ye are stars of the night, ye are gems of the morn,
ye are dew-drops whose lustre illumines the thorn;
and rayless that night is, that morning unblest,
when no beam in your eye, lights up peace in the breast;
and the sharp thorn of sorrow sinks deep in the heart,
till the sweet lip of woman assuages the smart;
?tis her's o'er the couch of misfortune to bend,
in fondness a lover, in firmness a friend;
and prosperity's hour, be it ever confest,
from woman receives both refinement and zest;
and adorn'd by the bays, or enwreath'd with the willow,
her smile is our meed, and her bosom our pillow.
arrived at grosvenor square, they found the party consisted of colonel b——, his son and daughter, miss mortimer, and her brother, mr. sparkle, mr. merrywell, and lady lovelace. the first salutations of introduction being over, there was time to observe the company, among whom, miss mortimer appeared to be the principal magnet of attraction. the old colonel was proud to see the friends of mr. sparkle, and had previously given a hearty welcome to mr. merrywell, as the friend of his nephew, the young mortimer. sparkle now appeared the gayest of the gay, and had been amusing the company with some of his liveliest descriptions of character and manners, that are to be witnessed in the metropolis. while merrywell, who did not seem to be pleased with the particular attentions he paid to miss mortimer, was in close conversation with her brother.
tom could not but acknowledge that it was scarcely possible to see miss mortimer, without feelings of a nature which he had scarcely experienced before. the elegant neatness of her dress was calculated to display the beauty of her form, and the vivid flashes of a dark eye were so many irresistible attacks upon the heart; a sweet voice, and smiling countenance, appeared to throw a radiance around the room, and illuminate the visages of the whole [186]party, while lady lovelace and maria b—— served as a contrast to heighten that effect which they envied and reproved. while tea was preparing, after which it was proposed to take a rubber at cards, a sort of general conversation took place: the preparations for the coronation, the new novels of the day, and the amusements of the theatre, were canvassed in turn; and speaking of the writings of sir walter scott, as the presumed author of the celebrated scotch novels, lady lovelace declared she found it impossible to procure the last published from the library, notwithstanding her name has been long on the list, so much was it in request.
sparkle replied, “that he had purchased the novel, and would willingly lend it to the ladies. as for the libraries,” continued he, “they are good places of accommodation, but it is impossible to please every one, either there or any where else; they are however very amusing at times, and as a proof of it, i strolled the other morning to a circulating library, for the express purpose of lounging away an hour in digesting the politics and news of the day; but the curious scenes to which i was witness during this short period, so distracted my attention, that, despite of the grave subjects on which i was meditating, i could not resist lending an attentive ear to all that passed around me. there was something of originality in the countenance of the master of the library which struck me forcibly; and the whimsical answers which he made to his numerous subscribers, and the yet more whimsical tone in which they were pronounced, more than once provoked a smile. the first person who attracted my notice was a fine showy looking woman, dressed in the extreme of fashion, with a bloom upon her cheek, which might have emulated that of the rose, with this exception, that it wanted the charm of nature. putting a list into the hands of the bookseller, she inquired if he had any of the productions the names of which were there transcribed. glancing his eye over the paper, he replied (with an archness which not a little disconcerted her, and which probably occasioned her abrupt disappearance, “the fine lady, madam, is seldom or ever at home; but family secrets we are always ready to let out.” 'characters of eminent men' growled out a little vulgar consequential citizen, whose countenance bore the stamp of that insufferable dulness that might almost tempt [187]one to imagine him incapable of comprehending the meaning of the words which he pronounced with an air of so much self-importance; 'characters of eminent men, 195,' repeated the snarler, in the same tone, 'i much fear if we can boast a quarter of that number, eh! mr. margin?' “i fear not, sir,” replied margin; “but such as we have are very much at your service.” 'better be in the service of the nation than in mine, by far,' said the little purse-proud gentleman, shrugging his shoulders very significantly. “shall i send it for you, sir?” said margin, without noticing the last remark. 'by no means, by no means; the volume is not so large, it won't encumber me much; i believe i shall find it small enough to put in my pocket,' pursued the little great man, grinning at the shrewdness of his own observations, and stalking out with as much self-complacency as he had stalked in. i knew the man well, and could not help laughing at the lofty airs he assumed, at the manner in which he affected to decry all his countrymen without mercy, at his unwillingness to acknowledge any talent amongst them, though he himself was a man of that plodding description who neither ever had done, nor ever could do any thing to entitle him to claim distinction of any sort. the young coxcomb who next entered, was a direct contrast to the last applicant, both in person and manner. approaching with a fashionable contortion, he stretched out his lady-like hand, and in the most languid and affected tone imaginable, inquired for the idler. “that, sir,” said margin, “is amongst the works we have unhappily lost, but you will be sure to meet with it at any of the fashionable libraries in the neighbourhood of bond street or st. james's.” the young fop had just sense enough to perceive that the shaft was aimed at him, but not enough to relish the joke, or correct the follies which provoked it, and turned abruptly on his heel. he was met at the door by a sentimental boarding-school miss, who came flying into the shop in defiance of her governess, and inquired, in a very pathetic tone, for the constant lover. “that, i am afraid,” said margin, “is not amongst our collection.” 'dear me,' lisped the young lady, with an air of chagrin, 'that's very provoking, i thought that was what every one had.' “give me leave to assure you, ma'am, that you are quite mistaken. i fancy you will find that it is not to be met with all over london.”
[188]an old gentleman of the old school, whose clothes were decidedly the cut of the last century, and whose stiff and formal manners were precisely of the same date with his habiliments, next came hobbling in. poring through his spectacles over the catalogue which lay upon the counter, the first thing which caught his eye, was an essay upon old maids. “tom, tom,” said the complaisant librarian, calling to a lad at the other end of the shop, “reach down the old maids for the gentleman. they won't appear to advantage, i'm afraid, a little dusty or damaged, with having laid so long upon the shelf,” he added, with a simper, which was not lost upon any one present. a melancholy looking man, in whose countenance meekness and insipidity were alike plainly depicted, now came forward, inquiring, in an under, and what might almost be designated an alarmed tone of voice, for the impertinent wife; a female, who hung upon his arm, interrupted him by entreating, or rather insisting in no very gentle tone, 'that he would ask for something better worth having.' margin, affecting only to hear the former speaker, immediately produced the book in question, and observed, with much naivete, “that the impertinent wife was sure to be in the way at all hours,” at the same time not omitting to recommend discipline as “a better work.” a young man, whom i knew to be one of the greatest fortune hunters about town, with an air of consummate assurance, put out his hand for disinterested marriage. “that's a thing quite out of date—never thought of now, sir,” said margin, who knew him as well as myself; “allow me to recommend something of more recent date, something more sought after in the fashionable world, splendid misery, sir, or—“the young man heard no more: spite of his impudence, he was so abashed by the reply, that he made a hasty retreat. the last person whom i thought it worth my while to notice, was a tall, meagre looking man, whom i recollected to have seen pointed out to me as a wit, and a genius of the first order. his wit was, however, of that dangerous sort which caused his company to be rather shunned than courted; and it was very evident, from his appearance, that he had not had the wit to work himself into the good graces of those who might have had it in their power to befriend him. though he spoke in a very low tone, i soon found that he was inquiring for plain sense. on margin's replying, [189]with much nonchalance, that plain sense had of late become very rare, finding himself disappointed in his first application, his next aim was patronage. “that, sir, (said the wary bookseller) is so much sought after, that i really cannot promise it to you at present; but if, as i conclude, you merely want something to beguile a leisure hour or two, probably the discontented man will answer the purpose very well.”
to this description of sparkle, the whole company listened with attention and delight, frequently interrupting him with bursts of laughter. tea was handed round, and then cards introduced. young mortimer and merrywell seemed to take but little interest in the play, and evidently discovered their anxiety to be liberated, having some other object in view. mortimer felt no great portion of pleasure in passing his time with his uncle, the colonel, nor with his sister, lady lovelace, who was a perfect model of london affectation; besides, his friend mr. merrywell, who was to him what tom dashall and sparkle had been to tallyho, had made an engagement to introduce him to some of his dashing acquaintances in the west. nods and winks were interchanged between them, and could not but be noticed by tom and bob, though sparkle was so intent upon the amusements of the moment, and the company of the lovely caroline, as to appear immoveable.
mr. merrywell at length stated that he must be compelled to quit the party. young mortimer also apologized; for as he and his friend were engaged for an early excursion in the morning, he should take a bed at his habitation, in order to be fully prepared. this was the first step to breaking up the party.
merrywell called sparkle on one side, saying he had something of importance to communicate. it was twelve o'clock, and the gentlemen, after taking a formal leave of the ladies and the colonel, and a promise on the part of sparkle to meet them again the next morning at twelve, to escort them to the exhibition, left the house.
“i am really happy,” said merrywell to sparkle as they passed the door, “to have had the honour of this introduction, and shall have much pleasure in becoming better acquainted with mr. sparkle, who, though personally unknown to me, his name and fame are familiar.
[190]mr. mortimer and myself are going to take a review of the neighbourhood of st. james's, probably to shake an elbow.”
“excellent,” said tom; “here is a fine opportunity for mr. tallyho to take a like survey, and, if agreeable, we will join the party. though i am by no means a friend to gaming, i conceive it necessary that every person should see the haunts of its votaries, and the arts they make use of, in order to avoid them.”
“you are right, and therefore let us have a peep at them.” with this they ?walk'd on, listening with attention to the following lines, which were recited by sparkle:
“behold yon group, fast fix'd at break of day,
whose haggard looks a sleepless night betray,
with stern attention, silent and profound,
the mystic table closely they surround;
their eager eyes with eager motions join,
as men who meditate some vast design:
sure, these are statesmen, met for public good,
for some among them boast of noble blood:
or are they traitors, holding close debate
on desp'rate means to overthrow the state?
for there are men among them whose domains
and goods and chattels lie within their brains.
no, these are students of the blackest art
that can corrupt the morals or the heart;
yet are they oft in fashion's ranks preferred,
and men of honour, if you take their word.
but they can plunder, pillage, and devour,
more than poor robbers, at the midnight hour;
lay deeper schemes to manage lucky hits,
than artful swindlers, living by their wits.
like cunning fowlers, spread th' alluring snare,
and glory when they pluck a pigeon bare.
these are our gamesters, who have basely made
the cards and dice their study and their trade."{1}
1 gaming is generally understood to have been invented by
the lydians, when they were under the pressure of a great
famine. to divert themselves from dwelling on their
sufferings, they contrived the balls, tables, &c. and, in
order to bear their calamity the better, were accustomed to
play for the whole day together, without interruption, that
they might not be rack'd with the thought of food, which
they could not obtain. it is not a little extraordinary that
this invention, which was originally intended as a remedy
for hunger, is now a very common cause of that very evil.
[191]"true,” said merry well, as sparkle concluded, though he did not like the satire upon his own favourite pursuit; “those delineations are correct, and the versification good, as far as it applies to the worst species of the gaminghouse.”
“o,” said tom, “then pray, sir, which is the worst?”
“nonsense,” said sparkle, “there is neither worse nor best; these hells are all alike. sharks, greeks, gamblers, knowing ones, black-legs, and levanters, are to be met with at them all, and they meet to bite one another's heads off.”
“an admirable description, truly, of the company you are about to introduce us to, gentlemen,” said tallyho.
“i don't understand greeks, hells, and black-legs,” said mortimer, “and should like an explanation.”
“with all my heart,” replied sparkle—“hell is the general title now given to any well-known gaming-house, and really appears to be well chosen; for all the miseries that can fall to the lot of human nature, are to be found in those receptacles of idleness, duplicity, and villany. gaming is an estate to which all the world has a pretence, though few espouse it who are willing to secure either their estates or reputations: and these hells may fairly be considered as so many half-way houses to the fleet or king's bench prisons, or some more desperate end. the love of play is the most incurable of insanities: robbery, suicide, and the extensive ruin of whole families, have been known to proceed from this unfortunate and fatal propensity.
“greeks, gamblers, knowing ones, and black-legs, are synonimous terms, applied to the frequenters of the modern hells, or gaming-houses, and may be distinguished from the rest of society by the following peculiarities in pursuits and manners.
“the greeks of the present day, though they may not lay claim to, or boast of all the attributes of the greeks of antiquity, must certainly be allowed to possess that quality for which the latter were ever so celebrated, namely, cunning and wariness: for although no modern greek can be said to have any resemblance to achilles, ajax, patroclus, or nestor, in point of courage, strength, fidelity, or wisdom, he may nevertheless boast of being a close copier of the equally renowned chief of ithaca. you will find him in most societies, habited like a gentleman; [192]his clothes are of the newest fashion, and his manners of the highest polish, with every appearance of candour and honour; while he subsists by unfair play at dice, cards, and billiards, deceiving and defrauding all those with whom he may engage; disregarding the professions of friendship and intimacy, which are continually falling from his lips.
“to become a good greek (which, by the way, is a contradiction) it will be found necessary to follow these instructions:
“in the first place, lie should be able to command his temper; he should speak but little, and when he does mingle in conversation, he should most decidedly deprecate play, as a source of the greatest evil that can prey upon society, and elucidate its tendencies by striking examples which are well known to himself, and which are so forcibly impressed upon his recollection, that he is determined never to play deep again, but has no objection to a sociable and friendly game now and then, just to pass the time away a little agreeably. by this means he may readily mark down his man, and the game once in view, he should not appear too eager in the pursuit of it, but take good care, as the proverb says, to give a sprat, in order to catch a herring. this should be done by allowing some temporary success, before he make a final hit.
“there is perhaps no art which requires so much of continual practice as that of greekery. it is therefore necessary, that the professor should frequently exercise himself in private with cards and dice, in order that his digits may be trained to a proper degree of agility, upon which the success of his art principally depends. he should also be accustomed to work with some younger man than himself, who, having once been a pigeon, is become a naute, that is enlightened and will not peach—consequently, he serves as an excellent decoy to others.
“to ascertain the property of the pigeon he intends to pluck, is another essential requisite; and when this important information is obtained, (which should be before he commences operations) he should affect the utmost liberality as to time, &c. and make a show of extending every honourable facility to his opponent, even by offers of pecuniary assistance; by which means, (if he should be fortunate enough to have it accepted) he may probably, by good management, obtain a legal [193]security from him, and thus be enabled to fasten on his prey whenever he pleases.
“the title of a military man, such as captain, is very useful to the greek, as it introduces him well to society, and if he has once held a commission in the army, so much the better. if not, it can be assumed, so that if any unpleasant regimental peculation should be introduced, he may place his hand on the left side of his breast, declare he is astonished and alarmed at the calumnious spirit of the times, shake his head, and interlard his conversation with common-place ejaculations; such as the following—indeed—no—why i know harry very well—he's a bit of a blood—can it be possible—i should not have thought it—bless my heart—exactly so—good god—a devilish good joke tho'—that's very true, says i—so says he, &c. &c.
“a greek should be a man of some personal courage, never shrink from a row, nor be afraid to' fight a duel. he should be able to bully, bluster, swagger and swear, as occasion may require; nay, in desperate cases, such us peaching, &c. he should not object even to assassination. he should invite large parties to dine with him frequently, and have a particular sort of wine for particular companies. he should likewise be able to swallow a tolerable quantity of the juice of the grape himself, as well as know how to appear as if he were drinking, when he is merely passing the bottle, and so manage it passing, as to seem drunk at proper times. when good opportunities present themselves for the exercise of his art, and when a hit is really to be made, he should positively refuse to suffer play of any kind in his house, alleging that he has seen enough of it, and cut the concern. this serves to increase the desire for it in others. on any decisive occasion, when a train is known to be well laid, he should appear to be drunk before any one of the party; in which case he should take care beforehand to instruct his decoy to pluck the pigeon, while he, as a supposed observer, is betting with some one in the company, (of course an accomplice) and is also a loser.
“greeks, who know each other, are enabled to convey information by means of private signals, without uttering a word, and consequently without detection. at whist, or other games on the cards, fingers are admirable conveyancers of intelligence, and by dexterous performers [194]are so managed, as to defy the closest scrutiny, so as to have the natural appearance of pliancy, while, among the knowing ones, their movements are actually deciding the fate of a rubber.”
“egad!” said mortimer, “you seem to understand the business so well, i wonder you don't open shop.”
“my knowledge,” continued sparkle, “is but theoretical. i cannot boast of much practical information, for it is long since i shook the lucky castor.”
“o, then, you are discontented because you have no luck.”
“not so,” said sparkle, “for i never play very deep, so that, win or lose, i can never suffer much; but i am willing to give information to others, and with that view i have detailed the nature of the houses and the general character of their frequenters, according to my own conception of them. the levanter is a black-leg, who lives by the broads{l} and the turf,{2} and is accustomed to work as it were by telegraph{3} with his pal; and if you take the broads in hand in their company, you are sure to be work'd, either by glazing, that is, putting you in the front of a looking-glass, by which means your hand is discovered by your antagonist, or by private signals from the pal. on the turf he will pick up some nobleman or gentleman, who he knows is not up to the rig—bet him fifty or a hundred on a horse—pull out his pocket-book—set down the name, and promise to be at the stand when the race is over; but takes care to be seen no more, unless he is the winner, which he easily ascertains by the direction his pal takes immediately on the arrival of the horses. but hold, we must dismiss the present subject of contemplation, for here we are at the very scene of action, and now for ocular demonstration.”
no. 40, now 32, pall mall, was the place of destination, a house well known, said, in koubel's time, to be more à la fran?aise, and of course more of a gambling-house, than any other of the same description in london. the former were good judges of their business, and did things in prime order; but, if report say true, the new establishment
1 broads—a cant term for cards.
2 turf—a cant term for horse-racing.
3 telegraph—to work the telegraph, is to impart information
by secret signs and motions, previously concerted between
the parties.
[195]has completely eclipsed their precursors: it is now conducted wholly by aliens—by frenchmen!!! who are said to have realized 80,000l. within a very short space of time; and that a certain nobleman, whose name is not dormouse, has serious reason to remember that he has been a visitor.
these concerns are considered of so much importance, and are found to be
so very productive, that regular co-partnerships are entered into,
the business is conducted almost with the precision of a mercantile
establishment; all kinds of characters embark in these speculations, and
rapid fortunes are to be made by them; this alone ought to deter young
men from play, since it sufficiently indicates how much the chances are
in favour of the tables. but many high and noble names resort to them.
“there's n—g—nts proud lord, who, to angle for pelf,
will soon find the secret of diddling himself;
there's herbert, who lately, as knowing one's tell,
won a tight seven hundred at a house in pall mall.
captain d—v—s, who now is a chick of the game,
for altho' in high feather, the odds will soon tame;
and the marquis of bl—ndf—rd, who touch'd 'em up rare
for a thousand in bennet street (all on the square);
there's li—d and c—m—ck, who'd a marine to be,
for none drills a guinea more ably than he;
there's a certain rum baronet, every one knows,
who on saturday nights to the two sevens{1} goes,
with j—— and cl——, billy w—— and two more,
so drunk, that they keep merry hell in a roar.
long d—ll—n, their c—rt—r, a son of a gun;
bill b——, the doctor, that figure of fun;
bankers, dealers and demireps, cuckolds in droves,
a t—l—r, a t—nf—id, a cr—kf—id, and ci—ves;
a h—rtf—rd, a y—rm—th, of frail ones ten score;
x—ft—e, s—br—gt and e—ll—s, and still many more.”
“come along,” said merrywell, “let us see what they are made of; are either of you known? for cerberus, who keeps the door, is d——d particular, in consequence of some rows they have recently had, and the devil is careful to pick his customers.”
“to pluck them, you mean,” said tom; “but perhaps you are in possession of the pass-word—if so, lead on.”
1 the two sevens—a nick-name for the well-known house,
no. 77, jermyn street.
[196]tallyho had already heard so much about hells, gambling-houses, and subscription-houses, that he was all anxiety for an interior view, and the same feeling animated mortimer. as they were about to enter, they were not a little surprised to find that houses which are spoken of so publicly, have in general the appearance of private dwellings, with the exception that the hall-door is left ajar during the hours usually devoted to play, like those of trap-cages, to catch the passing pigeons, and to obviate the delay which might be occasioned by the necessity of knocking—a delay which might expose the customers to the glances of an unsuspecting creditor—a confiding father, or a starving wife; and, as merrywell observed, “it was to be understood that the entrance was well guarded, and that no gentleman could be permitted to risk or lose his money, without an introduction.” a very necessary precaution to obviate the danger of being surprised by the officers of the law; but that rule is too easily to be broken, for any gentleman whom the door-keeper has sufficient reason to think is not an officer of justice, finds the avenues to these labyrinths too ready for his admission.
page196 a modern hell
on passing the outer-door, they found themselves impeded by a second, and a third, and each door constructed with a small spy-hole, exhibiting the ball of a ruffian's eye, intently gazing on and examining their figures. it is necessary to observe, that if the visitor is known to be a fair pigeon, or an old crow, he is at once admitted by these gentlemen, and politely bowed up stairs; and as merrywell appeared to be well known, no obstruction was offered, and they proceeded through the last, which was an iron door, and were shewn directly into the room, which presented a scene of dazzling astonishment.
on entering, they discovered the votaries of gaming around an oblong table, covered with green cloth, and the priests of the ceremony in the centre, one to deal cards and decide events, and another to assist him in collecting the plunder which should follow such decisions. being engaged in the play, but little notice was taken of the arrival of the party, except by two or three eagle-eyed gentlemen, who, perceiving there were some new-comes{1}
1. newcomes—the name given to any new faces discovered among
the usual visitants.
[197]and always keeping business in view, made up to merrywell, began to be very talkative—was happy to see him—hoped he had been well—and congratulated him on the introduction of his friends—took snuff, and handed the box round with all the appearance of unaffected friendship.
“these,” said tom dashall to his cousin, drawing him on one side, “are the proprietors{1} of this concern;
1 in order that the class of men by whom houses of this
description are generally kept, and to shew the certainty
they have of accumulating riches, as well as to guard the
young and inexperienced against being decoyed, it may not be
amiss to animadvert upon a few of the most prominent and
well known.
no. 7, pall mall, is kept by b——l, who has been a public
and noted gambler for these forty years, and is generally
termed the father of the houses. he was at one time a poor
man, but now, by his honest earnings, is in possession of
some tens of thousands. it is said that he was originally a
stable-boy, and, in process of time, arose to be a jobber in
horse-flesh, but has at length feathered his nest with
pigeons down.
no. 77, st. james's street, nick-named the two sevens, kept
by messrs. t. c. c. t. is a well-known house, where things
are conducted with great civility and attention, and the
best possible treatment may generally be relied upon, though
they are rather sparing of refreshments, and apt to grumble
if a customer has a run of good luck. a prussian officer,
however, not long ago, kick'd up a devil of a row about
losing a very large sum of money; but it is scarcely
necessary to add it was all in vain, for there was no
redress.
the produce of this bank, (which paddy b—— calls the
devil's exchequer, whence you can draw neither principal nor
interest,) furnishes elegant houses and equipages, both in
town and country, and, it is possible, may one day or other
send a member to parliament, or a general to the field.
no. 10, king street, st. james's, is conducted by old and
young d——s l——r; the father is too old in iniquity
to remember his progress from poverty to affluence.
no. 5, king-street, is kept by mr. a——l; the former
residing at no. 3, leicester-place, the latter no. 3,——
street; and both live in prime style. the former, in his
youth, was an errand boy, and he became so willing in doing
little jobs, that his employers have paid him most
handsomely. the latter gentleman, who may be seen frequently
driving a dennet, and looking both sides of the road at
once, is a chip of the old block: but as it is not our
intention to visit the sins of the sou upon the father, we
shall not enter into a minute examination of him.
no. 6, in bury-street, is only about a year's standing.
this table was set up by a broken adventurer, capt. b——,
with mr. ——, a jeweller, and a man whose agents keep a
house of ill fame, no way inferior in attribute to his
house in bury-street. they commenced with narrow funds,
and now, thank the gulls, are independent.
the next door, no. 7, is held by m——g, a map-seller,
living at charing cross; carl—s, formerly an under-
strapper at ben—t's, living at king's road, chelsea; h——ll,
a tallow-chandler, living at no. 8, bury-street; and
his brother, a brick-layer, residing somewhere off grosvenor
place. these fellows have carried on their depredations for
some time, but now have closed for awhile, being one of the
houses against whom a jew, named portugal john, and another
named the young black diamond, have commenced proceedings,
for sums had and received, and by indictment.
no. 28, in the same street, is the property of one o——
d, formerly a menial servant, and not long ago a porter to
b——l.
these examples shew by incontestible inference, that the
keepers of those tables have an advantage, which renders
their success certain, while it fleeces the men who attend
them. we always have seen these proprietors in the same
unchangeable affluence, driving their equipages, keeping
their country houses, &c. &c. while those who play
invariably sink into poverty. it has been often—very often
remarked, that young men who commence this career of folly
and vice, by degrees lose that freshness and fashionable
appearance which they at first possessed, and at last are
seen wandering about st. james's park counting the trees,
and dining on a gravel hash, for want of more genial fare,
in a threadbare coat, half-polished boots, a greasy hat, and
a dirty cravat; while the plunderers of their happiness and
property are driving by them in luxury, enjoying their
pleasure by contrast with their victim, and sneering at his
miseries.
of all the vices which deform this metropolis (and there are
not a few) the most ruinous is that of rouge et noir
gambling, for that is practised in the day time, and it is a
matter of astonishment to think that it has remained
undisturbed by the law, and hitherto unnoticed by the press.
at this moment no less than twelve of these hells are open
to the public in the noon-day; and no less than five or six
profane the sabbath by their sinful practices. although
london has been, time out of mind, infested with the imps of
play, yet it was not until within these last ten or fifteen
years that they dared open their dens to the honest light of
day. about that period, or a very short time before, rouge
et noir was imported, amongst other fashionable things, from
france; and to this game we are indebted for the practice of
gambling in the day-light.
it is impossible to put down the vice of gaming wholly, and
not all the various enactments of the legislature against it
have succeeded; but that the ruinous and infamous practice
of indulging that vice in the midst of crowded day should be
suffered, for upwards of sixteen years, in the centre of
british society, when it can easily be suppressed, calls
forth our wonder, and gives a stronger proof to us that our
societies for the suppression of vice, &c. &c. are shadows
with a name. when the hazard tables open, it is at an hour
when the respectable and controlled youths of london are
within the walls of their homes; few are abroad except the
modern man of ton, the rake, the sot, the robber, and the
vagabond; and the dangers of gaming on these orders of
society is little indeed, when compared with the baneful
effects of that vice upon the mercantile youth of london. it
is to this class, and to the youth of the middling orders of
society, that gaming is destructive, and it is upon these
that the rouge et noir tables cast the most fatal influence.
young men of this order cannot in general be absent from
their families after midnight, the hour when the nocturnal
hells formerly yawned upon their victims; but now the
introduction of rouge et noir has rendered the abominable
track of play a morning and evening's lounge, set forth in
all the false glare which the artful proprietors can invent
to deceive the thoughtless; and thus it affords
opportunities and temptations to such youth almost
irresistible.
when the glittering of london pleasures first meets the eye
of a young man placed upon the road of a mercantile life, or
when he enters any of the multifarious departments in the
machine of society which always lead the industrious and
prudent to honourable emolument, he too frequently
misconceives the fashionable gamester's character, and
confounds his crimes with elegant accomplishments. the road
to pleasure is broad, and the gates of these hells are open
to him at hours when he can be absent, and can indulge his
whim without suspicion—for at first he looks upon his new
enjoyment but a mere whim, which he can abandon at any
moment. but how different is the proof! he goes on—his new
made wings carry him through a region of delight, and he
believes himself to possess the powers of the eagle—still
lighter he ascends, and the solid earth on which he formerly
trod in safety, recedes immeasurably from his giddy eye—at
length his wings prove wax, they melt before the sun, and
the victim of his own folly tumbles into the abyss of
destruction.
it is no uncommon thing, nay, we will positively declare it
to be a very frequent practice of these misled young men,
when they have been initiated, and have the temporary
command of money belonging to their employers, to go to the
rouge et noir tables, armed (as they think) with
impenetrable armour—a large sum; and, in the hope of
profiting to a certain amount, risk that property, the loss
of which would be the loss of every thing dear to them in
society. they believe, from the greatness of the amount they
possess, that they can command a small gain, and not for a
moment doubt they will be able to replace or return the
money entrusted to their care; but little do they know the
fickleness of luck, and less do they suspect the odds and
imposing roguery arrayed against them. their first loss is
trifling, but they have to win that back iu addition to
their expected profits; for this purpose they stake a larger
sum, which, if they lose, increases their task, and so on,
until the half-frantic victims see no hope but desperation,
and their remaining stock is placed upon the chance of a
single card. the event closes, and the man who yesterday
enjoyed the good opinion of the world, and the esteem and
confidence of his friends, to-day becomes the veriest
outcast of society! these are common cases, one of which,
for example, we will describe as the facts occurred:—in the
year 1816, a clerk, possessing the highest reputation,
became a frequenter of a rouge et noir table. from the
nature of his employment, he had daily the command of large
sums, which, for a short time, he risked at play
successfully. one day, however, he brought with him his
employer's money, to the amount of 1700l. the whole of
which, in two days, he lost. we may judge of the unhappy
young man's feelings by his subsequent conduct. he wrote a
confession of the affair to the man he wronged, retired to a
tavern, and blew his brains out!
these gaming-tables open at half-past twelve o'clock,
continue their orgies until five, and recommence at seven in
the evening. how many young men are passing their doors at
these hours with the property of others in their pockets!—
and what a temptation to risk it! it would seem as if these
places were set up as shops designed chiefly for the
accommodation of mid-day dealers in ill-fortune, as if
levelled directly at those men who cannot or will not spend
their nights in gambling; and how the proprietors contrive
to escape detection and punishment is surprising,
considering that the law affords ample means to put them
down.
[200]they know their customers, and place themselves here to watch the progress of their gains. their attentions are always directed to the new-comers. remorseless, avaricious, and happy—unmarked with the lines of care, which contract and deform the faces of their victims, “they smile and smile, and murder while they smile.” they will explain the fairness of the game, and tell you of the great losses they have sustained; but as this is no place for explanation, we must look on and say nothing.”
by this time, merrywell and mortimer were mingled in the throng at the table. sparkle was engaged in conversation with an old acquaintance, a profusion of money was flying about, and a large heap or bank was placed in the centre. all was anxiety, and, for a few moments, no sound was heard, but the awful numbers of the eventful dealer; every countenance was hushed in expectation, and every eye was fixed upon the coming card, which should decide the fate of hundreds. it was an awful moment to every one engaged in the play; but the pause was succeeded with a sort of harlequinade movement, to a scene of confusion and uproar scarcely to be conceived.
the appearance at the door of half a dozen persons armed with pistols, rushing past the guardians, and bearing [201]away all before them, had such an instantaneous effect upon the company, that they all arose, as it were, to receive them, and the leader of the party threw himself suddenly upon the pile of bank-notes in the centre of the table, with intent to seize the whole bank.
confusion and dismay were now visibly depicted on every countenance, for some, actuated by desperation at the prospect of ruin, and others by the urgings of avarice, determined to have a scramble for the notes, which they commenced most furiously, each one securing as much as he could to himself. there was tumbling and tossing, and pulling and shoving, mouths stuffed with hundreds, hundreds of mouths that were supperless, and likely to continue so, unless they could now make sure of something. bank paper was literally going for nothing. however, the pistols being the most powerful, the armed forces succeeded in seizing the greatest share of the stock, and a negative sort of silence was at length restored. the party was materially decreased; for, seeing they were betrayed, every one, after an endeavour to secure a share of the spoil, deemed it necessary to make good his retreat; and among the rest, our party, who had not interfered with the play, or assisted in the entertainment, soon found themselves in the street.
“egad,” said sparkle, “i think we are in luck to escape so easily; we might have been compelled to make our appearance at bow street to-morrow, an occurrence i would studiously avoid.”
“well done, old steady,” said tom; “it is not long, you know, since you was there, after a night's lodging in the neighbourhood.”
“that was under very different circumstances,” continued sparkle; “in defence of a woman i would risk my life at any time, but i would by no means incur the imputation of being a gambler—it is a character i abhor. i have before said i would never venture into those dens again, to herd with swindlers of all descriptions.”
“they all seem gay fellows, too,” said bob.
“yes,” replied sparkle; “but the character and conduct of a young man has ere now been altered in one night: the evil effects produced by initiation to those hells are incalculable.”
“moralizing at midnight,” said tom; “an excellent title for a volume sparkling contemplations.”
[202]"to be written by the hon. tom dashall, or the merry devil of piccadilly,” was the reply.
“huzza!” said merrywell, “if this is the case, our time will not be lost in this excursion. did you hear that lord —— has been compelled to put down his establishment in consequence of his losses at play? pray don't forget to mention that in the work.”
“tis no new thing,” continued sparkle, “for lords of the present day, since i believe there are few of the nobility who are not either greeks or pigeons; indeed, the list of visitors to these places contains names of many persons who should set better examples to the humbler classes of the community; for the unfortunate results of this too fatal propensity to parents and society have been severely felt. among many instances on record, a very interesting one is related of a young subaltern in a regiment of cavalry, who, by successive losses, was reduced to such a state of distress, as to form the desperate resolution of trying the road. in a moment of agony, he accidentally met with an opportunity which seemed to favour his design, having learned that a certain baronet, recently returned from india with abundance of wealth, had laid it out on landed estates in england, and that he would on a certain day cross the country with a large sum of money, after collecting his rents.
“he laid his plan for a meeting on a retired spot, and succeeded in stopping the carriage—' your money or your life,' said he, presenting his pistol with a trembling hand. the baronet, perceiving there was a sort of gentlemanly air about him which indicated something more than might be calculated on in the character of a highwayman, presented him with his purse, a watch, and a valuable diamond ring, remarking, he could not help conceiving that he was unaccustomed to the trade, and that it was most desirable he should abandon it for ever. the young officer, though considerably confused and embarrassed by this observation, was not to be disappointed of his booty, returned this property, and demanded the larger sum, which for safety had been concealed in the bottom of the carriage. the manner however in which this was done, only served to confirm the suspicions of the baronet, which he could not help expressing, as he acknowledged the accuracy of the highwayman's information, and produced the property, observing, he was sure that [203]circumstances of no common kind could have impelled him to this flagrant breach of the laws. he asked as a favour, that he would grant him an interview at some future period, pledging his honour that he should have no occasion to repent such a singular mark of confidence.
“the officer replied that he had, and he felt he could with safety trust both his life and his honour in the veracity of sir ——, and appointed a meeting at the london coffee house, ludgate hill, only stipulating, that at such meeting both parties were to be unattended. as the day of meeting approached, the baronet thought seriously of the solicited rencontre, and after enjoining perfect secresy on the part of his friend, col. ——, entreated him to be his companion. the colonel laughed at the idea, that any man who had robbed another should so indiscreetly place his life in his hands, had no conception of his keeping his appointment, and solemnly assured the baronet that he would in no case divulge who or what he was, that he might become acquainted with.
“the colonel ridiculed his friend's credulity as they entered the house, and were shewn to a private room. the appointed hour was eight in the evening, and, as the clock of st. paul's struck, a gentleman inquiring for sir —— was shewn into the room—wine was ordered, and for an hour a general conversation on the popular topics of the day ensued, when the gentleman, evidently under deeply impressed feelings of embarrassment and disappointment, in which the colonel seemed to partake, arose, and politely took his leave.
“' well,' said the baronet, 'what think you of my highwayman now 1—am i not right?—is he not a gentleman?'
“' and this is the robber, is it, sir?' said the colonel—'be assured he shall swing for it—why, sir, i know him well, he is a —— in my own regiment.'
“'hold,' said the baronet, 'don't be rash, remember the solemn promise you have given, and do not deceive me—i hold you bound to me, and will not permit you to break your engagement—i have better objects in view than the death of a fellow-creature.'
“he then requested to be informed of the general tenor of the young man's conduct, which he found to be excellent, and that he was an indefatigable officer—'indeed,' said the colonel, 'it would give me the greatest [204]pain to lose him—an incomparably affectionate husband and father. he has but one vice, to which may be attributed his destruction, viz. his inordinate passion for gaming; but i cannot feel justified in screening so flagrant an offender—the law must take its course.'
“'moderate your indignation,' said the worthy baronet, assuming a more serious tone, 'and remember you must be personalty answerable to me for any disclosure you may think proper to make; and that inasmuch as you injure him, you must injure me. you have already given him so high a character in every respect but one, that i must interest you further in his behalf, and beg you to assist me in my endeavours to reclaim, instead of punishing him.'
“the colonel was surprised; but the baronet was inflexible. in vain he urged that the magnitude of the crime utterly precluded such a proceeding.
“' it must be done,' said the baronet, 'it shall be done. leave all the consequences to me; he has now left us in extreme, though suppressed agitation—there is no time to lose—fly to save him.'
“the colonel expressed his readiness to try the experiment.
“' then,' said the baronet, 'follow him immediately, assure him of my forgiveness, and that if he will pledge his word to forsake this dangerous vice, what he has already obtained he may hold as a gift, and i will add whatever may be necessary to extricate him from any temporary embarrassment.'
“it was an important embassy—life or death was to be decided by it. the colonel took his departure, certain of finding him at home taking leave of his family, and, reaching his habitation a short time after his arrival, witnessed a scene of misery which, although he had partly anticipated, he could not have conceived. he found him, surrounded by his wife and children, in an agony of desperation and despair.
“when he entered the apartment, the poor culprit, convinced by the presence of his colonel that all was lost, fell on his knees, and supplicated if possible that his fame, not his life, might be spared for the sake of his afflicted but innocent and injured family. language has no power to describe the surprise and consternation with which, after a severe lecture, he received the joyful intelligence of [205]which his colonel was the bearer. he returned with his commanding officer to —— square, where he was received by the baronet as a repentant friend; and has lived to repair his error, and become deservedly distinguished as an ornament to society, civil and religious as well as military.”
“that must be truly gratifying to the worthy baronet,{1}' said tom.
“no doubt of it,” continued sparkle, “it must be a source of continued pleasure to find his labours have had so beneficial a result, having in all probability saved a whole family from destruction. surely it may be said, that
“among the idiot pranks of wealth's abuse,
none seem so monstrous, none have less excuse,
than those which throw an heritage away
upon the lawless chance of desperate play;
nor is there among knaves a wretch more base
than he who steals it with a smiling face,
who makes diversion to destruction tend,
and thrives upon the ruin of a friend.”
—“yet the greek, like the swindler{l} and the horse jockey,
1 swindler—is a term originally derived from the german,
schwindel, which signifies merely to cheat. it was first
introduced as a cant term, and used to signify obtaining of
goods, credit, or money, under false pretences. it has since
had a legislative adoption, being parliamentary recognised
by an act for the prevention of it. the artifices, schemes,
and crimes, resorted to by these gentry, are so numerous,
that it would be impossible to describe them all. one mode
of practice, however, is not uncommon in london.
three or four swell jews contrive to hire a large house with
some spare rooms, in the city, that are turned into
warehouses, in which are a number of casks, boxes, &e.
filled with sand; and also a quantity of large sugar-loaves
in appearance, which are only clay done up in blue paper,
but corded and made up with great nicety.
an elegant counting-house is likewise furnished with books
and other apparatus, to deceive the eye and give the
appearance of extensive business, great regularity, and
large property. the clerks in attendance are a set of jews,
who are privy to the scheme, and equally ready at fraud as
those who profess to be the principals.
a dining-room elegantly furnished upon the mace,* receives
you
* the mace—is a person who carries all the appearance of a
great and rich man, with servants, carriages, &c. for the
purpose of defrauding tradesmen and others, by all manner of
plans most calculated to entrap the parties they intend to
dupe.
whenever it is necessary to admit of your visits; a black
servant opens the street-door, and the foot of the stair-
case presents surtouts, boots, livery-cloths, a large blue
coat with a yellow cape, and habiliments in which the
opulent! array their servants. with these and similar
merchant-like appearances trade is commenced, and persons
dispatched to provincial manufacturing towns, to buy various
articles; for the amount of the first purchases, bills are
drawn upon the firm, and even before the goods are pack'd
up, and sent according to order, the acceptances are paid,
and, by this means, credit is partly established, which,
once accomplished, they are in want of large assortments for
exportation upon credit, at one, two, and three months. the
goods are accordingly chosen and forwarded to their
associates in london, where they are immediately disposed
of at 20 or 30 per cent, cheaper than the prime cost, and
the money realised. the first bills become due, are noted,
and protested. the second are presented, but the house has
stopped payment, and the owners are bankrupts. by the time
the third month's bills become due, the docket is struck,
the assignees chosen, and there is not sixpence in the pound
left for the creditors. petitions are ineffectually
presented to the chancellor, for a number of fictitious
creditors, of the same profession and persuasion, over-swear
the just ones, and by exceeding them in number and value,
the house obtains its certificate, and has again the power
of committing similar depredations.
perhaps the most daring and systematic proceeding of this
kind was that lately detected in the conspiracy of mosely
wolfe and his confederates, for which he is now suffering
the sentence of the law.
[206]prides himself on his success, boasts of his being down as a nail, and—”
“down as a nail!” said bob, “i don't remember hearing that expression before.”
“down as a hammer, or down as a nail” continued sparkle, “are cant or slang terms made use of among gamblers, and are synonimous with being up; and it must be confessed that there are many ups and downs amongst them. these flash words are well understood by many a young greek, who perhaps knows nothing of the greek testament, although the use of them has proved in some cases beyond the comprehension of a judge. hence the necessity of knowing life; for if a man gets familiarized with low life, he will necessarily be up, and consequently stand a great chance of being a rising genius. how proper it must be to know how to get a rise upon a fellow, or, in other words, to get him in a line!
“a learned judge once, examining a queer covy, a flash customer, or a rum fellow, asked him his reason for suspecting the prisoner at the bar of stealing a watch, (which among the lads is scientifically termed nimming a toiler, or [207]nabbing a clicker,) replied as follows:—'why, your honour, only because you see as how i was up to him.'—'how do you mean, what is being up to him? '—' why, bless your heart, i was down upon him, and had him bang.' but still perceiving the learned gentleman's want of nous, he endeavoured to explain by saying, that he was up to his gossip,—that he stagged him, for he was not to be done—that he knew the trick, and was up the moment the chap came into the cock and hen club, where he was tucking in his grub and bub.—had the learned judge been up himself, much time and trouble might have been saved; and indeed the importance of being down as a nail, to a man of fashion, is almost incalculable; for this reason it is, that men of high spirit think it no derogation from their dignity or rank, to be well acquainted with all the slang of the coachman and stable-boy, all the glossary of the fancy, and all the mysterious language of the scamps, the pads, the divers, and all upon the lay, which, by an attentive and apt scholar, may easily be procured at a gaming-house.
“of hells in general, it may fairly be asserted, that they are infernally productive; no other line of business can be compared to these money mills, since they are all thriving concerns, the proprietors of which keep their country houses, extensive establishments, dashing equipages; and
“while they have money they ride it in chaises.
and look very big upon those that have none.”
“it certainly is a pity that men do not keep constantly in their recollection, that no calculation of chances can avail them, and that between the après, the limitation of stakes, and other manouvres, the table must eventually be an immense winner.
“for greeks stick at nothing to gain their own ends, and they sacrifice all their acquaintance and friends;
and thus luckless p'——n, to gain what he'd lost,
put his faith in a greek, which he knows to his cost; join'd a bank, as he thought, when the sly greeking elf of a friend soon contriv'd for to break it himself. you credulous pigeons! i would have you beware, of falling yourselves in a similar snare.”
“we ought to consider ourselves greatly obliged,” said merry well, “for the accurate description of characters [208]you have given. but have you heard the report that is now in circulation, that a certain marquis of high military celebrity, and whose property is, or was, very considerable, has lost almost his last shilling?”
“i,” said sparkle, “am seldom surprised at such rumours, particularly of persons who are known to be players, for they are rich and poor in rapid succession; but if there be any truth in the report, there is a fine example of perseverance before him—for lord ——, after a long run of ill-luck, being refused the loan of an additional rouleau,{1} on account of his score being rather long, left the company in dudgeon, and determining on revenge, actually opened another hell in opposition to the one he had left, and by that means recovered all his money.”
“that was well done,” rejoined tallyho.
“it was rather too much of a trading concern for a lord,” said tom.
“not for a gambling lord,” replied merry well; “for there is in fact nothing beneath a greek, in the way of play: besides, it was a trying situation, and required some desperate attempt—they care not who they associate with, so they do but bring grist to the mill.”
“the confusion of persons and characters at a gaming-house,” said sparkle, “are almost incredible, all ranks and descriptions are mingled together.
“what confusion of titles and persons we see amongst gamesters, who spring out of every degree, from the prince to the pauper; all panting for play, their fortune, their time, and their life pass away; just as mingled are pigeons, for 'tis no rebuke for a greek to pluck all, from a groom to a duke.”
“it is too true,” said dashall, “and equally as certain, that there are continually new comers ready and willing to be duped, or at least ready to risk their property, notwithstanding the warnings they have from their more experienced friends.”
“and is there no possibility of obtaining fair play?” inquired bob, “or redress for being pigeon'd, as you term it?”
1 a rouleau—is a packet containing one hundred guineas; but
as guineas are not quite so fashionable in the present day
as they formerly were, some of these houses, for the
accommodation of their customers, circulate guinea-notes
upon their bankers.
[209]"none,” said sparkle; “for if men will play at bowls, they must expect rubbers; and the system of confederacy is carried on every where, though perhaps with most success in those professed gambling-houses, which young men of property ought carefully to avoid.”
by this time they had reached the end of st. james's street; it was therefore proposed by sparkle that they should separate, particularly as it was growing late, or rather early in the morning; and, as they had been in some degree baffled in their attempt to take a minute survey of the proceedings in pall mall, they had no decided object in view. accordingly they parted, tom and bob pursuing their way along piccadilly, while sparkle, merrywell, and mortimer, proceeded down bond street.
“i am by no means satisfied,” said tom, “with this evening's ramble, nor exactly pleased to find our friend sparkle is getting so sentimental.”
“he is, at least,” said tallyho, “very communicative and instructive—i should feel less embarrassment at a future visit to one of those places, though, i can assure you, i should carefully avoid the chance of becoming a pigeon; but to know these things is certainly useful.”
“we must lay our plans better for the future,” said tom—“example is better than precept; and, as for sparkle, i strongly suspect he is studying a part in all for love, or the world well lost. that kind of study is too laborious for me, i can't bear to be fettered; or if it be true that it is what we must all come to, my time is not yet arrived. though i confess miss mortimer has many attractions not to be overlooked by an attentive observer; at the same time i perceive this mr. merrywell is equally assiduous to obtain the young lady's favours.”
by this time they had arrived at home, where, after partaking of refreshment, they retired to rest.[210]
