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three nights the two brothersthe eldest not _twenty…five_
years of agelost L32；000！＇128＇
＇128＇ Timbs； _ubi supra。_
On one occasion Stephen Fox was dreadfully fleeced at a gaming
house at the West End。 He entered it with L13；000； and left
without a farthing。
Assuredly these Foxes were misnamed。 _Pigeons_dupes of
sharpers at playwould have been a more appropriate cognomen。
WILBERFORCE AND PITT。
These eminent statesmen were gamesters at one period of their
lives。 When Wilberforce came to London in 1780； after his return
to Parliament； his great success signalized his entry into public
life； and he was at once elected a member of the leading clubs
Miles' and Evans'； Brookes'； Boodle's； White's； and Goosetree's。
The latter was Wilberforce's usual resort； where his friendship
with Pittwho played with characteristic and intense eagerness；
and whom he had slightly known at Cambridgegreatly increased。
He once lost L100 at the Faro table。
‘We played a good deal at Goosetree's；' he states；； and I
well remember the intense earnestness which Pitt displayed when
joining in these games of chance。 He perceived their increasing
fascination； and soon after abandoned them for ever。'
Wilberforce's own case is thus recorded by his biographers； on
the authority of his private Journal：‘We can have no play to…
night；' complained some of the party at the club； ‘for St Andrew
is not here to keep bank。' ‘Wilberforce；' said Mr Bankes； who
never joined himself； ‘if you will keep it I will give you a
guinea。' The playful challenge was accepted； but as the game
grew deep he rose the winner of L600。 Much of this was lost
by those who were only heirs to fortunes； and therefore could not
meet such a call without inconvenience。 The pain he felt at
their annoyance cured him of a taste which seemed but too likely
to become predominant。
Goosetree's being then almost exclusively composed of incipient
orators and embryo statesmen； the call for a gambling table there
may be regarded as a decisive proof of the universal prevalence
of the vice。
‘The first time I was at Brookes'；' says Wilberforce；
‘scarcely knowing any one； I joined； from mere shyness； in play
at the Faro tables； where George Selwyn kept bank。 A friend； who
knew my inexperience； and regarded me as a victim decked out for
sacrifice； called to me〃What； Wilberforce； is that you？〃
Selwyn quite resented the interference； and； turning to him； said
in his most expressive tone； 〃Oh； sir； don't interrupt Mr
Wilberforce； he could not be better employed。〃
Again： ‘The very first time I went to Boodle's I won twenty…five
guineas of the Duke of Norfolk。 I belonged at this time to five
clubsMiles' and Evans'； Brookes'； Boodle's； White's； and
Goosetree's。'
SIR PHILIP FRANCIS。
Sir Philip Francis； the eminent politician and supposed author of
the celebrated ‘Letters of Junius；' was a gambler； and the
convivial companion of Fox。 During the short administration of
that statesman he was made a Knight of the Bath。 One evening；
Roger Wilbraham came up to the Whist table； at Brookes'； where
Sir Philip； who for the first time wore the ribbon of the Order；
was engaged in a rubber； and thus accosted him。 Laying hold
of the ribbon； and examining it for some time； he said：‘So；
this is the way they have rewarded you at last； they have given
you a little bit of red ribbon for your services； Sir Philip；
have they？ A pretty bit of red ribbon to hang about your neck；
and that satisfies you； does it？ Now； I wonder what I shall
have。 What do you think they will give me； Sir Philip？' The
newly…made knight； who had twenty…five guineas depending on the
rubber； and who was not very well pleased at the interruption；
suddenly turned round； and looking at him fiercely； exclaimed； ‘A
halter； and be；' &c。
THE REV。 CALEB C。 COLTON。
Unquestionably this reverend gentleman was one of the most lucky
of gamestershaving died in full possession of the gifts
vouchsafed to him by the goddess of fortune。
He was educated at Eton； graduated at King's College； Cambridge；
as Bachelor of Arts in 1801； and Master of Arts in 1804； and
obtained a fellowship； having also a curacy at Tiverton； held
conjointly。 Some six years after he appeared in print as a
denouncer of a ‘ghost story；' and in 1812； as the author of
‘Hypocrisy；' a satirical poem； and ‘Napoleon；' a poem。 In 1818
he was presented by his college to the vicarage of Kew with
Petersham； in Surrey。 Two years after he established a literary
reputationlasting to the present timeby the publication of a
volume of aphorisms or maxims； under the title of ‘LACON； or；
Many Things in Few Words。' This work is very far from original；
being founded mainly on Lord Bacon's celebrated Essays； and
Burdon's ‘Materials for Thinking；' La Bruyiere； and De la
Rochefoucault； still it is highly creditable to the abilities of
the writer。 It has passed through several editions； and even at
the present time its only rival is； ‘The Guesses at Truth；'
although we have numerous collections of apothegmatic extracts
from authors； a class of works which is not without its
fascination； if readers are inclined to _THINK。_＇129＇
＇129＇ The first work I published was of this kind； and
entitled； ‘Gems of Genius； or； Words of the Wise； with extracts
from the Diary of a Young Man；' in 1838。
Two years after he returned to his ‘Napoleon；' which he
republished； with extensive additions； under the new title of
‘The Conflagration of Moscow。
It would appear that Colton at this period gave in to the
fashionable gaming of the day； at any rate； he dabbled deeply in
Spanish bonds； became involved in pecuniary difficulties； and；
without investigating his affairs closelywhich might have been
easily arrangedhe absconded。
He subsequently made appearance； in order to retain his living；
but in 1828 he lost it； a successor being appointed by his
college。 He then went to the United States of America； what he
did there is not on record； but he subsequently returned to
Europe； went to Paris； took up his abode in the Palais Royal；
anddevoted his talents to the mysteries of the gaming table； by
which he was so successful that in the course of a year or two he
won L25；000！
Oddly enough； one of his ‘maxims' in his Lacon runs as follows：
‘The gamester； if he die a martyr to his profession； is doubly
ruined。 He adds his soul to every other loss； and； by the act of
suicide； renounces earth； to forfeit heaven。'
It has been suggested that this was writing his own epitaph； and
it would appear so from the notices of the man in most of the
biographies； but nothing could be further from the fact。 Caleb
Colton managed to _KEEP_ his gambling fortune； and what is
more； devoted it to a worthy purpose。 Part of his wealth he
employed in forming a picture…gallery； and he printed at Paris；
fo