Amusements serious and comical, calculated for the meridian of London by Mr. Brown.

Gaming-Houses.

GAMING is an Estate to which all the World has a Pretence, tho' few espouse it that are willing to keep either their Estates, or Reputa∣tions. I knew two Middlesex Sharp∣ers not long ago, which Inherited a West-Country Gentlemen's Estate; who, I believe, wou'd have never made them his Heirs in his last Will and Testament.

Lantrillou is a kind of a Republick very ill ordered, where all the World are Hail Fellow well met; no distin∣ction of Ranks, no Subordination ob∣served. The greatest Scoundrel of the Town with Money in his Pockets, shall take his Turn before the best Duke or Peer in the Land, if the Cards are on his side.

From these Priviledg'd-Places, not only all Respect and Inferiority is Ba∣nish'd; but every thing that looks like Good Manners, Compassion, or Humanity: Their Hearts are so Hard and Obdurate, that what occasions the Grief of one Man, gives Joy and Satisfaction to his next Neigh∣bour.

The Gracians met together in for∣mer Times, to see their Gladiators shew their Valour; that is, to Slash and Kill one another; and this they called Sport? What a Cursed Barbari∣ty was this? But are we a Jot Inferi∣our to them in this respect, who Chri∣sten all the Disorders of Lansquenet by the Name of Gaming, or to use the Gamesters own Expression, where a Parcel of Sharks meet, To Bite one a∣nothers Heads off.

It happened one Day, that my Traveller dropt into a Chocolate-House in Covent-Garden, where they were at this Noble Recreation. He was wonderfully surprized at the Od∣ness of the Sight. Set your self now in the room of a Superstitious Indian, who knows nothing of our Customs at Play, and you will agree that his Notions, as Abstracted and Visionary

as they may seem, have some Foundati∣ons in Truth. I present you here with his own Expressions as I found them set down in a Letter which he sent in∣to his own Country.