took out his well-stored pocket-book; but, when he learnt what had happened, and saw his narrow escape, he coolly returned it to his pocket, saying, as he retired, 'I will never enter a house where such a chance has happened!!' We need not be surprised at the sum which THIS firm is said to have cleared.

They affect to carry their heads high, and to despise common menaces, saying, that THEY have the countenance of the Hon. Messrs sons of a high and most esteemed legal character.

MRS LEACH'S, No. 6 KING STREET, ST JAMES'S.

Is a particularly snug and quiet shop, and the name of the proprietor is singularly appropriate. This concern is suspended.

THE ELDER DAVIS, No. 10 KING STREET, ST JAMES'S.

Is but a small affair, recently opened. It gets on swimmingly.

No. 40 PALL MALL.

Firm: Messrs Roubel, Fuller and Hewetson.

Roubel, Fielder, Miller and Co.

Formerly

Parlez moi de cela! a Frenchman would say directly on entering this establishment. It is more à la Française, and,

of course, more of a gambling house than any of the others. The firm are good judges of these matters, and do things in very good form.

There is great variety; and the addresses of some lovely frail ones may be had. This is an equal advantage to Greek and Pigeon-Tros Tyrius ve. Besides the sprightly dance they so dearly love,' dull Sunday don't stand in their way as in other places. Here, also, they have borrowed from the Continental manners.

This concern is a thriving one, although a prodigious hoax was practised on them the year before last, when thieves, in the characters of police officers, led on by an 'alien' disguised in the habiliments of officers of the foot guards, introduced themselves, and carried off all the cash, to the great discomfiture of the party, and to the alarm of the respectable visitors there assembled. Colonel N- -g went off like a shot; many forgot to take their change; and some young bloods were thought to have taken more than their change it was a most delicious scamper. The Arguseyed attendants have been more vigilant ever since; and a dark-looking man in a great-coat, or other suspicious habit, is very much watched.

We felicitate the town on this establishment: it is the most attractive to the Greeks, and the most expeditive to the pigeon who wishes to be soon done; for what will not women, play, and good cheer effect? Here, if a man escape one way, he must be sure to fall another; and, it may be observed, that the adventurous youth may tell his tale in a small compass—

'Incidit in Scyllam, cupiens vitare Charybdim.'

and

and

and

out of a

We hear that something of a schism exists among the proprietors of this house. It is too good a thing, however, to break up. While on this subject, we would ask Mr Miller, whether he and George Shade, the printer, did not bamboozle round sum, on the suppression of a certain pamphlet ? The Lisle Street, Panton Street, and Covent Garden hells are below notice, compared to those foregoing ones, so near the Court, and enjoying such deserved celebrity.

71 PALL MALL.

Firm: Taylor, Phillips, Lowe and Fielder.

The ex-banker of Southwark, we apprehend, finds his connection with Mr Phillips more lucrative than that with

Sir M. B.

Much might have been said on this establishment, but we have our reasons for not entering into details at present. Mr Phillips has been abroad, and, consequently, gives himself the airs of a travelled man, sets up for an homme d'esprit, fancies himself clever, and thinks he may be MIstaken for a gentleman.

'Oh! formose puer, nimium te crede colori !'

We have not done with you. We remember Sir John Lade. Of Captain Lowe, we can only say, that he deserves a better fate.

SUNDAY HOUSES.

Our moral readers may start at the designation of this department; yet common sense will tell them that, as the Sunday Houses are but few, their profits must be the greater. Don't tell me about religion, morality, decorum, Those who hear gentlemen express themselves in these sinks of corruption, will at once discover that they are men of the world, who can adapt their conversation to their hearers. First under this head is

etc.

77 JERMYN STREET.

George Smith, George Pope and Co.

The scenes which nightly occur at this house, beggar all description. It is a hazard table, where the chances are little in favour of the uninitiated player. The first pro

prietor is low in stature as in breeding, a corpulent, selfsufficient, strutting, coxcombical, irreligious prig. Mr P. is a respectable, decent, modest personage enough in his way. He is humble, and is forced to succumb to the other, who is the monied partner. Many tradesmen, broken, breaking, or in the right way, honour this house with their presence. This house, not being large enough for its trade, the proprietors have opened another in St James's Street.

OLDFIELD, BENNET AND CO.,

27 Bury Street.

He has

He is a

Mr Oldfield is not a well-proportioned man. red hair, and soon betrays his dunghill origin. pragmatical, bloated, officious, flippant coxcomb, with the tout-ensemble of a waiter.

At the Sunday houses, Mr Kelly, proprietor of the public rooms at Cheltenham, which are not sufficient for him, is a steady hand, and, being a stout stentor of an Hibernian, keeps all his comrades in great awe. He, like Lord Y—— frequently plays by deputy; but that is only for small sums. However, like the bear in the boat of Gay

He thought there might be picking
Even in the breast bone of a chicken.'

Bennet of Jermyn Street is tall and robust, with black hair and eyes, and a rather blue beard; and, as for Crockford, Do you know me? Excellent well! You're a fishmonger.''

CHAPTER VIII

Crockford's Club- His Life
Ude and the Magistrate
Crockford's.

À

propos of Crockford, or Crockey, as he was familiarly called, his was perhaps the most celebrated gambling house in London, and deserves especial mention. It was on the site now occupied by the Devonshire Club, No. 50 St James's Street. William Crockford was born in 1775, his father being a fishmonger in a small way of business, having a shop adjoining Temple Bar, which was pulled down in 1846. His father dying when he was young, the business was carried on, first by his mother, and afterwards by himself, but he soon took to betting and gambling, became a proficient at cards, and was more particularly skilled in the games of whist, piquet and cribbage; he frequented the better kind of sporting houses in the neighbourhood of St James's market, where the latter game, more especially, was much played, and for large sums, by opulent tradesmen and others. He made some money at gambling, became connected with. a gaming house in King Street, St James's, and then he turned his attention to horse racing; frequenting Tattersalls as a bookmaker, and becoming the owner of race horses. He had a splendid mansion and grounds at Newmarket, where he trained his stud, and at one time owned the celebrated horse Sultan, the sire of Bay Middleton, who won the Derby in 1836. But the roguery at Newmarket was too much even for him, and he sold his racing stud, and confined himself to his London businesses. About this time he is metrically described in a little pamphlet called “Leg