of a [a] Prologue, to challenge the Hydra from hef Den, and to defire she would come out and be tamed: they meet; and after a Fight of three Hours, the Monster having received fome fecret Wound, nobody knows where, falls down and expires. So Moore of Moore-Hall Hath flain the Dragon of Wantley. But, in the Name of Fortune, what has the Society of Gamefters done to provoke all this Violence? If the Zeal of Gentlemen lies upon their Hands, let them however employ it upon its proper Objects. There are Vices at leaft as epidemic as Gaming, and far more pernicious, that may employ all the Wit and Genius any modern Author has to fpare. Hath Extortion been banifhed from the Seat of Trade; Perjury from the Courts of Juftice; or hath Covent Garden been deftroyed by Fire from Heaven? What Wisdom is it to connive at thefe Enormities, and vent our Spleen upon an innocent Diversion, which, if an Infirmity, is furely the Infirmity of Noble Minds? That this Caufe fhould hitherto have wanted, Advocates, will, no doubt, appear fingular: for though the Profeffors themselves are not at leifure to deal in [a] Our Author, Sirs, is come a Monster-taming, ་ Controverfy, it might be expected their Dependants would take the Pen in their Behalf. However, fince Gratitude has not done them this good Office, Juftice fhall; and I hope those noble Perfonages will interpret, with their ufual Candour, the Intentions of one, who honours them for their Principles, though he is a Stranger to their Perfons: Principles that open and enlarge the Soul; dear to Philosophy, because they are founded in the Contempt of worldly Things; Friends to Policy, because they make Money circulate, and teach Industry the Way to thrive; fomething allied to Religion too, for they fill the Hungry with good Things, and fend the Rich empty away. In order to fet this Matter in the cleareft Light, I fhall fairly ftate and answer thofe Objections that are made to the Gamefter, confidered as Mafter of a Family, and Member of the Community; that we may see how far his Profeffion can be thought to affect either Domeftic Peace, or public Happiness: After which I fhall briefly enumerate the Advantages that refult from this Practice, which either Careleffness hath overlooked, or Prejudice misconstrued. And firft it is reprefented as a Matter of Scandal, that a Gentleman fhould indulge himself in a perpetual Course of licentious Diverfions, while his Lady is left to bear the Burthen of Family-ceconomy, and repining for the Lofs of that Tenderness to which fhe hath an undoubted Claim. Here I observe, how difficult it is for Englishmen to preserve Reverence, or even common Modefty, when 4 when they are difcourfing of their Superiors. Here is the whole Body of the Female Nobility and Gentry ftigmatized in a Lump, as if they submitted to the vulgar Drudgery of infpecting the Accounts and Morals of their Families: Such Calumnies as thefe are not the less injurious to Decency, because in this Country of Freedom they may be vented with Safety; neither is it any ways fit, that Characters of this exalted Rank fhould lie at the Mercy of the vulgar Herd, who judge without Diftinction, and cenfure without Feeling. As to the other Chimera, that Women of Qua lity ever repine for their Hufbands Abfence, or that one fingle ftraggling Idea ever went in fearch of them, or their Amufements, their Bufinefs, or their Company, I can only wonder, where it found an Imagination to harbour it. Is any one fo wild to conceive that Numbers marry for any other Purpose than to get a Separation as faft as poffible? Some wed for a Title; fome are weary of a Mother's Leading ftrings; fome fettle in the World, that they may run loose about the Town, and indulge the Marriage Liberties: 'Tis the Lawyer, not the Priest, tyes the Knot; they mortify for the prefent, to have Pleasure in Reverfion. But the strongest Objection against this Commerce in the Eye of the World is still behind; and that is, Allegiance to the higher Powers: For there reigns in this Island a Monarch, who unfortunately could not be prevailed upon to abdicate at the Revolution, though though he had always claimed and exercifed a difpenfing Power; the Prince I mean is Fashion. His Laws differ in one Refpect from thofe of the Medes and Perfians, for they altered not; whereas his are fhifting every Hour; but they agree in this Point, that whoever opposes them had as good be caft into the Den of Lions, and devoured out of the way; for no human Creature will give him Countenance, or be seen in his Company. This Prince, like a wife Legiflator, hath built his Syftem of Government upon the old Foundation of Rewards and Punishments. The Ladies of England enjoy from Fashion, as the rest of us do from the Common Law, certain Rights and Privileges, that are not to be forfeited, except by their own Confent. It would be needlefs to recite them at prefent; they are contained at large in the Grand Charter Fashion gave his Subjects; they, on their fide, engaged to fubmit their Thoughts, Words, and Actions, to his Direction, and to do him Homage as their Liege Sovereign. From this fhort Sketch it will be eafy to point out the Confequence, if any Woman of Fashion were to commence an Acquaintance with her own Hufband: She would be excommunicated from every Affembly in Town, and her Name expunged from the Catalogue of human Beings. Gentlemen therefore may well be excused for not obtruding Vifits, which are unconftitutional, and void in themfelves; neither ought the Gamefters in particular to be taxed for Principles which they only hold in common with all Perfons of Figure and Taste. VOL. I. N It It is further alledged against the Practice of Gaming, that the Heirs of great Families are often ruined by the Vices of their Parents, and reduced from a State of Affluence to ftruggle against Poverty with a Spirit broken by Disappointment. Let us argue this Matter calmly. The Mischiefs of a vicious Education are univerfally lamented; and, I hope, all will concur to apply the Remedy, wherever found, without any Mixture of Paffion and Prejudice. I fay then, it is one main End of the wife Inftitution of Gaming, to prevent or correct the Effects of a vicious Education, and to fecure our Youth from Intemperance by the falutary Restraints of Want and Poverty. It is the Confidence of inheriting great Eftates that naturally begets Idleness and Debauchery; and do we cenfure those whofe unwearied Practice it is to abate this Confidence? It is to this independent Spirit we owe the Exiftence of thofe Creatures that walk upright, and are called Bucks; and from this is derived that monftrous Brood of Country Squires, whofe fole Bufinefs and Pleasure it is to kill Foxes; a Practice that cannot eafily be juftified either to God or Man, because those Animals do lefs Mischief in a Manor, and are a far more rational Vermin than themselves. But if the Principles of Play were duly attended to, the Heirs of Gaming Families would reflect on their precarious Situation, and shelter themselves in fome Liberal Profeffion: They would confider, that Industry |