1828.] Ljfe in the West. 43 



The keepers of gaming-houses,, as has been already demonstrated, are 

 the most splendid persons in the world. The bankers and croupiers 

 shine out in all the lustre of jewelled watches and gold snuff-boxes. The 

 footmen and porters wear double the usual strength of buckle in their wigs. 

 And the master of the ceremonies, who attends to get people out of the 

 house after they have lost their money, is always a gentleman in powder, 

 full dressed in black, and having much the appearance of a clergyman 1 

 The gamesters themselves are of different classes, according to the length 

 of time they may have figured in their " sporting " character. 



The first class consists of those newly introduced, plenty of money at 

 immediate command, surrounded by the affections and esteem of friends and 

 relatives, great in resources, of a contented, happy, healthful, and respectable 

 appearance, with gold watches, and a variety of other costly ornaments. It 

 is a matter of joke and speculation with the second and third class, how long 

 these appendages to a gentleman will be retained, keenly recollecting how 

 they had been compelled to part with their own. Some have carriages, horses, 

 servants, &c. These are treated with marked respect; bows and smiles at 

 every turn ; but in a short time they begin to feel the griping influence of 

 such places, and all their advantages by degrees to wither, when most of 

 them are seen descending to the second class. 



The second class is composed of those who formerly held a station in the 

 first. These wear upon their visages a look of care and deep anxiety, and 

 have nearly drained their resources dry, their friends beginning to shy arid 

 turn their backs upon them. From having a good change of habilaments, 

 they now appear, day after day, with the same clothes on, though still of 

 genteel appearance. Their horses, &c. all sold off, and their watches and 

 ornaments at the pawnbroker's, when maiiy of them descend rapidly to the 

 third class. This being 1 observed, an awkward show of respect is paid them 

 by the creatures of the hells ; in short, they can scarcely treat them with com- 

 mon civility. 



The third class here it would be well if there were nothing more to dis- 

 close. The third class consists of those who have descended from the first 

 class to the second, and have at last reached a degree of abject misery truly 

 heart-rending. Their money all gone, their resources wholly dried up, and 

 their connections and friends (hopeless of them) entirely lost to them. They 

 present pictures of the deepest distress, want, and despair, not knowing where 

 to obtain a meal one over another, or how to secure a bed night after night ; 

 their clothes faded and threadbare. The closely buttoned-up coat, but ill 

 conceals the absence of a waistcoat or a shirt, or the soil of them. These, 

 then, are shut out from " hell" to " hell," till none, but the lowest description, 

 will admit them. At night, they flock to the English hazard houses, where 

 they bury their miseries in sleep upon chairs, or upon the ground. Many will 

 group together, and utter bitter and horrid imprecations upon their follies 

 and unhappy condition. 



The descriptions of the miserable condition of a gambler, and his usual 

 abject state of heart and feeling after his money is gone, are given with 

 considerable force and spirit. A few anecdotes of the desperate shifts 

 which men are drawn to, in hope of obtaining a few pounds, or even 

 shillings, from the people who have won all of them, will tell this story 

 better than any other description of extract could do. .The symptoms 

 commonly begin with an effort to play upon credit. This is refused 

 and the party is no longer admitted to the house. Entire poverty and 

 destitution then comes ; and efforts are made to borrow small sums a 

 source of supply which must necessarily be soon over. The next effort is 

 to try compulsion : and, there, the broken man's object is commonly to get 



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