A lady at a Card Party who does not play.—1788.
"The Lady Archer, whose death was announced in this paper of Saturday, is not the celebrated character whose cosmetic powers have been long held in public estimation."—(Morning Post, Jan. 5, 1789.)
"It is said that the dealers in Carmine and dead white, as well as the Perfumers in general, have it in contemplation to present an address to Lady Archer, in gratitude for her not having DIED according to a late alarming report."—(Morning Post, Jan. 8, 1789.)
"A Kick up at a Hazard Table," by Rowlandson, is not only well drawn—but, doubtless, depicts a gambling affray, to the life.
Lady Archer, and Lady Buckinghamshire did not monopolise the gaming tables, there were other ladies in the field, and, as the game generally played, was Faro, these brelandieres were called Faro's Daughters.
"Mrs. Sturt's house, in St. James Square, was opened yesterday evening, for the first time this season, for public play. The visitors were numerous."—(Times, Feb. 5, 1793.)
"Many of our young sprigs of fashion, when the campaign opens, will have other game to attend to than the game of Faro. By risquing their persons they may serve their country; but by risquing their property, they can neither benefit the nation, nor do any good to themselves. Cocking a fire lock will redound more to their honour than cocking a card: and as they are fond of a game of Hazard, let them take the chance of the field, in preference to that of the gaming table:
"Some of the Faro Ladies have opened their play houses, and announced the Road to Ruin until further notice. The Gamesters was publicly rehearsed in St. James Square on Monday night."—(Times, Feb. 6, 1793.)
"The number of new gaming-houses, established at the West End of the town, is, indeed, a matter of very serious evil: but they are not likely to decrease while examples of the same nature are held forth in the higher circles of life. It is needless to point out any one of these houses in particular: it is sufficient for us to expose the tricks that are practised at many of them to swindle the unsuspecting young men of fortune who are entrapped into these whirlpools of destruction. The first thing necessary is, to give the guests a good dinner and plenty of wine, which many of these houses do, gratis. When they are sufficiently intoxicated, and, having lost all the money about them, their acceptance is obtained to Bills of Exchange to a considerable amount, which frequently are paid to avoid the disagreeable circumstance of a public exposition in a Court of Justice, which is always threatened, though the gamesters well know that no such measure durst be adopted by them.
"Should any reluctance, or hesitation, be shewn by the injured party, to accept these bills, he is shewn into a long room, with a target at the end of it, and several pistols lying about, where he is given to understand these sharpers practice a considerable time of the day in shooting at a mark, and have arrived to such perfection in this exercise, that either of them can shoot a pistol ball within an inch of the mark, from the common distance taken by duellists. A hint is then dropped, that further hesitation will render the use of the pistols necessary, and which will again be the case, should he ever divulge what he has seen, and heard.