in the trial.'(145)

(145) _The Gaming Calendar_, by Seymour Harcourt.

It may seem strange that such a man as Dick England could procure such
distinguished 'witnesses to character.' The thing is easily explained,
however. They knew the man only as a turf companion. We can come to no
other conclusion,--remembering other instances of the kind. For example,
the case of Palmer, convicted for the poisoning of Cooke. Had Palmer
been on his trial merely for fighting a fatal duel; there can be no
doubt that several noblemen would have come forward to give him a good
character. I was present at his trial, and saw him _BOW TO ONE, AT
LEAST, OF OUR MOST DISTINGUISHED NOBLEMEN_ when the latter took his
seat near the judge, at the trial. There was a _TURF ACQUAINTANCESHIP_
between them, and, of course, all 'acquaintanceship' may be presumed
upon, if we lay ourselves open to the degradation.

The following is a curious case in point. A gentleman of the highest
standing and greatest respectability was accosted by a stranger to whom
he said--'Sir, you have the advantage of me.' 'Oh!' rejoined the former,
'don't you remember when we used to meet at certain parties at Bath many
years ago?' 'Well, sir,' exclaimed the gentleman, 'you may speak to me
should you ever again meet me at certain parties at Bath, but nowhere
else.'

MAJOR BAGGS.

This famous gamester died in 1792, by a cold caught in 'a round-house,'
or place of detention, to which he had been taken by Justice Hyde, from
a gaming table.

When too ill to rise out of his chair, he would be carried in that chair
to the Hazard table.

He was supposed to have been the utter ruin of above forty persons at
play. He fought eleven duels.

THE DUC DE MIREFOIX.

The Duc de Mirefois was ambassador at the British Court, and was
extremely fond of chess. A reverend gentleman being nearly his equal,
they frequently played together. At that time the clergyman kept a petty
day-school in a small village, and had a living of not more than twenty
pounds a-year. The French nobleman made uncommon interest with a noble
duke, through whose favour he obtained for his reverend protege a living
of about L600 per annum--an odd way of obtaining the 'cure of souls!'

A RECLAIMED GAMBLER'S ACCOUNT OF HIS CAREER.

'Some years since I was lieutenant in a regiment, which the alarm and
policy of administration occasioned to be quartered in the vicinity of
the metropolis, where I was