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that whipt his son for swearing； and swore himself whilst he
whipt him； did more harm by his example than good by his
correction。'
GEORGE SELWYN。
The character of Selwyn；' says Mr Jesse； ‘was in many respects a
remarkable one。 With brilliant wit； a quick perception of the
ridiculous； and a thorough knowledge of the world and human
nature； he united classical knowledge and a taste for the fine
arts。 To these qualities may be added others of a very
contradictory nature。 With a thorough enjoyment of the pleasures
of society； an imperturbable good…humour； a kind heart； and a
passionate fondness for children； he united a morbid interest in
the details of human suffering； and； more especially； a
taste for witnessing criminal executions。 Not only was he a
constant frequenter of such scenes of horror； but all the details
of crime； the private history of the criminal； his demeanour at
his trial； in the dungeon； and on the scaffold； and the state of
his feelings in the hour of death and degradation； were to Selwyn
matters of the deepest and most extraordinary interest。 Even the
most frightful particulars relating to suicide and murder； the
investigation of the disfigured corpse； the sight of an
acquaintance lying in his shroud； seem to have afforded him a
painful and unaccountable pleasure。 When the first Lord Holland
was on his death…bed he was told that Selwyn； who had lived on
terms of the closest intimacy with him； had called to inquire
after his health。 〃The next time Mr Selwyn calls；〃 he said；
〃show him up； if I am alive I shall be delighted to see him； and
if I am dead he will be glad to see me。〃 When some ladies
bantered him on his want of feeling in attending to see the
terrible Lord Lovat's head cut off〃Why；〃 he said； 〃I made
amends by going to the undertaker's to see it sewed on again。〃
And yet this was the same individual who delighted in the first
words and in the sunny looks of childhood； whose friendship
seems to have partaken of all the softness of female affection；
and whose heart was never hardened against the wretched and
depressed。 Such was the 〃original〃 George Selwyn。'
This celebrated conversational wit was a devoted frequenter of
the gaming table。 Writing to Selwyn； in 1765； Lord Holland
said：‘All that I can collect from what you say on the subject
of money is； that fortune has been a little favourable lately； or
may be； the last night only。 Till you leave off play entirely
you must bein earnest； and without irony_en verite le
serviteur tres…humble des evenements_； 〃in truth； the
very humble servant of events。〃 '
His friend the Lord Carlisle； although himself a great gambler；
also gave him good advice。 ‘I hope you have left off Hazard；' he
wrote to Selwyn； ‘if you are still so foolish； and will play； the
best thing I can wish you is； that you may win and never throw
crabs。＇117＇ You do not put it in the power of chance to
make you them； as we all know； and till the ninth miss is born I
shall not be convinced to the contrary。'
＇117＇ That is； aces； or ace and deuce； twelve； or seven。 With
false dice； as will appear in the sequel； it was impossible to
throw any of these numbers； and as the caster always called the
main； he was sure to win； as he could call an impossible number：
those who were in the secret of course always took the odds。
Again：‘As you have played I am happy to hear you have won； but
by this time there may be a triste revers de succes_。'
Selwyn had taken to gaming before his father's deathprobably
from his first introduction to the clubs。 His stakes were high；
though not extravagantly so； compared with the sums hazarded by
his contemporaries。 In 1765 he lost L1000 to Mr Shafto； who
applied for it in the language of an ‘embarrassed tradesman。'
‘July 1； 1765。
‘DEAR SIR；I have this moment received the favour of your
letter。 I intended to have gone out of town on Thursday； but as
you shall not receive your money before the end of this week； I
must postpone my journey till Sunday。 A month would have made no
difference to me； had I not had others to pay before I leave
town； and must pay； therefore must beg that you will leave the
whole before this week is out； at White's； as it is to be paid
away to others to whom I have lost； and do not choose to leave
town till that is done。 Be sure you could not wish an
indulgence I should not be happy to grant； if it my power。'
Nor was this the only dun of the kind that Selwyn had ‘to put up
with' on account of the gaming table。 He received the following
from Edward； Earl of Derby。＇118＇
＇118＇ Edward； twelfth Earl of Derby； was born September 12； 1752；
and died October 21； 1834。 He married first； Elizabeth； daughter
of James； sixth Duke of Hamilton； who died in 1799； and secondly；
the celebrated actress； Miss Farren； who died April 23； 1829。
_The Earl of Derby to George Selwyn_。
‘Nothing could equal what I feel at troubling you with this
disagreeable note； but having lost a very monstrous sum of money
last night； I find myself under the necessity of entreating your
goodness to excuse the liberty I am taking of applying to you for
assistance。 If it is not very inconvenient to you； I should be
glad of the money you owe me。 If it is； I must pay what I can；
and desire Brookes to trust me for the remainder。 I repeat again
my apologies； to which I shall beg leave to add how very
sincerely I have the honour to be； my dear sir；
‘Your most obedient humble servant；
‘DEBBY。
This is the very model of a dun； and proves how handsomely
such ugly things can be done when one has to deal with a noble
instead of a plebeian creditor。
But Selwyn had not only to endure such indignities； but also to
inflict them； as appears by the following letter to him from the
Honourable General Fitzpatrick； in answer to a dun； which； we are
assured； was ‘gentle and moderate。'
‘I am very sorry to hear the night ended so ill； but to give you
some idea of the utter impossibility of my being useful on the
occasion； I will inform you of the state of my affairs。 I won
L400 last night； which was immediately appropriated by Mr
_Martindale_； to whom I still owe L300； and I am in Brookes'
book for thrice that sum。 Add to all this； that at Christmas I
expect an inundation of clamorous creditors； who； unless I
somehow or other scrape together some money to satisfy them； will
overwhelm me entirely。 What can be done？ If I could coin my
heart； or drop my blood into drachms； I would do it； though by
this time I should probably have neither heart nor blood left。 I
am afraid。 you will find Stephen in the same state of
insolvency。 Adieu！ I am obliged to you for the gentleness and
moderation of your dun； considering how long I have been your
debtor。
‘Yours most sincerely；
‘R。 F。'＇119＇
＇119＇ Apud _Selwyn and his Contemporaries_ by Jesse。