r North, and it was well it was no worse."'

WROTHESLY, DUKE OF BEDFORD.

Wrothesly, Duke of Bedford, was the subject of a conspiracy at Bath,
formed by several first-rate sharpers, among whom were the manager of a
theatre, and Beau Nash, master of the ceremonies. After being plundered
of above L70,000 at Hazard, his Grace rose in a passion, put the dice
in his pocket, and intimated his resolution to inspect them. He then
retired into another room, and, flinging himself upon a sofa, fell
asleep.

The winners, to escape disgrace, and obtain their money, cast lots who
should pick his pockets of the loaded dice, and introduce fair ones in
their place. The lot fell on the manager of the theatre, who performed
his part without discovery. The duke inspected the dice when he awoke,
and finding them correct, renewed his party, and lost L30,000 more.

The conspirators had received L5000, but disagreed on its division, and
Beau Nash, thinking himself ill-used, divulged the fact to his Grace,
who saved thereby the remainder of the money. He made Nash a handsome
present, and ever after gave him his countenance, supposing that the
secret had been divulged through pure friendship.

THE DUKE OF NORFOLK.

A similar anecdote is told of another gamester. 'The late Duke of
Norfolk,' says the author of 'Rouge et Noir,' writing in 1823, 'in one
evening lost the sum of L70,000 in a gaming house on the right side of
St James's Street: suspecting foul play, he put the dice in his pocket,
and, as was his custom when up late, took a bed in the house. The
blacklegs were all dismayed, till one of the worthies, who is believed
to have been a principal in poisoning the horses at Newmarket, for which
Dan Dawson was hanged, offered for L5000 to go to the duke's room with
a brace of pistols and a pair of dice, and, if the duke was awake, to
shoot him, if asleep to change the dice! Fortunately for the gang, the
duke "snored," as the agent stated, "like a pig;" the dice were changed.
His Grace had them broken in the morning, when, finding them good, he
paid the money, and left off gambling.'(141)

(141) Rouge et Noir; the Academicians of 1823.

GENERAL OGLE: A BOLD STROKE.

A few weeks before General Ogle was to sail for India, he constantly
attended Paine's, in Charles Street, St James's Square. One evening
there were before him two wooden bowls full of gold, which held L1500
guineas each, and L4000 in rouleaus, which he had won.