, passe, manque, and the 38 numbers of the +Roulette, besides the different combinations of POSITION' and +'maturities' together. + + +2. 'A player should approach the gaming table perfectly calm and +cool--just as a merchant or tradesman in treaty about any affair. + +If he gets into a passion, it is all over with prudence, all over +with good luck--for the demon of bad luck invariably pursues a +passionate player. + +3. 'Every man who finds a pleasure in playing runs the risk of +losing. + +4. 'A prudent player, before undertaking anything, should put +himself to the test to discover if he is "in vein"--in luck. In +all doubt, you should abstain.' + +I remember a curious incident in my childhood, which seems much +to the point of this axiom. A magnificent gold watch and chain +were given towards the building of a church, and my mother took +three chances, which were at a very high figure, the watch and +chain being valued at more than L100. One of these chances was +entered in my name, one in my brother's, and the third in my +mother's. I had to throw for her as well as myself. My brother +threw an insignificant figure; for myself I did the same; but, +oddly enough, I refused to throw for my mother on finding that I +had lost my chance, saying that I should wait a little longer-- +rather a curious piece of prudence for a child of thirteen. The +raffle was with three dice; the majority of the chances had been +thrown, and 34 was the highest. After declining to throw I went +on throwing the dice for amusement, and was surprised to find +that every throw was better than the one I had in the raffle. I +thereupon said--'Now I'll throw for mamma.' I threw thirty-six, +which won the watch! My mother had been a large subscriber to +the building of the church, and the priest said that my winning +the watch for her was quite PROVIDENTIAL. According to M. +Houdin's authority, however, it seems that I only got into +'vein'--but how I came to pause and defer throwing the last +chance, has always puzzled me respecting this incident of my +childhood, which made too great an impression ever to be effaced. + +5. 'There are persons who are constantly pursued by bad luck. +To such I say--NEVER PLAY. + +6. 'Stubborness at play is ruin. + +7. 'Remember that Fortune does not like people to be overjoyed +at her favours, and that she prepares bitter deceptions for the +imprudent, who are intoxicated by success.' + +Such are the chief axioms of a most experienced gamester, and M. +Houdin sums up the whole into the following:-- + +8. 'Before risking your money at play, you must deeply study +your "vein" and the different probabilities of the game--termed +the maturity of the chances.' + +M. Robert-Houdin got all this precious information from a +gamester named Raymond. It appears that the first meeting +between him and this man was at a subscription-ball, where the +sharper managed to fleece him and others to a considerable +amount, contriving a dexterous escape when detected. Houdin +afterwards fell in with him at Spa, where he found him in the +greatest poverty, and lent him a small sum--to practise his grand +theories as just explained--but which he lost--whereupon Houdin +advised him 'to take up a less dangerous occupation.' He then +appears to have revealed to Houdin the entertaining particulars +which form the bulk of his book, so dramatically written. A year +afterwards Houdin unexpectedly fell in with him again; but this +time the fellow was transformed into what he called 'a demi- +millionnaire,' having succeeded to a large fortune by the death +of his brother, who died intestate. According to Houdin the +following was the man's declaration at the auspicious meeting:-- +'I have,' said Raymond, 'completely renounced gaming. I am rich +enough, and care no longer for fortune. And yet,' he added +proudly, 'if I now cared for the thing, how I could BREAK those +bloated banks in their pride, and what a glorious vengeance I +could take of BAD LUCK and its inflexible agents! But my heart +is too full of my happiness to allow the smallest place for the +desire of vengeance.' + +A very proper speech, unquestionably, and rendered still more +edifying by M. Houdin's assurance that Raymond, at his death +three years after, bequeathed the whole of his fortune to various +charitable institutions at Paris. + +With regard to the man's gaming theories, however, it may be just +as well to consider the fact, that very many clever people, after +contriving fine systems and schemes for ruining gaming banks, +have, as M. Houdin reminds us, only succeeded in ruining +themselves and those who conformed to their precepts. + + Et s'il est un joueur qui vive de son pain, On en voit tous les +jours mille mourir de faim. + + 'If ONE player there be that can live by his gain, There are +thousands that starve and strive ever in vain!' + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE HISTORY OF DICE AND CARDS. + +The knights of hazard and devotees of chance, who live in and by +the rattle of the box, little know, or care, perhaps, to whom +they are indebted for the invention of their favourite cube. +They will solace themselves, no doubt, on being told that they +are pursuing a diversion of the highest antiquity, and which has +been handed down through all civilized as well as barbarous +nations to our own times. + +The term 'cube,' which is the figure of a die, comes originally +from the Arabic word 'ca'b,' or 'ca'be,' whence the Greeks +derived their cubos, and cubeia, which is used to signify any +solid figure perfectly square every way--such as the geometrical +cube, the die used in play, and the temple at Mecca, which is of +the same figure. The Persic name for 'die' is 'dad,' and from +this word is derived the name of the thing in Spanish, +Portuguese, and Italian, namely, dado. In the old French it is +det, in the plural dets; in modern French de and dez, whence our +English name 'die,' and its plural 'dies,' or 'dice.' + +Plato tells us that dice and gaming originated with a certain +demon, whom he calls Theuth, which seems very much like the +original patronymic of our Teutonic races, always famous for +their gambling propensity. The Greeks generally, however, +ascribed the invention of dice to one of their race, named +Palamedes, a sort of universal genius, who hit upon many other +contrivances, among the rest, weights and measures. But this +worthy lived in the times of the Trojan war, and yet Homer makes +no mention of dice--the astragaloi named by the poet being merely +knuckle-bones. Dice, however, are mentioned by Aristophanes in +his comedies, and so it seems that the invention must be placed +between the times of the two poets, that is, about 2300 years +ago. At any rate the cube or die has been in use as an +instrument of play, at least, during that period of time. + +The great antiquity, therefore, of the die as an instrument of +pastime is unquestionable, and the general reason assigned for +its invention was the amusement and relaxation of the mind from +the pressure of difficulties, or from the fatigues and toils of +protracted war. Indeed, one conjecture is, that gaming was +invented by the Lydians when under the pressure of a great +famine; to divert themselves from their sufferings they contrived +dice, balls, tables, &c. This seems, however, rather a bad joke. + +The afflicted Job asks--'Can a man fill his belly with the east +wind?' And we can imagine that plenty of tobacco to smoke and +'chaw' would mitigate the pangs of starvation to an army in the +field, as has been seriously suggested; but you might just as +well present a soldier with a stone instead of bread, as invite +him to amuse himself with dice, or anything else, to assuage the +pangs of hunger. + +Be that as it may, time soon matured this instrument of +recreation into an engine of destruction; and the intended +palliative of care and labour has proved the fostering nurse of +innumerable evils. This diminutive cube has usurped a tyranny +over mankind for more than two thousand years, and continues at +this day to rule the world with despotic sway-- levelling all +distinctions of fortune in an instant by the fiat of its single +turn. + +The use of dice was probably brought into this island by the +Romans, if not before known; it became more frequent in the times +of our Saxon ancestry, and has prevailed with almost unimpaired +vigour from those days to our own. + +The Astragalos of the Greeks and Talus of the Romans were, as +before stated, nothing but the knuckle-bones of sheep and goats, +numbered, and used for gaming, being tossed up in the air and +caught on the back of the hand. Two persons played together at +this game, using four bones, which they threw up into the air or +emptied out of a dice-box (fritillus), observing the numbers of +the opposite sides. The numbers on the four sides of the four +bones admitted of thirty-five different combinations. The lowest +throw of all was four aces; but the value of the throw was not in +all cases the sum of the four numbers turned up. The highest in +value was that called Venus, in which the numbers cast up were +all different; the sum of them being only fourteen. It was by +obtaining this throw, hence called basilicus, that 'the King of +the Feast' was appointed by the Romans. Certain other throws +were called by particular names, taken from the gods, heroes, +kings, courtesans, animals; altogether there were sixty- four +such names. Thus, the throw consisting of two aces and two +treys, making eight, was denominated Stesichorus. When the +object was simply to throw the highest number, the game was +called pleistobolinda, a Greek word of that meaning. When a +person threw the tali, he often invoked either a god or his +mistress. + +Dice were also made of ivory, bone, or some close-grained wood, +especially privet ligustris tesseris utilissima, Plin. H. N.). +They were numbered as at present. + +Arsacides, King of the Parthians, presented Demetrius Nicator, +among other presents, with golden dice--it is said, in contempt +for his frivolous propensity to play--in exprobationem puerilis +levitatis.'[58] + +[58] Justini Hist., lib. xxxviii. 9. 9. + + +Dice are also mentioned in the New Testament, where occurs the +word cubeia (Eph. iv. 14), ('the only word for "gambling" used in +the Bible'), a word in very common use, among Paul's kith and +kin, for 'cube,' 'dice,' 'dicery,' and it occurs frequently in +the Talmud and Midrash. The Mishna declares unfit either as +'judge or witness,' 'a cubea-player, a usurer, a pigeon-flier +(betting-man), a vendor of illegal (seventh-year) produce, and a +slave.' A mitigating clause--proposed by one of the weightiest +legal authorities, to the effect that the gambler and his kin +should only be disqualified 'if they have but that one +profession'--is distinctly negatived by the majority, and the +rule remains absolute. The classical word for the gambler or +dice-player, cubeutes, appears aramaized in the same sources into +something like kubiustis, as the following curious instances may +show: When the Angel, after having wrestled with Jacob all +night, asks him to let him go, 'for the dawn has risen' (A. V., +'the day breaketh'), Jacob is made to reply to him, 'Art thou, +then, a thief or a kubiustis, that thou art afraid of the day?' +To which the Angel replies, 'No, I am not; but it is my turn to- +day, and for the first time, to sing the Angelic Hymn of Praise +in Heaven: let me go.' In another Tadmudical passage an early +biblical critic is discussing certain arithmetical difficulties +in the Pentateuch. Thus he finds the number of Levites (in +Numbers) to differ, when summed up from the single items, from +that given in the total. Worse than that, he finds that all the +gold and silver contributed to the sanctuary is not accounted +for, and, clinching his argument, he cries, 'Is, then, your +master Moses a thief or a kubiustis? Or could he not make up his +accounts properly?' The critic is then informed of a certain +difference between 'sacred' and other coins; and he further gets +a lesson in the matter of Levites and Firstborn, which silences +him. Again, the Talmud decides that, if a man have bought a +slave who turns out to be a thief or a kubiustis,--which has here +been erroneously explained to mean a 'manstealer,'--he has no +redress. He must keep him, as he bought him, or send him away; +for he has bought him with all his vices. + +Regarding the translation 'sleight' in the A.V., this seems a +correct enough rendering of the term as far as the SENSE of the +passage goes, and comes very near the many ancient +translations--'nequitia,' 'versutia,' 'inanis labor,' 'vana et +inepta (?) subtilitas,' &c., of the Fathers. Luther has +'Schalkheit,'--a word the meaning of which at his time differed +considerably from our acceptation of the term. The Thesaurus +takes Paul's cubeia (s.v.) more literally, to mean 'in alea +hominum, i. e., in certis illis casibus quibus jactantur +homines.'[59] + +[59] E. Deutseh in the Athenaeum of Sept. 28, 1867. + + +The ancient tali, marked and thrown as above described, were also +used in DIVINATION, just as dice are at the present day; and +doubtless the interpretations were the same among the ancients-- +for all superstitions are handed down from generation to +generation with wondrous fidelity. The procedure is curious +enough, termed 'the art of telling fortunes by dice.' + +Three dice are taken and well shaken in the box with the left +hand, and then cast out on a board or table on which a circle is +previously drawn with chalk; and the following are the supposed +predictions of the throws:-- + +Three, a pleasing surprise; four, a disagreeable one; five, a +stranger who will prove a friend; six, loss of property; seven, +undeserved scandal; eight, merited reproach; nine, a wedding; +ten, a christening, at which some important event will occur; +eleven, a death that concerns you; twelve, a letter speedily; +thirteen, tears and sighs; fourteen, beware that you are not +drawn into some trouble or plot by a secret enemy; fifteen, +immediate prosperity and happiness; sixteen, a pleasant journey; +seventeen, you will either be on the water, or have dealings with +those belonging to it, to your advantage; eighteen, a great +profit, rise in life, or some desirable good will happen almost +immediately, for the answers to the dice are said to be fulfilled +within nine days. To throw the same number twice at one trial +shows news from abroad, be the number what it may. If the dice +roll over the circle, the number thrown goes for nothing, but the +occurrence shows sharp words impending; and if they fall on the +floor it is blows. In throwing the dice if one remain on the top +of the other, 'it is a present of which you must take care,' +namely, 'a little stranger' at hand. + +Two singular facts throw light on the kind of dice used some 100 +and 150 years ago. In an old cribbage card-box, curiously +ornamented, supposed to have been made by an amateur in the reign +of Queen Anne, and now in my possession, I found a die with one +end fashioned to a point, evidently for the purpose of spinning-- +similar to the modern teetotum. With the same lot at the sale +where it was bought, was a pack of cards made of ivory, about an +inch and a half in length and one inch in width--in other +respects exactly like the cards of the period. + +Again, it is stated that in taking up the floors of the Middle +Temple Hall, about the year 1764, nearly 100 pairs of dice were +found, which had dropped, on different occasions, through the +chinks or joints of the boards. They were very small, at least +one-third less that those now in use. Certainly the benchers of +those times did not keep the floor of their magnificent hall in a +very decent condition. + +A curious fact relating to dice may here be pointed out. Each of +the six sides of a die is so dotted or numbered that the top and +bottom of every die (taken together) make 7; for if the top or +uppermost side is 5, the bottom or opposite side will be 2; and +the same holds through every face; therefore, let the number of +dice be what it may, their top and bottom faces, added together, +must be equal to the number of dice multiplied by 7. In throwing +three dice, if 2, 3, and 4 are thrown, making 9, their +corresponding bottom faces will be 5, 4, and 3, making 12, which +together are 21--equal to the three dice multiplied by 7. + +CARDS. + +The origin of cards is as doubtful as that of dice. All that we +know for certain is that they were first used in the East. Some +think that the figures at first used on them were of moral +import: the Hindoo and Chinese cards are certainly emblematic in +a very high degree; the former illustrate the ten avatars, or +incarnations of the deity Vishnu; and the so-called 'paper- +tickets' of the Chinese typify the stars, the human virtues, and, +indeed, every variety of subject. Sir William Jones was +convinced that the Hindoo game of Chaturaji--that is, 'the Four +Rajahs or Kings'--a species of highly-complicated chess--was the +first germ of that parti-coloured pasteboard, which has been the +ruin of so many modern fortunes. A pack of Hindoostani cards, in +the possession of the Royal Asiatic Society, and presented to +Captain Cromline Smith in 1815, by a high caste Brahman, was +declared by the donor to be actually 1000 years old: 'Nor,' said +the Brahman, 'can any of us now play at them, for they are not +like our modern cards at all.' Neither, indeed, do they bear any +remarkable resemblance to our own--the pack consisting of no less +than eight sorts of divers colours, the kings being mounted upon +elephants, and viziers, or second honours, upon horses, tigers, +and bulls. Moreover, there are other marks distinguishing the +respective value of the common cards, which would puzzle our +club-quidnuncs not a little--such as 'a pine-apple in a shallow +cup,' and a something like a parasol without a handle, and with +two broken ribs sticking through the top. The Chinese cards have +the advantage over those of Hindoostan by being oblong instead of +circular. + +It was not before the end of the 14th century that cards became +known in Europe; and it is a curious fact that the French clergy +took greatly to card-playing about that time--their favourite +game being the rather ungenteel 'All Fours,' as now reputed; for +they were specially forbidden that pastime by the Synod of +Langres in 1404. + +The ancient cards of both Spain and France, particularly the +'court-cards,' exhibit strong marks of the age of chivalry; but +here we may observe that the word is written by some ancient +writers, 'coate-cards,' evidently signifying no more than figures +in particular dresses. The giving pre-eminence or victory to a +certain suit, by the name of 'trump,' which is only a corruption +of the word 'triumph,' is a strong trait of the martial ideas of +the inventors of these games. So that, if the Chinese started +the idea, it seems clear that the French and Spanish improved +upon it and gave it a plain significance; and there is no reason +to doubt that cards were actually employed to amuse Charles VI. +in his melancholy and dejection. + +The four suits of cards are supposed to represent the four +estates of a kingdom:--1. The nobility and gentry; 2. The +ecclesiastics or priesthood; 3. The citizens or commercial men; +4. The peasantry or Husbandmen. The nobility are represented in +the old Spanish cards by the espada, or sword, corrupted by us +into 'spades,'--by the French with piques, 'pikes or spears.' +The ecclesiastical order is pointed out by copas, or sacramental +cups, which are painted in one of the suits of old Spanish cards, +and by coeurs, or 'hearts,' on French cards, as in our +own--thereby signifying choir-men, gens de choeur, or +ecclesiastics--from choeur de l'eglise, 'the choir of the +church,' that being esteemed the most important part or the HEART +of the church. + +The Spaniards depicted their citizens or commercial men under +dineros, a small coin, an emblem very well adapted to the +productive classes; the French by carreaux, squares or +lozenges--importing, perhaps, unity of interest, equality of +condition, regularity of manners, and the indispensable duty of +this class of men to deal with one another 'on the square.' The +Spaniards made bastos, or knotty clubs, the emblem of the 'bold +peasantry,' taken probably from the custom that the plebeians +were permitted to challenge or fight each other with sticks and +quarter-staves only, but not with the sword, or any arms carried +by a gentleman; while the French peasantry were pointed out under +the ideas of husbandry, namely, by the trefles, trefoil or +clover-grass. So much for the SUITS. + +With regard to the depicted figures of cards, each nation +likewise followed its own inventions, though grounded in both on +those ideas of chivalry which then strongly prevailed. The +Spanish cards were made to carry the insignia and accoutrements +of the King of Spain, the ace of deneros being emblazoned with +the royal arms, supported by an eagle. The French ornamented +their cards with fleurs de lis, their royal emblem. The Spanish +kings, in conformity to the martial spirit of the times when +cards were introduced, were all mounted on horseback, as befitted +generals and commanders-in-chief; but their next in command +(among the cards) was el caballo, the knight-errant on +horseback--for the old Spanish cards had no queens; and the third +in order was the soto, or attendant, that is, the esquire, or +armour-bearer of the knight--all which was exactly conformable to +those ideas of chivalry which ruled the age. It is said that +David (king of spades), tormented by a rebellious son, is the +emblem of Charles VII., menaced by his son (Louis XI.), and that +Argine (queen of clubs) is the anagram of Regina, and the emblem +of Marie d'Anjou, the wife of that prince; that Pallas (queen of +spades) represents Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans; that Rachel +(queen of diamonds) is Agnes Sorel; lastly, that Judith (queen of +hearts) is the Queen Isabeau. The French call the queens at +cards dames. + +The four knaves (called in French, valets or varlets) are four +valiant captains--Ogier and Lancelot, the companions of +Charlemagne, Hector de Gallard, and Lahire, the generals of +Charles VII. The remainder of the pack equally presents a sort +of martial allegory; the heart is bravery; the spade (espad, +'sword') and the diamond (carreau, that is, a square or shield) +are the arms of war; the club (in French trefle, 'trefoil') is +the emblem of provisions; and the ace (in French as, from the +Latin aes, 'coin') is the emblem of money--the sinews of war. + +In accordance with this allegorical meaning, the function of the +ace is most significant. It leads captive every other card, +queen and king included--thus indicating the omnipotence of gold +or mammon! + +'To the mighty god of this nether world-- +To the spirit that roams with banner unfurl'd +O'er the Earth and the rolling Sea-- +And hath conquer'd all to his thraldom +Where his eye hath glanced or his footstep sped-- +Who hath power alike o'er the living and dead-- +Mammon![59] I sing to thee! + +[59] Steinmetz Ode to Mammon. + + +Some say that the four kings represent those famous champions of +antiquity--David, Alexander, Julius Caesar, and Charlemagne; and +that the four queens, Argine, Pallas, Esther, and Judith, are the +respective symbols of majesty, wisdom, piety, and fortitude; and +there can be no doubt, if you look attentively on the queens of a +pack of cards, you will easily discern the appropriate +expressions of all these attributes in the faces of the grotesque +ladies therein depicted. The valets, or attendants, whom we call +knaves, are not necessarily 'rascals,' but simply servants royal; +at first they were knights, as appears from the names of some of +the famous French knights being formerly painted on the cards. + +Thus a pack of cards is truly a monument of the olden time--the +days of chivalry and its numberless associations. + +In addition to the details I have given in the previous chapter +respecting the probability of holding certain cards, there are a +few other curious facts concerning them, which it may be +interesting to know. + +There is a difference in the eyes of two of the knaves--those of +diamonds and hearts, more apparent in the old patterns, +suggesting the inference that they are blind. This has been made +the basis of a card trick, as to which two of the four knaves +presenting themselves would be selected as servants. Of course +the blind ones would be rejected. A bet is sometimes proposed to +the unwary, at Whist, but one of the party will have in his hand, +after the deal, only one of a suit, or none of a suit. The bet +should not be taken, as this result very frequently happens. + +Lastly, there is an arithmetical puzzle of the most startling +effect to be contrived with a pack of cards, as follows. Let a +party make up parcels of cards, beginning with a number of pips +on any card, and then counting up to twelve with individual +cards. In the first part of the trick it must be understood that +the court cards count as ten, all others according to the pips. +Thus, a king put down will require only two cards to make up 12, +whereas the ace will require 11, and so on. Now, when all the +parcels are completed, the performer of the trick requires to +know only the number of parcels thus made, and the remainder, if +any, to declare after a momentary calculation, the exact number +of pips on the first cards laid down--to the astonishment of +those not in the secret. In fact, there is no possible +arrangement of the cards, according to this method, which can +prevent an adept from declaring the number of pips required, +after being informed of the number of parcels, and the remainder, +if any. This startling performance will be explained in a +subsequent chapter--amusing card tricks. + +Cards must soon have made their way among our countrymen, from +the great intercourse that subsisted between England and France +about the time of the first introduction of cards into the latter +kingdom. If the din of arms in the reign of our fifth Henry +should seem unfavourable to the imitation of an enemy's private +diversions, it must be remembered that France was at that period +under the dominion of England, that the English lived much in +that country, and consequently joined in the amusements of the +private hour, as well as in the public dangers of the field. + +Very soon, however, the evil consequences of their introduction +became apparent. One would have thought that in such a +tumultuous reign at home as that of our sixth Henry, there could +not have been so much use made of cards as to have rendered them +an object of public apprehension and governmental solicitude; but +a record appears in the beginning of the reign of Edward IV., +after the deposition of the unfortunate Henry, by which playing +cards, as well as dice, tennis-balls, and chessmen, were +forbidden to be imported. + +If this tended to check their use for a time, the subsequent +Spanish connection with the court of England renewed an +acquaintance with cards and a love for them. The marriage of +Prince Arthur with the Infanta Catherine of Arragon, brought on +an intimacy between the two nations, which probably increased +card-playing in England,--it being a diversion to which the +Spaniards were extremely addicted at that period. + +Cards were certainly much in use, and all ideas concerning them +very familiar to the minds of the English, during the reign of +Henry VIII., as may be inferred from a remarkable sermon of the +good bishop Latimer. This sermon was preached in St Edward's +church, Cambridge, on the Sunday before Christmas day, 1527, and +in this discourse he may be said to have 'dealt' out an +exposition of the precepts of Christianity according to the terms +of card-playing. 'Now ye have heard what is meant by this "first +card," and how you ought to "play" with it, I purpose again to +"deal" unto you "another card almost of the same suit," for they +be of so nigh affinity that one cannot be well "played" without +the other, &c.' 'It seems,' says Fuller, 'that he suited his +sermon rather to the TIME--being about Christmas, when cards were +much used--than to the text, which was the Baptist's question to +our Lord--"Who art thou?"--taking thereby occasion to conform his +discourse to the "playing at cards," making the "heart triumph."' + +This blunt preaching was in those days admirably effectual, +but it would be considered ridiculous in ours--except from the +lips of such original geniuses as Mr Spurgeon, who hit upon this +vein and made a fortune of souls as well as money. He is, +however, inimitable, and any attempt at entering into his domain +would probably have the same result as that which attended an +imitation of Latimer by a country minister, mentioned by Fuller. +'I remember,' he says, 'in my time (about the middle of the +seventeenth century), a country minister preached at St Mary's, +from Rom. xii. 3,--"As God has DEALT to every man the measure of +faith." In a fond imitation of Latimer's sermon he followed up +the metaphor of DEALING,--that men should PLAY ABOVE-BOARD, that +is, avoid all dissembling,--should not POCKET CARDS, but improve +their gifts and graces,--should FOLLOW SUIT, that is, wear the +surplice, &c.,-- all which produced nothing but laughter in the +audience. Thus the same actions by several persons at several +times are made not the same actions, yea, differenced from +commendable discretion to ridiculous absurdity. And thus he will +make but bad music who hath the instruments and fiddlesticks, but +none of the "resin" of Latimer.' + +The habit of card-playing must have been much confirmed and +extended by the marriage of Philip of Spain with our Queen Mary, +whose numerous and splendid retinue could not but bring with them +that passionate love of cards which prevailed in the Spanish +court. + +It seems also probable that the cards then used (whatever they +might have been before) were of Spanish form and figure, in +compliment to the imperious Philip; since even to this day the +names of two Spanish suits are retained on English cards, though +without any reference to their present figure. Thus, we call one +suit spades, from the Spanish espada, 'sword,' although we retain +no similitude of the sword in the figure,--and another clubs, in +Spanish, bastos, but without regard to the figure also. + +Old Roger Ascham, the tutor of Queen Elizabeth, gives us a +picture of the gambling arts of his day, as follows:--How will +they use these shiftes when they get a plaine man that cannot +skill of them! How they will go about, if they perceive an +honest man have moneye, which list not playe, to provoke him to +playe! They will seek his companye; they will let him pay +noughte, yea, and as I hearde a man once saye that he did, they +will send for him to some house, and spend perchaunce a crowne on +him, and, at last, will one begin to saye: at, my masters, what +shall we do? Shall every man playe his twelve-pence while an +apple roste in the fire, and then we will drincke and departe?" +"Naye" will another saye (as false as he), "you cannot leave when +you begin, and therefore I will not playe: but if you will gage, +that every man as he hath lost his twelve-pence, shall sit downe, +I am contente, for surelye I would Winne no manne's moneye here, +but even as much as woulde pay for my supper." Then speaketh the +thirde to the honeste man that thought not to play:--"What? Will +you play your twelve-pence?" If he excuse him--"Tush! man!" will +the other saye, "sticke not in honeste company for twelve-pence; +I will beare your halfe, and here is my moneye." Nowe all this +is to make him to beginne, for they knowe if he be once in, and +be a loser, that he will not sticke at his twelve-pence, but +hopeth ever to get it againe, whiles perhappes he will lose all. +Then every one of them setteth his shiftes abroache, some with +false dyse, some with settling of dyse, some with having +outlandish silver coynes guilded, to put awaye at a time for good +golde. Then, if there come a thing in controversye, must you be +judged by the table, and then farewell the honeste man's parte, +for he is borne downe on every syde.' + +It is evident from this graphic description of the process, that +the villany of sharpers has been ever the same; for old Roger's +account of the matter in his day exactly tallies with daily +experience at the present time. + +The love of card-playing was continued through the reign of +Elizabeth and James I.,[60] and in the reign of the latter it had +reached so high a pitch that the audiences used to amuse +themselves with cards at the play-house, while they were waiting +for the beginning of the play. The same practice existed at +Florence. If the thing be not done at the present day, something +analogous prevails in our railway carriages throughout the +kingdom. It is said that professed card-sharpers take +season-tickets on all the lines, and that a great DEAL of money +is made by the gentry by duping unwary travellers into a game or +by betting. + +[60] King James, the British Solomon, although he could not +'abide' tobacco, and denounced it in a furious 'Counterblaste,' +could not 'utterly condemn' play, or, as he calls it, 'fitting +house-pastimes.' 'I will not,' he says, 'agree in forbidding +cards, dice, and other like games of Hazard,' and enters into an +argument for his opinion, which is scarcely worth quoting. See +Basilicon Doron--a prodigy of royal fatuity--but the perfect +'exponent' of the characteristics of the Stuart royal race in +England. + + +There is no reason to suppose that the fondness for this +diversion abated, except during the short 'trump or triumph of +the fanatic suit'--in the hard times of Old Oliver--when +undoubtedly cards were styled 'the devil's books.' But, indeed, +by that time they had become an engine of much fraud and +destruction; so that one of the early acts of Charles II.'s reign +inflicted large penalties on those who should use cards for +fraudulent purposes. + +'Primero was the fashionable game at the court of England during +the Tudor dynasty. Shakspeare represents Henry VIII. playing at +it with the Duke of Suffolk; and Falstaff says, "I never +prospered since I forswore myself at Primero." In the Earl of +Northumberland's letters about the Gunpowder-plot, it is noticed +that Joscelin Percy was playing at this game on Sunday, when his +uncle, the conspirator, called on him at Essex House. In the +Sidney papers, there is an account of a desperate quarrel between +Lord Southampton, the patron of Shakspeare, and one Ambrose +Willoughby. Lord Southampton was then "Squire of the Body" to +Queen Elizabeth, and the quarrel was occasioned by Willoughby +persisting to play with Sir Walter Raleigh and another at +Primero, in the Presence Chamber, after the queen had retired to +rest, a course of proceeding which Southampton would not permit. +Primero, originally a Spanish game, is said to have been made +fashionable in England by Philip of Spain, after his marriage +with Queen Mary. + +Maw succeeded Primero as the fashionable game at the English +court, and was the favourite game of James I., who appears to +have played at cards, just as he played with affairs of state, in +an indolent manner; requiring in both cases some one to hold his +cards, if not to prompt him what to play. Weldon, alluding to +the poisoning of Sir Thomas Overbury, in his Court and Character +of King James, says: 'The next that came on the stage was Sir +Thomas Monson, but the night before he was to come to his trial, +the king being at the game of Maw, said, "To-morrow comes Thomas +Monson to his trial." "Yea," said the king's card-holder, +"where, if he do not play his master's prize, your Majesty shall +never trust me." This so ran in the king's mind, that at the +next game he said he was sleepy, and would play out that set the +next night. + +'It is evident that Maw differed very slightly from Five Cards, +the most popular game in Ireland at the present day. As early as +1674 this game was popular in Ireland, as we learn from Cotton's +Compleat Gamester, which says: "Five Cards is an Irish game, and +is much played in that kingdom for considerable sums of money, as +All-fours is played in Kent, and Post-and-pair in the west of +England." + +'Noddy was one of the old English court games. This has been +supposed to have been a children's game, and it was certainly +nothing of the kind. Its nature is thus fully described in a +curious satirical poem, entitled Batt upon Batt, published in +1694. + +"Show me a man can turn up Noddy still, +And deal himself three fives too, when he will; +Conclude with one-and-thirty, and a pair, +Never fail ten in Stock, and yet play fair, +If Batt be not that wight, I lose my aim." + +'From these lines, there can be no doubt that the ancient Noddy +was the modern cribbage--the Nod of to-day, rejoicing in the name +of Noddy, and the modern Crib, being termed the Stock. + +'Ombre was most probably introduced into this country by +Catherine of Portugal, the queen of Charles II.; Waller, the +court poet, has a poem on a card torn at Ombre by the queen. +This royal lady also introduced to the English court the +reprehensible practice of playing cards on Sunday. Pepys, in +1667, writes: "This evening, going to the queen's side to see +the ladies, I did find the queen, the Duchess of York, and +another at cards, with the room full of ladies and great men; +which I was amazed at to see on a Sunday, having not believed, +but contrarily flatly denied the same, a little while since, to +my cousin."[61] + +[61] Hombre, or rather El Hombre, or 'The Man,' was so named as +requiring thought and reflection, which are qualities peculiar to +man; or rather, alluding to him who undertakes to play the game +against the rest of the gamesters, emphatically called The Man. +It requires very great application to play it well: and let a man +be ever so expert, he will be apt to fall into mistakes if he +thinks of anything else, or is disturbed by the conversation of +those that look on. It is a game of three, with 40 cards, that +is, rejecting the eights, nines, and tens of all the suits. + + +'In a passage from Evelyn's Memoirs, the writer impressively +describes another Sunday-evening scene at Whitehall, a few days +before the death of Charles II., in which a profligate assemblage +of courtiers is represented as deeply engaged in the game of +Basset. This was an Italian game, brought by Cardinal Mazarin to +France; Louis XIV. is said to have lost large sums at it; and it +was most likely brought to England by some of the French ladies +of the court. It did not stand its ground, however, in this +country; Ombre continuing the fashionable game in England, down +till after the expiration of the first quarter of the last +century. + +'Quadrille succeeded Ombre, but for a curious reason did not +reign so long as its predecessor. From the peculiar nature of +Quadrille, an unfair confederacy might be readily established, by +any two persons, by which the other players could be cheated. + +'While the preceding games were in vogue the magnificent temple +of Whist, destined to outshine and overshadow them, was in course +of erection. + +"Let India vaunt her children's vast address, +Who first contrived the warlike sport of Chess; +Let nice Piquette the boast of France remain, +And studious Ombre be the pride of Spain; +Invention's praise shall England yield to none, +When she can call delightful Whist her own." + +'All great inventions and discoveries are works of time, and +Whist is no exception to the rule; it did not come into the world +perfect at all points, as Minerva emerged from the head of +Jupiter. Nor were its wonderful merits early recognized. Under +the vulgar appellations of Whisk and Swobbers, it long lingered +in the servants'-hall ere it could ascend to the drawing-room. +At length, some gentlemen, who met at the Crown coffee-house, in +Bedford Row, studied the game, gave it rules, established its +principles, and then Edward Hoyle, in 1743, blazoned forth its +fame to all the world. + +'Many attempts have been made, at various times, to turn playing- +cards to a very different use from that for which they were +originally intended. Thus, in 1518, a learned Franciscan friar, +named Murner, published a Logica Memorativa, a mode of teaching +logic, by a pack of cards; and, subsequently, he attempted to +teach a summary of civil law in the same manner. In 1656, an +Englishman, named Jackson, published a work, entitled the +Scholar's Sciential Cards, in which he proposed to teach reading, +spelling, grammar, writing, and arithmetic, with various arts and +sciences, by playing-cards; premising that the learner was well +grounded in all the games played at the period. And later still, +about the close of the seventeenth century, there was published +the Genteel Housekeeper's Pastime; or the Mode of Carving at +Table represented in a Pack of Playing-Cards, by which any one of +ordinary Capacity may learn how to Carve, in Mode, all the most +usual Dishes of Flesh, Fish, Fowl, and Baked Meats, with the +several Sauces and Garnishes proper to Every Dish of Meat. In +this system, flesh was represented by hearts, fish by clubs, fowl +by diamonds, and baked-meat by spades. The king of hearts ruled +a noble sirloin of roast-beef; the monarch of clubs presided over +a pickled herring; and the king of diamonds reared his battle-axe +over a turkey; while his brother of spades smiled benignantly on +a well-baked venison-pasty. + +'The kind of advertisements, now called circulars, were often, +formerly, printed on the backs of playing-cards. Visiting-cards, +too, were improvised, by writing the name on the back of playing- +cards. About twenty years ago, when a house in Dean Street, +Soho, was under repair, several visiting-cards of this +description were found behind a marble chimney-piece, one of them +bearing the name of Isaac Newton. Cards of invitation were +written in a similar manner. In the fourth picture, in Hogarth's +series of "Marriage a-la-Mode," several are seen lying on the +floor, upon one of which is inscribed: "Count Basset begs to no +how Lade Squander sleapt last nite." Hogarth, when he painted +this inscription, was most probably thinking of Mrs Centlivre's +play, The Basset Table, which a critic describes as containing a +great deal of plot and business, without much sentiment or +delicacy. + +'A curious and undoubtedly authentic historical anecdote is told +of a pack of cards. Towards the end of the persecuting reign of +Queen Mary, a commission was granted to a Dr Cole to go over to +Ireland, and commence a fiery crusade against the Protestants of +that country. On coming to Chester, on his way, the doctor was +waited on by the mayor, to whom he showed his commission, +exclaiming, with premature triumph, "Here is what shall lash the +heretics of Ireland." Mrs Edmonds, the landlady of the inn, +having a brother in Dublin, was much disturbed by overhearing +these words; so, when the doctor accompanied the mayor +downstairs, she hastened into his room, opened his box, took out +the commission, and put a pack of cards in its place. When the +doctor returned to his apartment, he put the box into his +portmanteau without suspicion, and the next morning sailed for +Dublin. On his arrival he waited on the lord-lieutenant and +privy council, to whom he made a speech on the subject of his +mission, and then presented the box to his Lordship; but on +opening it, there appeared only a pack of cards, with the knave +of clubs uppermost. The doctor was petrified, and assured the +council that he had had a commission, but what was become of it +he could not tell. The lord-lieutenant answered, "Let us have +another commission, and, in the mean while, we can shuffle the +cards." Before the doctor could get his commission renewed Queen +Mary died, and thus the persecution was prevented. We are +further informed that, when Queen Elizabeth was made acquainted +with the circumstances, she settled a pension of L40 per annum on +Mrs Edmonds, for having saved her Protestant subjects in +Ireland.'[62] + +[62] The Book of Days, Dec. 28. + + +All the pursuits of life, all the trades and occupations of men, +have, in all times, lent expressions to the languages of nations, +and those resulting from the propensity of GAMING are among those +which perpetually recur in daily conversation, and with the +greatest emphasis. Thus we have:--'He has played his cards well +or ill,'--applied to the management of fortune or one's interest; +jacta est alea, 'the die is cast,' as exclaimed Julius Caesar +before crossing the Rubicon; 'he has run his RACE--reached the +GOAL' a turf adage applied to consummate success or disastrous +failure; 'a lucky throw or hit;' 'within an ACE,' meaning one +point of gaining a thing; 'he HAZARDS everything;' 'chances are +for and against;' 'he was PIQUED,' from the game of piquet, +meaning, angry at losing something; 'left in the lurch,' from the +French game l'Ourche, wherein on certain points happening the +stake is to he paid double, and meaning, 'under circumstances +unexpected and peculiarly unfavourable;' 'to save your bacon or +gamon,' from the game Back-gammon[63] a blot is hit,' from the +same; 'checked in his career,' that is, stopped in his designs +from the game of chess. + +[63] The etymology of the word Back-gamon has been disputed. +Hyde seems to have settled it. A certain portion of the hog is +called in Italian gambone, whence our English word gambon or +gammon. Confounding things that differ, many think that 'gamon' +in the game has the same meaning, and therefore they say--'he +saved his gamon or bacon,' which is absurd, although it is a +proverbial phrase of sufficient emphasis. The word Backgamon +seems to be derived from the very nature of the game itself, +namely, back-game-on, that is, when one of your pieces is taken, +you must go back--begin again--and then game on-- 'Back-game-on'. + + +The fabrication of cards is a most important manufacture of +France; and Paris and Nancy are the two places where most cards +are made. The annual consumption of cards in France amounts to +1,500,000 francs, or L62,500; but France also supplies foreigners +with the article, especially the Spanish, American, Portuguese, +and English colonies, to the value of 1,000,000 francs, or +L41,666. The government derives from this branch of French +industry not much less than L25,000 annual revenue, that is, from +20 to 25 per cent. of the product. The duty on cards is secured +and enforced by severe penalties. + +English cards are about a third larger than the French. The +double-headed cards are an English invention, and they are being +adopted by the French. Their advantage is obvious, in securing +the secrecy of the hand, for by observing a party in arranging +his cards after the deal, the act of turning up a card plainly +shows that it must be at least a face card, and the oftener this +is done the stronger the hand, in general. In Germany, a fourth +face-card is sometimes added to the pack, called the Knight, or +Chevalier. The Italians have also in use long cards, called +tarots, which, however, must not be confounded with the French +cards called tarotees, with odd figures on them, and used by +fortune-tellers. + +The method of making playing-cards seems to have given the first +hint to the invention of printing, as appears from the first +specimens of printing at Haerlem, and those in the Bodleian +Library. + +'The manufacture of playing-cards comprises many interesting +processes. The cardboard employed for this purpose is formed of +several thicknesses of paper pasted together; there are usually +four such thicknesses; and the paper is so selected as to take +paste, paint, and polish equally well. The sheets of paper are +pasted with a brush, and are united by successive processes of +cold-drying, hot-drying, and hydraulic pressure. Each sheet is +large enough for forty cards. The outer surfaces of the outer +sheets are prepared with a kind of flinty coating, which gives +sharpness to the outline of the various coloured devices. Most +packs of cards are now made with coloured backs. The ground-tint +is laid on with a brush, and consists of dis-temper colour, or +pigments mixed with warm melted size. The device impressed on +this ground-tint is often very beautiful. Messrs De la Rue, the +leading firm in the manufacture, employ tasteful artists, and +invest a large amount of capital in the introduction of new +patterns. On cards sold at moderate prices, the colours at the +back are generally two--one for the ground, and one for the +device; but some of the choicer specimens display several +colours; and many of the designs are due to the pencil of Mr Owen +Jones. The printing of the design is done on the sheets of +paper, before the pasting to form cardboard. The pips or spots +on the faces of playing-cards are now spades, clubs, hearts, and +diamonds; but at different times, and in different countries, +there have been leaves, acorns, bells, cups, swords, fruit, +heads, parasols, and other objects similarly represented. In +English cards the colours are red and black; Messrs De la Rue +once introduced red, black, green, and blue for the four suits; +but the novelty was not encouraged by card-players. The same +makers have also endeavoured to supersede the clumsy devices of +kings, queens, and knaves, by something more artistic; but this, +too, failed commercially; for the old patterns, like the old +willow-pattern dinner-plates, are still preferred--simply because +the users have become accustomed to them. Until within the last +few years the printing of cards was generally done by +stencilling, the colour being applied through perforated devices +in a stencil-plate. The colour employed for this purpose is +mixed up with a kind of paste. When there is a device at the +back, the outline of the device is printed from an engraved wood- +block, and the rest filled in by stencilling. The stencilling of +the front and back can be done either before or after the pasting +of the sheets into cardboard. One great improvement in the +manufacture has been the substitution of oil colour for paste or +size colour; and another, the substitution of printing for +stencilling. Messrs De la Rue have expended large sums of money +on these novelties; for many experiments had to be made, to +determine how best to employ oil colour so that the spots or pips +may be equal-tinted, the outline clear and sharp, the pigment +well adherent to the surface, and the drying such as to admit of +polishing without stickiness. The plates for printing are +engraved on copper or brass, or are produced by electrotype, or +are built up with small pieces of metal or interlaced wire. The +printing is done in the usual way of colour-printing, with as +many plates as there are colours (usually five), and one for the +outlines; it is executed on the sheets of paper, before being +pasted into cardboard. When the printing, drying, and pasting +are all completed, a careful polish is effected by means of +brush-wheels, pasteboard wheels, heated plates, and heated +rollers; in such a way that the polish on the back may differ +from that on the face--since it is found that too equally +polished surfaces do not slide quite so readily over each other. +Formerly, every pack of cards made in England for home use paid a +duty of one shilling, which duty was levied on the ace of spades. + +The maker engraved a plate for twenty aces of spades; the +printing was done by the government at Somerset House, and L1 was +paid by the maker for every sheet of aces so printed. The law is +now altered. Card sellers pay an annual license of 2s. 6d., and +to each pack of cards is affixed a three-pence stamp, across +which the seller must write or stamp his name, under a penalty of +L5 for the omission. + +The cardboard, when all the printing is finished, is cut up into +cards; every card is minutely examined, and placed among the +'Moguls,' 'Harrys,' or 'Highlanders,' as they are technically +called, according to the degree in which they may be faultless or +slightly specked; and the cards are finally made up into +packs.'[64] + +[64] Chambers's Cyclopaedia. + + +Machinery has been called into requisition in card-playing. In +1815 a case was tried in which part of the debt claimed was for +an instrument to cut cards so as to give an unfair advantage to +the person using it. The alleged debtor had been most fortunate +in play, winning at one time L11,000 from an officer in India. +For an exactly opposite reason another machine was used in 1818 +by the Bennet Street Club. It consisted of a box curiously +constructed for dealing cards, and was invented by an American +officer. + +Another curious fact relating to cards is the duty derived from +them. In the year 1775 the number of packs stamped was 167,000, +amounting to between L3000 and L4000 duty. Lord North put on +another sixpence. Of course, a vast number of packs were +smuggled in, paying no duty, as in the case of tobacco, in all +times since its fiscal regulations. In the time of Pitt, 1789, +L9000 were to be raised by an additional duty of sixpence on +cards and dice, consequently there must have been no less than +360,000 packs of cards and pairs of dice stamped in the year +1788, to justify the calculation--a proof that gaming in England +was not on the decline. In the year 1790, the duty on cards was +two shillings per pack, and on dice thirteen shillings per pair. + +This duty on cards went on increasing its annual addition to the +revenue, so that about the year 1820 the monthly payments of Mr +Hunt alone, the card-maker of Picadilly, for the stamp-duty +on cards, varied from L800 to L1000, that is, from L9600 to +L12,000 per annum. In 1833 the stamp-duty on cards was 6d., and +it yielded L15,922, showing a consumption of 640,000 packs per +annum. Much of this, however, was sheer waste, on account of the +rule of gamesters requiring a fresh pack at every game. + +In the Harleian Miscellany[65] will be found a satirical poem +entitled 'The Royal Gamesters; or, the Odd Cards new shuffled for +a Conquering Game,' referring to the political events of the +years from 1702 to 1706, and concluding with the following +lines-- + +'Thus ends the game which Europe has in view, +Which, by the stars, may happen to be true.' + +[65] Vol. i. p. 177. + + +In vol. iv. of the same work there is another poem of the kind, +entitled 'The State Gamesters; or, the Old Cards new packed and +shuffled,' which characteristically concludes as follows-- + +'But we this resolution have laid down-- +Never to play so high as for a Crown.' + +Finally, as to allusions to gaming, the reader may remember the +famous sarcasm of the late Earl of Derby (as Lord Stanley) some +thirty years ago, comparing the Government to Thimble-riggers in +operation. + + +CHAPTER X. + +PIQUET, BASSET, FARO, HAZARD, PASSE-DIX, PUT, CROSS AND PILE, +THIMBLE-RIG. + +---- + +PIQUET + +Piquet is said to have derived its name from that of its +inventor, +who contrived it to amuse Charles VI. of France. The game was +played with thirty two cards, that is, discarding out of the pack +all the deuces, treys, fours, fives, and sixes. Regular +piquet-packs were sold. In reckoning up the points, every card +counted for its value, as ten for ten, nine for nine, and so on +down to seven, which was, of course, the lowest; but the ace +reckoned for eleven. All court cards reckoned for ten. As in +other games, the ace won the king, the king the queen, and so on, +to the knave, which won the ten. The cards were dealt at option +by +fours, threes, or twos, to the number of twelve, which was the +hand--'discarding' being allowed; but both the dealer and he that +led were OBLIGED to discard at least one card, let their game be +ever so good. When the cards were played out, each counted his +tricks; and he that had most reckoned 10 for winning the cards; +if the tricks were equal, neither reckoned at all. He who, +without playing (that is, according to the various terms of the +game), could reckon up 30 in hand, when his antagonist reckoned +nothing, scored 90 for them; this was called a repic; and all +above 30 counted so many,--32 counting 92, and so on. He who +could make up 30, part in hand and part by play, before the other +made anything, scored 60; this was called a pic. + +The game was also played as pool precisely according to the rules +briefly sketched as above, the penalty for losing being a guinea +to the pool. + +Piquet required much practice to play it well. It became so +great a favourite that, by the middle of the 18th century, the +meanest people were well acquainted with it, and 'let into all +the tricks and secrets of it, in order to render them complete +sharpers.' Such are the words of an old author, who adds that +the game was liable to great imposition, and he explains the +methods in use. Short cards were used for cutting, as in Whist, +at the time. Of these cards there were two sorts, one longer +than the rest; and the advantage gained by them was as the +adversary managed it, by cutting the longer or broader, as best +suited his purpose, or imposing on the dealer, when it was his +turn, to cut those which made most against him. The aces, kings, +queens, and knaves were marked with dots at the corners, and in +the very old book from which I am quoting precise directions are +given how this marking can be effected in such a manner 'as not +to be discovered by your ADVERSARY, and at the same time appear +plain to YOURSELF.' With a fine pointed pen and some clear +spring water, players made dots upon the glazed card at the +corners according to the above method; or they coloured the water +with india ink, to make the marks more conspicuous. The work +concludes as follows:--'There are but 32 cards made use of at +Piquet, so that just half of them will be known to you; and in +dealing you may have an opportunity to give yourself those you +LIKE best; and if you cannot conveniently CHANGE the PACK +according to your desire, you will commonly KNOW what YOU are to +TAKE IN, which is a demonstrative advantage to win any one's +money.' + +Evidently they did not 'assume a virtue' in those days, 'if they +had it not.' + +BASSET. + +The game of Basset (in French Wassette) was considered one of the +most polite games with cards, and only fit for persons of the +highest rank to play at, on account of the great losses or gains +that might accrue on one side or the other. + +The sums of money lost in France at this game were so +considerable that the princes of the blood were in danger of +being undone; and after many persons of distinction were ruined +the court of France thought fit to forbid Basset. Then Faro was +invented; and both were soon introduced into England, and after +three or four years' play here, they impoverished so many +families, that Parliament enacted a suppression of both games, +with severe penalties. The two games are, therefore, of +historical interest, and deserve an explanation. + +Basset was a sort of lottery. The dealer who kept the bank at +Basset, having the sole disposal of the first and last card, and +other considerable privileges in dealing the cards, had a much +greater prospect of gaining than those who played. This was a +truth so acknowledged in France that the king, by public edict, +ordered that the privilege of a talliere, or banker at Basset, +should only be allowed to the 'chief cadets,' or sons of +noblemen--supposing that whoever kept the bank must, in a very +short time, acquire a considerable fortune. + +In this game there was: 1. The Talliere, the banker, who laid +down a sum of money to answer every winning card which might turn +up. 2. The Croupiere, the assistant of the former, standing by +to supervise the losing cards,--so that when there were many at +play he might not lose by overlooking anything which might turn +up to his profit. 3. The Punter, or every player. 4. The Fasse, +that is, the first card turned up by the talliere, by which he +gained half the value of the money laid upon every card of THAT +SORT by the punters or players. 5. The Couch, which was the +first stake that every punter laid upon each card-- every player +having a book of 13 cards before him, upon which he must lay his +money, more or less, according to his fancy. 6. The Paroli: in +this, whoever won the couch, and intended to go on for another +advantage, crooked the corner of his card, letting his money lie, +without being paid the value by the talliere. 7. The Masse, +which was, when those who had won the couch, would venture more +money on the SAME card. 8. The Pay, which was when the player +had won the couch, and, being doubtful of making the paroli, left +off; for by going the pay, if the card turned up wrong, he lost +nothing, having won the couch before; but if by this adventure +fortune favoured him, he won double the money he had staked. 9. +The Alpieu was when the couch was won by turning up, or crooking, +the corner of the winning card. 10. The Sept-et-le-va was the +first great chance that showed the advantages of the game, +namely, if the player had won the couch, and then made a paroli +by crooking the corner of his card, and going on to a SECOND +chance, if his winning card turned up again it became a +sept-et-le-va, which was seven times as much as he had laid upon +his card. 11. Quinze-et-le-va, was attending the player's +humour, who, perhaps, was resolved to follow his fancy, and still +lay his money upon the SAME card, which was done by crooking the +third corner of his card: if this card came up by the dealing of +the talliere, it made him win fifteen times as much money as he +staked. 12. Trent-et-le-va was marked by the lucky player by +crooking the end of the fourth corner of his card, which, coming +up, made him win thirty-three times as much money as he staked. +13. Soissante-et-le-va was the highest chance that could happen +in the game, for it paid sixty-seven times as much money as was +staked. It was seldom won except by some player who resolved to +push his good fortune to the utmost. + +The players sat round a table, the talliere in the midst of them, +with the bank of gold before him, and the punters or players each +having a book of 13 cards, laying down one, two, three, or more, +as they pleased, with money upon them, as stakes; then the +talliere took the pack in his hand and turned them up--the bottom +card appearing being called the fasse; he then paid half the +value of the stakes laid down by the punters upon any card of +THAT SORT. + +After the fasse was turned up, and the talliere and croupiere had +looked round the cards on the table, and taken advantage of the +money laid on them, the former proceeded with his deal; and the +next card appearing, whether the king, queen, ace, or whatever it +might be, won for the player, the latter might receive it, or +making paroli, as before said, go on to sept-et-le-va. The card +after that won for the talliere, who took money from each +player's card of that sort, and brought it into his +bank--obviously a prodigious advantage in the talliere over the +players. + +The talliere, if the winning card was a king, and the next after +it was a ten, said (showing the cards all round), 'King wins, ten +loses,' paying the money to such cards as are of the winning +sort, and taking the money from those who lost, added it to his +bank. This done, he went on with the deal, it might be after +this fashion--'Ace wins, five loses; ' 'Knave wins, seven loses;' +and so on, every other card alternately winning and losing, till +all the pack was dealt but the last card. + +The LAST card turned up was, by the rules of the game, for the +advantage of the talliere; although a player might have one of +the same sort, still it was allowed to him as one of the dues of +his office, and he paid nothing on it. + +The bold player who was lucky and adventurous, and could push on +his couch with a considerable stake to sept-et-le-va, quinze- +et-le-va, trente-et-le-va, &c., must in a wonderful manner have +multiplied his couch, or first stake; but this was seldom done; +and the loss of the players, by the very nature of the game, +invariably exceeded that of the bank; in fact, this game was +altogether in favour of the bank; and yet it is evident that--in +spite of this obvious conviction--the game must have been one of +the most tempting and fascinating that was ever invented. + +Our English adventurers made this game very different to what it +was in France, for there, by royal edict, the public at large +were not allowed to play at more than a franc or ten-penny +bank,--and the losses or gains could not bring desolation to a +family; but in England our punters could do as they liked-- +staking from one guinea to one hundred guineas and more, upon a +card, 'as was often seen at court,' says the old author, my +informant. When the couch was alpieued, parolied, to sept- +et-le-va, quinze-et-le-va, trente-et-le-va, &c., the punter's +gains were prodigious, miraculous; and if fortune befriended him +so as to bring his stake to soissante-et-le-va, he was very +likely to break the bank, by gaining a sum which no talliere +could pay after such tremendous multiplication. But this rarely +happened. The general advantage was with the bank--as must be +quite evident from the explanation of the game--besides the +standing rule that no two cards of the same sort turning up could +win for the players; the second always won for the bank. In +addition to this there were other 'privileges' which operated +vastly in favour of the banker. + +However, it was 'of so bewitching a nature,' says our old writer, +'by reason of the several multiplications and advantages which it +seemingly offered to the unwary punter, that a great many like it +so well that they would play at small game rather than give out; +and rather than not play at all would punt at six-penny, +three-penny, nay, a twopenny bank,--so much did the hope of +winning the quinze-et-le-va and the trente-et-le-va intoxicate +them.' + +Of course there were frauds practised at Basset by the talliere, +or banker, in addition to his prescriptive advantages. The cards +might be dealt so as not to allow the punter any winning +throughout the pack; and it was in the power of the dealer to let +the punter have as many winnings as he thought convenient, and no +more! + +It is said that Basset was invented by a noble Venetian, who was +punished with exile for the contrivance. The game was prohibited +by Louis XIV., in 1691, and soon after fell into oblivion in +France, although flourishing in England. It was also called +Barbacole and Hocca. + +FARO, OR PHARAOH. + +Although both Basset and Faro were forbidden in France, on severe +penalties, yet these games still continued in great vogue in +England during the 18th century, especially Faro; for the alleged +reasons that it was easy to learn, that it appeared to be very +fair, and, lastly, that it was a very quiet game. It was, +however, the most dangerous game for the destruction of families +ever invented. The Faro bankers seem to have employed some +'gentlemen' to give a very favourable report of the game to the +town, and so every one took it upon trust without further +inquiry. Faro was the daughter of Basset--both alike notorious +frauds, there being no one, except professed gamblers, who could +be said to understand the secrets of these games. + +Faro was played with an entire pack of cards, and admitted of an +indeterminate number of players, termed 'punters,' and a +'banker.' Each player laid his stake on one of the 52 cards. +The banker held a similar pack, from which he drew cards, one for +himself, placed on the right, and the other, called the carte +anglaise, or English card, for the players, placed on the left. +The banker won all the money staked on the card on the right, and +had to pay double the sums staked on those on the left. Certain +advantages were reserved to the banker:--if he drew a doublet, +that is, two equal cards, he won half of the stakes upon the card +which equalled the doublet; if he drew for the players the last +card of the pack, he was exempt from doubling the stakes +deposited on that card. + +Suppose a person to put down 20s. upon a card when only eight are +in hand; the last card was a cipher, so there were four places to +lose, and only three to win, the odds against being as 4 to 3. +If 10 cards only were in, then it was 5 to 4 against the player; +in the former case it was the seventh part of the money, whatever +it was, L1 or L100; in the latter case, a ninth. The odds from +the beginning of the deal insensibly stole upon the player at +every pull, till from the first supposed 4 per cent. it became +about 15 per cent. + +At the middle of the 18th century the expenses of a Faro bank, in +all its items of servants, rent, puffs, and other incidental +charges of candles, wine, arrack-punch, suppers, and safeguard +money, &c., in Covent Garden, amounted to L1000 per annum. +Throughout this century Faro was the favourite game. 'Our life +here,' writes Gilly Williams to George Selwyn in 1752, 'would not +displease you, for we eat and drink well, and the Earl of +Coventry holds a Pharaoh-bank every night to us, which we have +plundered considerably.' Charles James Fox preferred Faro to any +other game. + +HAZARD. + +This game was properly so called; for it made a man or undid him +in the twinkling of an eye. + +It is played with only two dice; 20 persons may be engaged, or as +many as will. The chief things in the game are the Main and the +Chance. The chance is the caster's and the main is the setter's. + +There can be no main thrown above 9, nor under 5; so that 5, 6, +7, 8, and 9 are all the mains which are flung at Hazard. Chances +and nicks are from 4 to 10. Thus 4 is a chance to 9, 5 to 8, 6 +to 7, 7 to 6, 8 to 5, and 9 and 10 a chance to 5, 6, 7, and 8; in +short, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are chances to any main, if any +of these 'nick' it not. + +Nicks are either when the chance is the same with the main, as 5 +and 5, 6 and 6, 7 and 7, and so on; or 6 and 12, 7 and 11, 8 and +12, where observe, that 12 is out to 9, 7, and 5, and 11 is out +to 9, 8, 6, and 5. + +The better to illustrate the game we shall give an example. Let +7 be the main named. The caster throws 5, and that is his +chance; and so he has 5 to 7. If the caster throws his own +chance he wins all the money set to him by the setter; but if he +throws 7, which is the main, he must pay as much money as is on +the table. + +If, again, 7 be the main, and the caster throws 11, that is a +nick, and sweeps away all the money on the table; but if he +throws a chance he must wait which will come first. + +The worst chances in the game are 4 to 10, and 7 is considered +the best and easiest main to be thrown. It might be thought that +6 and 8 should admit of no difference in advantage to 7, but it +is just the reverse, although 6, 7, and 8 have eight equal +chances. + +For 6, or sice, we have quatre-duce, cinque-ace, and two treys; +for 8, we have sice-duce, cinque-trey, and two quatres; but the +disadvantage is in the doublets required-- two treys, two +quatres; therefore sice-duce is easier thrown than two quatres, +and so, consequently, cinque-ace or quatre-duce sooner than two +treys. + +'I saw an old rook (gambler),' says the writer before quoted, +'take up a young fellow in a tavern upon this very bet. The +bargain was made that the rook should have seven always, and the +young gentleman six, and throw continually. To play they went; +the rook won the first day L10, and the next day the like sum; +and so for six days together, in all L60. Notwithstanding the +gentleman, I am confident, had fair dice, and threw them always +himself. And further to confirm what I alleged before, not only +this gamester, but many more have told me that they desired no +greater advantage than this bet of 7 to 6. But it is the opinion +of most that at the first throw the caster hath the worst of it. + +'Hazard is certainly the most bewitching game that is played with +dice; for when a man begins to play, he knows not when to leave +off; and having once accustomed himself to it, he hardly ever +after minds anything else.'[66] + +[66] The Compleat Gamester, by Richard Seymour, Esq. 1739. + + +As this game is of a somewhat complicated character, another +account of it, which appeared in the Pall Mall Gazette for Sept. +3, 1869, may not be unacceptable. + +'The players assemble round a circular table, a space being +reserved for the "groom-porter," who occupies a somewhat elevated +position, and whose duty it is to call the odds and see that the +game is played correctly. Whoever takes the box and dice places +in the centre of the table as much money as he wishes to risk, +which is at once covered with an equal amount either by some +individual speculator, or by the contributions of several. The +player (technically called the "caster") then proceeds to call a +"main." There are five mains on the dice, namely, 5, 6, 7, 8, +and 9; of these he mentally selects that one which either chance +or superstition may suggest, calls it aloud, shakes the box, and +delivers the dice. If he throws the exact number he called, he +"nicks" it and wins; if he throws any other number (with a few +exceptions, which will be mentioned), he neither wins nor loses. +The number, however, which he thus throws becomes his "chance," +and if he can succeed in repeating it before he throws what was +his main, he wins; if not, he loses. In other words, having +completely failed to throw his main in the first instance, he +should lose, but does not in consequence of the equitable +interference of his newly-made acquaintance, which constitutes +itself his chance. For example, suppose the caster "sets"--that +is, places on the table--a stake of L10, and it is covered by an +equal amount, and he then calls 7 as his main and throws 5; the +groom-porter at once calls aloud, "5 to 7"-- that means, 5 is the +number to win and 7 the number to lose, and the player continues +throwing until the event is determined by the turning up of +either the main or the chance. During this time, however, a most +important feature in the game comes into operation--the laying +and taking of the odds caused by the relative proportions of the +main and the chance. These, as has been said, are calculated +with mathematical nicety, are proclaimed by the groom-porter, and +are never varied. In the above instance, as the caster stands to +win with 5 and to lose with 7, the odds are declared to be 3 to 2 +against him, inasmuch as there are three ways of throwing 7, and +only two of throwing 5. As soon as the odds are declared, the +caster may increase his stake by any sum he wishes, and the other +players may cover it by putting down (in this instance) +two-thirds of the amount, the masse, or entire sum, to await the +turning up of either main or chance. If a player "throws out" +three times in succession, the box passes to the next person on +his left, who at once takes up the play. He may, however, "throw +in" without interruption, and if he can do so some half-dozen +times and back his luck, the gains will be enormous. + +'The choice of a main is quite optional: many prefer 7 because +they may make a coup at once by throwing that number or by +throwing 11, which is a "nick" to 7, but to 7 only. Shrewd +players, however, prefer some other main, with the view of having +a more favourable chance to depend upon of winning both stake and +odds. For example, let us reverse what was mentioned above, and +suppose the caster to call 5 and throw 7; he then will have 7 as +his chance to win with odds of 3 to 2 IN HIS FAVOUR. + +'Such is the game of English Hazard, at which large fortunes have +been won and lost. It is exceedingly simple, and at times can +become painfully interesting. Cheating is impossible, unless +with loaded dice, which have been used and detected by their +splitting in two, but never, perhaps, unless at some disreputable +silver hell. The mode of remunerating the owner of the rooms was +a popular one. The loser never paid, and the winner only when he +succeeded in throwing three mains in succession; and even then +the "box fee," as it was called, was limited to 5s.--a mere +trifle from what he must have gained. In French Hazard a bank is +constituted at a board of green cloth, and the proceedings are +carried on in a more subdued and regular mode than is the case in +the rough-and-ready English game. Every stake that is "set" is +covered by the bank, so that the player runs no risk of losing a +large amount, when, if successful, he may win but a trifling one; +but en revanche, the scale of odds is so altered as to put the +double zero of roulette and the "aprez" of Rouge et Noir to the +blush, and to operate most predjudicially to the player. In no +case is an equal rate of odds between main and chance laid by the +French "banquier," as is insisted on by the English groomporter; +while again "direct nicks" alone are recognized by the former. +Very extraordinary runs of luck have occurred at Hazard, one +player sometimes throwing five, seven, and even eleven mains in a +single hand. In such cases as these the peculiar feature in the +French game becomes valuable, the bank being prepared to pay all +winnings, while, generally speaking, a hand of six or seven mains +at English Hazard would exhaust all the funds of the players, and +leave the caster in the position of "setting the table" and +finding the stakes totally unnoticed or only partially covered. + +'In addition to the fixed rules of English Hazard, there are +several regulations which require to be observed. The round +table on which it is played has a deeply bevelled edge, which is +intended to prevent the dice from landing on the floor, which +would be no throw. Again, if either die after having left the +box should strike any object on the table (such as a man's elbow +or stick) except MONEY, it would be called no throw. Again, each +player has the privilege of "calling dice," even when the dice +are in transitu, which, if done, renders the throw void, and +causes another set to be handed to the caster by the groom- +porter. Many a lucky coup has become manque by some captious +player exercising this privilege, and many an angry rencontre has +ensued between the officious meddler and the disappointed caster, +who finds that he has nicked his main to no advantage. Sometimes +one die remains in the box after the other has been landed; then +the caster may either throw it quickly, or may tantalize those +interested in the event by gently coaxing it from the bow. If +one die lands on the top of another, it is removed by the +groom-porter and declared a throw. + +'Some thirty years ago English Hazard was a favourite game in +Ireland, and Dublin could boast of three or four hells doing a +brisk trade. The most frequented and longest established was +called "The Coal Hole," being situated on the coal quay. Here, +at any hour after midnight, a motley company might be seen, each +individual, however, well known to the porter, who jealously +scanned his features before drawing back the noiseless bolts +which secured the door. The professional gambler trying to live +by his winnings, the fashionable swell finishing his round of +excitement, the struggling tradesman hoping to avert impending +bankruptcy, the prize-fighter, and, more conspicuous than any, +the keen-eyed usurer with his roll of notes and sheaf of bill +stamps, were to be found there. Many strange scenes have +occurred in this house, some followed by tragic consequences too +painful to relate, others ridiculous and amusing. Here it was +that an angry caster, having lost his last sovereign and his +temper, also placed his black hat in the centre of the table, +swore that it was white, and finding no one disposed to dispute +his accuracy, flung himself from the room, and enabled the next +player who had won so largely and smiled so good-humouredly to +take the box in turn. But fortune deserted him also, and left +him penniless, when, glaring savagely round the room, and +striking the table violently, he thundered forth the inquiry, +"Where was the rascal who said his hat was white?" It was here +also (although the venue has been changed by story-mongers) that +a well-known frequenter of the house, a sporting M.P., on one +occasion dropped on the 'door or in the passage a bank-note +without discovering his loss till he had reached home. On the +next evening he returned to inquire for it in a forlorn-hope +spirit, when the following conversation took place between him +and the porter:-- + +"M.P. I think, Simpson, I dropped a note here last night--did +you see it? + +"Porter. Shure, then, mony a note was dropped here beside yours. + +"M. P. Ah! but I mean out of my pocket. I did not lose it at +play. It was for L20, one of Ball's Bank, and very old." + +'Hereupon the porter brought the senator into a corner, fumbled +the note out of his fob, and, placing it in his hands, whispered, +"Shure, I know it's yours, and here it is; but (looking +cautiously round) wasn't it lucky that none of the jintlemin +found it?" + +'Another establishment much patronized in those days was in +Nassau Street, where early in the evening unlimited Loo, never +under "three and three," sometimes "six and six," might be +indulged in, while a little later Roulette formed the attraction +of an adjacent room, and still later at night all flocked down- +stairs to the hot supper and rattling English Hazard. For one or +two seasons St Stephen's Green lent one of its lordly mansions, +formerly the residence of a cruel and witty Lord Chief Justice, +to the votaries of fortune; here everything was done in grand +style, with gilded saloons, obsequious waiters, and champagne +suppers. All this has long since become matter of the past, and +it would now puzzle the keenest detective to find the trace even +of a silver hell in the Irish capital. No one will be hardy +enough to defend the vice of gambling, but some have argued, and +not without truth, that if a man will play it is far better for +him to indulge the propensity at Hombourg or Baden, where he +cannot lose more money than he has with him, than to do so in the +cozy club-room of a private "salon," where indulgent friends may +tempt him to become bankrupt not only in fortune but in +reputation.' + +Passing over other less important games, called Biribi, and Kraps +(played with dice), we come to Passe-Dix, which seems to demand +some notice. + +PASSE-DIX. + +This game, considered the most ancient of all games of chance, is +said to have actually been made use of by the executioners at the +crucifixion of our Saviour, when they 'parted his garments, +casting lots,' Matt. xxvii. 35. + +It is played with three dice. There is always a banker, and the +number of players is unlimited. Each gamester holds the box by +turns, and the other players follow his chance; every time he +throws a point UNDER ten he, as well as the other players, loses +the entire stakes, which go to the banker. Every time he throws +a point ABOVE ten (or PASSES TEN--whence the name of the game), +the banker must double the player's stakes and the stakes of all +those who have risked their money on the same chance. When the +game is played by many together, each gamester is banker in his +turn. + +PUT. + +This was and doubtless still is the special card-game of our +London sharpers. Many of these are men who have run through a +fortune in the early part of their lives, by associating with +gamblers and sharpers, set up for themselves, set honour and +conscience at defiance, become blacklegs, and are scouted out of +even the gambler's company; and, as a last resource, are obliged +to resort to low pot-houses, robbing the poorest and most +ignorant of society. + +Behind the dupe there stood a confederate sharper, looking over +the novice's hand, and telling his opponent, by his fingers, what +cards he holds--hence he was said to work the telegraph, of which +more in the sequel. Another confederate plied the novice with +drink. + +'The game of Put is played with an entire pack of cards, +generally by two, and sometimes by four persons. At this game +the cards rank differently from all others; a trey being the +best, then a two, then an ace, then the king, queen, &c. The +game consists of five points. The parties cut for deal, as in +Whist. The deal is made by giving three cards, one at a time, to +each player. The non-dealer then examines his cards, and if he +thinks them bad, he is at liberty to PUT them upon the pack, and +his adversary scores one point to his game. This, however, +should never be done. Either party saying--"I put," that is, I +play, cannot retract, but must abide the event of the game, or +pay the stakes. + +'The THREE being the best card, if the sharper can make certain +of having a three every time his opponent deals, he must have +considerably the best of the game; and this is effected as +follows:--the sharper places a three underneath an old gentleman +(a card somewhat larger and thicker than the rest of the pack), +and it does not signify how much his opponent shuffles the pack, +it is about five to one that he does not disturb the OLD +GENTLEMAN or the three. The sharper then cuts the cards, which +he does by feeling for the old gentleman; the three being then +the top card, it is dealt to the sharper by his opponent. That +is one way of securing a three, and this alone is quite +sufficient to make a certainty of winning.'[67] + +[67] Doings in London. + + +CROSS AND PILE. + +Cross and Pile, so called because anciently English coins were +stamped on one side with a cross, now bears the names, Head and +Tail, and is a pastime well known among the lowest and most +vulgar classes of the community, and to whom it is now confined; +formerly, however, it held a higher rank and was introduced at +Court. Edward II. was partial to this and other frivolous +diversions, and spent much of his time in the pursuit of them. +In one of his wardrobe 'rolls,' or accounts, we find the +following entries--'Item, paid to Henry, the king's barber, for +money which he lent to the king to play at Cross and Pile, five +shillings. Item, paid to Pires Bernard, usher of the king's +chamber, money which he lent the king, and which he lost at Cross +and Pile; to Monsieur Robert Wartewille, eight- pence.' + +A half-penny is now generally used in playing this game; but any +other coin with a head impressed will answer the purpose. One +person tosses the half-penny up and the other cries at pleasure +HEAD or TAIL, and loses according to the result. + +Cross and Pile is evidently derived from the Greek pastime called +Ostra Kinda, played by the boys of ancient Greece. Having +procured a shell, they smeared it over with pitch on one side and +left the other side white. A boy tossed up this shell, and his +antagonist called white or black,[68] as he thought proper, and +his success was determined by the white or black part of the +shell being uppermost. + +[68] In the Greek, nux kai hmera, that is, 'night and day.' + + +It is the favourite game of the boys of London and the vicinity, +now, however, considerably, if not entirely, discontinued through +the vigilance of the police and the severity of the magistrates. +Not long ago, however, I witnessed a sad and striking scene of it +at Twickenham. It was on a Sunday morning. Several boys +surrounded two players, one of the latter being about 14 years of +age, well dressed, and the other of about 10 years, all in +tatters and shoeless. The younger urchin had a long run of good +luck, whereat his antagonist exhibited much annoyance, swearing +intemperately. At length, however, his luck changed in turn, and +he went on winning until the former refused to play any longer, +saying--'There, you've got back all I won from you.' The bigger +boy became enraged at this refusal to continue the play, and +seemed inclined to resort to fisticuff, but I interposed and put +a stop to the affray. I then questioned the elder boy, and +gathered from him that he played as often as he could, sometimes +winning or losing from eight to ten shillings. 'And do you +generally win? was my next question.' 'No, sir,' he replied, 'I +oftener lose.' I shuddered to conjecture what would be the +future of this boy. The word of warning I gave him was received +with a shrug of the shoulder, and he walked off with the greatest +unconcern. + +THIMBLE-RIG. + +All races, fairs, and other such conglomerations of those whom +Heaven had blessed with more money than wit, used to be +frequented by minor members of 'The Fancy,' who are technically +called flat-catchers, and who picked up a very pretty living by a +quick hand, a rattling tongue, a deal board, three thimbles, and +a pepper-corn. The game they played with these three curious +articles is a sort of Lilliputian game at cups and balls; and the +beauty of it lies in dexterously seeming to place the pepper-corn +under one particular thimble, getting a green to bet that it was +there, and then winning his money by showing that it is not. +Every operator at this game was attended by certain of his +friends called eggers and bonnetters--the eggers to 'egg' on the +green ones to bet, by betting themselves; and the bonnetters to +'bonnet' any green one who might happen to win-- that is to say, +to knock his hat over his eyes, whilst the operator and the +others bolted with the stakes. + +Some years ago a curious case was tried, exemplifying the mode of +procedure. A Frenchman, M. Panchaud, was at Ascot Races, and he +there saw the defendant and several other 'gentlemen' betting +away, and apparently winning 'lots of sovereigns,' at one of +these same thimble-rigs. 'Try your luck, gentlemen,' cried the +operator; 'I'll bet any gentleman anything, from half-a-crown to +five sovereigns, that he doesn't name the thimble as covers the +corn!' M. Panchaud betted half-a-crown--won it; betted a +sovereign--won it; betted a second sovereign--LOST it. 'Try your +luck, gentlemen!' cried the operator again, shifting his thimbles +and pepper-corn about the board, here and there and everywhere in +a moment; and this done, he offered M. Panchaud a bet of five +sovereigns that he could not 'name the thimble what covered the +corn.' 'Bet him! Bet him! Why don't you bet him?' said the +defendant (a landlord), nudging M. Panchaud on the elbow; and M. +Panchaud, convinced in his 'own breast' that he knew the right +thimble, said--'I shall betta you five sovereign if you will not +touch de timbles again till I name.' 'Done!' cried the operator; +and M. Panchaud was DONE-- for, laying down his L10 note, it was +caught up by SOMEBODY, the board was upset, the operator and his +friends vanished 'like a flash of lightning,' and M. Panchaud was +left full of amazement, but with empty pockets, with the +defendant standing by his side. 'They are a set of rascals!' +said the defendant; 'but don't fret, my fine fellow! I'll take +you to somebody that shall soon get your money again; and so +saying he led him off in a direction thus described in court by +the fleeced Frenchman.--'You tooke me the WRONG way! The thieves +ran one way, and you took me the other, you know, ahah! You know +what you are about--you took me the WRONG WAY--ahah!' + + +CHAPTER XI. + +COCK-FIGHTING. + +Cock-fighting is a practice of high antiquity, like many other +detestable and abominable things that still cling to our social +fabric. It was much in vogue in Greece and the adjacent isles. +There was an annual festival at Athens called 'The Cock- +fighting,' instituted by Themistocles at the end of the Persian +war, under the following circumstances. When Themistocles was +leading his army against the Persians, he saw some cocks +fighting; he halted his troops, looked on, and said:--'These +animals fight neither for the gods of their country, nor for the +monuments of their ancestors, nor for glory, nor for freedom, nor +for their children, but for the sake of victory, and in order +that one may not yield to the other;' and from this topic he +inspirited the Athenians. After his victorious return, as an act +of gratitude for this accidental occasion of inspiring his troops +with courage, he instituted the above festival, 'in order that +what was an incitement to valour at that time might be +perpetuated as an encouragement to the like bravery hereafter.' +One cannot help smiling at these naive stories of the ancients to +account for their mightiest results. Only think of any modern +warrior halting his troops to make use of a cock-fight for the +purpose of inspiriting them to victory! + +On one occasion during the Peninsular war, when an important +point was to be carried by assault, the officers were required to +say something encouraging to their men, in order to brace them up +for the encounter; but whilst the majority of the former recalled +the remembrance of previous victories, an Irish captain contented +himself with exclaiming--'Now, my lads, you see those fellows up +there. Well, if you don't kill THEM, SHURE they'll kill YOU. +That's all!' Struck with the comic originality of this address, +the men rushed forward with a laugh and a shout, carrying all +before them. + +Among the ancient Greeks the cock was sacred to Apollo, Mercury, +and aesculapius, on account of his vigilance, inferred from his +early rising--the natural consequence of his 'early to bed'--and +also to Mars, on account of his magnanimous and daring spirit. + +It seems, then, that at first cock-fighting was partly a +religious, and partly a political, institution at Athens; and was +there continued--according to the above legend--for the purpose +of cherishing the seeds of valour in the minds of youth; but that +it was afterwards abused and perverted, both there and in other +parts of Greece, by being made a common pastime, and applied to +the purpose of gambling just as it was (and is still secretly) +practised in England. An Attic law ran as follows--'Let cocks +fight publicly in the theatre one day in the year.'[69] + +[69] Pegge, in Archoeologia, quoting aelian, Columella, &c. + + +As to cock-fighting at Rome, Pegge, in the same work, gives his +opinion, that it was not customary there till very late; but that +quails were more pitted against each other for gambling purposes +than cocks. This opinion seems confirmed by the thankfulness +expressed by the good Antoninus--'that he had imbibed such +dispositions from his preceptor, as had prevented him from +breeding quails for the fight.' + +'One cannot but regret,' wrote Pegge in 1775, 'that a creature so +useful and so noble as the cock should be so enormously abused by +us. It is true the massacre of Shrove Tuesday seems in a +declining way, and in a few years, it is to be hoped, will be +totally disused; but the cock-pit still continues a reproach to +the humanity of Englishmen. It is unknown to me when the pitched +battle first entered England; but it was probably brought hither +by the Romans. The bird was here before Caesar's arrival; but no +notice of his fighting has occurred to me earlier than the time +of William Fitz-Stephen, who wrote the Life of Archbishop Becket, +some time in the reign of Henry II. William describes the +cocking as the sport of school-boys on Shrove Tuesday. "Every +year, on the day which is called Carnelevaria (Carnival)--to +begin with the sports of the London boys,--for we have all been +boys--all the boys are wont to carry to their schoolmaster their +fighting-cocks, and the whole of the forenoon is made a holiday +for the boys to see the fights of their cocks in their +schoolrooms." The theatre, it seems, was their school, and the +master was the controller and director of the sport. From this +time at least the diversion, however absurd, and even impious, +was continued among us.' + +'Although disapproved of by many, and prohibited by law, cock- +fighting continued in vogue, patronized even by royalty, and +commonly called "the royal diversion." St James's Park, which, +in the time of Henry VIII., belonged to the Abbot of Westminster, +was bought by that monarch and converted into a park, a tennis +court, and a cockpit, which was situated where Downing Street now +is. The park was approached by two noble gates, and until the +year 1708 the Cock-pit Gate, which opened into the court where +Queen Anne lived, was standing. It was surmounted with lofty +towers and battlements, and had a portcullis, and many rich +decorations. Westminster Gate, the other entrance, was designed +by Hans Holbein, and some foreign architect doubtless erected the +Cockpit Gate. The scene of the cruel diversion of cock-fighting +was, however, obliterated before Anne's time, and the palace, +which was a large range of apartments and offices reaching to the +river, extended over that space.'[69] + +[69] Wharton, Queens of Society. + + +Cock-fighting was the favourite amusement of James I., in whose +reign there were cock-pits in St James's Park, Drury Lane, Tufton +Street, Shoe Lane, and Jermyn Street. There was a cock-pit in +Whitehall, erected for the more magnificent exhibition of the +sport; and the present room in Westminster in which her Majesty's +Privy Council hold their sittings, is called the Cock-pit, from +its being the site of the veritable arena of old. + +Cock-fighting was prohibited by one of Oliver's acts in 1654; but +with the return of Charles and his profligacy, the sport again +flourished in England. Pepys often alludes to it in his 'Diary.' + +Thus, Dec. 21, 1663, he writes:-- + +'To Shoe Lane, to see a cocke-fighting at a new pit there, a spot +I was never at in my life; but, Lord! to see the strange variety +of people, from Parliament man, by name Wildes, that was Deputy- +Governor of the Tower when Robinson was Lord Mayor, to the +poorest 'prentices, bakers, brewers, butchers, draymen, and what +not; and all these fellows one with another cursing and betting. +I soon had enough of it. It is strange to see how people of this +poor rank, that look as if they had not bread to put in their +mouths, shall bet three or four pounds at a time, and lose it, +and yet bet as much the next battle; so that one of them will +lose L10 or L20 at a meeting.' + +Again, April 6, 1668:-- + +'I to the new Cocke-pit by the king's gate, and there saw the +manner of it, and the mixed rabble of people that came thither, +and saw two battles of cockes, wherein is no great sport; but +only to consider how these creatures, without any provocation, do +fight and kill one another, and aim only at one another's heads!' + +Up to the middle of the 18th century cock-fighting was 'all the +rage' in England. 'Cocking,' says a writer of the time, 'is a +sport or pastime so full of delight and pleasure, that I know not +any game in that respect which is to be preferred before it.' + +The training of the pugnacious bird had now become a sort of art, +and this is as curious as anything about the old 'royal +diversion.' A few extracts from a treatise on the subject may be +interesting as leaves from the book of manners and customs of the +good old times. + +The most minute details are given as to the selection of +fighting-cocks, the breeding of game cocks, and 'the dieting and +ordering a cock for battle.' Under this last head we read:--'In +the morning take him out of the pen, and let him spar a while +with another cock. Sparring is after this manner. Cover each of +your cock's heels with a pair of hots made of bombasted rolls of +leather, so covering the spurs that they cannot bruise or wound +one another, and so setting them down on straw in a room, or +green grass abroad; let them fight a good while, but by no means +suffer them to draw blood of one another. The benefit that +accrues hereby is this: it heateth and chafeth their bodies, and +it breaketh the fat and glut that is within them. Having sparred +as much as is sufficient, which you may know when you see them +pant and grow weary, then take them up, and, taking off their +hots, give them a diaphoretic or sweating, after this manner. +You must put them in deep straw- baskets, made for this purpose, +and fill these with straw half way, then put in your cocks +severally, and cover them over with straw to the top; then shut +down the lids, and let them sweat; but don't forget to give them +first some white sugar-candy, chopped rosemary, and butter, +mingled and incorporated together. Let the quantity be about the +bigness of a walnut; by so doing you will cleanse him of his +grease, increase his strength, and prolong his breath. Towards +four or five o'clock in the evening take them out of their +stoves, and, having licked their eyes and head with your tongue, +and put them into their pens, and having filled their throats +with square-cut manchet, **** therein, and let them feed whilst +the****is hot; for this will cause their scouring to work, and +will wonderfully cleanse both head and body.' + +Was ever poor animal subjected to such indignity? The +preparation of the other animal, the jockey, is nothing to it. +But, to continue:-- + +'The second day after his sparring, take your cock into a fair +green close, and, having a dunghill cock in your arms, show it +him, and then run from him, that thereby you may entice him to +follow, permitting him to have now and then a blow, and thus +chafe him up and down about half an hour; when he begins to pant, +being well-heated, take him up and carry him home, and give him +this scouring, &c.' + +This training continued for six weeks, which was considered a +sufficient time for 'ordering a cock for the battle;' and then, +after the 'matching,' came the last preparation of the poor biped +for the terrible fight in which he would certainly be either +killed or kill his antagonist, if both were not doomed to bite +the dust. This consisted in the following disfigurement of the +beautiful creature:-- + +'With a pair of fine cock-shears cut all his mane off close into +his neck from the head to the setting on of the shoulders: +secondly, clip off all the feathers from the tail close to his +rump; the redder it appears the better is the cock in condition: +thirdly, take his wings and spread them forth by the length of +the first rising feather, and clip the rest slope-wise with sharp +points, that in his rising he may therewith endanger the eye of +his adversary; fourthly, scrape, smooth, and sharpen his spurs +with a pen-knife; fifthly, and lastly, see that there be no +feathers on the crown of his head for his adversary to take hold +of; then, with your spittle moistening his head all over, turn +him into the pit TO MOVE TO HIS FORTUNE.' + +I should, perhaps, state that, instead of the natural spurs, long +artificial ones of well-tempered steel were fixed to the cock's +heels in later times, and these were frequently driven into the +body of his antagonist with such vigour that the two cocks were +spitted together, and had to be separated. + +The dreadful fight having come off, the following was the +treatment prescribed for the fortunate conqueror. + +'The battle being ended, immediately search your cock's wounds, +as many as you can find. SUCK the blood out of them; then wash +them well with warm ****, and that will keep them from rankling; +after this give him a roll of your best SCOURING, and so stove +him up as hot as you can for that night; in the morning, if you +find his head swelled, you must suck his wounds again, and bathe +them with warm ****; then take the powder of herb Robert, and put +it into a fine bag, and pounce his wounds therewith; after this, +give him a good handful of bread to eat out of warm ****, and so +put him into the stove again, and let him not feel the air till +the swelling be fallen.' + +A cock sometimes took a long time to recover from his wounds--as, +indeed, may be well supposed from the terrible 'punishment' which +he necessarily received; and so our professor goes on to say:-- +'If after you have put out your wounded cock to their walks, and +visiting them a month or two after, you find about their head any +swollen bunches, hard and blackish at one end, you may then +conclude that in such bunches there are unsound cores, which must +be opened and crushed out with your thumbs; and after this, you +must suck out the corruption, and filling the holes full of fresh +butter, you need not doubt a cure.' + +A poetical description of a cock-fight, by Dr R. Wild, written at +the commencement of the last century, will give an idea of the +'diversion.' + +'No sooner were the doubtful people set, +The match made up, and all that would had bet, +But straight the skilful judges of the play; +Brought forth their sharp-heel'd warriors, and they +Were both in linnen bags--as if 'twere meet, +Before they died, to have their winding-sheet. +Into the pit they're brought, and being there, +Upon the stage, the Norfolk Chanticleer +Looks stoutly at his ne'er before seen foe, + And like a challenger began to crow, +And clap his wings, as if he would display +His warlike colours, which were black and grey. + +'Meantime, the wary Wisbich walks and breathes +His active body, and in fury wreathes +His comely crest, and often with a sound, +He whets his angry beak upon the ground. +This done, they meet, not like that coward breed +Of Aesop; these can better fight than feed: +They scorn the dunghill; 'tis their only prize +TO DIG FOR PEARLS WITHIN EACH OTHER'S EYES. + +'They fought so nimbly that 'twas hard to know, +E'en to the skill'd, whether they fought or no; +If that the blood which dyed the fatal floor +Had not borne witness of 't. Yet fought they more; +As if each wound were but a spur to prick +Their fury forward. Lightning's not more quick, +Or red, than were their eyes: 'twas hard to know +Whether 'twas blood or anger made them so. +I'm sure they had been out had they not stood +More safe by being fenced in with blood. + +Thus they vied blows; but yet (alas!) at length, +Altho' their courage was full tried, their strength +And blood began to ebb. + +Their wings, which lately at each blow they clapp'd +(As if they did applaud themselves), now flapp'd. +And having lost th' advantage of the heel, +Drunk with each other's blood, they only reel. +From either eyes such drops of blood did fall +As if they wept them for their funeral. +And yet they fain would fight; they came so near, +Methought they meant into each other's ear +TO WHISPER WOUNDS; and when they could not rise, +They lay and look'd blows into each other's eyes. + +But now the tragic part! After this fit, +When Norfolk cock had got the best of it, +And Wisbich lay a dying, so that none, +Tho' sober, but might venture Seven to One; +Contracting, like a dying taper, all +His strength, intending with the blow to fall, +He struggles up, and having taken wind, +Ventures a blow, and strikes the other blind! + +'And now poor Norfolk, having lost his eyes, +Fights only guided by antipathies: +With him, alas! the proverb holds not true-- +The blows his eyes ne'er saw his heart most rue. +At length, by chance, he stumbled on his foe, +Not having any power to strike a blow. +He falls upon him with his wounded head, +And makes his conqueror's wings his feather-bed; +Where lying sick, his friends were very chary +Of him, and fetch'd in haste a Pothecary; +But all in vain! His body did so blister +That 'twas incapable of any glyster; +Wherefore, at length, opening his fainting bill, +He call'd a scriv'ner and thus made his Will. + +'IMPRIMIS--Let it never be forgot, +My body freely I bequeath to th' pot, +Decently to be boil'd. +**** + ITEM: Executors I will have none +But he that on my side laid Seven to One; +And, like a gentleman that he may live, +To him, and to his heirs, my COMB I give, +Together with my brains, that all may know +That oftentimes his brains did use to crow. +**** +To him that 's dull I do my SPURS impart, +And to the coward I bequeath my HEART. +To ladies that are light, it is my will +My FEATHERS shall be given; and for my BILL +I'd give 't a tailor, but it is so short, +That I'm afraid he'll rather curse me for 't: +**** +Lastly, because I feel my life decay, +I yield and give to Wisbich COCK THE DAY!'[70] + +[70] The passages left out in the Will, as marked by asterisks, +though witty, are rather too gross for modern eyes. + + +To quote from Pegge once more:--What aggravates the reproach and +disgrace upon us Englishmen, are those species of fighting which +are called--"the battle royal and the Welsh main"--known nowhere +in the world, as I think, but here; neither in China, nor in +Persia, nor in Malacca, nor among the savage tribes of America. +These are scenes so bloody as almost to be too shocking to +relate; and yet as many may not be acquainted with the horrible +nature of them, it may be proper, for the excitement of our +aversion and detestation, to describe them in a few words. + +'In the battle royal, an unlimited number of fowls are pitted; +and after they have slaughtered one another, for the diversion +(dii boni!) of the otherwise generous and humane Englishman, the +single surviving bird is to be esteemed the victor, and carries +away the prize. The Welsh main consists, we will suppose, of +sixteen pairs of cocks; of these the sixteen conquerors are +pitted a second time; and, lastly, the two conquerors of these +are pitted a fifth time; so that (incredible barbarity!) +thirty-one cocks are sure to be most inhumanly murdered for the +sport and pleasure, the noise and nonsense, nay, I may say the +profane cursing and swearing, of those who have the effrontery to +call themselves, with all these bloody doings, and with all this +impiety about them--Christians!' Moreover, this ungenerous +diversion was the bane and destruction of thousands, who thus +dissipated their patrimonial fortunes. That its attractions were +irresistible is evident from the difficulty experienced in +suppressing the practice. Down to a very recent date cock- +fighting was carried on in secret,--the police now and then +breaking into the secret pits, dispersing and chasing a motley +crew of noblemen, gentlemen, and 'the scum of rascaldom.' + +The practice is very far from having died out; mains are still +fought in various parts of the country; but of course the +greatest precautions are taken to insure secrecy and to prevent +the interference of the police. + +In connection with cock-fighting I remember a horrible incident +that occurred in the West Indies. A gentleman who was +passionately fond of the sport, and prided himself on the +victories of his cocks, had the misfortune to see one of his +birds so terribly wounded in the first onset that, although not +killed, it was impossible for it to continue the fight. His rage +at the mishap knew no bounds, and he vented it madly on the poor +creature. He roasted it alive--standing by and hearing its +piteous cries. In the midst of the horrible torture the wretched +man became so excited that a fit of apoplexy supervened, and he +positively expired before the poor bird at the fire! + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE TURF, HISTORICAL, SOCIAL, MORAL. + +It appears that horse-races were customary at public festivals +even as early as the times of the patriarchs. They originated +among the eastern nations, who were the first to discover the +physical aptitudes of the noble animal and the spirited emulation +of which he is capable. The Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, in +succession, all indulged in the excitement; and it is a curious +fact that the Romans, like the English jockeys of the present +day, rode in different colours. + +Horse-racing began very early in England. Fitz-Stephen, who +wrote in the time of Henry VIII., mentions the delight taken by +the citizens of London in the diversion. In the reign of Queen +Elizabeth it appears to have greatly flourished, and to have been +carried to such an excess as to have ruined many of the nobility. + +The celebrated George, Earl of Cumberland, is said to have wasted +more of his estates than any of his ancestors, and principally by +his love of the turf and the tilt-yard. In the reign of James +I., Croydon in the South, and Garterly in the North, were +celebrated courses. Camden also states that in 1607 there were +meetings near York, and the prize was a small golden bell; hence +the origin of the saying 'bearing off the bell.' + +Lord Herbert of Cherbury denounced the practice. 'The exercise,' +says this gallant philosopher, 'I do not approve of is running of +horses--there being much CHEATING in that kind,--neither do I see +why a brave man should delight in a creature whose chief use is +to help him to run away.' As far as the cheating is concerned, +the philosopher may be right, but most assuredly his views of the +horse do no credit to his Lordship's understanding. + +It appears that the turf-men of those days went on breeding for +shape and speed alone, without considering 'bottom,' until the +reign of Queen Anne; when a public-spirited nobleman left +thirteen plates or purses to be run for, at such places as the +Crown should appoint, upon condition that every horse should +carry twelve stone for the best of three heats--four miles. By +this means a stronger horse was raised, who, if he was not good +enough upon the race-course, made a hunter. + +The Merry Monarch, Charles II., had given cups or bowls, +estimated at one hundred guineas value, and upon which the names +of the winning horses, the winner, and jockey were usually +engraved. William III. added to the plates, as did Queen Anne; +but in 1720 George I. discontinued this royal encouragement to +the sport, apparently through sheer meanness. Since that period +'King's Plates' and 'Queen's Plates' have been paid in specie. + +In the reign of Charles I. races were performed in Hyde Park; and +until a very recent period 'the Ring' in the Park was the +rendezvous of gentlemen's servants, for the purpose of betting or +making up their betting books. + +Newmarket races were established by Charles II., in 1667. Epsom, +by Mr Parkhurst, in 1711. Ascot, by the Duke of Cumberland, +uncle to George III. Doncaster, by Colonel St Leger, in 1778. +Goodwood, by the Duke of Richmond, who died in 1806. + +The Jockey Club began in the time of George II. Its latest +rules, by which races are regulated, were enacted in 1828. + +Tattersall's, the 'High Change of Horse-flesh,' was established +by Richard Tattersall, near Hyde Park Corner--hence termed 'The +Corner'--in 1766, for the sale of horses. The lease of the +ground having expired, the new premises at Brompton were erected, +and opened for business, in 1803. + +On the accession of Queen Victoria the Royal stud was sold for +L16,476, in Oct., 1837.[71] + +[71] Haydon, Book of Dates. + + +Among the distinguished men who have supported the turf in this +country may be mentioned George IV.[72] and William IV.; the late +Duke of York; the Dukes of Richmond, Cleveland, Grafton, Bedford, +and Beaufort; Marquises of Exeter and Westminster; Earls of +Glasgow, Stradbrooke, Wilton, Chesterfield, Eglintoun, Verulam, +and Lonsdale; Lords George Bentinck, Foley, Kinnaird, &c.; and +last, though not least, the Right Honourable Charles James Fox. +As to the turf, Fox used always to animadvert on his losses, and +repeatedly observed--that 'his horses had as much bottom as other +people's, but that they were such slow, good ones that they never +went fast enough to tire themselves.' He had, however, the +gratification of experiencing some few exceptions to this +imaginary rule. In April, 1772, he was so lucky at Newmarket as +to win nearly L16,000--the greater part of which he got by +betting against the celebrated Pincher, who lost the match by +only half a neck. The odds at STARTING were two to one on the +losing horse. At the spring meeting at Newmarket, in 1789, Fox +is said to have won not less than L50,000; and at the October +meeting, at the same place, the following year, he sold two of +his horses--Seagull and Chanticleer--for 4400 guineas. In the +course of 1788 Fox and the Duke of Bedford won 8000 guineas +between them at the Newmarket spring meeting, and during these +races Fox and Lord Barrymore had a heavy match, which was given +as a dead heat, and the bets were off. + +[72] For some period previous to 1790, George IV. had patronized +horse-racing and pugilism; but in that year, having attended a +prize fight in which one of the boxers was killed, he ceased to +support the ring, declaring that he would never be present at +such a scene of murder again; and in 1791 he disposed of his +stud, on account of some apparently groundless suspicion being +attached to his conduct with regard to a race, in the event of +which he had little or no real interest. + + +On coming into office with Lord North, in 1783, Mr Fox sold his +horses, and erased his name from several of the clubs of which he +was a member. It was not long, however, before he again +purchased a stud, and in October he attended the Newmarket +meeting. The king's messenger was obliged to appear on the +course, to seek one of the ministers of England among the +sportsmen on the heath, in order to deliver despatches upon which +perhaps the fate of the country might have depended. The +messenger on these occasions had his badge of office, the +greyhound, not liking that the world should know that the king's +adviser was amusing himself at Newmarket, when he should have +been serving him in the metropolis. But Charles Fox preferred +the betting rooms to Downing Street. + +Again, in the year 1790, his horse Seagull won the Oatlands +stakes at Ascot, of 100 guineas (19 subscribers), beating the +Prince of Wales's Escape, Serpent, and several of the very best +horses of that year--to the great mortification of His Royal +Highness, who immediately matched Magpie against him, to run four +days afterwards, two miles, for 500 guineas. This match, on +which immense sums were depending, was won with ease by Seagull. +At this period Lord Foley and Mr Fox were confederates. In those +days the plates averaged from L50 to L100. + +Lord Foley, who died in 1793, entered upon the turf with a clear +estate of L1800 a year, and L100,000 ready money, which was +considerably diminished by his losses at Newmarket, Ascot, and +Epsom. + +The race-horse of this country excels those of the whole world, +not only for speed, but bottom. There is a great difference, +however, between the present race and that of fifty or sixty +years ago; for in those days four-mile heats were the fashion. +The sporting records at the end of the last century give the +following exploits of horses of that and previous periods. + +Childers, known by the name of Flying Childers, the property of +the Duke of Devonshire, was looked upon as the fleetest horse +that ever was bred. He was never beaten; the sire of this +celebrated horse was an Arabian. + +Dorimont, belonging to Lord Ossory, won prizes to the amount of +L13,360. + +Eclipse was allowed to be the fastest horse that ever ran in +England since the time of Childers. After winning largely for +his owner, he covered, by subscription, forty mares at 30 guineas +each, or 1200 guineas. + +Highflyer, by King Herod, was the best horse of his day; was +never beaten, nor paid forfeit but once. His winnings amounted +to above L9000, although he only ran as a three, four, and five +years old. + +Matchem stood high both as a racer and as the sire of many of our +most favourite horses. As a stallion he realized for his master +more than L12,000. He died in 1781, at the advanced age of +thirty-three. + +Shark won a cup value 120 guineas, eleven hogsheads of claret, +and above L16,000 in plates, matches, and forfeits.[73] + +[73] Lord William Lennox, Merrie England. + + +Among recent celebrities must be mentioned Lord Stamford, who is +said to have engaged Jemmy Grimshaw, a light-weighted jockey, at +a salary of L1000 a year. + + The most astounding 'event' of late years was that of 1867, when +the horse Hermit--previously represented as being in an unfit +condition even to run, won the race--to the unspeakable ruin of +very many, and inflicting on the late Marquis of Hastings the +enormous loss of about L100,000, which, however, in spite of +unseemly rumours and, it is said, hopes of that nobleman's ruin, +was honourably paid, to the day and hour. + +But if ruin did not immediately come upon the young marquis, +still the wound was deadly, inflicted as though with the ferocity +of a demon. In his broken health and rapid decay sympathy was +not withheld from him; and when a premature death put an end to +his sufferings, and was speedily followed by the breaking up of +his establishment and the dispersion of his ancestral effects, +most men felt that he had, perhaps, atoned for his errors and +indiscretions, whilst all united in considering him another +unfortunate victim added to the long list of those who have +sacrificed their fortune, health, and honour to the Gambling +Moloch presiding over the Turf of England.[74] + +[74] The 'Odds' or probabilities of horse racing are explained in +chapter VIII., in which the entire 'Doctrine of Chances' is +discussed. + + +Such are the leading facts of horse-racing in England. One +cannot help observing that the sturdy strength and muscular +exertions of an Olympic charioteer of old exhibit a striking +contrast to the spider-like form and emaciated figure of a +Newmarket jockey. + + Qui studet optatam cursu contingere metam, +Multa tulit, fecitque puer, SUDAVAT et alsit. + + 'Who in a race would reach the long'd-for goal, + Must suffer much, do much, in youth, indeed, + Must SWEAT and fag.' + +This is literally true respecting the English jockey, whose +attenuated form is accounted for in the following dialogue in an +old work entitled 'Newmarket, or an Essay on the Turf,' 1771. + +'Stop, stop, OLD GENTLEMAN! I desire to speak a word to you; pray +which is the way to----.' + +'I beg, sir, you will not interrupt me. I am a Newmarket +jockey--am to ride in a few days a match, upon which there is a +great deal depending, and I am now PREPARING.' + +'Oh, I see now, you are a YOUNG man, instead of that old one for +whom I mistook you by your wrappings; but pray, explain.' + +'Why, your Honour must know that we jockeys, in order to bring +ourselves down to the weight required for the horses we are to +ride, sweat under a load of flannel wrapped about us beneath +coats and great coats, and walk two or three miles in the heat of +summer, till we are ready to faint under our burden.' + +'Indeed! Why, you go through a deal!' + +'Ah, sir, a great deal indeed! Why, we sometimes lie hours and +hours between two feather-beds--to melt away our extraordinary +weight.' + +'But will you give me leave to examine your present dress? Hum! +Two flannel waistcoats, a thick cloth coat, a Bath surtout! It +is a vast weight to carry this warm weather. I only hope you +won't sink under it.' + +'Never fear, sir, I do not doubt but I shall do very well.' + +The rewards of victory were as plain and simple in the Grecian +games as they were distinguishing and honourable. A garland of +palm, or laurel, or parsley, or pine leaves, served to adorn the +brow of the fortunate victor, whilst his name stood a chance of +being transmitted to posterity in the strains of some lofty +Pindar. The rewards of modern days are indeed more substantial +and solid, being paid in weighty gold or its equivalent, no +matter whether obtained by the ruin of others, while the fleet +coursers and their exulting proprietors stand conspicuous in the +list of the Racing Calendar. The ingenious and ironical author +of 'Newmarket, or an Essay on the Turf,' in the year 1771, +bestowed the following titles and honours on the most famous +horse of the day--Kelly's Eclipse:--'Duke of Newmarket, Marquis +of Barnet, Earl of Epsom and York, Viscount Canterbury, Baron +Eclipse of Mellay; Lord of Lewes, Salisbury, Ipswich, and +Northampton; Comptroller-General of the race-grounds, and Premier +Racer of All England.' To bear coat of arms--'A Pegasus argent +on a field verd;--the supporters--two Englishmen in ermined robes +and ducal coronets;--the crest--a purse, Or;--the motto--"Volat +ocior Euro." '[75] + +[75] 'He flies swifter than the east wind.' + + +Again, in the exhibition of those useful and honourable Olympic +pastimes of old, the cause of morality was not overlooked:--there +was in them a happy union of utility, pleasure, and virtue. A +spotless life and unblameable manners, a purity of descent by +being born in wedlock through several generations, and a series +of creditable relations, were indispensable qualifications of a +candidate on the Olympic turf. It is true, there is at least as +much attention paid to purity and faultlessness on the plains of +Newmarket; but the application is to the blood and pedigree of +the horse, not of his rider. + +Nay, it was, and is, notorious that the word 'jockey' has +acquired the meaning of 'to trick,' 'to cheat,' as appears in all +our dictionaries and in common parlance. What is the inference +from this but that the winning of races is no absolute proof of +the superiority of the horse--for whose improvement racing is +said to be encouraged; but rather the result of a secret +combination of expedients or arrangements--in a word, jockeying, +that is, cheating, tricking. The only 'moral' character required +in the jockey is the determination to do whatsoever may be agreed +upon or determined by those who are willing and able to give 'a +consideration' for the convenient accommodation. + +But it is, or was, the associations, the inevitable concomitants, +of the turf and racing that stamp it, not only as something +questionable, but as a bane and infamy to the nation; and if +there is one spot more eminently distinguished for a general +rendezvous of fraud and gambling, that place is Newmarket. + +The diversions of these plains have proved a decoy to many a +noble and ingenuous mind, caught in the snares laid to entrap +youth and inexperience. Newmarket was a wily labyrinth of loss +and gain, a fruitful field for the display of gambling abilities, +the school of the sharping crew, the academy of the Greeks, the +unfathomable gulf that absorbed princely fortunes. + +The amusements of the turf were in all other places intermixed +with a variety of social diversions, which were calculated to +promote innocent mirth and gaiety. The breakfastings, the +concerts, the plays, the assemblies, attracted the circle of +female beauty, enlivened the scene, engaged the attention of +gentlemen, and thus prevented much of the evil contagion and +destruction of midnight play. But encouragement to the GAMBLER +of high and low degree was the very charter of Newmarket. Every +object that met the eye was encompassed with gambling--from the +aristocratic Rouge et Noir, Roulette, and Hazard, down to +Thimble-rig, Tossing, and Tommy Dodd. Every hour of the day and +night was beset with gambling diversified; in short, gambling +must occupy the whole man, or he was lost to the sport and spirit +of the place. The inhumanity of the cock-pit, the iniquitous +vortex of the Hazard table, employed each leisure moment from the +race, and either swallowed up the emoluments of the victorious +field, or sank the jockey still deeper in the gulf of ruin. + +The common people of England have been stigmatized (and perhaps +too justly) for their love of bloody sports and cruel diversions; +cock-fighting, bull-baiting, boxing, and the crowded attendance +on executions, are but too many proofs of this sanguinary turn. +But why the imputation should lie at the door of the vulgar alone +may well be questioned; for while the star of nobility and +dignified distinction was seen to glitter at a cock-match or on a +boxing-stage, or near the 'Ring'--where its proprietor was liable +to be elbowed by their highnesses of grease and soot, and to be +hemmed in by knights of the post and canditates for Tyburn tree-- +when this motley group alike were fixed in eager attention, alike +betted on and enjoyed each blood-drawing stroke of the artificial +spur, or blow of the fist well laid in--what distinction was to +be made between peer and plebeian, except in derogation of the +former? + +The race-course at Newmarket always presented a rare assemblage +of grooms, gamblers, and greatness. + +'See, side by side, the jockey and Sir John +Discuss the important point of six to one; +For, O my Muse! the deep-felt bliss how dear-- +How great the pride to gain a jockey's ear!'[76] + +[76] Wharton's Newmarket. + + +Newmarket fame was an object of ambition sought by the most +distinguished personages. + +'Go on, brave youths, till in some future age +Whips shall become the senatorial badge; +Till England see her thronging senators +Meet all at Westminster in boots and spurs; +See the whole House with mutual phrensy mad, +Her patriots all in leathern breeches clad; +Of bets for taxes learnedly debate, And guide with equal reins +a steed or state.'[77] + +[77] Ibid. + + +And then at the winning-post what motley confusion. + + --------------------'A thousand tongues +Jabber harsh jargon from a thousand lungs. + **** +Dire was the din--as when in caverns pent, +Hoarse Boreas storms and Eurus works for vent, +The aeolian brethren heave the labouring earth, +And roar with elemental strife for birth.'[78] + +[78] 'The Gamblers.' Horace had said long before--Tanto cum +strepitu ludi spectantur, 'So great a noise attends the games! + + +The frauds and stratagems of wily craft which once passed current +at Newmarket, surpassed everything that can be imagined at the +present day. The intruding light of the morning was execrated by +the nightly gamblers. 'Grant us but to perish in the light,' was +the prayer of the warlike Ajax:--'Grant us black night for ever,' +exclaimed the gambler; and his wishes were consistent with the +place and the foul deeds perpetrated therein.[79] + +[79] The principal gambling-room at Newmarket was called the +'Little Hell.' + + Sit mihi fas audita loqui--sit numine vestro, + Pandere res alta terra et caligine mersas. + + +The turf-events of every succeeding year verify the lament of the +late Lord Derby:-- + +'The secession from the turf of men who have station and +character, and the accession of men who have neither, are signs +visible to the dullest apprehension. The once national sport of +horse-racing is being degraded to a trade in which it is +difficult to perceive anything either sportive or national. The +old pretence about the improvement of the breed of horses has +become a delusion, too stale for jesting.' + +Nothing is more incontestable than the fact that the breed of +English horses has not been really improved, certainly not by +racing and its requirements. It has been truly observed that +'what is called the turf is merely a name for the worst kind of +gambling. The men who engage in it are as far as possible from +any ideal of sporting men. It is a grim joke, in fact, to speak +of "sport" at all in their connection. The turf to them is but a +wider and more vicious sort of tapis vert--the racing but the +rolling of the balls--the horses but animated dice. It is +difficult to name a single honest or manly instinct which is +propagated by the turf as it is, or which does not become debased +and vitiated by the association. From a public recreation the +thing has got to be a public scandal. Every year witnesses a +holocaust of great names sacrificed to the insatiable demon of +horse-racing--ancient families ruined, old historic memories +defiled at the shrine of this vulgarest and most vicious of +popular passions.' + +Among those who have sought to reform the turf is Sir Joseph +Hawley, who last year succeeded in procuring the abolition of +two-year-old races before the 1st of May. He is now +endeavouring, to go much further, and has given notice of a +motion for the appointment of a committee of the Jockey Club to +consider the question of the whole condition of the turf. + +There can be no doubt, that, if Sir Joseph Hawley's propositions, +as announced, be adopted, even in a modified form, they would go +to the very root of the evil, and purify the turf of the worst of +the present scandals. + +It would require a volume, or perhaps many volumes, to treat of +the subject of the present chapter--the Turf, Historical, Social, +Moral; but I must now leave this topic, of such terrible national +interest, to some other conscientious writer capable of 'doing +justice' to the theme, in all its requirements. + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +FORTUNE-TELLING BY CARDS (FOR LADIES). + +It must be admitted that this practice--however absurd in its +object and application--does great credit to human ingenuity. +Once admitting the possibility of such conjuring, it is +impossible to deny the propriety of the reasonings deduced from +the turning up, the collocation, or the juxta-position of the +various cards, when the formalities of the peculiar shuffle and +cut required have been duly complied with by the consulter. + +The cards are first shuffled ad libitum, then cut three different +times, and laid on a table, face upwards, one by one, in the form +of a circle, or more frequently nine in a row. If the conjurer +is a man he chooses one of the kings as his representative; if a +woman, she selects one of the queens. This is on the supposition +that persons are consulting for themselves; otherwise it is the +fortune-teller who selects the representative card. Then the +queen of the chosen king, or the king of the chosen queen, stands +for a husband or wife, mistress or lover, of the party whose +fortune is to be told. The knave of the suit represents the most +intimate person of their family. + +The ninth card every way, that is, counted from the +representative, is of the greatest consequence, and that interval +comprises the 'circle' of the inquirer, for good or for evil. + +Now, all the cards have had assigned to them arbitrary, but +plausible, characteristics. Thus, the ace of clubs (that suit +representing originally the 'fortunate husbandmen') promises +great wealth, much prosperity in life, and tranquillity of mind-- +if it turns up within your circle, as before mentioned. King of +clubs announces a man of dark complexion who is humane, upright, +&c., in fact, just the man for a husband. Queen of clubs is +equally propitious as the emblem of a dark lady who would prove a +paragon wife. Knave of clubs, a jolly good friend in every way. +Ten of clubs always flurries the heart of the inquirer-- +especially if 'hard up'--for it denotes riches speedily +forthcoming from an unexpected quarter--which is usually the case +in such circumstances; but then it also threatens the loss of +some dear friend--which, however, cannot signify much if you get +'the money.' Seven of clubs promises the most brilliant fortune, +and the most exquisite bliss this world can afford; but then you +are ungallantly warned that you must 'beware of the opposite +sex'--which seems a contradiction in terms--for how call 'the +most exquisite bliss this world can afford' be secured without +the aid of 'the opposite sex'? Five of clubs is the main point +of maid-servants, young girls from the country, governesses, in +short, of all the floating womanhood of the land--for 'it +declares that you will shortly be married to a person who +will--MEND your CIRCUMSTANCES.' The trey of clubs is scarcely +less exhilarating, for it promises that you will be married three +times, and each time to a wealthy person. On the whole the suit +of clubs is very lucky, but, very appropriately, the deuce +thereof portends some 'unfortunate opposition to your favourite +inclination, which will disturb you.'[80] + +[80] According to other authorities, the ace of clubs means a +letter; the nine, danger caused by drunkenness; the eight, danger +from covetousness; the seven, a prison, and danger from the +opposite sex; the six, competence by hard-working industry; the +five, a happy but NOT wealthy marriage; the four, danger of +misfortunes caused by inconstancy or capricious temper; the trey, +quarrels. + + +The suit of diamonds is by no means so satisfactory as the gem of +a name would seem to indicate; but perhaps we must remember that +this suit represented originally the COMMERCIAL CLASSES, and that +probably this divination by cards was invented by some proud +ARISTOCRAT in those times when tradesmen did not stand so high as +they now do in morality, uprightness, &c. The ace of diamonds +puts you on the qui vive for the postman; it means a LETTER. It +is only to be hoped that it is not one of those nasty things, +yellow outside and blue within--a dun from some importunate +butcher, baker, grocer, or--tailor. The king of diamonds shows a +revengeful, fiery, obstinate fellow of very fair complexion in +your circle; the queen of diamonds is nothing but a gay coquette, +of the same complexion as the king, and not 'over- virtuous'--a +very odd phrase in use for the absence of virtue altogether; the +knave of diamonds is a selfish, impracticable fellow; ten of +diamonds is one of the few exceptions to the evil omens of this +suit, it promises a country husband or a wife with great wealth +and many children--the number of the latter being indicated by +the next card to it; it also signifies a purse of gold--but +where? Oh, where? Nine of diamonds indicates simply a vagabond, +full of vexation and disappointment; eight of diamonds shows an +enemy to marriage, who may, however, 'marry late,' and find +himself in a terrible 'fix;' seven of diamonds is worse still, +portending all the horrors of the divorce court and the +bankruptcy court--conjugal profligacy and extravagance; six of +diamonds means early marriage and premature widowhood, and a +second marriage, which will probably be worse; five of diamonds +is the next exception to the misery of this suit, it promises +'good children, who will KEEP YOU FROM GRIEF'--at best, however, +only a makeshift; four of diamonds is as bad as seven of +diamonds--portending the same results; the trey of diamonds +threatens all manner of strife, law-suits, &c., promises a vixen +for a wife, to your great domestic misery; the deuce of diamonds +concludes the catalogue of wretchedness with the assurance that +you will fall in love early, that your parents will not approve +of your choice, and if you marry, notwithstanding, that they will +hardly ever forgive you.[81] + +[81] Otherwise the ace of diamonds means a wedding ring, the +king, a fiery but a placable person, of very fair complexion; the +ten, money, success in honourable business; the eight, a happy +prudent marriage, though late in life; the five, unexpected and +most likely good news; the four, a faithless friend, a betrayed +secret. + + +The suit of hearts, as previously explained, represented +originally the ecclesiastical order, the jolly monks, churchmen +of all degrees; how far the indications tally must be left to the +ingenious reader to determine. The ace of hearts means feasting +and pleasure; but if attended by spades, it foretells +quarrelling; if by hearts it shows affection and friendship; if +by diamonds, you will hear of some absent friend; if by clubs, of +merry-making: the king of hearts denotes a not VERY fair man, +good-natured, but hot and hasty individual, and very amorous; the +queen of hearts promises a lady of golden locks (not necessarily +'carrots'), faithful and affectionate; the knave of hearts is a +particular friend, and great attention must be paid to the card +that stands next to him, as from it alone you can judge whether +the person it represents will favour your inclination or not, +because he is always the dearest friend or nearest relation of +the consulting party; the ten of hearts shows good nature and +many children, and is a corrective of the bad tidings of the +cards that stand next to it; and if its neighbouring cards are of +good import, it ascertains and confirms their value: nine of +hearts promises wealth, grandeur, and high esteem; if cards that +are unfavourable stand near it, you may expect disappointments; +and the reverse, if favourable cards follow; if these last be at +a small distance, expect to retrieve your losses, whether of +peace or goods: eight of hearts signifies drinking and feasting; +seven of hearts shows a fickle and unfaithful person, vicious, +spiteful, malicious; six of hearts promises a generous, open, +credulous disposition, often a dupe; if this card comes before +your king or queen (as the case may be) YOU will be the dupe; if +after, you will get the upper hand: five of hearts portends a +wavering, unsteady, unreliable individual of either sex: four of +hearts indicates late marriage from 'delicacy in making a +choice:' trey of hearts is rather a 'poser;' 'it shows that your +own impudence will greatly contribute to your experiencing the +ill-will of others:' deuce of hearts promises extraordinary +success and good fortune, though, perhaps, you may have to wait +long for 'the good time coming.'[82] + +[82] Or,--the ace of hearts denotes the house of the consulter; +the queen, a lady not VERY fair; seven, many good friends; six, +honourable courtship; five, a present; four, domestic troubles +caused by jealousy. + + +The suit of spades originally represented the NOBILITY, and the +following are its significances in fortune-telling. The ace of +spades wholly relates to love-affairs, without specifying whether +lawful or unlawful--a pretty general occupation of the +'nobility,' of course; it also denotes death when the card is +upside down: the king of spades shows a man ambitious and +successful at court, or with some great man who will have it in +his power to advance him--but, let him beware of the reverse! the +queen of spades shows that a person will be corrupted by the rich +of both sexes; if she is handsome great attempts will be made on +her virtue: the knave of spades shows a fellow that requires much +rousing, although 'quite willing to serve you' with his influence +and patronage--like many a member in the case of his importunate +constituents: the ten of spades is a card of caution, +counteracting the good effect of the card near you: the nine of +spades is positively the worst card in the whole pack; it +portends dangerous sickness, total loss of fortune, cruel +calamities, endless dissension in your family, and death at +last--I hope you may never see it near you: the eight of spades +indicates much opposition from your FRIENDS, or those you imagine +to be such; if this card comes near you, leave your plan and +adopt another: seven of spades shows the loss of a most valuable, +influential friend, whose death will plunge you in very great +distress and poverty: the six of spades announces a mediocrity of +fortune, and great uncertainty in your undertakings: the five of +spades is rather doubtful as to success or a rise in life; but it +promises luck in the choice of your companion for life, although +it shows that your own temper is rather sullen--and so to get a +'fond creature' to take care of you, with such a temper, is a +mighty great blessing, and more than you deserve: the four of +spades shows sickness speedily, and injury of fortune by friends: +the trey of spades shows that you will be fortunate in marriage, +but that your inconstant temper will make you unhappy: +the deuce of spades is the UNDERTAKER, at last; it positively +shows a COFFIN, but who it is for must depend entirely on the +cards that are near it.[83] + +[83] Or,--the ace of spades denotes death, malice, a duel, a +general misfortune; the king, a man of very dark complexion, +ambitious, and unscrupulous; the queen, a very dark- complexioned +woman of malicious disposition, or a widow; the knave, a lawyer, +a person to be shunned; the ten, disgrace, crime, imprisonment, +death on the scaffold; the eight, great danger from imprudence; +the six, a child, to the unmarried a card of caution; the five, +great danger from giving way to bad temper; the trey, a journey +by land,--tears; the deuce, a removal. + + +'The nine of hearts is termed the wish card. After the general +fortune has been told, a separate and different manipulation is +performed, to learn if the pryer into futurity will obtain a +particular wish; and from the position of the wish card in the +pack the required answer is deduced. + +'The foregoing is merely the alphabet of the art; the letters, as +it were, of the sentences formed by the various combinations of +the cards. A general idea only can be given here of the manner +in which those prophetic sentences are formed. As before stated, +if a married woman consults the cards, the king of her own suit, +or complexion, represents her husband; but with single women, the +lover, either in esse or posse, is represented by his own colour; +and all cards, when representing persons, lose their own normal +significations. There are exceptions, however, to these general +rules. A man, no matter what his complexion, if he wear uniform, +even if he be the negro cymbal-player in a regimental band, can +be represented by the king of diamonds:-- note, the dress of +policemen and volunteers is not considered as uniform. On the +other hand, a widow, even if she be an albiness, can be +represented only by the queen of spades. + +'The ace of hearts always denoting the house of the person +consulting the decrees of fate, some general rules are applicable +to it. Thus the ace of clubs signifying a letter, its position, +either before or after the ace of hearts, shows whether the +letter is to be sent to or from the house. The ace of diamonds +when close to the ace of hearts foretells a wedding in the house; +but the ace of spades betokens sickness and death. + +'The knaves represent the thoughts of their respective kings and +queens, and consequently the thoughts of the persons whom those +kings and queens represent, in accordance with their complexions. + +For instance, a young lady of a rather but not decidedly dark +complexion, represented by the queen of clubs, when consulting +the cards, may be shocked to find her fair lover (the king of +diamonds) flirting with a wealthy widow (the queen of spades, +attended by the ten of diamonds), but she will be reassured +by finding his thoughts (the knave of diamonds) in combination +with a letter (ace of clubs), a wedding ring (ace of diamonds), +and her house (the ace of hearts); clearly signifying that, +though he is actually flirting with the rich widow, he is, +nevertheless, thinking of sending a letter, with an offer of +marriage, to the young lady herself. And look, where are her own +thoughts, represented by the knave of clubs; they are far away +with the old lover, that dark man (king of spades) who, as is +plainly shown by his being attended by the nine of diamonds, is +prospering at the Australian diggings or elsewhere. Let us +shuffle the cards once more, and see if the dark man, at the +distant diggings, ever thinks of his old flame, the club- +complexioned young lady in England. No! he does not. Here are +his thoughts (the knave of spades), directed to this fair, but +rather gay and coquettish, woman (the queen of diamonds); they +are separated but by a few hearts, one of them, the sixth +(honourable courtship), showing the excellent understanding that +exists between them. Count, now, from the six of hearts to the +ninth card from it, and lo! it is a wedding ring (the ace of +diamonds); they will be married before the expiration of a +twelvemonth.' + +Such is the scheme of fortune-telling by cards, as propounded in +the learned disquisitions of the adepts, and Betty, or Martha, or +her mistress can consult them by themselves according to the +established method--without exposing themselves to the +extortionate cunning of the wandering gipsies or the permanent +crone of the city or village. They may just as well believe what +comes out according to their own manipulation as by that of the +heartless cheats in question. Your ordinary fortune-tellers are +not over-particular, being only anxious to tell you exactly what +you want to know. So if a black court card gets in juxta- +position with and looking towards a red court card, the fair +consulter's representative, then it is evident that some 'dark +gentleman' is 'after her;' and vice versa; and if a wife, +suspecting her husband's fidelity, consults the cards, the +probability is that her SUSPICIONS will receive 'confirmation +strong' from the fact that 'some dark woman,' that is, a black +queen, 'is after her husband;' or vice versa, if a husband +consults the card-woman respecting the suspicions he may have +reason to entertain with regard to his 'weaker rib' or his +'intended.' + +It need scarcely be observed that fortune-tellers in any place +are 'posted up' in all information or gossip in the +neighbourhood; and therefore they readily turn their knowledge to +account in the answers they give to anxious inquirers. + +Apart from this, however, the interpretations are so elaborately +comprehensive that 'something' MUST come true in the revelations; +and we all know that in such matters that something coming to +pass will far outweigh the non-fulfilment of other fatal +ordinations. Of course no professional fortune-teller would +inform an old man that some dark or fair man was 'after' his old +woman; but nothing is more probable than the converse, and much +family distraction has frequently resulted from such perverse +revelation of 'the cards.' In like manner your clever +fortune-teller will never promise half-a-dozen children to 'an +old lady,' but she will very probably hold forth that pleasant +prospect--if such it be--to a buxom lass of seventeen or +eighteen--especially in those counties of England where the +ladies are remarkable for such profuse bounty to their husbands. + +As a general proposition, it matters very little what may be the +means of vaticination or prediction--whether cards, the tea- +grounds in the cup, &c.,--all POSSIBLE events have a degree of +probability of coming to pass, which may vary from 20 to 1 down +to a perfect equality of chance; and the clever fortune-teller, +who may be mindful of her reputation, will take care to regulate +her promises or predictions according to that proposition. + +Many educated ladies give their attention to the cards, and some +have acquired great proficiency in the art. On board a steamer +sailing for New York, on one occasion a French lady among the +saloon-passengers undertook to amuse the party by telling their +fortunes. A Scotch young gentleman, who was going out to try and +get a commission in the Federal army, had his fortune told. +Among the announcements, as interpreted by the lady, was the +rather unpleasant prospect that two constables would be 'after' +him! We all laughed heartily at the odd things that came out for +everybody, and then the thing was forgotten; the steamer reached +her destination; and all the companions of the pleasant voyage +separated and went their different ways. + +Some months after, I met the young gentleman above alluded to, +and among the various adventures which he had had, he mentioned +the following. He said that shortly after his arrival in New +York he presented a ten-dollar note which he had received, at a +drinking-house, that it was declared a forged note, and that he +was given into custody; but that the magistrate, on being +conclusively convinced of his respectability, dismissed the +charge without even taking the trouble to establish the alleged +fact that the note was a forgery. So far so good; but on the +following morning, whilst at breakfast at his hotel, another +police-officer pounced upon him, and led him once more on the +same charge to another magistrate, who, however, dismissed the +case like the other.[84] + +[84] It appears that this is allowable in New York. The +explanation of the perverse prosecution was, that the young +gentleman did not 'fee' the worthy policemen, according to custom +in such cases. + + +Thereupon I said--'Why, the French lady's card-prediction on +board came to pass! Don't you remember what she said about two +constables being "after you"?' + +'Now I remember it,' he said; 'but I had positively forgotten all +about it. Well, she was right there--but I am sorry to say that +nothing else she PROMISED has come to pass.' + +Doubtless all other consulters of the cards and of astrologers +can say the same, although all would not wisely conclude that a +system must be erroneous which misleads human hope in the great +majority of cases. In fact, like the predictions in our weather- +almanacks, the fortune-teller's announcements are only right BY +CHANCE, and wrong ON PRINCIPLE. + +FORTUNE-TELLING FORTY YEARS AGO, OR, THE STORY OF MARTHA CARNABY. + +A certain Martha Carnaby, a tidy but rather 'unsettled' servant +girl, some forty years ago went to an old fortune-teller, to have +her fortune told, and the doings on both sides came out as +follows, before the magistrate at the Bow Street police-court. +The fortune-teller was 'had up,' as usual, 'for obtaining money +and other valuables' from the former. + +Miss Martha Carnaby said that this celebrated old fortune-teller +had first gained her acquaintance by attending at her master's +house, before the family had risen, and urging her to have her +fortune told. At length, after much persuasion, she consented; +but the fortune-teller told her that before the secrets of her +future destiny were revealed, she must deposit in her hands some +little token, TO BIND THE CHARM, which the old lady said she +would invoke the same evening--'if I would call at her lodgings, +and also cast my nativity by her cards, and tell me every +particular of the future progress of my life. I accordingly gave +her what money I had; but that, she told me, was not enough to +buy the ingredients with which she was to compose the charm. I +at length gave her four silver teaspoons and two tablespoons, +which she put carefully in her pocket; and then asked me to let +her look at my hand, which I showed her. She told me there were +many lines in it which clearly indicated great wealth and +happiness; and, after telling her my name was Martha Carnaby, she +took her departure, and I agreed to meet her at her lodgings the +same evening. Agreeably to her directions, I dressed myself in +as fashionable a manner as I could, because I WAS TO SEE MY +SWEETHEART THROUGH A MIRROR, AND HE WAS TO SEE ME.' + +The poor deluded creature then stated that she attended +punctually at the hour appointed, at the old lady's sanctum, and +seating herself upon an old chair, beheld with astonishment quite +as much as she bargained for. 'I felt myself,' said poor Martha, +'on entering the room, all of a twitter. The old woman was +seated in her chair of state, and, reaching down from the +mantel-piece a pack of cards, began, after muttering a few words +in a language I could not understand, to lay them very carefully +in her lap; she then foretold that I should get married, but not +to the person in our house, as I expected, but to another young +man, whom, if I could afford a trifle, she would show me through +her MATRIMONIAL MIRROR. To this I consented, and she desired me +to shut my eyes and keep my face covered while she made the +necessary preparations; and there she kept me, with my face hid +in her lap, until I was nearly smothered; when suddenly she told +me to turn round, and look through the mirror, which was seen +through a hole in a curtain, and I saw a young man pass quickly +before me, staring me in the face, at which I was much surprised, +she assuring me that he would be my husband. It was then agreed +that she was to call on me the next morning, and return the +silver spoons; but, your Worship,' said the poor girl, 'she never +came; and as I was afraid my mistress would soon want them, I +asked the advice of a woman in our neighbourhood, as to what I +had better do, and to whom I related all the circumstances I have +told your Worship; when the woman asked me how I could have been +such a fool as to be duped by that old cheat at the bar,--that +she was a notorious old woman, that she had in her employ some +young man, who was always hid in the room, to overhear the +conversation, and to run from out of the hiding-place before the +mirror; and that I ought to be thankful I came away as well as I +did, as many young girls had been ruined through going to this +old creature; that, from her acquaintance with so many servant +girls, she always contrived to get from them such intelligence as +enabled her to answer those questions that might be put to her, +as to the business, name, place of abode, country, and other +circumstances of the party applying, the answering of which +always convinced the credulous creatures who went to her, of her +great skill in the art of astrology; and when she was right in +her guessing, she always took care to have it well published.' + +Of course, and again, as usual, the magistrate 'hoped it would be +a lesson to Martha, and to all other foolish girls, never to +hearken to those infernal, wicked old wretches, the +fortune-tellers--many a girl having lost her character and virtue +by listening to their nonsense;' but there have been hundreds and +thousands of such Marthas since then, and no doubt there will be +very many more in future--in spite of the ridiculous exposure of +such dupes ever and anon, in courts of justice and in the columns +of the daily papers. + +'The art of cartomancy, or divination by playing-cards, dates +from an early period of their obscure history. In the museum of +Nantes there is a painting, said to be by Van Eyck, representing +Philippe le Bon, Archduke of Austria, and subsequently King of +Spain, consulting a fortune-teller by cards. This picture cannot +be of a later date than the fifteenth century. Then the art was +introduced into England is unknown; probably, however, the +earliest printed notice of it in this country is the following +curious story, extracted from Rowland's Judicial Astrology +Condemned:--"Cuffe, an excellent Grecian, and secretary to the +Earl of Essex, was told, twenty years before his death, that he +should come to an untimely end, at which Cuffe laughed, and in a +scornful manner entreated the soothsayer to show him in what +manner he should come to his end, who condescended to him, and +calling for cards, entreated Cuffe to draw out of the pack any +three which pleased him. He did so, and drew three knaves, and +laid them on the table by the wizard's direction, who then told +him, if he desired to see the sum of his bad fortune, to take up +those cards. Cuffe, as he was prescribed, took up the first +card, and looking on it, he saw the portraiture of himself +cap-a-pie, having men encompassing him with bills and halberds. +Then he took up the second, and there he saw the judge that sat +upon him; and taking up the last card, he saw Tyburn, the place +of his execution, and the hangman, at which he laughed heartily. +But many years after, being condemned, he remembered and declared +this prediction." + +'The earliest work on cartomancy was written or compiled by one +Francesco Marcolini, and printed at Venice in 1540.'[85] + +[85] The Book of Days, Feb. 21. In this work there is a somewhat +different account of cartomancy to that which I have expounded +'on the best authorities' and from practical experience with the +adepts in the art; but, in a matter of such immense importance to +ladies of all degrees, I have thought proper to give, in +foot-notes, the differing interpretations of the writer in the +Book of Days, who professes to speak with some authority, not +however, I think, superior to mine, for I have investigated the +subject to the utmost. + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +AMUSING CARD TRICKS.[86] + +[86] These tricks appeared originally in Beeton's Christmas +Annual, and are here reproduced with permission. + + +Although my work is a history of gambling, in all its horrors, +and with all its terrible moral warnings, I gladly conclude it +'happily,' after the manner of the most pleasing novels and +romances,--namely, by a method of contriving innocent and +interesting amusement with cards, without the 'chance' of +encountering the risks, calamities, and disgrace of gambling. + +I was led to the investigation of this branch of my subject by +the following incident. Being present at a party when a +gentleman performed one of the tricks described, No. 7, the rest +of the company and myself were all much surprised at the result, +and urgently requested him to explain the method of his +performance, which, however, he stoutly refused to do, averring +that he would not take L1000 for it. This was so ridiculously +provoking that I offered to bet him L5 that I would discover the +method within 24 hours. To my astonishment he declined the bet, +not, however, without a sort of compliment, admitting that I +MIGHT do so. He was right; for, as Edgar Poe averred, no man can +invent a puzzle which some other man cannot unravel. In effect, +I called upon him the following day, and performed the trick not +only according to his method, but also by another, equally +successful. I have reason to believe that most of the tricks of +my selection had not previously appeared in print; at any rate, I +have given to all of them an exposition which may entitle them to +some claim of originality. + +PRELIMINARY HINTS. + +I. Shuffling, in the simple and inoffensive sense of the +expression, is an important point in all tricks with cards. For +the most part, it is only a pretence or dexterous management-- +keeping a card or cards in your command whilst seeming to shuffle +them into the pack. + +Every performer has his method of such shuffling. Some hold the +pack perpendicularly with the left hand, then with the right take +a portion of the pack--about one half--and make a show of +shuffling the two parts together edgeways, but, in reality, +replace them as they were. With rapidity of execution every eye +is thus deceived. + +If a single card is to be held in command, place it at the bottom +of the pack, which you hold in your left, and then, with your +right thumb and middle finger, raise and throw successively +portions of the pack, leaving the bottom card in contact with the +fingers of the left hand. + +With dexterity, any portion of the pack may be shuffled, leaving +the remainder just as it was, by separating it during the process +by inserting one or more fingers of the left hand between it and +the portions shuffled. + +II. Cutting--not in the sense of bolting at the sight of 'blue,' +though that is of consequence to card-sharpers--is of importance +in all card tricks. In many tricks cutting the cards is only a +pretence, as it is necessary for the success of the trick to +replace them as they were; in technical terms, we must 'blow up +the cut.'[87] + +[87] This is the sauter la coupe referred to in the chapter on +the Gaming Clubs, in the account of the trial of Lord de Ros. +See 'Graham's Club.' + + +There are several ways of performing this sleight-of-hand. The +cards being cut, and forming two lots on the table, smartly +snatch up the lot which should be placed on the other, with the +left hand. + +This lot being taken up and the hand being in the position shown +in the figure, snatch up in like manner the other lot, and, by a +movement of the palm of the hand and the tips of the fingers, +pass the second lot under the first. + +The deception of the trick depends upon its dexterity, and this +can only be acquired by practice. But really it may be dispensed +with; for it is a curious fact that, in every case when the cards +are cut, you may actually replace them just as they were without +being observed by the spectators--for the simple reason that the +ruse is not suspected, especially if their attention is otherwise +engaged with your pointed observations. + +The 'gift of the gab' is in this case, as in many others, a very +great resource. A striking remark or bon mot will easily mystify +the spectators, and attract their attention from what you are +DOING. Hence all prestidigitators are always well stocked with +anecdotes and funny observations; indeed, they talk incessantly: +they speak well, too, and they take care to time the word +accurately with the moment when their fingers act most +energetically. + +III. To slip a card.--To slip a card is to pretend to take the +bottom card of the pack, and in reality to take the card which +precedes it. To perform this feat without detection is a very +simple affair, but it requires practice. + +The pack of cards being held in the right hand, +advance the left hand--palm upwards--just as if you were seizing +the last card with the middle finger; but, having slightly +moistened this finger with the lips, push back this card, and +make it slip under the palm of the right hand, whilst you seize +the preceding card with the thumb and forefinger. + +In this manner you may successively draw out several cards +besides the last, and only draw the last as the sixth, seventh, +&c., which will serve to effect several interesting tricks to be +explained in the sequel. + +IV. To file the card.--To file the card is, when a card has been +taken from the pack to pretend to place it about the middle of +the pack, whilst, in reality, you place it at the bottom. + +The pack must be held in the left hand, between the thumb and +forefinger, so that the three other fingers be free. One of the +middle cards should project a little. Then take the card to be +filed between the forefinger and the middle finger of the right +hand; advance the right hand from the left, and whilst the three +disengaged fingers of the left hand seize and place the card +under the pack, the thumb and forefinger of the right seize the +projecting card before mentioned, so that it seems to be that +card which you have slipped into the middle of the pack. These +movements are very easy, and, when rapidly performed, the +illusion is complete. + +TRICKS. + +1. To tell a card thought of by a party after three deals. + +Take twenty-one cards of a pack, and deal them out one by one in +three lots, requesting the party to think of a card, and remember +in which lot it is. + +Having dealt out the cards, ask the party in which lot the card +is. + +Take up the lots successively, and place the lot containing the +card in the MIDDLE. + +Deal out the cards again, and ask the party to state in which lot +the card is; and proceed as before, placing the lot containing +the card in the middle. + +Deal out the cards in like manner a third time, proceeding as +before. + +Then deal them out as usual, and the eleventh card will be the +one thought of, infallibly. This is the usual way of showing the +card thought of; but, as the trick may be partly discovered by +the counting, it is better to hold the cards in your hand, and +take out the eleventh card, counting to yourself, of course, from +the left hand, but pretending to be considering the guess. + +This is apparently a most mysterious trick, although a necessary +consequence of the position of the lot containing the card in the +three deals. + +2. The four inseparable kings. + +Take four kings. Beneath the last place any two cards, which you +take care to conceal. Then show the four kings and replace the +six cards under the pack. + +Then take a king and place it in the top of the pack, place one +of the TWO OTHER CARDS in the middle, and the other about the +same place, and then, turning up the pack, show that one king is +still at the bottom. Then let the cards be cut, and as three +kings were left below, all must necessarily get together +somewhere about the middle of the pack. Of course in placing the +two other cards you pretend to be placing two kings. + +3. The barmaid and the three victimizers. + +For this amusing trick you arrange the cards thus: Holding the +pack in your hands, find all the knaves, place one of them next +to your left hand, and the other three on the table. Then find a +queen, which also place on the table. Then say:-- + +'Three scamps went into a tavern, and ordered drink. Here they +are--the three knaves. "Who's to pay? I can't," said the first. + +"I won't," said the second. "I wish she may get it," said the +third. "I'll manage it," said the first, the greatest rogue of +the three. "I say, my pretty girl, haven't you some very old +wine in your cellar?" Here's the barmaid thus addressed by the +rogue in question (showing the queen), and she replied:--"Oh yes, +sir, prime old wine." "Let's have a bottle." [Off went the +barmaid. Put the queen in your pocket.] "Now for it, my lads," +said the knave in question; " 'mizzle' is the word. Let's be off +in opposite directions, and meet to- night; you know where." +Hereupon they decamped, taking opposite directions, which I will +indicate by placing one on the top of the pack, one at the +bottom, and the other in the middle. + +'When the poor barmaid returned [taking out the queen from your +pocket] with the wine, great was her astonishment to find the +room empty. "Lor!" she exclaimed, "why, I do declare--did you +ever!--Oh! but I'm not agoing to be sarved so. I'll catch the +rogues, all of them--that I will." And off she went after them, +as shown by placing her ON, or at any rate, AFTER the first. + +'Now, to catch the three seemed impossible; but the ladies have +always smiled at impossibilities, and wonders never cease; for, +if you have the goodness to cut these cards, you will find that +she HAS caught the three rogues.' + +When the cards are cut, proceed in the USUAL WAY after +cutting--NOT as required in the last trick; and taking up the +cards, you will find the queen and three knaves together, which +you take out and exhibit to the astonished audience. + +Of course, one of these knaves is not one of the three first +exhibited, but the one which you slipped on your left hand at +first. There is no chance of detection, however; simply for the +reason before given--nobody suspects the trick. + +4. How to name every card in a pack successively turned up by a +second party, and win every trick at a hand of Whist. + +This is, perhaps, the most astonishing of all tricks with cards. +Although it may be true that whatever puzzle one man invents, +some other man may unravel, as before observed, I am decidedly of +opinion that this trick defies detection. At the first blush it +seems very difficult to learn; but it is simplicity itself in +explanation. + +Begin by laying out the cards in four rows according to the +suits, all of a suit in a row side by side. + +The cards must now be arranged for the trick. Take up the six in +the top or bottom row, then the two in the next row, the ten in +the third, and the nine in the fourth, placing them one upon the +other in the left hand. Then begin again with the row from which +you took the six, and take up the three. From the next row take +the king. These numbers will be easily remembered with a little +practice, amounting altogether to 30, made up thus--6 and 2 are +8, 8 and 10 are 18, 18 and 9 are 27, 27 and 3 are 30--KING. + +By repeating this addition a few times, it will be fixed in the +memory. + +Proceed by next beginning with the row next to the one from which +you took the last card or the king, and take the eight; from the +next row take the four; from the next the ace; from the next the +knave. These cards make up 13. Therefore say, 8 and 4 are 12 +and 1 are 13--knave. + +From the next row to that whence you took the knave, take the +seven; from the next row take the five; from the next the queen. +These cards make up 12. Thus, 7 and 5 are 12--queen. + +It thus appears that you have taken up thirteen cards consisting +of the four suits, successively taken and being arranged as +follows:--6, 2, 10, 9, 3, king; 8, 4, 1, knave; 7, 5, queen. + +Proceed in like manner with the remainder of the cards, beginning +with the row next to that from which you took the queen, and take +the six, then from the next row the two, and so on as before, +making up another batch of 13 cards. + +Repeat the process for a third batch, and finish with the +remainder for the fourth--always remembering to take the card +from the next row in succession continually; in other words, only +one card must be taken from each row at a time. + +When the cards are thus arranged, request a party to cut them. +This is only pretence; for you must take care dexterously to +replace the cut just as it was before. Let them be cut again, +and replace them as before. Your ruse will not be detected, +simply because nobody suspects the possibility of the thing. + +Now take up the pack, and from the BOTTOM take the first four +cards; handing the remainder to a party, sitting before you, +saying--'I shall now call every card in succession from the top +of the pack in your hand.' + +To do this, two things must be remembered; and there is no +difficulty in it. First, the numbers 6, 2, 10, 9, 3, king, &c., +before given; and next the SUIT of those cards. + +Now you know the NUMBERS by heart, and the SUIT is shown by the +four cards which you hold in your hand, fan-like, in the usual +way. If the first of the four cards be a club, the first card +you call will be the six of clubs; if the next be a heart, the +next card called will be the two of hearts, and so on throughout +the thirteen made up from every row, as before given, and the +suits of each card will be indicated successively by the suit of +each of your four indicator cards, thus, as the case may be, +clubs, hearts, diamonds, spades; clubs, hearts, diamonds, spades, +and so on. + +After a little private practice, you will readily and rapidly +call, as the case may be, from the four cards in your hand:--the +six of clubs, two of hearts, ten of diamonds, nine of spades, +three of clubs, king of hearts, eight of diamonds, four of +spades, ace of clubs, knave of hearts, seven of diamonds, five of +spades, queen of clubs--and so on to the last card in the pack. + +In the midst of the astonishment produced by this seemingly +prodigious display of memory, say--'Now, if you like, we will +have a hand at Whist, and I undertake to win every trick if I be +allowed to deal.' + +Let the Whist party be formed, and get the cards cut as usual-- +only taking care to REPLACE them, as before enjoined, precisely +as they were. Deal the cards, and the result will be that your +thirteen cards will be ALL TRUMPS. Let the game proceed until +your opponents 'give it up' in utter bewilderment. + +This splendid trick seems difficult in description, but it is one +of the easiest; and even were it ten times more difficult than it +is, the reader will perhaps admit that it is worth mastering. +Once committed to memory the figures are never forgotten, and a +few repetitions, with the cards before you, will suffice to +enable you to retain them. + +5. Two persons having each drawn a card and replaced them in the +pack, to guess these cards. + +Make a set of all the clubs and spades, and another set of hearts +and diamonds. Shuffle well each set, and even let them be +shuffled by the spectators. Then request a person to draw a card +from one of the sets, and another person to draw one from the +second set. + +You now take a set in each hand, presenting them to the two +persons, requesting them to replace the drawn cards. You must +pretend to present to each person the set from which he drew his +card, but in reality you present the red set to the person who +drew the black card, and the black set to the person who drew the +red card. + +Each person having replaced his card, you get each set shuffled. +Then you take them in hand, and by running them over you easily +find the red card amongst the black, and the black card amongst +the red. + +Of course you will have prepared the sets beforehand, and take +care to alter the arrangement as soon as possible after the +trick. But you can prepare the pack in the presence of others +without their detecting it. Distribute the cards by dealing +according to the two colours; take them up, and having placed the +red set a little projecting over the black, set them down, and, +pretending to cut them, separate the sets. + +6. Twenty cards being arranged upon a table, a person thinks of +two, and you undertake to guess them. + +Lay out twenty cards of any kind, two by two, + + +--------------------- +| c | i | c | o | s | +--------------------- +| d | e | d | i | t | +--------------------- +| t | u | m | u | s | +--------------------- +| n | e | m | o | n | +--------------------- + +and request a party to think of two in a line; that is, one of +the ten sets formed by the twenty cards. This done you take up +the sets in the order in which they lie, and place them in rows +according to the letters of the words. You may use a diagram +like the preceding, but as the words are easily retained it had +better be dispensed with, distributing the cards on the table +just as though upon the diagram, which will make the trick more +puzzling and extraordinary. Proceed as follows:-- Place the +cards two by two on similar letters: thus, place the two cards of +the first set on the two d's in dedit; the two cards of the +second set on the two i's of cicos and dedit; the two of the +third set on the two c's, and so on with the ten sets. + +All the letters of the words being thus covered, ask the party +who has thought of the cards to tell you in which lines these +cards are. If both are in the first line (cicos), they must be +those on the two c's; if they are both in the second line, they +cover the d's in dedit; both in the third line, they cover the +u's in tumus; both in the fourth, they cover the n's in nemon. + +If one be in the first line and the other in the second, they +cover the i's in cicos and dedit, and thus of the rest-- the two +cards thought of NECESSARILY covering two SIMILAR LETTERS, whilst +each of the letters occurs only TWICE in the diagram. + +7. To tell a card thought of without even looking at the cards. + +Take any number of cards,--say twenty. Pretend to shuffle them +with the faces towards you, and REMEMBER THE FIRST CARD as you +close the pack--suppose the ten of diamonds. Tell the party that +the only condition you require is to be told the ORDER in which +the card is dealt out by you; in other words, he must tell you +whether in dealing it comes out first, second, third, &c. + +Remembering your first card, you may then turn your back to him, +and deal out the cards one by one, and one upon the top of the +other, requesting him to think of a card and its order as before +said. + +Then take up the cards, and shuffle them repeatedly, by throwing +a portion of them from the bottom to the top, taking care not to +mix the cards or let any drop, and then let the party cut them as +often as he pleases. Then, take the cards in hand. Pretend to +examine them mysteriously, but in reality only look for YOUR +card--the first dealt out--the ten of diamonds for instance. +Now, suppose he tells you that the card he thought of came out +FIFTH. Then, for a certainty, it is the fourth card on the RIGHT +of the ten of diamonds, in spite of all YOUR shuffling, and all +regular cutting, for such shuffling and regular cutting cannot +alter the order or sequence of the cards. Always remember to +count from your own card inclusive to the number of the card +thought of towards your right hand. But should your card happen +to be so near the right hand or the top as not to allow +sufficient counting, then count as far as it admits to the RIGHT +and then continue at the LEFT. Thus, suppose there are only two +cards above the ten of diamonds, then count two more on the left, +making the fifth. If the card you remember, or your first card, +is first, then count the requisite number on the left, always +beginning with YOUR card, however. + +The REASON of this trick is simply that by merely cutting the +cards, and shuffling them in the way indicated, you do not alter +the SEQUENCE of the cards. With regard to this sort of +SHUFFLING, I may say that it is simply CUTTING the cards-- always +preserving their sequence--a most important fact for +card-players, since it may lead to a pretty accurate conjecture +of all the hands after a deal, from the study of the one in hand, +with reference to the tricks turned down after the previous deal, +as already suggested. Hence, in shuffling for whist or other +games, the cards should not be shuffled in this way, but more +thoroughly mixed by the edgewise shuffling of certain players. + +This is the trick I alluded to at the commencement of the +chapter, the mode of performing which I succeeded in discovering. + +Of course ANY NUMBER of persons may think of cards, remembering +their order, and the operator will tell them, in like manner. + +8. A person having thought of one of fifteen cards presented to +him, to guess the card thought of. + +Form three ranks of five cards each, and request a party to think +of one of these cards, and tell you in which rank it is. Take up +the cards of the three ranks, taking care to place the cards of +the ranks in which is the card thought of between those of the +two other ranks. + +Make three more ranks as before. Ask the party again in which +rank the card is, and take them up, placing the rank in which the +card is between the two others. Operate in like manner a third +time, and the card thought of will infallibly be the THIRD of the +rank named by the party. + +Observe, however, you must not form each rank with five +consecutive cards; but you must place the cards one by one, +placing one successively in each rank; thus, one at the top on +the left of the first rank, one below that first for the second +rank, one below the second for the third rank, then one in the +first, one in the second, one in the third, and so on. + +This trick, which is very easy, always produces a great effect. +It only requires a little attention, and it can never fail unless +you make a mistake in arranging the cards, which, however, is too +simple to admit of error. + +9. Two persons having each drawn a card from a pack, and having +replaced them, to tell these cards after the pack has been +shuffled and cut by the spectators as often as they like. + +The cards may be easily divided into two numerical parts, even +and odd: by taking a king for four points, a queen for three, a +knave for two, and the other cards for their especial points, we +may make up two sets of sixteen cards each, the even composing +one, and the odd the other. These two sets being before the +performer, he takes one, shuffles it well, and lets a party take +a card. He then takes the other, shuffles it, and lets another +party take a card. Then, whilst each party is looking at his +card, which HE IS REQUESTED TO DO, the performer dexterously +changes the place of the two sets, and he requests the parties to +replace the cards in the set whence they took them. It follows +that the party who took a card from the EVEN set places it in the +ODD set, and he who took it from the ODD set places it in the +even set. Consequently, all the shuffling and cutting in the +world will be useless, for the performer has only to spread out +the cards of each set to point out the cards drawn. + +10. Singular arrangement of sixteen cards. + +Take the four kings, the four queens, the four knaves, and the +four tens of a pack, and ask if there be any one in the company +who can form a square with them in such a manner that, taken in +any direction, from right to left, from the top to the bottom, by +the diagonal--anyhow, in fact--there will always be in each line +a king, queen, knave, and a ten. Everybody will think the thing +easy, but it is certain that no one will succeed in doing it. +When they 'give it up,' take the sixteen cards and arrange them +as shown, when the king, queen, knave, and ten will stand as +required. + +11. The seven trick. + +Make up the four sevens of a pack, and take seven other cards, no +matter which, for another lot, and, presenting both lots, you +say:--Here are two lots totally dissimilar; nevertheless, there +is one of seven, and I declare it will be the first touched by +any party present. Of course, when touched, you at once prove +your words by exhibiting either the sevens or the seven cards-- +taking care to mix the cards into the pack immediately to prevent +detection. + +12. Infallible method for guessing any number that a party has +thought of. + +Take the first ten cards of a pack of 52 cards. Set out these +ten cards as shown below, so that the point A should correspond +to the ace, and to 1--the point F to the card representing the +6--and E to the 10. + + 2 3 4 + B C D + 1 A--------E 5 + 10 K--------F 6 + I H G + 9 8 7 + +Thus prepared, you request a party to think of a card, and then +you tell him to touch any number he pleases, requesting him to +name it aloud. Then, adding the whole number of the cards to the +number touched, you tell him to count backwards to himself, +beginning with the card touched, and giving to that card the +number of the one thought of. By counting in this way, the party +will at length count the entire number on the card thought of, +which you will thus be able to designate with certainty. + +Example:--Suppose the card thought of is G, marking 7; again, +supposing the one touched to be D, equal to 4; you add to this +number the entire number of cards, which is, in this case, 10, +which will make 14. Then, making the party count this sum, from +the number touched, D to C, B, A, and so on, backwards, so that +in commencing to count the number thought of, 7 on D, the party +will continue, saying, 8 on C, 9 on B, 10 on A, 11 on K, 12 on I, +13 on H, and end with counting 14 on G; and you will thus +discover that the number thought of is 7, which corresponds to G. + +Of course the party counts TO himself, and only speaks to +designate the point on which he stops, namely, G in this example. + +This trick may be performed with any number of cards-- as few as +six, or as many as fifteen. Then you must always add to the +number the total of the cards used. The trick will be much more +interesting and striking if you turn the cards face downwards, +only trusting to your memory to retain the order of the numbers. + +Of course, the letters are only used to facilitate the +explanation. The cards really form a sort of circle, beginning +at 1 or the ace on the left, and then continuing with the 2, the +3, the 4, the 5, and so on, to the 10 below the ace; and, by +necessity, the party must end his counting with the very card he +thought of, beginning from the one he happens to point out. + +13. The card that cannot be found. + +Take any number of cards and spread them out fan-like in your +hand, faces fronting the spectators. + +Ask one of them to select a card. You tell him to take it, and +then to place it at the bottom of the pack. You hold up the +pack, so that the spectators may see that the card is really at +the bottom. Suppose this card is the king of hearts. + +Then, pretending to take that card, you take the card preceding +it, and place it at a point corresponding to A in the following +figure. + + A C + B D + +You then take the card drawn, namely, the king of hearts, and +place it at the point corresponding to B in the above figure. +Finally, you take any two other cards, and place them at C and D. + +Of course, the cards are placed face downwards. + +After this location of the cards, you tell the party who has +chosen the card that you will change the position of the cards, +by pushing alternately that at the point A to B, and that at D to +C, and vice versa; and you defy him to follow you in these +gyrations of the card, and to find it. + +Of course, seeing no difficulty in the thing, and believing with +everybody that his card is placed at the point A, he will +undertake to follow and find his card. Then performing what you +undertake to do, you rapidly change the places of the cards, and +yet slowly enough to enable the party to keep in view the card +which he thinks his own, and so that you may not lose sight of +the one you placed at B. + +Having thus arranged the cards for a few moments, you ask the +party to perform his promise by pointing out his card. Feeling +sure that he never lost sight of it, he instantly turns one of +the cards and is astonished to find that it is not his own. Then +you say:--'I told you you would not be able to follow your card +in its ramble. But I have done what you couldn't do: here is +your card!' + +The astonishment of the spectators is increased when you actually +show the card; for, having made them observe in the first +instance, that you did not even look at the drawn card, they are +utterly at a loss to discover the means you employed to find out +and produce the card in question. + +14. Cards being drawn from a pack, to get them guessed by a +person blindfolded. + +At all these performances there are always amongst the spectators +persons in league with the prestidigitator. In the present case +a woman is the assistant, with whom he has entered into an +arrangement by which each card is represented by a letter of the +alphabet; and the following are the cards selected for the trick +with their representative letters. + +The performer takes a handkerchief and blindfolds the lady in +question, and places her in the centre of the circle of +spectators. Then spreading out the cards, he requests each of +the spectators to draw a card. + +He requests the first to give him the card he has drawn; he looks +at it, and placing it on the table face downwards, he asks the +lady to name the card, which she does instantly and without +hesitation. + +Of course this appears wonderful to the spectators, and their +astonishment goes on increasing whilst the lady names every card +in succession to the last. + +It is, however, a very simple affair. Each card represents a +letter of the alphabet, as we see by the figure, and all the +performer has to do is to begin every question with the letter +corresponding to the card. + +Suppose the party has drawn the king of hearts. Its letter is A. + +The performer exclaims--'Ah! I'm sure you know this!' The A at +once suggests the card in question. Suppose it is the ace of +clubs. He says--'Jump at conclusions if you like, but be sure in +hitting this card on the nail.' J begins the phrase, and +represents the card in question. Suppose it is the ten of +spades, he cries out--'Zounds! if you mistake this you are not so +clever a medium as I took you for.' The ace of diamonds--'Quite +easy, my dear sir,' or 'my dear ma'am,' as the case may be. Q +represents the ace of diamonds. The queen of diamonds--'Oh, the +beauty!' The ace of hearts--'Dear me! what is this?' The ace of +spades--'You are always right, name it.' The nine of diamonds-- +'So! so! well, I'm sure she knows it.' + +Doubtless these specimens will suffice to suggest phrases for +every other card. Such phrases may be written out and got by +heart--only twenty-three being required; but this seems useless, +for it does not require much tact at improvisation to hit upon a +phrase commencing with any letter. However, it will be better to +take every precaution rather than run the risk of stopping in the +performance, whose success mainly depends upon the apparently +inspired rapidity of the answers. The performer might conceal in +the hollow of his hand a small table exactly like the figure, to +facilitate his questions. As for the medium, he, or she, must +rely entirely on memory. Of course the spectators may be allowed +to see that the medium is completely blindfolded. This modern +trick has always puzzled the keenest spectators + +15. The mystery of double sight. + +All the cards of a pack, or indeed any common object touched by a +spectator, may be named by an assistant in the following way-- +whilst in another apartment, or blindfolded. + +Take 32 cards and arrange them in four lines, one under the +other. You arrange with your assistant to name the first line +after the days of the week; the second will represent the weeks, +the third the months, the fourth the years. The assistant is +enjoined to count the days aloud, and the first card by the left. + +The following is the entire scheme:-- + +Days 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8* +Weeks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 +Months 1 2 3** 4 5 6 7 8 +Years 1 2 3 4 5 6 7*** 8 + +The cards being thus arranged, the party who has to guess them +retires from the room. When he is recalled, whether blindfolded +or not, he pretends to count to himself for a considerable time, +so as to allow his associate time to say to him, without +affectation or exciting suspicion of collusion--'I give you,' or +'I give him SO MUCH TIME to guess what is required; 'for it is in +this phrase that the whole secret of the trick is contained, as I +shall proceed to demonstrate. + +Suppose the card touched be one of those marked with the +asterisks * ** ***; if it be the first, the associate says,; I +give him eight days to guess it.' Then the medium, beginning +with the upper line, that of the days, will at once be able to +say that the card touched is the eighth of the first horizontal +line, or the first of the eighth vertical line. + +If it be the card holding the place of the number marked with two +asterisks ** the associate says 'three months,' and 'seven years' +for the one marked with three asterisks ***. + +Thus, whatever card is touched, it will be easy to indicate it, +by beginning with the line of days at the top, counting one from +the left of the associate and medium. + +Such is the simple process; and the following is the conventional +catechism adopted by all theoperators in double sight, with a few +variations adapted to circumstances. + +With this collection of words and phrases, every existing object +can be guessed, provided care be taken to classify them according +to the following indications. + +To operate, two persons must establish a perfect understanding +between them. One undertakes the questions, the other the +answers, the latter having his eyes perfectly blindfolded. Both +of them must thoroughly know the following numbers with their +correspondences:-- + +1. Now. 9. Quick. +2. Answer or reply. 10. Say. +3. Name. 20. Tell me. +4. What is the object, or thing. 30. I request you. +5. Try. 40. Will you. +6. Again. 50. Will you (to) me. +7. Instantly. 60. Will you (to) us. +8. Which? + + +Example:--Add the question of the simple number to the question +of the decade or ten. Thus, in pronouncing the words 'Say now,' +11--for say is 10, and now is 1, total 11. This, therefore, +forms question 11. + +Again--'Tell me which number,' 28--for 'tell me' is 20, and +'which' is 8, total 28. + +Thirdly:--'I request you instantly,' 37; for 'I request you' is +30, and 'instantly' is 7, total 37. + +All the expressions or words that follow are totally independent +of the answer, and are only adapted to embellish or mystify the +question as far as the audience is concerned. For instance: + +Question 7. Instantly, what I have in my hand? Answer, A watch. + +Question 9. Quick, the hour? Answer, nine o'clock. + +Question 30, I request you (2) reply--the minutes. Answer, 32 +minutes, that is 30 and 2, equal to 32. + +It would be useless to give the entire correspondence invented +for this apparently mysterious revelation, as a few specimens +will suffice to show the principle. + +Say what I hold? A handkerchief. +Say now what I hold? A snuff-box. +Say, reply, what I hold? A pair of spectacles. +Say and name what I hold? A box. +Say and try to say what I hold? A hat. +Say quickly what I hold? An umbrella. + +Tell me, reply, what I hold? A knife. +Tell me what I hold? A purse. +Tell me now what I hold? A pipe. +Tell me and try to say what I hold? A needle. +Tell me quickly what I hold? A cane. + +I request you to say what I hold? A portfolio. +I request you to say now what I hold? Paper. +I request you to say, reply, what I hold? A book. +I request you to say quickly what I hold? A coin. + +Will you say, reply, what I hold?--A cigar. +Will you say, name what I hold?--A cane. +Will you say, again, what I hold?--A newspaper. + +Now, what I hold?--A bottle. +Reply, what I hold?--A jug. +Name what I hold?--A glass. +Again, what contains this vessel?--Wine. +Instantly, what this vessel contains?--Beer. +Now the form?--Triangular. +Reply, the form?--Round. +Name the form?--Square. +The form?--Oval. +Try to indicate the form?--Pointed. +Again, indicate the form?--Flat. + +Now, the colour?--White. +Reply, the colour?--Blue. +Name the colour?--Red. +The colour of this object?--Black. +Try to tell the colour?--Green. +Again, the colour?--Yellow. + +Now, the metal?--Gold. +Reply, the metal?--Silver. +The metal of the thing?--Copper. +Again, the metal?--Iron. +Instantly, the metal?--Lead. + +Ah! the figure or hour?--1. +Well?--2. 'Tis good?--3. +'Tis well?--4. +Good?--5. +But?--6. +Let's see?--7. +That's it?--8. +&c. + +Now name the suit of this card?--Clubs. +Reply, the suit of this card?--Hearts. +Name the suit of this card?--Spades. +The suit of this card?--Diamonds. + +It is obvious, from the preceding specimen, that a conventional +catechism involving every object can be contrived by two persons, +and adapted to every circumstance. The striking performances of +the most notorious mesmeric 'patients' in this line prove the +possibility of the achievement. The 'agent' who receives the +questions in writing or in a whisper thus communicates the answer +to the patient, who is laboriously trained in the entire +encyclopaedia of 'common things' and things generally known; but +it MAY happen that the question proposed by the spectator has +been omitted in the scheme. + +On one occasion, when the famous Prudence was the 'patient,' and +was telling the taste of all manner of liquids from a glass of +water, I proposed 'Blood' to the 'agent.' He shook his head, +said he would try; but it was useless. She said she 'couldn't do +it,' and the agent frankly admitted that it was a failure. + +Now, if the mesmeric consciousness were really, as pretended, the +result of mental intercommunication between the agent and +patient, it is obvious that the well-known taste of blood could +be communicated as well as any other taste. This experiment +suffices to prove that the revelations are communicated in the +matter-of-fact way which I have sufficiently described. + +Should it happen that a spectator has discovered the method, the +performers easily turn the tables against him. They have always +ready a conventional list of common things; and the agent +undertakes that his mesmeric patient will indicate them without +hearing a word from him, even in another apartment. The agent +then merely touches the object, and the patient begins with the +first name in his list. The patient takes care to give the agent +sufficient time, lest he should name the object next to be +touched before the agent applies his finger, and thus, as it +were, call for it rather than name it when touched, as required +by the case. + +1. Guessing. + +Five persons having each thought of a different card, to guess +five cards. + +Take twenty-five cards, show five of them to a party, requesting +him to think of one, then place them one upon the other. Proceed +in like manner with five more to a second party, and so on, five +parties in all, placing the fives on the top of each other. +Then, beginning with the top cards, make five lots, placing one +card successively in each lot; and ask the five parties, one +after the other, in which lot their card is. As the first five +cards are the first of each lot, it is evident that the card +thought of by the first party is the first of the lot he points +to; that of the second, is the second of the lot he points to; +that of the third, the third of the third lot; that of the +fourth, the fourth of the fourth lot; that of the fifth, the +fifth of the fifth lot. + +Of course five persons are not necessary. If there be but one +person, the card must be the first of the lot he points to. + +It would be more artistic, perhaps, if you dispense with seeing +the cards, making the lots up with your eyes turned away from the +table. Then request the parties to observe in which lot their +respective card is, and, taking the lots successively in hand, +present to each the card thought of without looking at it +yourself. + +17. The Arithmetical Puzzle. + +This card trick, to which I have alluded in a previous page, +cannot fail to produce astonishment; and it is one of the most +difficult to unravel. + +Hand a pack of cards to a party, requesting him to make up +parcels of cards, in the following manner. He is to count the +number of pips on the first card that turns up, say a five, and +then add as many cards as are required to make up the number 12; +in the case here supposed, having a five before him, he will +place seven cards upon it, turning down the parcel. All the +court cards count as 10 pips; consequently, only two cards will +be placed on such to make up 12. The ace counts as only one pip. + +He will then turn up another, count the pips upon it, adding +cards as before to make up the number 12; and so on, until no +more such parcels can be made, the remainder, if any, to be set +aside, all being turned down. + +During this operation, the performer of the trick may be out of +the room, at any rate, at such a distance that it will be +impossible for him to see the first cards of the parcels which +have been turned down; and yet he is able to announce the number +of pips made up by all the first cards laid down, provided he is +only informed of the number of parcels made up and the number of +the remainder, if any. + +The secret is very simple. It consists merely in multiplying the +number of parcels over four by 13 (or rather vice versa), and +adding the remaining cards, if any, to the product. + +Thus, there have just been made up seven packets, with five cards +over. Deducting 4 from 7, 3 remain; and I say to myself 13 times +3 (or rather 3 times 13) are 39, and adding to this the five +cards over, I at once declare the number of pips made up by the +first cards turned down to be 44. + +There is another way of performing this striking trick. Direct +six parcels of cards to be made up in the manner aforesaid, and +then, on being informed of the number of cards remaining over, +add that number to 26, and the sum will be the number of pips +made up by the first cards of the six parcels. + +Such are the methods prescribed for performing this trick; but I +have discovered another, which although, perhaps, a little more +complicated, has the desirable advantage of explaining the +seeming mystery. + +Find the number of cards in the parcels, by subtracting the +remainder, if any, from 52. Subtract the number of pip cards +therefrom, deduct this last from the number made up of the number +of parcels multiplied by 12, and the remainder will be the number +of pips on the first cards. + +To demonstrate this take the case just given. There are seven +parcels and five cards over. First, this proves that there are +47 cards in the seven parcels made up of pips and cards. +Secondly, subtract the number of pip cards--seven from the number +of cards in the parcels; then, 7 from 47, 40 remain (cards). +Thirdly, now, as the seven parcels are made up both of the pip +cards and cards, it is evident that we have only to find the +number of cards got at as above, to get the number of pips +required. Thus, there being seven packets, 7 times 12 make 84; +take 40, as above found (the number of cards), and the remainder +is 44, the number of pips as found by the first method +explained,--the process being as follows:-- + + 52 - 5 = 47 - 7 = 40. + + Then, 7 X 12 = 84 - 40 = 44. + +In general, however, the first method, being the easiest of +performance, should be adopted. The second is in many respects +very objectionable. + +18. To get a card into a pack firmly held by a party. + +This trick strikingly shows how easily we may all be deceived by +appearances. + +Select the five or seven of any suit, say the seven of hearts, +and handing the remainder of the pack to a party, show him the +card, with your thumb on the seventh pip, so as to conceal it, +saying:--'Now, hold the pack as firmly as you can, and keep your +eye upon it to see that there is no trickery, and yet I undertake +to get into it this six of hearts.' This injunction rivets his +attention, and doubtless, like other wise people destined to be +deceived, he feels quite sure that nobody can 'take him in.' In +this satisfactory condition for the operation on both sides, you +flourish the card so as just to reach the level of the top of +your hat (if you wear an Alpine scolloped, so much the better), +and then, bringing down the card, rapidly strike it on the pack +twice, uttering the words one, two, at each stroke; but, on the +third raising of the card, leave it on the top of your hat, +striking the pack with your hand--with the word three. Then +request the party to look for the six of hearts in the pack, and +he will surely find it, to his amazement. + +This trick may be performed in a drawing-room, if the operator be +seated, dropping the card behind his back, especially in an easy- +chair. + + + + + +****End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Andrew Steinmetz's**** +**********The Gaming Table: Its Votaries and Victims*********** +Volume #2 + |