The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-25
fr,om rrcv,lyans History Of Fox.l

which that society ossioWtu WV" ~
proceedings. AS far back as the reign .,
William The Th,rd, foreigners bad observed
that on matters great and small the only
sure test OF English opinions was the state
~ the odds. Our ancestors were men OF
their hands more ready with sword and
purse than with word and pcn-- who
regarded duel as the natural
issue OF quarrel and a bet as The
most authoritative solution OF an argu-
ment. To drug through newspapers and
law courts the lepg,5ening scandal OF dis
mite which a single interview IN one OF the
marks would settle with credit, II not with
satisfaction, 10 both parties, was not more
errpugnant to their idea OF what was becom-
ing and convenient than 10 spend twenty
minutes IN confutlng man who had so 1T
lie faith In bis own view that he would not
back II With twenty euiDeas. But by tbe
time George the Third was on the throne
pei sons OF rank and position were tired
Of being challenged to stake tbelf
money by frtquepters OF pubic col
fec.houses whose capacity TO pay was
doubtful, and about whose anticipations as
10 the date Of the coming dissolution and
the destination Of the next blue ribbon they
did not care farthiDg. The first London
clubs OF the model 10 which that name is
now exclusively applied were instituted,
among other kindred purposes, with The
object OF providing the world OF fashion
with central Office for making wagers,
and a registry for recoi ding them. Ard
so IL cones about that the betting.
book at Brooks's has an interest OF its
own wbic3 resembles nothing In any
library OF meseum in the country. The en-
tries in its pages, most characteristic OF The
time and tbe men, Standing, each In their
proper order, between the covers within
which they were originally wrilten-u0l-
form In their general character, but with
variety OF detail as ineXhausiibie us TIE
circumstances OF Our national history anu
the changes in our national manneis--iorm
volume which is to an ordinary collection
Of autographs what the " Liber Veritatls "
OF Claude Is 10 a portfolio Of detached
sketches by the great masters. Fifty gui-
meas that Tburlow gets tellelship OF
The Exchequer for his son; hfty gul-
meas that Mademoiselle Heinel does not
dance at The Opera-House next winter; MY
euiDeas that Two thousand people were al
The Pantheon last evening; Dfty gulneas
that Lord leicester gives his first vote IN
opposition and bits eight out OF his first ten
pheasapts; three hundred To fifty from
nobleman who appreciated the privileges OF
a bachelor that the Duke Of Devonshlre,
Lord CholmondeIey, and two given CON-
moners are AIRED before him; nve GUT
meas down, to receive hundred II the Duke
OF QueeBsbury dies before half an hour after
8 In the afternoon OF the 21th OF June,
1873; hundred guipeas on tue Duke
of QueeDsbury's life against Lord
Palmerston's; a hundred guineas that
Lord Derby does not see the next
general election. ard hundred guiDeas,
between two unusually discreet members OF
the club, that some one in their eye does
not live ten years from the present dale.
The betting was hottest IN war time ana
during the period while notorious criml-
nal remained untried or unhanged; Tor the
disciples OF George Selwyn were never tired
OF calculating the chances OF people dying
elsewhere than i'm their eds. The old yell
low leaves are scored thick with bets that
one OF the Peireaus would be hanged; that
neither OF them would be hanged, and that
Mrs. Rudd would be admitted 10 bail; that
DIR. D0dd would be executed within TWO
months; that he would anticipate the gat-
lows by suicide, and that II he Killed him.
self IL would be by pistol, and not by pol
son. Fitzpatrick. flying at higher game,
laid five hundred guuefs 10 ten That none
Of The Cabinet were beheaded by that gay
three years; and another gentleman, who
Dtlitttu tut tDtiuUCHOit tbtiibSNh%y "
not only possible, but probable, was free
spoken enough to name his minister. Shll
holder spirits did not shrink from placing
their money upon prophecies which
the delicacy Of a. later age has taken ef'
feciual care 10 render ineligible; fof, IN
deed, there was no event or experience IN
the whole compass OF human existence
which March and his friends thought II
nee. ssary to exclude from The field OF lesiti-
male speculation. 1t was ia allusion 10
quite tbe most innocent class OF these per-
sonai and domestic wagers that Lord Mount
ford, when asked whether his daughter was
going to present him with grandchild, re-
piled: ''Upon my word, DO not know. l
have no bet upon it,"
SOME OF Fox's BEIs.
For ten years, from It'll Onward, Charles
Fox betted frequently, largely, and judi
ciously on the social and political occur.
reDces OF the lime. He laid two hundred
guineas that Lord North would be First
Lord OF the Treasury 10 March, 1913, and
twenty guineas that he would stall be First
Lord In March, 1776, "bar death y; hun
dred and 6fly to fifty that the tea act was
not repealed In the winter session Oh
1774; twenty guineas that Lord North.
ingion. who took more kindly to water
U,
next me he went into the Thames or any
otner river; ten guineas down, TO receive
five hundred whenever Turkey In Europe
belonged TO European Power or Powers;
and q guinea down, to receive fifty "wbeD-
ever Mr.. Croft forgets two by honors in Mr..
Fox's presence" He was fond OF wagers
the settlement OF which was dependent
upon an an,ecedent condition. "Lord Us
sorry bets Mr.. Charles Fox one hundred
guineas to ten that DIR. North Is not
Bishop of Durham this day two mouths,
provided the present bishop dies within
that time." "Mr. 4. Foley bets Mr..
Charles Fox fifiy guineas England is at war
with France this day two years, surprising
Louis XIV. dead" And Mr.. Charles Fox
himself bets hundred guineas against the
Duke OF Devonshlre having the Garter
within seven years, "the Dnke 10 I'VE or
no bet.v When the Perreaus were on their
trial for forgery Fox was concerned In I've
bets out OF consecutive group OF SIX, and
It is pleasant 10 remark that even IN his
hours Of sport the young reformer OF The
penal code was on the side OF mercy.
Many pages together during 1774
and 1775 are half-coyefed By his un-
formed but frank, resolute, and most read
able band@riiDg, and no single name APP
pears anything like so often as bis. until at
the outbreak OF the Revolutionary war, un-
der the excitement OF the downward and
upward rush If consols and OF defeats on
land alternating with victories at sea, Sheri-
dan brought forth from It's retirement the
almost neglected volume and turned 1t int
something very IKE private betting-boak
OF his own. But the wagers made by Fox
H.. L. IL.