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Play. The Merchant often rifks his whole Effects in one Bottom, and the Gentleman often hazards all his Estate upon one Rubber : 'Tis true they are both liable to the Strokes of Fortune; for one cannot command the Winds and the Waves, any more than the other can the Aces and Honours; but their Designs are the fame, equally tending to advance their Family, and to ferve their Country. The whole Distinction is, that when the fatal Stroke happens, one is styled a Bankrupt, the other a Cull; but for my own Part, I must be indulged in calling the Gamefter, under those Circumstances, a Broken Merchant, because it was the Term we used at School when a Boy had loft all his Marbles.

But. now, to fee the different Treatment the misjudging World affords to these two baffled Adventurers; One is received with Pity, the other with Infamy; neglected by his Friends, infulted by his Enemies, despised by all.-This is the Reward of diftreffed Merit in this Northern Climate! These are the Fruits a Gentleman is to expect after having facrificed his Time, Health, and Quiet, in the Profecution of a noble Scheme, merely because he has happened, in the Experiment, to beggar himself and his Pofterity.

But I hope thefe Gentlemen, when they are brought to a Situation wherein they shall no longer choose to be popular, I truft, they will appeal from the Clamours of the Multitude, to the ftill Voice of their own Confcience-And when they fhall hear themselves traduced as Poifoners of Morals, and Corruptors of Youth, they will lay

their Hands upon their Breasts (where they will be fure to find all quiet) and reflect that all this happened to Socrates long ago.

I now come to thofe Objections wherein the Gamefter is taxed as an Enemy to the general Good of the Community. And first, those oldfashioned Politicians (there are not many of them left) who think Righteoufnefs exalteth a Nation, are in Pain for the general Defection to Vice, which Gaming occafions; and they are grievously afraid that the horrid Oaths and Blafphemies which are daily vented, and numberlefs Frauds which are inceffantly practifed, will foon complete the Measure of our Iniquities, and bring on the third Earthquake very shortly.

As to Oaths, the Objection, I must needs say, is frivolous enough; for as all Persons are agreed, Gentlemen must fwear somewhere, what is the matter whether it be done in the Progress of a Rubber, or an Intrigue, in W-te's Chocolatehoufe, or a Lady's Bed-Chamber? But for my own Part, fince Perjuries have been fo freely tolerated of late, I thought (and if I am wrong I beg Pardon for a very innocent Miftake) I took it for granted that Oaths had been allowed, as tending to enliven Converfation, and to revive Eloquence.

The Suppofition of Blafphemy must proceed from a want of Candour, which, I hope, few wilk imitate. Such Words fhould not be rafhly applied to large Affemblies, where it is odds but far the greater Part are entirely innocent; for how can Men blafpheme a Power which they do not acknowledge to exift?

As

As to Frauds, they could never be fufpected, if the Principles on which Gentlemen regulate their Conduct were once known, which I fhall therefore take leave to disclose as briefly as poffible.

It is agreed by Philofophers, there is a ftriat Analogy between the Natural and Moral Systems. Now as the Mass of Nature, according to Ariftotle, is compounded out of four principal Ingredients, to which he afterwards added a Quinta Effentia, of more refined Nature and occult Qualities; fo Morality is formed in like manner out of four Elements, which are vulgarly styled the Cardinal Virtues, befides which there is a Quintessence called Honour, for the Ufe of the Nobility and Gentry,--but No Others; for thus the matter is ordered; the Mob content themselves with the Elements, leaving to the Quality the fole Poffeffion of the Quinteffence. As to defining it, I shall not fet about it for the prefent, nor in all Likelihood for the Time to come, it being a thing much easier to be felt than understood.-And here 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 difqualifies the Owner from faying any thing to the Purpofe 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 Juftice fhould altogether be dif carded;

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carded; and I am of opinion that Temperance, with fome few Improvements, might be made useful enough: But Honour!.

By Heavens it were an easy Leap

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

And pluck up drowned Honour by the Locks. Shakespear. I hope no Man alive will fay any thing against Honour in my Hearing.

It is likewise 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 Prge is most effectually debased by Pride, and exalted by Condefcenfion. What can be more amiable than to fee Perfons of the highest Rank vying with each other to caress 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 last Offices to him with fuch a Fund of Humanity? I fee no Justice in excluding every Stranger from an E O Table, that cannot produce a Pedigree traced from the Conqueft: If he has the Dress, and Purse of a Gentleman, that is fufficient: As for a full and true Account of his Birth, Parentage, and Edu

cation,

cation, let that be referved for another Time and Place.

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

Lastly, it is urged, the Example is pernicious: Vices of Quality naturally defcend to a lower Sphere, and infect thofe, who can easily learn the Corruptions, without having the Resources 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 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 manifeft Reafon, 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 Digeftion for stronger Food.

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