he
legislature--in deference to _PRINCIPLE_, 'which nobody could deny.'

After the lapse of many years--the evil being on the increase--the
legislature stirred again during the reign of George II., and passed
several Acts against gaming. The games of Faro, Basset, Hazard, &c.,
in fact, all games with dice, were proscribed under a penalty of L200
against the provider of the game, and L50 a time for the players.
Roulette or Roly Poly, termed in the Act 'a certain pernicious game,'
was interdicted, under the penalty of five times the value of the thing
or sum lost at it.

Thus stood the statute law against gaming down to the year 1845, when,
in consequence of the report of the select committee which sat on the
subject, a new enactment was promulgated, which is in force at the
present time.

It was admitted that the laws in force against gaming were 'of no avail
to prevent the mischiefs which may happen therefrom;' and the lawgivers
enacted a comprehensive measure on the subject. Much of the old law--for
instance, the prohibition of games which interfered with the practice
of _ARCHERY_--was repealed; also the Acts of Charles II., of Queen Anne,
and a part of that of George II.--Gaming houses, in which a bank is kept
by one or more of the players, or in which the chances of play are not
alike favourable to the players--being declared unlawful, as of old.
Billiards, bagatelle, or 'any game of the kind' (open, of course, to
legal discussion), may be played in private houses, or in licensed
houses; but still, in the case of licensed houses of public resort,
the police may enter at any time to see that the law is complied with.
'Licensed for Billiards' must be legibly printed on some conspicuous
place near the door and outside a licensed house. Billiards and like
games may not be played in public rooms after one, and before eight,
o'clock in the morning of any day, nor on Sundays, Christmas Day, Good
Friday, nor on any public fast or thanksgiving. Publicans whose houses
are licensed for billiards must not allow persons to play at any time
when public-houses are not allowed to be open.

'In order to constitute the house a common gaming house, it is not
necessary to prove that any person found playing at any game was playing
for any money, wager, or stake. The police may enter the house on the
report of a superintendent, and the authority of a commissioner, without
the necessity of an allegation of two householders; and if any