Star.
London, England, 1827-11-08 00:00:00

's •
betide a selanadiged PreoshillifiSillc way of fir-
/eft MOWN (for mere lookers mare not very acceptable
company) threw a feflet:e franc pieces, cue by one, en
the some oeletweeithl stokes, each of which varied
from ono to ten Naptieons. After twelve chances I
had losf'about thirty franca, but the Frenchman con-
.
rifted pitying,. end within, twenty minutes rose a win-
ner of three hundred Napoleons, which the banker
changing fot,paper, he coolly put into his waistcoat
pocket, and Talked off. A slight emotion was visible
around the table, bet there was no other expression. I
had now timeto look around me. and enjoy a little re-
flection for my foolish risk. It would be difficult to say
whether more anxiety was displayed amonrthe sitters
. or the sompaety at their backs. The attractive foci of
all eyes were the everlasting varieties of red and black,
thong% not accompanied by the usual grotesque mob
of kin' , queens, and knaves, the latter being probably
etc . ed by the jealousy of their living fraternity around
lar
the t- le. A strong and steady light spread over the
faces of all present, and in some few showed the quiver.
ings and workings of the most intense passion ; but the
same stare or tip-toe and fear pervaded the whole as
sensblage. Some counted their money wish apparent
caution, and seemed to divide their winnings from their
. store with affected precision, probably with an idea of
tite winnings being unfit company for other coin ; whilst
others listlessly played with their cash, or in a vulgar
phrase, handled it like dirt, the distinguishing feature
of the cold and calculating gametter, to whom money
is an object of secondary concern compared with that
of play. In the standing groupe I remember to halve
noticed (frot(r.his personal resemblance to a friend) a
young Englishman, whom I afterwards lesrnel,hs
been a constant:visitor to that table during the previdur
three months, and had then wolf about two hundred
Napoleons. He lied just mintied an interesting women.
about his own age, twenty-two. and had professedly
takea up his degree in the practice of play, as an ele
gain and honourable mode of subsistence.A few weeks
after I met him and his wife, on the Italianlloulevards; in
dress he was woefully changed, and in his countenance a
gtsasay storeounken eye, and emaciated cheeks, bespoke
some &song reverse of fortune: his wife too seemed
dimmed 'by :sorrow and suffering might be traced in
every lineament Of her features, notwithstanding the
artifice of dress was caudally displayed about her
person. Alas.! thought I, how often is the charm of
wedded life snapped asunder by man—the proud !or d
.of the creation, and how often by his strong hold on her
effectious, does he sink lovely woman still fondly cling
lag to his disgrace, in the abyss of crime and guilt.
But as such incidents must be common to many of
your readers who have visited the French metropolis, I
shall desist from further recital. The following outline
of those receptacles of vice, News* Gaoling flosses,
irons facts which I collected on the spot. aided by
authenticated resources, may not prove uninteresting :
Gaining-houses in Paris were first licensed in 1775
by the lieutenant of police, who, to diminish the odium
of such establishments, decreed that the profit resulting
Irmo them should be applied to the foundation of bus.
pica's. The gamesters might therefore be said to re-
semble watermen, looking one way and rowing another.
Their number soon amounted to twelve, and women
were permitted to resort to them two days in the week.
B:sides the licensed establishments, several illegal ones
were talerated. In 1778, gaming was prohibited in
France; but not ar the court or in the hotels of Ambas-
sadors,w here police officers could not enter.Bydegrees the
public establishments resumed their wonted activity, and
extended'their pernicious effect. The numerous suicide.
and bankruptcies which they occasioned, attracted the
attention of the Parlesvent, who drew up regulations for
their obseivince; and threatened those who should
violate them with the pillory and whipping. At length,
the passion for gambling prevailing in the societies es
tablished in the Petals anal, under the title of dubs or
salons, a police ordinance was issued in 1785, prohibit-
ing them from gaming, and in the following year, ad.
ditienal prohibitory measures were enforced. During
the revolution, the gaming houses were frequently pre-
vented and licences withheld; but notwithstanding the
rigour of the laws, and the vigilance of the police, they;
still contrived to exist; and they are now regularly
licensed by the police, and are under its immediate in-
spection. The following items of twenty tables distri-
buted about Paris (the established stake varying from a
• Napoleon 'so a sons) ate how the most authentic do-
cunsents :
novel* exposes .
..lisk so Gownrown -
Boons far the bail

. 1,551,480 Prams.
. 64000,000 Francs.
166,666 Francs.

linking together 7.716446 fret. or about X321;589 English.
Gals o4be talks. per sooola . . 9,600/300 France.
lispeoset as above . . 11.714.141 Frame.

Levine a esearipreit of . . 4881.854 Francs.
Or 'bout 78,2441. Engitabs! And yet, in spite ot this
usansvretable logic ot figures and facts, there are every
day fresh victims who are infatuated enough to believe
tba,s it is possible to counterbalance the advantages
whieh the bank possesses, by a judicious management
of the poser tire player has of altering his stake ! The
regesioe formerly paid to the Governmeat for licences
has recently been ttansferrectto the city of Pat is.
In England, the outcry against gaming is loud, and
desetrolly so; and the extent to which it is stated to
be carried in the higher circles is rather underrated
that eseggerated; but the severity of our laws on this
erime, and recent visitations of its rigour, confine it to
the saloons of wealthy vice. With or it is not a national
vice, as iti- trance, where every licence, facili y, and
`igen encouragement presents itself. Lotteries, which
hse been abolished in England as immoral nuisances,
are rated n; Frances, with more mischievous effect,
since ritlx is considerably less than our least shares
lice
format y were, the lotteries smaller, and those drawn
three times every month. The relics t f our gaming
arisen% are only to be fend on race courses; but in
France half the toys sold fit a fair orfete, whre mo.
tilers Ali tattles for their childless. ate by.lottery, whilst
our eating at fairs is rftiticted to a few low adven•
with for solar-boxes, *e. Despair k the gloomiest
feakie of the French character, and of which gaming
products a ftightful proportirta, notwithstanding all
that our neighbours say about our hanging and drown.
ing in November s witness their suicides:
In 1819 Soiddes, 574; of which, 124 wane*
100 ie. 523 do. 154 do.
1621 do. 548 do. 155 do.
. _ _

Of the suicides of these ttree years 25. 50. and 35.
were attributed to love, and 52, 42, 43. to despair aris-
ing front gaming, tiro lottery, Ike. In the winner of
1826 several etagorated !cues by gaming wet: cis cu.
laced in Paris with great finesse, to enable bankrupts to
account for their deficiencies, many of whom were ef-
fused and deservedly punished.
A (SW words on the prevention of puling, the
consideration of which gave rise to this hasty sketch ;
limn by dramatic exhibitions of its direful r ffects. Oa
our stage- we bare a pathetic tragedy by E. Moore,
which, though seldom acted, is a fine domestic moral
to old and young ; but the author
" Was tis owls Ilemeler•a daps to play."
It is scarcely necessal y to allude to the Itetill trans-
fers of a Faeoch ezposi of gambling to our English