The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Female Gamester, by Gorges Edmond Howard

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Title: The Female Gamester

Author: Gorges Edmond Howard

Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7840]
Posting Date: July 28, 2009

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FEMALE GAMESTER ***

Produced by Oliver Walden

THE FEMALE GAMESTER

A TRAGEDY

By Gorges Edmond Howard

Et quando uberior vitiorum copia? quando
Major avaritiae patuit sinus? alea quando
Hos animos? neq; enim loculis comitantibus itur,
Ad casum tabulae, posita sed luditur arca.
Juv. Sat. I.

Sure none in crimes could erst beyond us go!
None such a lust for sordid avarice show!
Was e'er the Die so worn in ages past?
Purses, nay Chests, are now stak'd on a cast.

To the
Countess of Charlemont,
the Lady Viscountess Southwell,
and Lady Lifford.

As the example of Persons of rank and quality, must ever have
a powerful influence upon all others in society, and as I know
none among the many eminently virtuous characters of your sex,
(for which this kingdom is above all others distinguished) with
whom I have the honour of being acquainted, more conspicuous
than your Ladyships, for excellence of conduct in every female
department in life, I, therefore, thus presume in taking the
liberty of presenting the following DRAMATIC ESSAY to your
patronage, and am, with the highest respect,

Your Ladyships'

Most obedient servant, &c.
The Author.

To the Reader.

I have always been of the same opinion with the Author of
the Preface to the translation of Brumoy's Greek Theatre;
in which, speaking of Tragedy, he hath expressed himself
in the following lines: "In England, the subject is frequently
too much exalted, and the Scenes are too often laid too high.
We deal almost solely in the fate of Kings and Princes, as if
misfortunes were chiefly peculiar to the great. But our Poets
might consider, that we feel not so intensely the sorrows of
higher powers, as we feel the miseries of those who are nearer
upon a level with ourselves. The revolution and fall of empi