The History of Gambling in EnglandDifference between Gaming and Gambling-Universality and Antiquity of Gambling-Isis and Osiris-Games and Dice of the Egyptians-China and India-The Jews-Among the Greeks and Romans-Among Mahometans-Early Dicing-Dicing in England in the 13th and 14th Centuries-In the 17th Century-Celebrated Gamblers-Bourchier-Swiss Anecdote-Dicing in the 18th Century. Gaming is derived from the Saxon word Gamen, meaning joy, pleasure, sports, or gaming-and is so interpreted by Bailey, in his Dictionary of 1736; whilst Johnson gives Gamble-to play extravagantly for money, and this distinction is to be borne in mind in the perusal of this book; although the older term was in use until the invention of the later-as we see in Cotton's Compleat Gamester (1674), in which he gives the following excellent definition of the word: -"Gaming is an enchanting witchery, gotten between Idleness and Avarice: an itching disease, that makes some scratch the head, whilst others, as if they were bitten by a Tarantula, are laughing themselves to death; or, lastly, it is a paralytical distemper, which, seizing the arm, the man cannot chuse but shake his elbow. |
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Page 18
... late at night , when the company grows thin , and your eyes dim with watching , false Dice are frequently put upon the ignorant , or they are otherwise cheated by Topping , Slurring , Stabbing , & c . , and , if you be not vigilant and ...
... late at night , when the company grows thin , and your eyes dim with watching , false Dice are frequently put upon the ignorant , or they are otherwise cheated by Topping , Slurring , Stabbing , & c . , and , if you be not vigilant and ...
Page 53
... late Hours he is forced to keep , if he would enjoy his Wife's Conversation . When she returns to me with Joy in her Face , it does not arise , says he , from the Sight of her Husband , but from the good Luck she has had at Cards . On ...
... late Hours he is forced to keep , if he would enjoy his Wife's Conversation . When she returns to me with Joy in her Face , it does not arise , says he , from the Sight of her Husband , but from the good Luck she has had at Cards . On ...
Page 65
... late Duke of B. being chagrined at losing a con- siderable sum , pressed Mr Nash to tie him up for the future from playing deep . Accordingly , the beau gave his grace an hundred guineas , to forfeit ten thousand , whenever he lost a ...
... late Duke of B. being chagrined at losing a con- siderable sum , pressed Mr Nash to tie him up for the future from playing deep . Accordingly , the beau gave his grace an hundred guineas , to forfeit ten thousand , whenever he lost a ...
Page 66
John Ashton. " When the late Earl of Td was a youth , he was pas- sionately fond of play , and never better pleased than with having Mr Nash for his antagonist . Nash saw , with con- cern , his lordship's foible , and undertook to cure ...
John Ashton. " When the late Earl of Td was a youth , he was pas- sionately fond of play , and never better pleased than with having Mr Nash for his antagonist . Nash saw , with con- cern , his lordship's foible , and undertook to cure ...
Page 67
... late as I thought , by an hour ; Princess , will your Highness say how we shall divert our- selves till it is time to go to the play ! ' Oh ! ' said she , ' for my part , you know I abominate everything but Pharaoh . ' ' I am very sorry ...
... late as I thought , by an hour ; Princess , will your Highness say how we shall divert our- selves till it is time to go to the play ! ' Oh ! ' said she , ' for my part , you know I abominate everything but Pharaoh . ' ' I am very sorry ...
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Common terms and phrases
afterwards appeared betting Buckinghamshire Buckley Square called Captain Cards chance cheating Club Coffee House Committee course Court Covent Garden Crockford cross and pile croupiers d'Eon dice dinner Doncaster Duke England Faro bank fortune gambler gambling houses gamester gaming house gaming-house gave gentleman George give Groom Porter guineas hand hath hazard honour horse racing hundred pounds Insurance John John Outlawe Justice keeper King Knave lady late letter London Lord Lordship lose loser lost Lots lottery luck Ludus Latrunculorum Mayor morning never Newmarket night paid Parliament parties person plaintiff play players present prize proprietors Queen Railway Railway Mania reign says servants shillings speculation sport St James's Street stakes Stock story subscribed SUNDAY HOUSES tells Thornton thousand guineas thousand pounds ticket tion town Turf wager whilst White's White's Club witness