ON THE PHILO'SOPHY OF SPORTS. 27 



merely to change its theatre from one quarter 

 of the town or from one houfe to another. 

 Whilft the gambhng mania continues to pre- 

 vail, cither among rich or poor, its appetite 

 will be fatiated in your defpite, and even per- 

 haps increafe in the ratio of your preventive 

 exertions. But it feems many a worthy gen- 

 tleman, after having loft his all at the gaming- 

 table, has taken it into his head to proceed as 

 far as the Fimjh: and would you, unreafonable, 

 feek to deprive free-born man of fuch glorious 

 privileges ? How different is your conduct 

 from that of thofe legiflators of old, who fur- 

 niflied poifon at the public expence, for fuch 

 of the citizens as imagined themfelves in need 

 of it ; the beft poffible fatire upon fuicide. Do 

 you really fancy that laws, either againft gaming 

 or duelling, can poflibly have a coercive effect 

 upon the mind of a man defperate, abandoned, 

 or foolifh enough to rifle life and property 

 upon the winking of an eye, or the cutting of 

 a card ? 



Unlimited toleration has ever been the moft 

 fuccefsful prefcription for the cure of religious 

 phrenzies, and I am firmly perfuaded, all that 

 is curable, or ought to be cured, in the prefent 

 cafe, will fubmit to no other method of treat- 

 ment. In my opinion (and I claim the privi- 

 lege of giving it freely, becaule far from 

 defiring to reftrain any, I moft cordially wifii 



to 



