CONTENTS
| [I] | PAGE | |
The gambling spirit inborn in mankind—Its various forms inreality identical—Resemblance of gamblers to the alchemistsof old—Capriciousness of fortune—Importance of small advantagesat play—An extraordinary run at hazard—Napoleonand Wellington little addicted to cards—Blücher's love ofgaming—He wins his son's money—Avaricious gamesters—Anecdotesof the miser Elwes—Long sittings at the card-table—Moderninstance in London—Two nights and a dayat whist at the Roxburgh Club—Casanova's forty-two hourduel at piquet—Anecdotes of Fox, the Duke of Devonshire,Sir John Lade, Beau Nash, and others—Country houses lostat play—"Up now deuce and then a trey"—The Canterburybarber | [1] | |
| [II] | ||
The spirit of play in the eighteenth century—The Duke ofBuckingham's toast—Subscription-Houses, Slaughter-Houses,and Hells—The staff of a gaming-house—JosephAtkinson and Bellasis—Raids on King's Place and GraftonMews—Methods employed by Bow Street officers—Speculativeinsurance—Increase of gaming in London owing toarrival of émigrés—Gambling amongst the prisoners of war—TheDuc de Nivernois and the clergyman—Faro and E.O.—Crusadeagainst West-End gamblers—The Duchess ofDevonshire and "Old Nick"—Mr. Lookup—Tiger Roche—DickEngland—Sad death of Mr. Damer—Plucking a pigeon | [38] | |
| [III] | ||
Former popularity of dice—The race game in Paris—Descriptionof hazard—Jack Mytton's success at it—Anecdotes—Frenchhazard—Major Baggs, a celebrated gamester of thepast—Anecdotes of his career—London gaming-houses—Waysand methods of their proprietors—Ephraim Bond andhis henchman Burge—"The Athenæum"—West-End Hells—Crockford's—Opinionof Mr. Crockford regarding play—TheAct of 1845—Betting-houses—Nefarious tactics of theirowners—Suppression in 1853 | [74] | |
| [IV] | ||
Craze for eccentric wagers at end of eighteenth century—LordCobham's insulting freak and its results—Betting andgaming at White's—The Arms of the Club—The old betting-bookand its quaint wagers—Tragedies of play—White's to-day—£180,000lost at hazard at the Cocoa Tree—Brummellas a gambler—Gaming at Brooks's—Anecdotes—GeneralScott—Whist—Mr. Pratt—Wattier's Club—Scandal atGraham's—Modern gambling clubs—The Park Club case in1884—Dangers of private play | [103] | |
| [V] | ||
Talleyrand whilst at cards announces the death of the Ducd'Enghien—"The curse of Scotland"—Wilberforce at faro—Successfulgamblers—The Rev. Caleb Colton—ColonelPanton—Dennis O'Kelly—Richard Rigby—Anecdotes—Strangeincidents at play—Aged gamesters—A duel withdeath—General Wade and the poor officer—Anecdote of acaprice of Fortune—Stock Exchange speculation—A manwho profited by tips | [137] | |
| [VI] | ||
Colonel Mellish—His early life and accomplishments—Hisequipage—A great gambler—£40,000 at a throw!—Posting—Mellish'sracing career—His duel—In the Peninsula—Ruralretirement and death—Colonel John Mordaunt—Hisyouthful freaks—An ardent card-player—Becomes aide-de-campto the Nawab of Oude—Anecdotes—Death from aduel—Zoffany in India and his picture of Mordaunt'scock-fight—Anecdotes of cock-fighting | [167] | |
| [VII] | ||
Prevalence of wagering in the eighteenth century—Riding ahorse backwards—Lord Orford's eccentric bet—Travellingpiquet—The building of Bagatelle—Matches against time—"OldQ." and his chaise match—Buck Whalley's journeyto Jerusalem—Buck English—Irish sportsmen—Jumpingthe wall of Hyde Park in 1792—Undressing in the water—ColonelThornton—A cruel wager—Walking on stilts—Awonderful leap—Eccentric wagers—Lloyd's walking match—SquireOsbaldiston's ride—Captain Barclay—Jim Selby'sdrive—Mr. Bulpett's remarkable feats | [204] | |
| [VIII] | ||
Gambling in Paris—Henry IV. and Sully—Cardinal Mazarin'slove of play—Louis XIV. attempts to suppress gaming—JohnLaw—Anecdotes—Institution of public tables in 1775—Biribi—Gamblingduring the Revolution—Fouché—Thetables of the Palais Royal—The Galeries de Bois—Accountof gaming-rooms—Passe-dix and Craps—Frascati's and theSalon des Étrangers—Anecdotes—Public gaming ended inParis—Last evenings of play—Decadence of the PalaisRoyal—Its restaurants—Gaming in Paris at the present day | [235] | |
| [IX] | ||
Public gaming in Germany—Aix-la-Chapelle—An Italian gambler—TheKing of Prussia's generosity—Baden-Baden—M. dela Charme—A dishonest croupier—Wiesbaden—An eccentricCountess—Closing of the tables in 1873—Last scenes—Arrivalof M. Blanc at Homburg—His attempt to defeat hisown tables—Anecdotes of Garcia—His miserable end—ASpanish gambler at Ems—Roulette at Geneva and inHeligoland—Gambling at Ostend—Baccarat at Frenchwatering-places—"La Faucheuse" forbidden in France | [282] | |
| [X] | ||
The Principality of Monaco—Its vicissitudes—Early daysof the Casino—The old Prince and his scruples—MonteCarlo in 1858 and 1864—Its development—Fashionable in the'eighties—Mr. Sam Lewis and Captain CarltonBlythe—Anecdotes—Increase of visitors and present democraticpolicy of administration—The Cercle Privé and its shortlife—The gaming-rooms and ways of theirfrequenters—Anecdotes—Trente-et-quaranteand roulette—Why the cards have plain white backs—Jaggers'successful spoliation of the bank—The croupiers and theirtraining—The staff of the Casino—Theviatique—Systems—The best of all | [319] | |
| [XI] | ||
Difficulty of making money on the Turf—Bigwins—Sporting tipsters and their methods—JackDickinson—"Black Ascots"—Billy Pierse—Anecdotes—LordGlasgow—Lord George Bentinck—Lord Hastings—Heavybetting of the past—Charles II. founder of the EnglishTurf—History of the latter—Anecdotes—Eclipse—Highflyer—Thefounder of Tattersall's—Old time racing—Fox—LordFoley—Major Leeson—Councillor Lade—"LousePigott"—Hambletonian and Diamond—Mrs. Thornton'smatch—Beginnings of the French Turf—Lord HenrySeymour—Longchamps—Mr. Mackenzie Grieves—Plaisanterie—Establishmentof the Pari Mutuel in 1891—How the large profits areallocated—Conclusion | [374] | |
| [INDEX] | ||
| [437] | ||
ILLUSTRATIONS
The gambling spirit inborn in mankind—Its various forms in reality identical—Resemblance of gamblers to the alchemists of old—Capriciousness of fortune—Importance of small advantages at play—An extraordinary run at hazard—Napoleon and Wellington little addicted to cards—Blücher's love of gaming—He wins his son's money—Avaricious gamesters—Anecdotes of the miser Elwes—Long sittings at the card-table—Modern instance in London—Two nights and a day at whist at the Roxburgh Club—Casanova's forty-two hour duel at piquet—Anecdotes of Fox, the Duke of Devonshire, Sir John Lade, Beau Nash, and others—Country houses lost at play—"Up now deuce and then a trey"—The Canterbury barber.