Moon, and won from her every seventieth part of the time she illumined
the horizon--all which parts he united together, making up _FIVE DAYS_,
and added them to the Earth's year, which had previously consisted of
only 360 days.(4)

(3) Herod. 1. ii.

(4) Plutarch, _De Isid. et Osirid._

But not only did the gods play among themselves on Olympus, but they
gambled with mortals. According to Plutarch, the priest of the temple of
Hercules amused himself with playing at dice with the god, the stake or
conditions being that if he won he should obtain some signal favour, but
if he lost he would procure a beautiful courtesan for Hercules.(5)

(5) _In Vita Romuli_.

By the numerous nations of the East dice, and that pugnacious little
bird the cock, have been and are the chief instruments employed to
produce a sensation--to agitate their minds and to ruin their fortunes.
The Chinese have in all times, we suppose, had cards--hence the
absurdity of the notion that they were 'invented' for the amusement
of Charles VI. of France, in his 'lucid intervals,' as is constantly
asserted in every collection of historic facts. The Chinese invented
cards, as they invented almost everything else that administers to our
social and domestic comfort.(6)

(6) Observations on Cards, by Mr Gough, in Archaeologia, vol. viii.
1787.

The Asiatic gambler is desperate. When all other property is played
away, he scruples not to stake his wife, his child, on the cast of a
die or on the courage of the martial bird before mentioned. Nay more, if
still unsuccessful, the last venture he makes is that of his limbs--his
personal liberty--his life--which he hazards on the caprice of chance,
and agrees to be at the mercy, or to become the slave, of his fortunate
antagonist.

The Malayan, however, does not always tamely submit to this last stroke
of fortune. When reduced to a state of desperation by repeated ill-luck,
he loosens a certain lock of hair on his head, which, when flowing down,
is a sign of war and destruction. He swallows opium or some intoxicating
liquor, till he works himself up into a fit of frenzy, and begins
to bite and kill everything that comes in his way; whereupon, as the
aforesaid lock of hair is seen flowing, it is lawful to fire at and
destroy him as quickly as possible--he being considered no better than a
mad dog. A very rational conclusion.

Of course the Chinese are most eager gamesters, or they would not have
be