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One set him 500 guineas； another 500。 ‘Come；' said he； ‘whilst
you are making up the money I'll tell you a story。' Here he
beganbut perceiving that he was at last completely set for the
cast； stopt shortlaid his hand on the box； saying‘I believe I
am completely set； gentlemen？' ‘Yes； sir； and Seven is the
main；' was the reply。 The General threw out； and lost！
Seven thousand guineas！
Then with astonishing coolness he took up his snuff…box and
smiling exclaimed‘Now； gentlemen； if you please； I'll finish my
story。'
HORACE WALPOLE。
There can be no doubt that Horace Walpole was an inveterate
gambler； although he managed to keep always afloat and merrily
sailingfor he says himself：‘A good lady last year was
delighted at my becoming peer； and said〃I hope you will get an
Act of Parliament for putting down Faro。〃 As if I could make
Acts of Parliament！ and could I； it would be very consistent too
in me； who for some years played more at Faro than anybody。'＇142＇
＇142＇ Letters； IX。
THE EARL OF MARCH。
This extraordinary and still famous personage； better known as
the Duke of Queensberry； was the ‘observed of all observers'
almost from his boyhood to extreme old age。 His passions were
for women and the turf； and the sensual devotedness with which he
pursued the one； and the eccentricity which he displayed in the
enjoyment of both； added to the observation which he
attracted from his position as a man of high rank and princely
fortune； rendered him an object of unceasing curiosity。 He was
deeply versed in the mysteries of the turf； and in all practical
and theoretical knowledge connected with the race…course was
acknowledged to be the most accomplished adept of his own time。
He seems also to have been a skilful gamester and player of
billiards。 Writing to George Selwyn from Paris in 1763； he
says：‘I won the first day about L2000； of which I brought
off about L1500。 All things are exaggerated； I am supposed to
have won at least twice as much。' In 1765 he is said to have won
two thousand louis of a German at billiards。 Writing to Selwyn；
Gilly Williams says of him： ‘I did not know he was more an adept
at that game than you are at any other； but I think you are both
said to be losers on the whole； at least Betty says that her
letters mention you as pillaged。'
Among the numerous occasions on which the name of the Duke of
Queensberry came before the public in connection with sporting
matters； may be mentioned the circumstance of the following
curious trial； which took place before Lord Mansfield in the
Court of King's Bench； in 1771。 The Duke of Queensberry； then
Lord March； was the plaintiff； and a Mr Pigot the defendant。 The
object of this trial was to recover the sum of five hundred
guineas； being the amount of a wager laid by the duke With Mr
Pigotwhether Sir William Codrington or _OLD_ Mr Pigot should
die first。 It had singularly happened that Mr Pigot died
suddenly the _SAME MORNING_； of the gout in his head； but before
either of the parties interested in the result of the wager could
by any possibility have been made acquainted with the fact。 In
the contemporary accounts of the trial； the Duke of Queensberry
is mentioned as having been accommodated with a seat on the
bench； while Lord Ossory； and several other noblemen； were
examined on the merits of the case。 By the counsel for the
defendant it was argued that （as in the case of a horse dying
before the day on which he was to be run） the wager was invalid
and annulled。 Lord Mansfield； however； was of a different
opinion； and after a brief charge from that great lawyer； the
jury brought in a verdict for the plaintiff for five hundred
guineas； and he sentenced the defendant to defray the costs of
the suit。＇143＇
＇143＇ Jesse； George Selwyn and his Contemporaries； vol。 i。 p。
194。
This prince of debauchees seems to have surpassed every
model of the kind； ancient or modern。 In his prime he reproduced
in his own drawing…room the scene of Paris and the Goddesses；
exactly as we see it in classic pictures； three of the most
beautiful women of London representing the divinities as they
appeared to Paris on Mount Ida； while he himself； dressed as the
Dardan shepherd holding a _GILDED_ apple （it should have been
really golden） in his hand； conferred the prize on her whom he
deemed the fairest。 In his decrepit old age it was his custom；
in fine sunny weather； to seat himself in his balcony in
Piccadilly； where his figure was familiar to every person who was
in the habit of passing through that great thoroughfare。 Here
（his emaciated figure rendered the more conspicuous from his
custom of holding a parasol over his head） he was in the habit of
watching every attractive female form； and ogling every pretty
face that met his eye。 He is said； indeed； to have kept a pony
and a servant in constant readiness； in order to follow and
ascertain the residence of any fair girl whose attractions
particularly caught his fancy！ At this period the old man was
deaf with one ear； blind with one eye； nearly toothless； and
labouring under multiplied infirmities。 But the hideous
propensities of his prime still pursued him when all enjoyment
was impossible。 Can there be a greater penalty for unbridled
licentiousness？
MR LUMSDEN。
Mr Lumsden； whose inveterate love of gambling eventually caused
his ruin； was to be seen every day at Frascati's； the celebrated
gambling house kept by Mme Dunan； where some of the most
celebrated women of the _demi…monde_ usually congregated。 He was
a martyr to the gout； and his hands and knuckles were a mass of
chalk…stones。 He stuck to the _Rouge et Noir_ table until
everybody had left； and while playing would take from his pocket
a small slate； upon which he would rub his chalk…stones until
blood flowed。 ‘Having on one occasion been placed near him at
the _Rouge et Noir_ table； I ventured；' says Captain Gronow； ‘to
expostulate with him for rubbing his knuckles against his slate。
He coolly answered； 〃I feel relieved when I see the blood ooze
out。〃 '
Mr Lumsden was remarkable for his courtly manners； but his
absence of mind was astonishing； for he would frequently ask
his neighbour _WHERE HE WAS_！ Crowds of men and women would
congregate behind his chair； to look at ‘the mad Englishman；' as
he was called； and his eccentricities used to amuse even the
croupiers。 After losing a large fortune at this den of iniquity；
Mr Lumsden encountered every evil of poverty； and died in a
wretched lodging in the Rue St Marc。＇144＇
＇144＇ Gronow； _Last Recollections。_
GENERAL SCOTT； THE HONEST WINNER OF L200；000。
General Scott； the father…in…law of George Canning and the Duke
of Portland； was known to have won at White's L200；000； thanks
to his notorious sobriety and knowledge of the game of Whist。
The general possessed a great adva