the vulgar minds of
the visitors of his kingdom. His dress was magnificent; his gold lace
unlimited, his coats ever new; his hat alone was always of the same
colour--_white_; and as the emperor Alexander was distinguished by his
purple tunic and Brummell by his bow, Emperor Nash was known all England
over by his white hat.

It is due to the King of Bath to say that, however much he gained, he
always played fair. He even patronized young players, and after fleecing
them, kindly advised them to play no more. When he found a man fixed
upon ruining himself, he did his best to keep him from that suicidal
act. This was the case with a young Oxonian, to whom he had lost money,
and whom he invited to supper, in order to give him his parental advice.
The fool would not take the Beau's counsel and 'came to grief.' Even
noblemen sought his protection. The Duke of Beaufort entered on a
compact with him to save his purse, if not his soul. He agreed to pay
Nash ten thousand guineas, whenever he lost the same amount at a
sitting. It was a comfortable treaty for our Beau, who accordingly
watched his grace. Yet it must be said, to Nash's honour, that he once
saved him from losing eleven thousand, when he had already lost eight,
by reminding him of his compact. Such was play in those days! It is said
that the duke had afterwards to pay the fine, from losing the stipulated
sum at Newmarket.

He displayed as much honesty with the young Lord Townshend, who lost him
his whole fortune, his estate, and even his carriage and horses--what
madmen are gamblers!--and actually cancelled the whole debt, on
condition my lord should pay him L5000 whenever he chose to claim it. To
Nash's honour it must be said that he never came down upon the nobleman
during his life. He claimed the sum from his executors, who paid
it.--'Honourable to both parties.'

But an end was put to the gaming at Bath and everywhere else--_except in
a royal palace_, and Nash swore that, as he was a king, Bath came under
the head of the exceptions--by an Act of Parliament. Of course Nash and
the sharpers who frequented Bath--and their name was Legion--found means
to evade this law for a time, by the invention of new games. But this
could not last, and the Beau's fortune went with the death of the dice.

Still, however, the very prohibition increased the zest for play for a
time, and Nash soon discovered that a private table was more comfortable
than a public one. He entered in