The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1897-11-12
GAMES WITH CARDS.
SOURCES OF UNTOLD MERRlMENT
AND SORROW, SMILES AND TEARS.

Were as Deeply Infatuated as Men-Ev-
erything Made Subservient to Play For
Stakes-Some of the Old Games.
Possibly no other invention has ever
given rise to so much merriment and
sorrow, has called forth so many smiles
frowns and tears and has been the agent
in so many tragedies as pack Of cards.
The actual source of this invention still
remains mystery, the generally ac-
cepted story of origin being that in 1898
cards were introduced at the French
court as diversion for King Charles
VI during his temporary attacks of in
sanity. From this date they spread rap
idly through every country in Europe
and received such a warm welcome
from all classes that laws had to be
made for the better regulations of dice
throwing and card playing.
During the commonwealth card play
ing shared the Punishment of every
other amusement, but with the restored
monarchy reaction set in, and heavy
play became the fashion. Basset and
ombre were the games in favor at court,
and in the graphic picture given by
Evelyn of the last Sunday spent by
King Charles II at Whitehall he speaks
of sat least 60, 900 in gold'' on the bas-
set table round which "about 20 of the
great courtiers'' were sitting. Ombre
was also court game. Waller has a
poem ION card torn at ombre by the
queen" Pope also, in "The Rape of the
Lock, - gives such faithful description
of Belinda S game that the Hon. DANES
Darlington, writing in The Universal
Magazine for December, 1888, says,
"When ombre is forgotten (and it is al
most so already, it may be revived with
posterity from that most admirable
poem. In its turn ombre was deposed
for quadriIle, and for a time no one who
aspired to be counted among the beau
monde condescended to play any other
game. Mr.. Urban, in The Gentleman's
Magazine for 1886, gives Cautions
Against Quadrille" and warns "the
young and unwary of both sexes"
against most growing vice which if
not timely prevented will end in their
ruin. 81 mean," he says, the great
Increase of Play in private Houses, and
more particularly that artful and cheat
ing game of Quadrille " Quadrille was
equally popular in Paris, and pamphlet
is extant dated 1850 of 1.-THE game of
Quadrille by -Four as it is now played at
the French Court, - in which it says,
sit is allowed by all players that Qua
drille is more amusing and entertaining
than Ombre or any other game on the
cards, either because every Deal is
play'd out or that it better suits the
genius of the Ladies, to whom COM
plaisance and good manners must Preju-
dice the Gentlemen in it's favor" Such
a prejudicial hold had this fascinating
garne ttdfRen on women that a writer OF
the day declares that women now
spend all their time in gambling. Their
husbands, children, the duties of so.
ciety, are, without Quadrille, weari-
some encumbrances. Quadrille is the
joy that gives life, spirit and bright
ness. For this they hurry over their
meals and abridge their most agreeable
Refreshments. For this alone they visit
and are visited -
In the autobiography of Mr.. Frederick
Reynolds he tells US that one Of the
most noted card playing places near
London was Twickenham, and that
there, in Montpelier row, lived four
maiden ladies who were known in the
neighborhood as Mantle, Spadille, Bas-
to and Punto. Mrs. Harris, writing to
her son, the first Lord Malmesbury,
do Vol eof
have tempted me to her loo table, but I
needed little fortitude to Withstand it,
as one stake lost would ruin whole
assembly / preferred a sober game of
quadrille with Miss Chudleigh." The
Annual Register for 1866 informs US
that ''a lady at the West End lost at
sitting one night last week 3, 900 gui-
meas at loo. " AS early as the reign of
Henry VII a prohibitory statute for
babe any persons save those of noble
rank to play at cards except during
Christmas, and for generations this Gus
tom was strictly adhered to, SO that
many who objected to touch card at
any other time relaxed their prejudices
and played few games at this festive
sSd6Ou. AS 1dt0 DIS bu0 year 400 Liz
European Magazine for December says:
tThis being the season when and when
only card playing is permitted in sober
families for the recreation of men, wo-
men and children, etc., it may not be
out of place to give few observations
on games which at no distant time
were the most popular Among these
games brag is spoken of as peculiarly
adapted to the fair and softer sex, and
therefore SO much in vogue among the
ladies of distinction that hereby they
acquire decent assurance and compe-
tency of countenance so absolutely nee
essary in life, and remedy that shame
facedness, which is DEFECT of nature,
by the assistance of her handmade art y
The passion for gaming which was
prevalent in the days of Queen Anne
went on steadily increasing during the
reigns of the three Georges. The Gen
tleman' S Magazine for 1863 tells us that
"his majesty played at st. James pal
ace ON Twelfth Night for the benefit of
II e. L