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without the leaft Intention to offend the Clergy (for whofe Function I have a fincere Reverence) I must have Permiffion to hint one thing.-It would be well taken if they would drop this Subject entirely in all their Difcourfes and Writings.-There is a fecret Impediment in a Gown and Band, which disqualifies the Owner from saying any thing to the Purpose on this head; for, as a Noble Lord well obferved, Honour should never be mentioned in the Pulpit, nor Religion out of it. Not that I think Justice fhould altogether be discarded; and I am of opinion that Temperance, with fome few Improvements, might be made useful enough: But Honour!

By Heavens it were an eafy Leap

To pluck bright Honour from the pale-fac'd Moon,
Or dive into the Bottom of the Deep,

And pluck up drown'd Honour by the Locks. Shakespear.

I hope no Man alive will fay any thing against Honour in my Hearing.

It is likewife alledged that Gaming has a Tendency to destroy all Distinctions of Rank and Quality; for that many Perfons of the moft fordid and obfcure Families are hereby introduced to Familiarities with the Great, by which the Dignity of the P-age is debased.

With Submiffion I am of a different Opinion: I think the Dignity of the P-r-ge is most effectually debafed by Pride, and exalted by Condefcenfion. What can be more amiable than to fee Perfons of

the

the highest Rank vying with each other to carefs an unfortunate Man, that is making a defperate Push with the laft Handful of Guineas he has in the World? Propofing Betts with fo much Affability, taking his Money in such a friendly Manner, and adminiftring the laft Offices to him with fuch a Fund of Humanity? I fee no Juftice in excluding every Stranger from an EO Table, that cannot produce a Pedigree traced from the Conqueft: If he has the Drefs, and Purfe of a Gentleman, that is fufficient: As for a full and true Account of his Birth, Parentage, and Education, let that be referved for another Time and Place.

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To say the Truth, these Questions about Family are more for Curiofity than Ufe; and do but ferve to delay Bufinefs. For when a Dozen Carrion B ird are met together in a Field, and get Scent of a Carcafe, I never could observe them debating whether it were an Horfe or an Afs they were about to devour : All they do is, to vote themselves hungry, and fall on without farther Ceremony.

Laftly, it is urged, the Example is pernicious: Vices of Quality naturally descend to a lower Sphere, and infect thofe, who can eafily learn the Corruptions, without having the Refources of Wealth; from whence Violence and Rapine are practifed, as the only means to feed Riot and Extravagance.

I am afraid this Reafoning will prove rather more than it intended; for at this rate Gentlemen must

restrain

reftrain their own Pleasures for the Sake of other People's Morals. Men of Wit and Spirit about Town must give up Genius, Fire, Vivacity, and all the Refinements of Life, in order to fave the Souls of half a Dozen Beggars. A very hopeful Scheme truly! But I doubt the Gamefters will hardly be at leisure to confult the Scruples of others, for this manifest Reason, because they have hitherto had none of their own; neither are their Confciences of that puling Kind, that will fubmit to be fed with this Milk for Babes:- they have Digestion for stronger Food.

Having thus far cleared the Gamefter from thofe Imputations, that might affect him in his private and public Capacity, I fhall now proceed to mention fome Advantages that refult from this Practice.

One great Advantage of Gaming is, that it teaches us to bear up against the Charms of Wealth, and Terrors of Poverty. For my own Part it hath serioufly affected me to reflect, that Money, the grand Source and End of all human Counfels, the Corruptor of Patriots, and Divider of Princes, for which Beauties languish, Heroes fight, and Sages write upon Virtue; should come to be utterly disregarded as a Thing of no Esteem amidst a general Diffolution of Morals, and in the Dregs of Time. There have been Philofophers who have defpifed Riches, when they could not get at them; and fome, who have advised the World to defpife them, while they have been hoarding themselves. But no Age, except the

prefent

prefent hath produced Spirits aspiring to this high Perfection; that have courted Poverty in the midst of Plenty; renounced Ease, when they were born to Luxury; and harraffed their Conftitutions to effect Designs, which the rest of Mankind, wholly blinded by Prejudice, are fure to confider as infamous and deteftable.

Having mentioned Philofophers, I cannot find in my Heart to proceed, without confidering from what Sect among the Ancients, the Principles and Tenets of our modern Gentlemen seem to be derived; and upon mature Reflexion, I find they are built upon the Ruins of the Cyrenäic, the Founder of which was Ariftippus, the finest Gentleman of his Age; and no doubt a Gamefter. And whoever has turned his Thoughts to examine the Conduct and Opinions of that Philosopher, as they are delivered to us by the most authentic Writers, will find the Parallel ftriking enough to justify a longer Digreffion than I at present design to make.

And first, Ariftippus was celebrated for his uncommon Contempt of Money; for being on a Journey, and finding his Attendants lag behind, too heavy laden with Treasure, he ordered them to leave it in the Defart, and pursued his Way without it.

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The Slaves at his Command

Scatter'd his Gold on Libya's barren Sand.

In

In Imitation of which Proceeding, his Followers among us fhew the utmost Forwardness to divest themfelves of that Incumbrance as fast as poffible.

Some Perfons have been furprifed, how our modern Gentlemen can fuftain that Character under the ftrange Variety of Drefs that Fashion prefcribes. What a different Appearance is made by the fame Individual, when you see him fauntring in the Mall, and lounging in the Play-house? Yet ftill the Gentleman appears through all. All which is directly traced from the Pattern of Aristippus : Sometimes he made a Figure in purple Robes; and often, as [b] Diogenes Laertius obferves, he would walk about with a Newmarket Switch in his Hand, his Hair in Papers, and his Hat in the Ancaster Cock:

Quidlibet indutus celeberrima per loca vadet,
Perfonamque feret non inconcinnus utramque.
His Dress, tho' varied, fix'd the public Eyes,
And fhew'd an Elegance that mock'd Disguise.

Hor.

Ariftippus had a wonderful Penchant toward the Fair Sex He would ride Poft at any Time, rather than baulk his Affignations: And once it is recorded he made a long Voyage, for the Pleasure of converfing with the celebrated Lais, the F-nny M-rry of her Age. But here the Scholars have far outftripped their Master, if we except the Sailing Expedition, which Fortune hath put out of the Queftion, by providing them with Miftreffes, as well as Surgeons, in every Street.

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