Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-27
A GAMBLING FAMILY.
The Style Of Play in England a Century
Ago.

Forney's PrOgress.l
All of the brothers Fox-Charles,
James and Stephen-were desperate
gamblers. Charles Fox played ad-
mirably at whist and piquet-with
such skill, indeed, that at BroOke's,
along about 1772, it was generally adj
mitted he might have made G4000 a
year, as they calculated, at those
times, if he would have confined him
self to them. But his misfortunes
arose from playing pure games of
chance, particularly faro. After eat
ing and drinking freely, he sat down
at the faro table and invariably rose a
loser. Once indeed, and once only. he
won about fSO00 in the course of a
single evening. Part Of the money he
paid away to his creditors and the re,
mainder he lost almost Immediately.
Before he had attained his thirtieth
year he had completely dissipated
everything he could command or could
procure by the most ruinous expedi-
ents. Topham Beauclerc, who lived
much in Fox's society, affirmed that
no man could form an idea Of the ex-
tremities to which he has been driven
to raise money, after losing his last
guinea at the faro table. He was re-
duced, for successive days, to such
distress as to borrow money from the
club walters. The very chairman who
carried him to Brooke's he was unable
to pay, and they used to dan
him for their arrears In 1851 he
might be considered an extinct
volcano, for the pecuniary aliment
that had fed the fame was long con
sumed yet he then occupied a house
or lodging in st. james street, close
to Brooke's, and he passed at the club
almost every hour that was not de-
voted to the house of commons.
Brooke's was then the r~allying point
or rendezvous of the opposition,
where, while faro, whist and supper
prolonged the night, the principal
members of the minority in both
houses met to compare their informa-
ton, or to concert or mature their
measures. Great sums were borrowed
of Jews, at exOrbitant premiums.
Fox called his ante-rOom, where the
Jews waited till he rose, the Jerusa-
lem Chamber" The ruling passion
Of Charles was partly owing to the lax
training of his father, who by his Law
ish allowance fostered his propensity
for play. According to Chesterfield,
the first Lord Holland had no fixed
principles in religion or morality. y
He gave full swing to Charles in his
youth. Let nothing be done" said
his lordship, to break his spirit, the
world will do that for him" When
his lordship died, in liza, he left
Charles 9l54,00O to pay his debts. 1t
was all signed away and Charles was
soon as deeply pledged as before. Fox
once played cards with Fitzpatrick, at
Brooke's, from l0o'clock at night to G
o'clock the next evening, a waiter
standing by to tell them Whose deal
it was" they being too sleepy to know.
Another time, Fox having won and a
certain bond creditor presenting
himself for payment, was coolly
received. Impossible, sir" said
Fox, 81 must first discharge
my debts Of honor" The bond credi.
tor demonstrated. swell sir, give
me your bond. II was delivered "a
him and tearing it in pieces he threw
them into the fire. Now, sir he
said, my debt to you is a debt 0.
honor and he Immediately paid The
man. Walpole notes hal in the do.
bate on the thirty new articles, Feb
ruary 0, l772. Fox did not shine
Nor could II he wondered at he haC
sat up playing at hazard, az Almaek'i
from Tuesday evening the 4th, unit
five in the afternoon on Wednesdal
the 9TH. An hour before he had re
covered el2,000 that he had lost, anC
by dinner, which was FIVE o'clock, ha,
ended by losing ELL 600. On IN,
Tuesday he spoke in the above debat,
he went to dinner aftsy II o'clock a
night, from thence to Whites, Ehey.
be drank until seven the next morning
then went to Almack's, whore be wor
E6000, ADD between three and four il
the afternoon he set ont for New
Market. His brother stophep los
ell 900 tho night after and Charlie,
el0,OO0 mars on tho 18th, so that il
three nights the thsse brothers, tn,
eldest but twenty-five, lost a3a, 500.
When an old backwoodsman wa,
4 ska.. A. tot, he 6rst ,ido an . Mice