ith all my heart," replied Sparkle--"_Hell_ is the general title now
given to any well-known gaming-house, and really appears to be well
chosen; for all the miseries that can fall to the lot of human nature,
are to be found in those receptacles of idleness, duplicity, and
villany. Gaming is an estate to which all the world has a pretence,
though few espouse it who are willing to secure either their estates
or reputations: and these Hells may fairly be considered as so many
half-way houses to the Fleet or King's Bench Prisons, or some more
desperate end. The love of play is the most incurable of insanities:
robbery, suicide, and the extensive ruin of whole families, have been
known to proceed from this unfortunate and fatal propensity.

"_Greeks, Gamblers, Knowing Ones, and Black-legs_, are synonimous terms,
applied to the frequenters of the modern Hells, or Gaming-houses,
and may be distinguished from the rest of society by the following
peculiarities in pursuits and manners.

"The _Greeks_ of the present day, though they may not lay claim to, or
boast of all the attributes of the _Greeks_ of antiquity, must certainly
be allowed to possess that quality for which the latter were ever so
celebrated, namely, _cunning and wariness_: for although no modern Greek
can be said to have any resemblance to Achilles, Ajax, Patroclus, or
Nestor, in point of courage, strength, fidelity, or wisdom, he may
nevertheless boast of being a close copier of the equally renowned
chief of Ithaca. You will find him in most societies, habited like a
gentleman; ~192~~his clothes are of the newest fashion, and his manners
of the highest polish, with every appearance of candour and honour;
while he subsists by unfair play at dice, cards, and billiards,
deceiving and defrauding all those with whom he may engage; disregarding
the professions of friendship and intimacy, which are continually
falling from his lips.

"To become a good _Greek_ (which, by the way, is a contradiction) it
will be found necessary to follow these instructions:

"In the first place, lie should be able to command his temper; he should
speak but little, and when he does mingle in conversation, he should
most decidedly deprecate play, as a source of the greatest evil that
can prey upon society, and elucidate its tendencies by striking examples
which are well known to himself, and which are so forcibly impressed
upon his recollection, that he is determined never to play deep ag