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The Malayan； however； does not always tamely submit to this last
stroke of fortune。 When reduced to a state of desperation by
repeated ill…luck； he loosens a certain lock of hair on his head；
which； when flowing down； is a sign of war and destruction。 He
swallows opium or some intoxicating liquor； till he works himself
up into a fit of frenzy； and begins to bite and kill everything
that comes in his way； whereupon； as the aforesaid lock of hair
is seen flowing； it is lawful to fire at and destroy him as
quickly as possiblehe being considered no better than a mad
dog。 A very rational conclusion。
Of course the Chinese are most eager gamesters； or they would not
have been capable of inventing those dear； precious killers of
timecards； the EVENING solace of so many a household in the
most respectable and ‘proper' walks of life。 Indeed； they play
night and dayuntil they have lost all they are worth； and then
they usually goand hang themselves。
If we turn our course northward； and penetrate the regions of ice
perpetual； we find that the driven snow cannot effectually quench
the flames of gambling。 They glow amid the regions of the
frozen pole。 The Greenlanders gamble with a board； which has a
finger…piece upon it； turning round on an axle； and the person to
whom the finger points on the stopping of the board； which is
whirled round； ‘sweeps' all the ‘stakes' that have been
deposited。
If we descend thence into the Western hemisphere； we find that
the passion for gambling forms a distinguishing feature in the
character of all the rude natives of the American continent。
Just as in the East； these savages will lose their aims （on which
subsistence depends）； their apparel； and at length their personal
liberty； on games of chance。 There is one thing； however； which
must be recorded to their creditand to our shame。 When they
have lost their ‘all；' they do not follow the example of our
refined gamesters。 They neither murmur nor repine。 Not a
fretful word escapes them。 They bear the frowns of fortune with
a philosophic composure。＇7＇
＇7＇ Carver； _Travels_。
If we cross the Atlantic and land on the African shore； we find
that the ‘everlasting Negro' is a gamblerusing shells as dice
and following the practice of his ‘betters' in every way。 He
stakes not only his ‘fortune；' but also his children and liberty；
which he cares very little about； everywhere； until we incite him
to do soas； of course； we ought to do； for every motive ‘human
and divine。'
There is no doubt； then； that this propensity is part and parcel
of ‘the unsophisticated savage。' Let us turn to the eminently
civilized races of antiquitythe men whose example we have more
or less followed in every possible matter； sociality； politics；
religionthey were all gamblers； more or less。 Take the grand
prototypes of Britons； the Romans of old。 That gamesters they
were！ And how gambling recruited the ranks of the desperadoes
who gave them insurrectionary trouble！ Catiline's ‘army of
scoundrels；' for instance。 ‘Every man dishonoured by
dissipation；' says Sallust； ‘who by his follies or losses at the
gaming table had consumed the inheritance of his fathers； and all
those who were sufferers by such misery； were the friends of this
perverse man。' Horace； Juvenal； Persius； Cicero； and other
writers； attest the fact of Roman gambling most eloquently； most
indignantly。
The Romans had ‘lotteries；' or games of chance； and some of
their prizes were of great value； as a good estate and slaves； or
rich vases； others of little value； as vases of common earth； but
of this more in the sequel。
Among the Gothic kings who； in the fulness of time and
accomplishments； ‘succeeded' to that empire； we read of a
Theodoric； ‘a wise and valiant prince；' who was ‘great lover of
dice；' his solicitude in play was only for victory； and his
companions knew how to seize the moment of his success； as
consummate courtiers； to put forward their petitions and to make
their requests。 ‘When I have a petition to prefer；' says one of
them； ‘I am easily beaten in the game that I may win my
cause。'＇8＇ What a clever contrivance！ But scarcely equal to
that of the _GREAT_ （in politeness） Lord Chesterfield； who； to
gain a vote for a parliamentary friend； actually submitted to be
_BLED！_ It appears that the voter was deemed very difficult； but
Chesterfield found out that the man was a doctor； who was a
perfect Sangrado； recommending bleeding for every ailment。 He
went to him； as in consultation； agreed with the man's arguments；
and at once bared his arm for the operation。 On the point of
departure his lordship ‘edged' in the question about the vote for
his friend； which was； of course； gushingly promised and given。
＇8＇ Sed ego aliquid obsecraturus facile vincor； et mihi tabula
perit ut causa salvetur。Sidonius Apollinaris； _Epist_。
Although there may not be much Gothic blood among us； it is quite
certain that there is plenty of German mixture in our nation
taking the term in its very wide and comprehensive ethnology。
Now； Tacitus describes the ancient stout and valiant Germans as
‘making gaming with a die a very serious occupation of their
sober hours。' Like the ‘everlasting Negro；' they； too； made
their last throw for personal liberty； the loser going into
voluntary slavery； and the winner selling such slaves as soon as
possible to strangers； in order not to have to blush for such a
victory！ If the ‘nigger' could blush； he might certainly do so
for the white man in such a conjuncture。
At Naples and other places in Italy； at least in former times；
the boatmen used thus to stake their liberty for a certain number
of years。 According to Hyde；＇9＇ the Indians stake their fingers
and cut them off themselves to pay the debt of honour。
Englishmen have cut off their ears； both as a ‘security' for
a gambling loan； and as a stake； others have staked their lives
by hanging； in like manner！ Instances will be given in the
sequel。
＇9＇ De Ludis Orient。
But leaving these savages and the semi…savages of the very olden
time； let us turn to those nearer to our times； with just as much
religious truth and principle among them as among ourselves。
The warmth with which ‘dice…playing' is condemned in the writings
of the _Fathers_； the venerable expounders of Christianity； as
well as by ‘edicts' and ‘canons' of the Church； is unquestionably
a sufficient proof of its general and excessive prevalence
throughout the nations of Europe。 When cards were introduced； in
the fourteenth century； they only added fuel to the infernal
flame of gambling； and it soon became as necessary to restrain
their use as it had been that of dice。 The two held a joint
empire of ruin and desolation over their devoted victims。 A king
of France set the ruinous exampleHenry IV。； the roue； the
libertine； the duellist； the gambler；and yet （h