The Hells.
The Times, 1824-12-09T00:00:00

TO THE EDl?Og OF. THF, TES; Sir, I-irTlterc has lately appeared, in-newspapers an'd elscwlbereasA article headed as above, attd peculiar Circumstinces have leed me tO reflkct gravely'on the subjec-. Soon after being. sent here, I wgs ladgedi inl a room adjeiniag three others holding-as may pri.' eonrirs; found gu-ilty, neaLrly- two years' agO, of 'bein concerned . with- ,ambling-houti If, in tie world, we should not '( deli the palr-: withi entertainment of eatch new-bateheld rnfledg. edl comrade," much less ought we to do so In such. 'a-place as this. No efFott was made bv me, er my fellow prisoners, to -become acquainted vwith each other but unavoidable meettnye and common courtesiss gradually led to it; and after a few veeks J found much pleasure-in their conversation. I found all ef i them intelligent nnd gentlemanly; na-, after monthsofinrirnacy w iy neai-est neighbour. I van freely Sav that I have seldcm met with any one iiore estimable. He, iudeed, had nothing to do with gambling rislks. e was-enmployed by one of the otbers with a salary of 61. a week, to overlook the play table, and see that there was no imptroper conduct or unfairness. His -evenings only being required for this, it interfered not with his rhief bust- ness; and treeing that the Laws against g.imbling-hoases bad Mot only been suEt'ered to sleep, 'but that the' greatest -men of the land freruentect them, he could neither imagine harm. norsuspectdanger. Last summer I read- in Tlwe Timzes a most viiulenit philippic against - gaenbling-houaes; and prejudice bding strong on the same side, -suchd articles pass unexamiaed, and *generally ap. proved. At an early period of life, I myself vieweA everv thing akin to gamablng with detestation: used to reflect en the choice of a notorious gambler to represeRt in Parliament my native eeunty; and -would not even receive as 'a gift a Lhareof alotterv-tkket. Azitcencerns myself I remain strait- laced in these matters; but now forbear being censorious, and wonld mnost assuredy vote for the free toleration of gambling-house.- call them elis, if you will.. W'hat is the state of man and the world ? Have we ever or any where found that the purpose of nature is to make usperfiecLy sccureanti happe i Does not religiro experience, all times, and all circurnstances,- afford proof that -we are placed here to struggle not only againet the passmons ofour fel- low-men, but our own ? Does not all aroand us induce belief.tbat action is essential tso happiness, that there must be scope for zdvea- ture, incitement to exertion, trial and temptation o This allowed, i would ask, where is5 the diference between speculating in thc funds and speculating at play-btitweett the man who maites money by watching the turn of the roarket, and him wiot watches the turn of a card-between the mar whose pas- sioi;s are inflamed amidst Wustle, and slang, and vultarity, and him wvho is led into temptation where polish is casaeitinl, end politeness indispensable? Set aside fraud, and so far as the indivi- dual is concerncd, rnost assuredly the liels of ST. Janme,'s-strret are more respectable than the recesses of Change-alley. In either all that law should provide is a strict guard agaiunst dishonesty. It it is said that allurerments are greater in the one than the other, I say it is just so much better for the purposes of life--for circulati-g inonev'shlarpening wit-raising up wise men, and' lowering fools. If pity points to a gambler's r uined family, and thence would plea-d for the suppression of gambling-houses, I would say that such occurrences are bighly beneficial. I would maintain th4t a sudden dash of folly is calculated te produce moregooEl than a pro- longation of weakness; that sudden and great misfortune is exem- plary,whilegradual decay can only dull the senses, and deaden sym- pathy. In short, Sir, I am clearly of opinion, that while Govern- ment relinquishes lotteries for ever, laws against gambling should. be wholly repealed. But, the chief object of this letter is not so mRuch to deprecate ex- isting lLaw, as to expose afl grantinequality of punishmentunder it. One of the pnsoners above-mentloned kept a ganmbling-bousEe one merely let out his houseforthis purpose; and the third va sempoyed as particularly sp"ken of above. The first being considered a wealthy nian,was sentenced to pay a fine of 5.0001.,after bodily confinement of' twelve months; 'the secwnd to pay OOL, after eighteen mouths' imprisonment; and the last 2001., af;er two years of corporeal du. rance ;-all in the direct inverse ratio of merit from the beginning- nut mark the end. He wvho was nmost culpable, having friends at Cnurt, was liberated some months ago without paving afarthing. Me who stood next him in blame, has paid the bodily penalty, but stillpi?ies in prison f'rom insuflficient interest: a,nd be whto is blame- less at heart, must remain here ast'lllltrce months, separated from his wife nowv suflening, trom disease; and then be at the mercy of Ikte Iome Secretary as tn the payment of his fine. Coming from ene sccsente of arerd,wr, this may excite little atten- tion, hut I hope it may stir up the s to give it higher colouring, and to exert themselves iu behalf of liberaliev ,,,l,h nrrt, .e ROBERT G01JR1JAY. House of Correction, Cold Bath-field- TRf7 HIJELaL-.