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 viii
... Speculation , as shown by Parliamentary Return — Rise of Discount -Collapse - Shareholders not forthcoming - Widespread Ruin— George Hudson PAGE 242 · 254 • 266 CHAPTER XXII Permissible gambling - Early Marine Assurance - Oldest and old ...
... Speculation , as shown by Parliamentary Return — Rise of Discount -Collapse - Shareholders not forthcoming - Widespread Ruin— George Hudson PAGE 242 · 254 • 266 CHAPTER XXII Permissible gambling - Early Marine Assurance - Oldest and old ...
Page 92
... speculations , had a run of ill - luck last week . At one sitting his Lordship was minus no less a sum than thirteen thousand pounds ! ” 15 July 1806. The noble Marquis , who has been so great a gainer this season , at hazard , never ...
... speculations , had a run of ill - luck last week . At one sitting his Lordship was minus no less a sum than thirteen thousand pounds ! ” 15 July 1806. The noble Marquis , who has been so great a gainer this season , at hazard , never ...
Page 100
... speculation . " Of another dandy , Scrope Davies , he says : " As was the case with many of the foremost men of that day , the greater number of his hours were passed at the gambling table , where , for a length of time , he was ...
... speculation . " Of another dandy , Scrope Davies , he says : " As was the case with many of the foremost men of that day , the greater number of his hours were passed at the gambling table , where , for a length of time , he was ...
Page 120
... speculation at rouge et noir ; and , at last , lost not only his pay , but the proceeds of the sale of his commission . Thus reduced , he became equally desperate in determination , and occasionally made demands and levied contributions ...
... speculation at rouge et noir ; and , at last , lost not only his pay , but the proceeds of the sale of his commission . Thus reduced , he became equally desperate in determination , and occasionally made demands and levied contributions ...
Page 125
... ness is large , and of oval shape , well stuffed , and covered with fine green cloth , marked with yellow lines , denoting the different departments of speculation . Round these com- partments are GAMBLING IN ENGLAND 125.
... ness is large , and of oval shape , well stuffed , and covered with fine green cloth , marked with yellow lines , denoting the different departments of speculation . Round these com- partments are GAMBLING IN ENGLAND 125.
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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