pean Continent held a higher position than Redmond Barry
then; and when the Duke of Courland lost, he was pleased to say that we
had won nobly; and so we had, and spent nobly what we won.

At this period my uncle, who attended mass every day regularly, always
put ten florins into the box. Wherever we went, the tavern-keepers made
us more welcome than royal princes. We used to give away the broken meat
from our suppers and dinners to scores of beggars who blessed us. Every
man who held my horse or cleaned my boots got a ducat for his pains.
I was, I may say, the author of our common good fortune, by putting
boldness into our play. Pippi was a faint-hearted fellow, who was always
cowardly when he began to win. My uncle (I speak with great respect of
him) was too much of a devotee, and too much of a martinet at play ever
to win GREATLY. His moral courage was unquestionable, but his daring was
not sufficient. Both of these my seniors very soon acknowledged me to be
their chief, and hence the style of splendour I have described.

I have mentioned H.I.H. the Princess Frederica Amelia, who was affected
by my success, and shall always think with gratitude of the protection
with which that exalted lady honoured me. She was passionately fond of
play, as indeed were the ladies of almost all the Courts in Europe in
those days, and hence would often arise no small trouble to us; for the
truth must be told, that ladies love to play, certainly, but not to PAY.
The point of honour is not understood by the charming sex; and it was
with the greatest difficulty, in our peregrinations to the various
Courts of Northern Europe, that we could keep them from the table, could
get their money if they lost, or, if they paid, prevent them from using
the most furious and extraordinary means of revenge. In those great days
of our fortune, I calculate that we lost no less than fourteen thousand
louis by such failures of payment. A princess of a ducal house gave us
paste instead of diamonds, which she had solemnly pledged to us; another
organised a robbery of the Crown jewels, and would have charged the
theft upon us, but for Pippi's caution, who had kept back a note of hand
'her High Transparency' gave us, and sent it to his ambassador; by which
precaution I do believe our necks were saved. A third lady of high (but
not princely) rank, after I had won a considerable sum in diamonds and
pearls from her, sent her lover with a band of cut-throats to wayl