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It will not appear ftrange, after what was faid in the laft Paragraph, that Ariftippus had several natural Children; but there being no Foundling Hofpital in those Days, he told their Mothers in his eafy Way, Procreation was not what he defired or intended; that for his Part, he confidered Children as mere bodily Secretions: However, if the Parish chose to provide for them, he had no Objection. Our Proceeding, till of late, was the exact Counterpart of this: Now indeed the Cafe is altered; and Gentlemen commit Fornication in the Spirit of Patriotism, in order to raife Supplies for the Herring Fishery.

However, there is one thing which it would be unfair in me to fupprefs: Horace introduces Ariftippus holding a Converfation with Diogenes the Cynic, wherein he fays of himself, what History hath likewife confirmed;

Equus ut me portet, alat rex.

Officium facio

I fell my Flattery for Gain,

And fawn for Luxury which Kings maintain.

The Philofopher, it feems, not being born to an independent Fortune, condefcended to accept certain Gratuities from the Princes and Great Men of his Time; and, for fear of lofing his Penfion, was their very obfequious and devoted humble Servant; which is the only material Point, wherein his Character differs

differs from that of our Nobility, to whom nothing of this Sort can, with any Colour, be objected.

But to return to my Argument, (which I do with the fame Pleasure that a Gentleman who has cut out, returns to a Rubber) another Advantage of Gaming is, that it clears the Mind of many uneafy Paffions. Tully has left us a Treatife against Perturbations; but, in my Opinion, Mr. Hoyle has published a much better for Use and Practice: For whoever has ftudied the Works of this Philofopher, enjoys a State of moft bleffed Infenfibility: He is in perfect Charity with all Mankind, forgiving Injuries, and forgetting Benefits: He has a Wife and Children, Relations and Friends; but he has neither Fears for their Welfare, nor Tears for their Distress: He bears their Afflictions with the moft Chriftian Patience, and kiffes the Rod with which Providence hath chaftifed them: Conforming precifely to that Divine and Stoical Precept of Epictetus, "If thy "Friend be in Extremity, thou mayeft say thou

haft Pity on him; but be fure not to feel any, "because that is an Infirmity beneath the Dignity "of Man."

A third Advantage refulting from this Practice is, the Influence it hath upon the Military Establishment. It must give Pleasure to every Lover of his Country, to observe us exactly tracing the Plan, which Horace prefcribes in that folemn Ode addreffed to his Friends, for the reftoring warlike

Discipline

Discipline among the Roman Youth: Speaking of

whom he fays;

Anguftam, amici, pauperiem pati

Robuftus acri militia puer
Condifcat, & Parthos feroces

Vexet eques metuendus baftâ.

Let the brave Youths, whofe Souls for Glory pant,
Suftain the manly Difcipline of Want,

They ne'er fball forink from Death's impending Blow,
Nor breathe from Slaughter, 'till they've quell'd the Foc.

Horace appears to have been very fond of this Doctrine; for, in another Part of his Works, he tells a Story of a Soldier in Lucullus's Army, who had been robbed of all his Money by Thieves. The Fellow was in a violent Rage, fwore like a Trooper; and, fully determined neither to give nor take Quarter, runs to the Head of the Forlorn-hope, ftorms a Caftle, and fhielded by his Defpair, came off without Lofs of Life or Limb; but when he had reimbursed himfelf by Plunder, his Courage by no means feconded the Motion his General made to him foon after, to go upon fuch another Expedition; for he very cooly asked him,

D'ye think me, Noble General, fuch a Sot?
Let him take Caftles who bas ne'er a Groat.
Mr. Pope.

From whence we may collect, that Men in eafy Circumftances are not the fitteft to go upon desperate Adventures; and that those who have charged

through

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through a Troop of Creditors, are most likely to have the fame Succefs when they face an Enemy.

What then shall we fay to a British Army, in which there are perhaps Half a Dozen Officers, all Gaming-proof, with empty Purses, and ftarved Hopes, who fear neither God nor Devil, have felt the worst that Man can do, and have laid in a Fund of Desperation fufficient to answer the Exigencies of an whole Campaign though it were commanded by Hannibal himfelf? And fhall we renounce fuch Advantages as these, in which the Interests of Europe are concerned, to gratify popular Prejudice and Clamour? I take Gaming, confidered in this Light, to be the best Inftrument for enabling us to fulfill our Treaties on the Continent.

:

Another great Advantage of Gaming is, that, like Charity, it is the constant Reconciler of Differences, and the chief Uniter of Mankind: Here Company meet without the leaft Regard to Age, Condition, or Party Fortune's Veterans mix with young Adventurers, and teach them the Path to Honour: The Courtier and the Patriot cut in together, equally complain of Grievances, and want Supplies: No Man's Principles are queftioned, if his Credit be uncontefted; for Money is indifferent to Parties, and freely lifts itself on either Side.

To conclude; let me offer one Argument, which perhaps will weigh more with our Opponents than either

either Reafon or Juftice; and that is, the Impoffibility of fucceeding in their Attempt. This is no Time to expect Success in Projects that have been fo often baffled. What hath the Wisdom of the Nation effected by its Laws, or the Fury of the Rabble by its Clamours? The Rulers have confpired together, and the People imagine a vain thing. Vain indeed! They had better therefore renounce their Oppofition while they can do it with a good Grace, and say at once with the Great Durandarte,

[c] Patience! and shuffle the Cards.

[c] Vide Don Quixote.

VOL. I.

THE

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