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enormities。
＇68＇ ‘Refexions sur l'Homme。'
‘Till near the commencement of the present century the favourite
game was Faro； and as it was a decided advantage to hold the
Bank； masters and mistresses； less scrupulous than Wilberforce；
frequently volunteered to fleece and amuse the company。 But
scandal having made busy with the names of some of them； it
became usual to hire a professed gamester at five or ten guineas
a night； to set up a table for the evening； just as any operatic
professional might now…a…days be hired for a concert； or a band…
master for a ball。
‘Faro gradually dropped out of fashion； Macao took its place；
Hazard was never wanting； and Whist began to be played for stakes
which would have satisfied Fox himself； who； though it was
calculated that he might have netted four or five thousand a year
by games of skill； complained that they afforded no excitement。
‘Wattier's Club； in Piccadilly； was the resort of the Macao
players。 It was kept by an old _maitre d'hotel_ of
George IV。； a character in his way； who took a just pride in the
cookery and wines of his establishment。
‘All the brilliant stars of fashion （and fashion was power then）
frequented Wattier's； with Beau Brummell for their sun。 ‘Poor
Brummell； dead； in misery and idiotcy； at Caen！ and I remember
him in all his glory； cutting his jokes after the opera； at
White's； in a black velvet great…coat； and a cocked hat on his
well…powdered head。
‘Nearly the same turn of reflection is suggested as we run over
the names of his associates。 Almost all of them were ruined
three out of four irretrievably。 Indeed； it was the forced
expatriation of its supporters that caused the club to be broken
up。
‘During the same period （from 1810 to 1815 or thereabouts） there
was a great deal of high play at White's and Brookes'；
particularly at Whist。 At Brookes' figured some remarkable
charactersas Tippoo Smith； by common consent the best Whist…
player of his day； and an old gentleman nicknamed Neptune； from
his having once flung himself into the sea in a fit of despair at
being； as he thought； ruined。 He was fished out in time； found
he was not ruined； and played on during the remainder of his
life。
‘The most distinguished player at White's was the nobleman who
was presented at the Salons in Paris as Le Wellington des Joueurs
（Lord Rivers）； and he richly merited the name； if skill； temper；
and the most daring courage are titles to it。 The greatest
genius； however； is not infallible。 He once lost three thousand
four hundred pounds at Whist by not remembering that the seven of
hearts was in！ He played at Hazard for the highest stakes that
any one could be got to play for with him； and at one time was
supposed to have won nearly a hundred thousand pounds； but _IT
ALL WENT_； along with a great deal more； at Crockford's。
‘There was also a great deal of play at Graham's； the Union； the
Cocoa Tree； and other clubs of the second order in point of
fashion。 Here large sums were hazarded with equal rashness； and
remarkable characters started up。 Among the most conspicuous was
the late Colonel Aubrey； who literally passed his life at play。
He did nothing else； morning； noon； and night； and it was
computed that he had paid more than sixty thousand pounds for
card…money。 He was a very fine player at all games； and a
shrewd； clever man。 He had been twice to India and made two
fortunes。 It was said that he lost the first on his way home；
transferred himself from one ship to another without landing；
went back； and made the second。 His life was a continual
alternation between poverty and wealth； and he used to say； the
greatest pleasure in life is winning at cardsthe next greatest；
losing！
‘For several years deep play went on at all these clubs；
fluctuating both as to amount and locality； till by degrees it
began to flag。 It had got to a low ebb when Mr Crockford came to
London and established the celebrated club which bore his name。
‘Some good was certainly produced by the system。 In the first
place； private gambling （between gentleman and gentleman）； with
its degrading incidents； is at an end。 In the second place； this
very circumstance brings the worst part of the practice within
the reach of the law。 Public gambling； which only existed by and
through what were popularly termed _hells_； might be easily
suppressed。 There were； in 1844； more than twenty of these
establishments in Pall Mall； Piccadilly； and St James's；
called into existence by Crockford's success。'＇69＇
＇69＇ Private MS。 （Edinburgh Review； vol。 LXXX）。
Whilst such was the state of things among the aristocracy and
those who were able to consort with them； it seems that the lower
orders were pursuing ‘private gambling；' in their ‘ungenteel'
fashion； to a very sad extent。 In 1834 a writer in the
‘Quarterly' speaks as follows：
‘Doncaster； Epsom； Ascot； and Warwick； and most of our numerous
race…grounds and race…towns； are scenes of destructive and
universal gambling among the lower orders； which our absurdly lax
police never attempt to suppress； and yet； without the slightest
approach to an improperly harsh interference with the pleasures
of the people； the Roulette and E。O。 tables； which plunder the
peasantry at these places for the benefit of travelling sharpers
（certainly equally respectable with some bipeds of prey who drive
coroneted cabs near St James's）； might be put down by any
watchful magistrate。'＇70＇
＇70＇ Quarterly Review； vol。 LII。
I fear that something similar may be suggested at the present
day； as to the same notorious localities。
Mr Sala； writing some years ago on gambling in England； said：
‘The passion for gambling is； I believe； innate； but there is；
happily； a very small percentage of the population who are born
with a propensity for high play。 We are speculative and eagerly
commercial； but it is rare to discover among us that inveterate
love for gambling； as gambling； which you may find among the
Italians； the South American Spaniards； the Russians； and the
Poles。 Moro； Baccara； Tchukathese are games at which
continental peasants will wager and lose their little fields；
their standing crops； their harvest in embryo； their very wives
even。 The Americans surpass us in the ardour of their
propitiation of the gambling goddess； and on board the
Mississippi steamboats； an enchanting game； called _Poker_； is
played with a delirium of excitement； whose intensity can only be
imagined by realizing that famous bout at 〃catch him who can；〃
which took place at the horticultural _fete_ immortalized by
Mr Samuel Foote； comedian； at which was present the great
_Panjandrum_ himself； with the little round button at top； the
festivities continuing till the gunpowder ran out at the heels of
the company's boots。
‘When I was a boy； not so very longsay twenty years
since； t