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commend this Treatife to the World with all the Warmth and Zeal, that becomes the Promoters of useful Knowledge, the Patrons of Learning, the Judges of Science, and the Investigators of Truth.

I am, Gentlemen, with all poffible Respect, Deference, Submission, and Veneration,

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MODEST DEFENCE

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GAMING.

First Printed in the Year 1754.

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F all the zealous Efforts that have been made by the Reformers of this Christian Age to check the Progress of Vice and Immorality, the Clamour against Gaming hath met with the greatest Number of Voices to fupport it: the Journalist worries it from the Prefs: the Preacher curfes it most devoutly from the Pulpit; and to crown all, the Tragedian thunders against it from the Stage. This laft courageous Author, in the Hurry of his Valour, difdaining the Precaution of most Heroes, who have ufually entered upon these Adventures, cased in Poetry, and armed at all Points with Rhyme and Metaphor, fallies out with no earthly Weapon, but honest blunt Profe, upon the old Scheme of fighting Giants, and taming Monsters. But firft

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first he fends out his little Dwarf of a [a] Prologue, to challenge the Hydra from her Den, and to defire she would come out and be tamed: they meet; and after a Fight of three Hours, the Monster having received some secret Wound, nobody knows where, falls down and expires. So Moore of Moore-Hall With Nothing at all

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 least 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 Justice; or hath Covent Garden been destroyed by Fire from Heaven? What Wisdom is it to connive at these 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 leisure to deal in Controverfy, it might be expected their Dependants would take the Pen in their Behalf. However, fince Gratitude has not done

[a] Our Author, Sirs, is come a Monster-taming, Arm'd at all Points against the Hydra--Gaming. Prologue to the Gamfter.

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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 Philofophy, 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 Rick empty away.

In order to fet this Matter in the clearest Light, I fhall fairly state and answer those Objections that are made to the Gamefter, confidered as Mafter of a Family, and Member of the Community; that we may fee 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 Careleffnefs hath overlooked, or Prejudice misconstrued.

And first it is reprefented as a Matter of Scandal, that a Gentleman fhould indulge himself in a perpetual Courfe of licentious Diverfions, while his Lady is left to bear the Burthen of Familyœconomy, and repining for the Lofs of that Tenderness to which the hath an undoubted Claim.

Here I obferve, how difficult it is for Englishmen. to preserve Reverence, or even common Modesty, 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 fubmitted to the vulgar Drudgery of inspecting

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