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very bad excuse； indeed； but Cardan reformed and ceased to be a
gambler。
Three of the greatest geniuses of EnglandLords Halifax；
Anglesey； and Shaftesburywere gamblers； and Locke tells a very
funny story about one of their gambling bouts。 This philosopher；
who neglected nothing； however eccentric； that had any relation
to the working of the human understanding； happened to be present
while my Lords Halifax； Anglesey； and Shaftesbury were playing；
and had the patience to write down； word for word； all their
discordant utterances during the phases of the game； the result
being a dialogue of speakers who only used exclamationsall
talking in chorus； but more to themselves than to each other。
Lord Anglesey observing Locke's occupation； asked him what he was
writing。 ‘My Lord；' replied Locke； ‘I am anxious not to lose
anything you utter。' This irony made them all blush； and put an
end to the game。
M。 Sallo； Counsellor to the Parliament of Paris； died； says
Vigneul de Marville； of a disease to which the children of the
Muses are rarely subject； and for which we find no remedy in
Hippocrates and Galen；he died of a lingering disease after
having lost 100；000 crowns at the gaming tableall he possessed。
By way of diversion to his cankering grief； he started the well…
known _Journal des Savans_； but lived to write only 13 sheets of
it； for he was wounded to the death。＇108＇
＇108＇ Melanges； d'Hist。 et de Litt。 i。
The physician Paschasius Justus was a deplorable instance of an
incorrigible gambler。 This otherwise most excellent and learned
man having passed three…fourths of his life in a continual
struggle with vice； at length resolved to cure himself of
the disease by occupying his mind with a work which might be
useful to his contemporaries and posterity。＇109＇ He began his
book； but still he gamed； he finished it； but the evil was still
in him。 ‘I have lost everything but God！' he exclaimed。 He
prayed for delivery from his soul's disease；＇110＇ but his prayer
was not heard； he died like any gamblermore wretched than
reformed。
＇109＇ ‘De Alea； sive de curanda in pecuniam cupiditate；' pub。 in
1560。
＇110＇ Illum animi morbum； ut Deus tolleret； serio et
frequenter optavit。
M。 Dusaulx； author of a work on Gaming； exclaims therein‘I have
gambled like you； Paschasius； perhaps with greater fury。 Like
you I write against gaming。 Can I say that I am stronger than
you； in more critical circumstances？'＇111＇
＇111＇ La Passion du Jeu。
What； then； is that mania which can be overcome neither by the
love of glory nor the study of wisdom！
The literary men of Greece and Rome rarely played any games but
those of skill； such as tennis； backgammon； and chess； and even
in these it was considered ‘indecent' to appear too skilful。
Cicero stigmatizes two of his contemporaries for taking too
great a delight in such games； on account of their skill in
playing them。＇112＇
＇112＇ Ast alii； quia praeclare faciunt； vehementius quam causa
postulat delectantur； ut Titius pila； Brulla talis。 De Orat。
lib。 iii。
Quinctilian advised his pupils to avoid all sterile amusements；
which； he said； were only the resource of the ignorant。
In after…times men of merit； such as John Huss and Cardinal
Cajetan； bewailed both the time lost in the most innocent games；
and the disastrous passions which are thereby excited。 Montaigne
calls chess a stupid and childish game。 ‘I hate and shun it；' he
says； ‘because it occupies one too seriously； I am ashamed of
giving it the attention which would be sufficient for some useful
purpose。' King James I。； the British Solomon； forbade chess to
his son； in the famous book of royal instruction which he wrote
for him。
As to the plea of ‘filling up time；' Addison has made some very
pertinent observations：‘Whether any kind of gaming has ever
thus much to say for itself； I shall not determine； but I think
it is very wonderful to see persons of the best sense passing
away a dozen hours together in shuffling and dividing a pack of
cards； with no other conversation but what is made up of a
few game…phrases； and no other ideas but those of black or red
spots ranged together in different figures。 Would not a man
laugh to hear any one of his species complaining that life is
short？'
Men of intellect may rest assured that whether they win or lose
at play； it will always be at the cost of their genius； the soul
cannot support two passions together。 The passion of play；
although fatigued； is never satiated； and therefore it always
leaves behind protracted agitation。 The famous Roman lawyer
Scaevola suffered from playing at backgammon； his head was
always affected by it； especially when he lost the game； in fact；
it seemed to craze him。 One day he returned expressly from the
country merely to try and convince his opponent in a game which
he had lost； that if he had played otherwise he would have won！
It seems that on his journey home he mentally went through the
game again； detected his mistake； and could not rest until he
went back and got his adversary to admit the factfor the sake
of his _amour propre_。＇113＇
＇113＇ Quinctil。； _Instit。 Orat_。 lib。 XI。 cap。 ii。
‘It is rare；' says Rousseau； ‘that thinkers take much
delight in play； which suspends the habit of thinking or diverts
it upon sterile combinations； and so one of the benefitsperhaps
the only benefit conferred by the taste for the sciences； is that
it somewhat deadens that sordid passion of play。'
Unfortunately such was not the result among the literary and
scientific men； in France or England； during the last quarter of
the last century。 Many of them bitterly lamented that they ever
played； and yet played on；going through all the grades and
degradations appointed for his votaries by the inexorable demon
of gambling。
BEAU NASH。
Nature had by no means formed Nash for _beau_。 His person was
clumsy； large； and awkward； his features were harsh； strong； and
peculiarly irregular； yet even with these disadvantages he made
love； became an universal admirer of the sex； and was in his turn
universally admired。 The fact is； he was possessed of； at least；
some requisites of a ‘lover。' He had assiduity； flattery； fine
clothesand as much wit as the ladies he addressed。 Accordingly
he used to say‘Wit； flattery； and fine clothes are enough
to debauch a nunnery！' This is certainly a fouler calumny of
women than Pope's
‘Every woman is at heart a rake。'
Beau Nash was a barrister； and had been a remarkable； a
distinguished one in his dayalthough not at the bar。 He had
the honour to organize and direct the last grand ‘revel and
pageant' before a king； in the Hall of the Middle Temple； of
which he was a member。
It had long been customary for the Inns of Court to entertain our
monarchs upon their accession to the crown wi