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house Faro； Basset； or any such game was suffered； incurred the
penalty of 6000 livres for each offence。 The persons who played
were to be imprisoned。 Gaming was forbidden the French cavalry
under the penalty of death； and every commanding officer who
should presume to set up a Hazard table was to be cashiered； and
all concerned to be rigorously imprisoned。 These penalties might
show great horror of gaming； but they were too severe to be
steadily inflicted； and therefore failed to repress the crime
against which they were directed。 The severer the law the less
the likelihood of its application； and consequently its power of
repression。
Madame de Sevigne had beheld the gamesters only in the
presence of their master the king； or in the circles which were
regulated with inviolable propriety； but what would she have said
if she could have seen the gamblers at the secret suppers and in
the country…houses of the Superintendent Fouquet； where twenty
‘qualified' players； such as the Marshals de Richelieu； de
Clairembaut； &c。； assembled together； with a dash of bad company；
to play for lands； houses； jewels； even for point…lace and
neckties？ There she would have seen something more than gold
staked； since the players debased themselves so low as to
circumvent certain opulent dupes； who were the first invited。 To
leave one hundred pistoles； ostensibly for ‘the cards；' but
really as the perquisite of the master of the lordly house；
to recoup him when he lost； and； when they had to deal with some
unimportant but wealthy individual； to undo him completely；
compelling him to sign his ruin on the gaming table such was
the conduct which rendered a man _recherche_； and secured the
title of a fine player！
It was precisely thus that the famous （or infamous） Gourville；
successively valet…de…chambre to the Duc de la Rochefoucault；
hanged in effigy at Paris； king's envoy in Germany； and
afterwards proposed to replace Colbertit was thus precisely； I
say； that Gourville secured favour； ‘consideration；' fortune； for
he declares； in his Memoirs； that his gains in a few years
amounted to more than a million。 And fortune seems to have
cherished and blessed him throughout his detestable career。
After having made his fortune； he retired to write the scandalous
Memoirs from which I have been quoting； and died out of debt！＇56＇
＇56＇ Mem。 de Gourville； i。
France became too narrow a theatre for the chevaliers d'industrie
and all who were a prey to the fury of gambling。 The Count de
Grammont； a very suspicious player； turned his talents to account
in England； Italy； and Spain。
This same Count de Grammont figured well at court on one
occasion when Louis XIV。 seemed inclined to cheat or otherwise
play unfairly。 Playing at backgammon； and having a doubtful
throw； a dispute arose； and the surrounding courtiers remained
silent。 The Count de Grammont happening to come in； the king
desired him to decide it。 He instantly answered‘Sire； your
Majesty is in the wrong。' ‘How；' said the king； ‘can you decide
before you know the question？' ‘Because；' replied the count；
‘had there been any doubt； all these gentlemen would have given
it in favour of your Majesty。' The plain inference is that this
（at the time） great world's idol and Voltaire's god； was ‘up to a
little cheating。' It was； however； as much to the king's credit
that he submitted to the decision； as it was to that of the
courtier who gave him such a lesson。
The magnanimity of Louis XIV。 was still more strikingly shown on
another gambling occasion。 Very high play was going on at the
cardinal's； and the Chevalier de Rohan lost a vast sum to the
king。 The agreement was to pay only in _louis d'ors；_ and the
chevalier； after counting out seven or eight hundred； proposed to
continue the payment in Spanish pistoles。 ‘You promised me
_louis d'ors_； and not pistoles；' said the king。 ‘Since your
Majesty refuses them；' replied the chevalier； ‘I don't want them
either；' and thereupon he flung them out of the window。 The king
got angry； and complained to Mazarin； who replied：‘The
Chevalier de Rohan has played the king； and you the Chevalier de
Rohan。' The king acquiesced。＇57＇
＇57＇ Mem。 et Reflex。； &e。； par M。 L。 M。 L。 F。 （the Marquis de la
Fare）。
As before stated； the court of the Roman Emperor Augustus； in
spite of the many laws enacted against gambling； diffused the
frenzy through Rome； in like manner the court of Louis XIV。；
almost in the same circumstances； infected Paris and the entire
kingdom with the vice。
There is this difference between the French monarch and the Roman
emperor； that the latter did not teach his successors to play
against the people； whereas Louis； after having denounced gaming；
and become almost disgusted with it； finished with established
lotteries。 High play was always the etiquette at court； but the
sittings became less frequent and were abridged。 ‘The king；'
says Madame de Sevigne； ‘has not given over playing； but the
sittings are not so long。'
LOUIS XV。At the death of Louis XIV。 three…fourths of the nation
thought of nothing but gambling。 Gambling； indeed； became itself
an object of speculation； in consequence of the establishment and
development of lotteriesthe first having been designed to
celebrate the restoration of peace and the marriage of Louis XIV。
The nation seemed all mad with the excitement of play。 During
the minority of Louis XV。 a foreign gamester； the celebrated
Scotchman； John Law； having become Controller…General of France；
undertook to restore the finances of the nation by making every
man a player or gamester。 He propounded a _SYSTEM；_ he
established a bank； which nearly upset the state； and seduced
even those who had escaped the epidemic of games of chance。 He
was finally expelled like a foul fog； but they ought to have
hanged him as a deliberate corrupter。 And yet this is the man of
whom Voltaire wrote as follows： ‘We are far from evincing the
gratitude which is due to John Law。＇58＇ Voltaire's praise
was always as suspicious as his blame。 Just let us consider the
tendency of John Law's ‘system。' However general may be the fury
of gambling； _EVERYBODY_ does not gamble； certain professions
impose a certain restraint； and their members would blush to
resort to games the turpitude of which would subject them to
unanimous condemnation。 But only change the _NAMES_ of these
gamesonly change their _FORM_； and let the bait be presented
under the sanction of the legislature： then； although the
_THING_ be not less vicious； nor less repugnant to true
principle； then we witness the gambling ardour of savages； such
as we have described it； manifesting itself with more risk； and
communicated to the entire nationthe ministers of the altar；
the magistracy； the members of every profession； fathers； mothers
of families； without distinction of rank； means； or
duties。 。