All Rights Reserved

DUCKWORTH & CO.

3 HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, W.C.

1898

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTORY

Difference 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

Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries-In the Seventeenth Century

-Celebrated Gamblers-Bourchier-Swiss Anecdote-Dicing in

the Eighteenth Century

CHAPTER I

Latimer and Cards-Discourse between a Preacher and a Professor-The

Perpetual Almanack, or Soldier's Prayer Book-Origin of Playing

Cards-Earliest Notice-Royal Card Playing

PAGE

28

CHAPTER II

Legislation as to Cards-Boy and sheep-Names of old games at Cards-

Gambling temp. Charles II.-Description of a gaming-house, 1669

-Play at Christmas-The Groom Porter-Royal gambling discon-

tinued by George III.-Gambling in church

CHAPTER III

Gambling early Eighteenth Century-Mrs Centlivre-E. Ward-Steele-

Pope-Details of a gaming-house-Grub Street Journal on Gambling

-Legislation on gambling-Peeresses as gaming-house keepers-A

child played for at cards-Raids on gaming-houses-Fielding

CHAPTER IV

Gambling at Bath-Beau Nash-Anecdotes of him-A lady gambler-

Horace Walpole's gossip about gambling-Awful story about

Richard Parsons-Gambling anecdotes-C. J. Fox

40

51

64

CHAPTER V

The Gambling ladies-Ladies Archer, Buckinghamshire, Mrs Concannon,

&c.-Private Faro Banks-Card-money-Gaming House end of

Eighteenth Century-Anecdotes-The profits of Gaming Houses-

C. J. Fox and Sir John Lade-Col. Hanger on gambling

PAGE

76

CHAPTER VI

The Gambling Clubs-White's, Cocoa Tree, Almack's-A few gamblers

described-Stories of high play-White's and its frequenters-

Brookes' and its players-Captain Gronow and his reminiscences

of gambling-Gambling by the English at Paris-The Duke of

Wellington-Ball Hughes-Scrope Davies-Raggett of White's

. 90

CHAPTER VII

Hanging, the penalty for losing-Suicide-Officer cashiered-Reminis-

cences of an exiled gambler-Description of the principal gaming-

houses at the West End in 1817

CHAPTER VIII

Crockford's Club-His Life-His new Club-house-Epigrams thereon-

Ude and the Magistrate-Description of Club-house-Anecdotes of

Crockford's.

CHAPTER IX

Hells in the Quadrant, 1833-Smith v. Bond-Police powers-" Confes-

Wagers and Betting-Samson-Greek and Roman betting-In the Seven-

teenth Century-"Lusty Packington "-The rise of betting in the

Eighteenth Century-Walpole's story of White's-Betting in the

House of Commons-Story by Voltaire-Anecdotes of betting-

Law suit concerning the Chevalier d'Eon

103

118

133

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150