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given by the Countess of 。 Unfortunately a discovery of the
cloak was made； and when the servant knocked at the door to
demand it； some very valuable lace which it was trimmed with had
been taken off。 Some surmised that the lady who stole the cloak
might also have stolen the Faro bank cash…box。
Soon after； the same Martindale； who had kept the Faro bank at
Lady Buckinghamshire's； became a bankrupt； and his debts amounted
to L328；000； besides ‘debts of honour；' which were struck off
to the amount of L150；000。 His failure is said to have been
owing to misplaced confidence in a subordinate； who robbed him of
thousands。 The first suspicion was occasioned by his purchasing
an estate of L500 a year； but other purchases followed to a
considerable extent； and it was soon discovered that the Faro
bank had been robbed sometimes of 2000 guineas a week！ On the
14th of April； 1798； other arrears； to a large amount； were
submitted to； and rejected by； the Commissioners in Bankruptcy；
who declared a first dividend of one shilling and five…pence in
the pound。＇104＇
＇104＇ Seymour Harcourt； _Gaming Calendar。_
This chapter cannot be better concluded than with quoting
the _Epilogue_ of ‘The Oxonian in Town；' 1767； humorously
painting some of the mischiefs of gambling； and expressly
addressed to the ladies：
‘Lo！ next； to my prophetic eye there starts
A beauteous gamestress in the Queen of Hearts。
The cards are dealt； the fatal pool is lost；
And all her golden hopes for ever cross'd。
Yet still this card…devoted fair I view
Whate'er her luck； to 〃_honour_〃 ever true。
So tender there；if debts crowd fast upon her；
She'll pawn her 〃virtue〃 to preserve her 〃honour。〃
Thrice happy were my art； could I foretell；
Cards would be soon abjured by every belle！
Yet； I pronounce； who cherish still the vice；
And the pale vigils keep of cards and dice
'Twill in their charms sad havoc make； ye fair！
Which 〃rouge〃 in vain shall labour to repair。
Beauties will grow mere hags； toasts wither'd jades；
Frightful and ugly asthe _QUEEN OF SPADES_。'
CHAPTER XI。
GAMBLING POETS； SAVANTS； PHILOSOPHERS； WITS； AND STATESMEN。
Perhaps the stern moralist who may have turned over these pages
has frowned at the facts of the preceding chapter。 If so； I know
not what he will do at those which I am about to record。
If it may be said that gamesters must be madmen； or rogues； how
has it come to pass that men of genius； talent； and virtue
withal； have been gamesters？
Men of genius； ‘gifted men；' as they are called； are much to be
pitied。 One of them has said‘Oh！ if my pillow could reveal my
sufferings last night！' His was true grieffor it had no
witness。＇105＇ The endowments of this nature of ours are so
strangely mixedthe events of our lives are so unexpectedly
ruled； that one might almost prefer to have been fashioned after
those imaginary beings who act so _CONSISTENTLY_ in the nursery
tales and other figments。 Most men seem to have a double soul；
and in your men of geniusyour celebritiesthe battle between
the two seems like the tremendous conflict so grandly （and
horribly） described by Milton。 Who loved his country more than
Cato？ Who cared more for his country's honour？ And yet Cato was
not only unable to resist the soft impeachments of alcohol
Narratur et prisci Catonis
Saepe mero caluisse virtus
but he was also a dice…player； a gambler。＇106＇
＇105＇ Ille dolet vere qui sine teste dolet。 Martial； lib。 I。
＇106＇ Plutarch； _Cato。_
Julius Caesar did not drink； but what a profligate he was！ And
I have no doubt that he was a gambler： it is certain that he got
rid of millions nobody knew how。
I believe； however； that the following is an undeniable fact。
You may find suspicious gamesters in every rank of life； but
among men of genius you will generally； if not always； find only
victims resigned to the caprices of fortune。 The
professions which imply the greatest enthusiasm naturally
furnish the greater number of gamesters。 Thus； perhaps； we may
name ten poet…gamesters to one savant or philosopher who deserved
the title or infamy。
Coquillart； a poet of the 15th century； famous for his satirical
verses against women； died of grief after having ruined himself
by gaming。 The great painter Guidoand a painter is certainly a
poetwas another example。 By nature gentle and honourable； he
might have been the most fortunate of men if the demon of
gambling had not poisoned his existence； the end of which was
truly wretched。
Rotrou； the acknowledged master of Corneille； hurried his
poetical effusions in order to raise money for gambling。 This
man of genius was but a spoilt child in the matter of play。 He
once received two or three hundred _louis_； and mistrusting
himself； went and hid them under some vine…branches； in order not
to gamble all away at once。 Vain precaution！ On the following
night his bag was empty。
The poet Voiture was the delight of his contemporaries；
conspicuous as he was for the most exquisite polish and
inexhaustible wit； but he was also one of the most desperate
gamesters of his time。 Like Rotrou； he mistrusted his folly； and
sometimes refrained。 ‘I have discovered；' he once wrote to a
friend； ‘as well as Aristotle； that there is no beatitude in
play； and in fact I have given over gambling； it is now seven
months since I playedwhich is very important news； and which I
forgot to tell you。' He would have died rich had he always
refrained。 His relapses were terrible； one night he lost fifteen
hundred pistoles （about L750）。
The list of foreign poets ruined by gambling might be extended；
whilst； on the other hand； it is impossible； I believe； to quote
a single instance of the kind among the poets of England；
perhaps because very few of them had anything to lose。 The
reader will probably remember Dr Johnson's exclamation on hearing
of the large debt left unpaid by poor Goldsmith at his death
‘Was ever poet so trusted before！' 。 。 。
The great philosophers Montaigne and Descartes； seduced at an
early age by the allurements of gambling； managed at length to
overcome the evil； presenting examples of reformationwhich
proves that this mania is not absolutely incurable。
Descartes became a gamester in his seventeenth year； but it is
said that the combinations of cards； or the doctrine of
probabilities； interested him more than his winnings。＇107＇
＇107＇ Hist。 des Philos。 Modernes： _Descartes_。
The celebrated Cardan； one of the most universal and most
eccentric geniuses of his age； declares in his autobiography；
that the rage for gambling long entailed upon him the loss of
reputation and fortune； and that it retarded his progress in the
sciences。 ‘Nothing；' says he； ‘could justify me； unless it was
that my love of gaming was less than my horror of privation。' A
very bad excuse； indeed； but Cardan refo