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besides that fortune transmitted to him by the English people；
was impoverished in a few months by this ignoble passion。'
There can be no doubt that the alleged gambling of the great
warrior and statesman was the public scandal of the day； as
appears by the duke's own letters on the subject； published
in the last volume of his _Dispatches_。 Even the eminent
counsel； Mr Adolphus； thought proper to allude to the report in
one of his speeches at the bar。 This called forth the following
letter from the duke to Mr Adolphus：
‘17 Sept。； 1823。
‘The Duke of Wellington presents his compliments to Mr
Adolphus； and encloses him the 〃Morning Chronicle〃 of Friday；
the 12th instant； to which the duke's attention has just been
called； in which Mr Adolphus will observe that he is stated to
have represented the duke as a person _KNOWN SOMETIMES TO PLAY
AT HAZARD； WHO MIGHT BE COMMITTED AS A ROGUE AND VAGABOND_。
‘The duke concludes that this paper contains a correct statement
of what Mr Adolphus said upon the occasion； and he assures Mr
Adolphus that he would not trouble him upon the subject if
circumstances did not exist which rendered this communication
desirable。
‘Some years have elapsed since the public have been informed；
_FROM THE VERY BEST AUTHORITY_； that the duke had totally ruined
himself at play； and Mr Adolphus was present upon one occasion
when a witness swore that he had heard the duke was
constantly obliged to sell the offices in the Ordnance himself；
instead of allowing them to be sold by others！ ！ The duke has
suffered some inconvenience from this report in a variety of
ways； and he is anxious that at least it should not be repeated
by a gentleman of such celebrity and authority as Mr Adolphus。
‘He therefore assures Mr Adolphus that in the whole course of his
life he never won or lost L20 at any game； and that he never
played at Hazard； or any game of chance； in any public place or
club； nor been for some years at all at any such place。
‘From these circumstances； Mr Adolphus will see that there is no
ground for making use of the duke's name as an example of a
person _KNOWN SOMETIMES TO PLAY AT HAZARD； WHO MIGHT BE
COMMITTED AS A ROGUE AND VAGABOND_。'
_Mr Adolphus to Field…Marshal the Duke of Wellington_。
‘Percy Street； 21st Sept。； 1823。
‘Mr Adolphus has the honour to acknowledge the receipt of a note
from his Grace the Duke of Wellington； and would have done so
yesterday； but was detained in court till a late hour in the
evening。 Mr Adolphus is extremely sorry that any expression used
by him should have occasioned a moment's uneasiness to the Duke
of Wellington。 Mr Adolphus cannot deny that the report in the
〃Chronicle〃 is accurate； so far as it recites his mere words；
but the scope of his argument； and the intended sense of his
expression； was； that if the Vagrant Act were to receive the
extensive construction contended for； the most illustrious
subject of the realm might be degraded to the condition of the
most abject and worthless； for an act in itself indifferentand
which； until the times had assumed a character of affected
rigour； was considered rather as a proof of good society than as
an offence against good order。 Mr Adolphus is； however；
perfectly sensible that his illustration in his Grace's person
was in all respects improper； and； considering the matters to
which his Grace has adverted； peculiarly unfortunate Mr Adolphus
feels with regret that any public expression of his sentiments on
this subject in the newspapers would not abate； but much
increase； the evil。 Should an opportunity ever present itself of
doing it naturally and without affectation； Mr Adolphus
would most readily explain； in speaking at the bar； the error he
had committed； but it is very unlikely that there should exist an
occasion of which he can avail himself with a due regard to
delicacy。 Mr Adolphus relies； however； on the Duke of
Wellington's exalted mind for credit to his assurance that he
never meant to treat his name but with the respect due to his
Grace's exalted rank and infinitely higher renown。'
_To Mr Adolphus_。
‘Woolford； 23rd Sept。； 1823。
‘The Duke of Wellington presents his compliments to Mr Adolphus；
and assures Mr Adolphus that he is convinced that Mr Adolphus
never intended to reflect injuriously upon him。 If the duke had
believed that Mr Adolphus could have entertained such an
intention he would not have addressed him。 The duke troubles Mr
Adolphus again upon this subject； as； in consequence of the
editor of the 〃Morning Chronicle〃 having thought proper to
advert to this subject in a paragraph published on the 18th
instant； the duke has referred the paper of that date and that of
the 12th to the Attorney and Solicitor…general； his counsel；
to consider whether the editor ought not to be prosecuted。
‘The duke requests； therefore； that Mr Adolphus will not notice
the subject in the way he proposes until the gentlemen above
mentioned will have decided upon the advice which they will give
the duke。'＇135＇
＇135＇ ‘Dispatches；' vol。 ii。 part i。
The result was； however； that the matter was allowed to drop； as
the duke was advised by his counsel that the paragraph in the
〃Morning Chronicle；〃 though vile； was not actionable。 The
positive declaration of the duke； ‘that in the whole course of
his life he never won or lost L20 at any game； and that he
never played at Hazard； or any game of chance； in any public
place or club； nor been for some years at all at any such place；'
should set the matter at rest。 Certainly the duke was afterwards
an original member of Crockford's Club； founded in 1827； but；
unlike Blucher； who repeatedly lost everything at play； ‘The
Great Captain；' as Mr Timbs puts it； ‘was never known to play
deep at any game but war or politics。'＇136＇
＇136＇ Club Life in London。
This remarkable deference to private character and public
opinion； on the part of the Duke of Wellington； is in wonderful
contrast with the easy morality of the Old Bailey advocate； Mr
Adolphus； who did not hesitate to declare gambling ‘an act in
itself indifferentand which； until the times had assumed a
character of _AFFECTED_ rigour； was considered rather as a proof
of good society than as an offence against good order。' This
averment of so distinguished a man may； perhaps； mitigate the
horror we now feel of the gambling propensities of our ancestors；
and it is a proof of some sort of advancement in morals； or good
taste； to know that no modern advocate would dare to utter such a
sentiment。
Other great names have been associated with gambling； thus Mr T。
H。 Duncombe says； speaking of Crockford's soon after its
foundation：‘Sir St Vincent Cotton （Lord Combermere）； Lord
Fitzroy Somerset （Raglan）； the Marquis of Anglesey； Sir Hussey
Vivian； Wilson Croker； _Disraeli_； Horace Twiss； Copley； George
Anson； and George Payne _