Harrington's porter. Mais laisons la ce
discours triste, and let us talk of the living and lively world."
Selwyn made his world brighter by his wit and pleasantries, and the
sight of an execution did not depress his spirits. "With his strange
and dismal turn," wrote Walpole, "he has infinite fun and humour in
him."* And the author of a social satire blunted his thrusts at
Selwyn by a long explanatory note which concludes with the remark
that "George is a humane man."*

* Letters, vol. ii. 315.

* "The Diaboliad," P. 18. See Chapter 3.

It was Selwyn's fate--and in every generation we find some one of
whom the same may be said--to have his characteristics or foibles
exaggerated. It occurred to him in regard to witticisms and the
sight of executions; he did not complain of this, for he knew it
would be useless, but he disliked to be regarded as an habitual
jester or as possessing an unnatural taste for horrors.*

* "George, as soon as the King had spoken to him, withdrew and went
away, the King then knighted the ambitious squire. The King
afterwards expressed his astonishment to the group-in-waiting that
Mr. Selwyn should not stay to see the ceremony, observing that it
looked so like an execution that he took it for granted Mr. Selwyn
would have stayed to see it. George heard of the joke, but did not
like it: he is, on that subject, still very sore." ("Journals and
Correspondence of Lord Auckland," vol. ii. p. 210).

But another and more widespread habit is often referred to in his
letters. The gambling which Selwyn disapproved, but indulged in for
years, is constantly alluded to in his correspondence. The hold
which this vice had upon nearly every one who regarded himself as
belonging to the best society of London has never been more clearly
and vividly depicted than in Selwyn's letters. It was the protest--
always varying, always taking new forms, but always present--against
the monotony of life. Fortunes were nightly lost at Brooks's and
White's, and substantial sums were gambled away by ladies of
position and of fashion in the most exclusive drawing-rooms in order
to kill time. Selwyn himself was a sagacious and careful man; but he
was nevertheless a moderate gambler; he always perceived the folly
of it; and yet for a great many years, he was constantly risking
part of by no means a large fortune. The green table was the
Stock Exchange and turf of the time, men and women frequented the
clubs and drawing-rooms