The age-herald., 1897-10-24

ness. For this they hurry over their meals, and abridge their most agre able Refreshments. For this alone they visit and we are visited'
 In the autobiography of Mir. Frederick Reynolds. he tells us that one of the most noted card-playing places near I1epden was Tw.ckcpham, and that there in Montrelier Row, lived four maiden la dies who were known. in the neighbor- hood as Manila, Spadille. Basl5 and Punto. Mrs, Harris writing to her son. the first Lord Malmesbury, says: Madame dl1 Walderen would fain have tempted me to her loo table, but I need ed little fortitude to withstand it, as one stake lost would ruin a whole alsembly. l preferred a sober game of quadrille with Miss ChidIeigh.' The Annual Register" for 1766 informs us that "a lady at ths West End lost, at & sitting one night last week 5000 guineas at loo." As early as the reign of Henry VII, prohibitory statute forbstls any persons, save those of noble rank, to play at cards except during Christmas, and Ter generations this custom was strictly adhered to- so that many who objected to touch a card at any other time relaxed their prejudices and played few games at this festive season. As late as the year 17s3, the European Mag azine for December says: ''I his b-ang the season when; and when only card playing is permitted in sober families for the recreation of men, women and children" etc, Cit may not be out of place to give few observations on games which at no distanti time were the most popular.s Among these games brag is spoken of as peculiarly adapted to tha fair and softer sex, and therefore SO much in vogue amongst the ladies of distinction that thereby they acquire a decent assurance and competency of scountenance so absolutely necessary in life; and remedy that shamefacedness. which is a defect of nature, by the as- sistance of her handmaid art
 The passion for gaming which was prevalent in the days of Queen Anne went on steadily increasing during the reigns of thl9 three Georges. The Gen. tleman's Magazine for 1753 tells us that His majesty played at St. James Pal ace on twelfth night for the bsr,efit of the groom-porter. Fortune favored the royal family; tha Duke of Cumberland wen 5000 pounds" The spirit of gam bling was by this time no longer con- fined to the court, it had broken lcese over the whole land; the taste was uni versal and alike indulged in by both not to ha confoun15d with An1ack's Assembly Rcoms-wa5 in Pail Mall. Horace Wa1po.ie gives a description of the pay an1 the company. ''They play only for 50 pounds rouleaux, and gen eraily 10000 pounds on the table" Th- SC lC nHohi Pldy ilcdIll Dut>lueSS apps Sd. IO havsl set to work in a very serious man. ner. They began" he says "by pulling off their embroidered clothes and put on fTieza great-ccats, Or they turned tllcir coats inside outwards for luck. They put cn pieces of leather-such as are worn by footmen when they clean knivss to save their lace ruff1es; and, to guard their eyes from light and to prevent tunbling their hair, they wore high crowned straw hats with broad brims adorned with flowers and ribbons, be- sides masks to conceal their emotions" :" Cha1les 'Jam'ss Fox and his elder brother Sterihen were conspicuous members of this Macoaroni assembly. Their father, Lord Holland, had paid over 20o0O pounds for them Some of Fox's tI.st friends were crippled in means during their whole lives on account of the an- nuities granted tly them as securities for him 10 the morey-lenders. Walrole w h. ders1 what Fox would do when he had ptayed. away the estates of all his friends. Mrs. Harris, writing in 1772, says: "Chsrles Fox sat down to cards la,-t Tuesday after dinner, played all night and next morning, and in that time lost 12000 pounlis; by , that aft:r- neon he lest 12,000 bounds. and II ,0000 pounds more." The mania for gambling was conspicuous in the Fox family. Lord Stavor5ale eldest son of stephen Fox, Lord Ilchester, when not 21 lost It, 900 at Almack's. but recovered it the same evening by one great hard at hazard. He swore a great oath. Now if ha'a been playing deep, I might have won mi milionsn"