(61) It will be seen in the sequel that gambling was vastly increased in England by the French 'emigres' who sought refuge among us, bringing with them all their vices, unchastened by misfortune.
Fouche, the minister of police, derived an income of £128,000 a year for licensing or 'privileging' gaming houses, to which cards of address were regularly furnished.
Besides what the 'farmers' of the gaming houses paid to Fouche, they were compelled to hire and pay 120,000 persons, employed in those houses as croupiers or attendants at the gaming table, from half-a-crown to half-a-guinea a day; and all these 120,000 persons were SPIES OF FOUCHE! A very clever idea no doubt it was, thus to draw a revenue from the proceeds of a vice, and use the institution for the purposes of government; but, perhaps, as Rousseau remarks, 'it is a great error in domestic as well as civil economy to wish to combat one vice by another, or to form between them a sort of equilibrium, as if that which saps the foundations of order can ever serve to establish it.'(62) A minister of the Emperor Theodosius II., in the year 431, the virtuous Florentius, in order to teach his master that it was wrong to make the vices contribute to the State, because such a procedure authorizes them, gave to the public treasury one of his lands the revenue of which equalled the product of the annual tax levied on prostitution.(63)
(62) Nouv. Heloise, t. iv.
(63) Novel. Theodos. 18.
After the restoration of the Bourbons, it became quite evident that play in the Empire had been quite as Napoleonic in its vigour and dimensions as any other 'idea' of the epoch.
The following detail of the public gaming tables of Paris was published in a number of the Bibliotheque Historique, 1818, under the title of 'Budget of Public Games.'
STATE OF THE ANNUAL EXPENSES OF THE GAMES OF PARIS.
These 20 Tables are divided into nine houses, four of which are
situated in the Palais Royal.
To serve the seven tables of Trente-et-un, there are:—francs 28 Dealers, at 550 fr. a month, making. … 15,400 28 Croupiers, at 380 … … … . … . 10,640 42 Assistants, at 200 … … … … … 8,400 SERVICE FOR THE NINE ROULETTES AND ONE PASSE-DIX. 80 Dealers, at 275 fr. a month … . … . 22,000 60 Assistants, at 150 … … … … … 9,000 SERVICE OF THE CRAPS, BIRIBI, AND HAZARD, 12 Dealers, at 300 fr. a month … … … 3,600 12 Inspectors, at 120 … … … … … 1,440 10 Aids, at 100 … … … … . … 1,000 6 Chefs de Partie at the principal houses, at 700 fr. a month … … … . … . 4,200 3 Chefs de Partie for the Roulettes, at 500 fr. a month … … … … … 1,500 20 Secret Inspectors, at 200 fr. a month … … 4,000 1 Inspector-General, at … … … . … .1,000 130 Waiters, at 75 fr. a month … … . … .9,750 Cards a month … … … … … . … 1,500 Beer and refreshments, a month … … . … .3,000 Lights … … … … … … . … .5,500 Refreshment for the grand saloon, including two dinners every week, per month … … … 12,000 Total expense of each month. … 113,930 ———— Multiplied by twelve, is … … … … 1,367,160 Rent of 10 Houses, per annum … … . … .130,000 Expense of Offices … … … … . … 50,000 ———— Total per annum … … … 1,547,160 If the `privilege' or license is … . … 6,000,000 If a bonus of a million is given for six years, the sixth part, or one year, will be … . … 166,666 ———— Total expenditure … . … .7,713,826 The profits are estimated at, per month, … .800,000 ———— Which yield, per annum, … … … … 9,600,000 Deducting the expenditure … … . … .7,713,826 ———— The annual profits are … … . … . fr.1,886,174 ———— Thus giving the annual profit at £7860 sterling. We omit the profits resulting from the watering-places, amounting to fr. 200,000.
One of the new conditions imposed on the Paris gaming houses is the exclusion of females.
Thus, at Paris, the Palais Royal, Frascati, and numerous other places, presented gaming houses, whither millions of wretches crowded in search of fortune, but, for the most part, to find only ruin or even death by suicide or duelling, so often resulting from quarrels at the gaming table.
This state of things was, however, altered in the year 1836, at the proposition of M. B. Delessert, and all the gaming houses were ordered to be closed from the 1st of January, 1838, so that the present gambling in France is on the same footing as gambling in England—utterly prohibited, but carried on in secret.
CHAPTER VI. THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF MODERN GAMING IN ENGLAND.
It seems that the rise of modern gaming in England may be dated from the year 1777 or 1778.
Before this time gaming appears never to have assumed an alarming aspect. The methodical system of partnership, enabling men to embark large capital in gambling establishments, was unknown; though from that period this system became the special characteristic of the pursuit among all classes of the community.
The development of the evil was a subject of great concern to thoughtful men, and one of these, in the year 1784, put forth a pamphlet, which seems to give 'the very age and body of the time, his form and pressure.'(64)
(64) The pamphlet (in the Library of the British Museum) is entitled:—'Hints for a Reform, particularly of the Gaming Clubs. By a Member of Parliament. 1784.'
'About thirty years ago,' says this writer, 'there was but one club in the metropolis. It was regulated and respectable. There were few of the members who betted high. Such stakes at present would be reckoned very low indeed. There were then assemblies once a week in most of the great houses. An agreeable society met at seven o'clock; they played for crowns or half-crowns; and reached their own houses about eleven.
'There was but one lady who gamed deeply, and she was viewed in the light of a phenomenon. Were she now to be asked her real opinion of those friends who were her former PLAY-fellows, there can be no doubt but that they rank very low in her esteem.
'In the present era of vice and dissipation, how many females attend the card-tables! What is the consequence? The effects are too clearly to be traced to the frequent DIVORCES which have lately disgraced our country, and they are too visible in the shameful conduct of many ladies of fashion, since gambling became their chief amusement.
'There is now no society. The routs begin at midnight. They are painful and troublesome to the lady who receives company, and they are absolutely a nuisance to those who are honoured with a card of invitation. It is in vain to attempt conversation. The social pleasures are entirely banished, and those who have any relish for them, or who are fond of early hours, are necessarily excluded. Such are the companies of modern times, and modern people of fashion. Those who are not invited fly to the Gaming Clubs—
"To kill their idle hours and cure ennui!"
'To give an account of the present encumbered situation of many families, whose property was once large and ample, would fill a volume. Whence spring the difficulties which every succeeding day increases? From the GAMBLING CLUBS. Why are they continually hunted by their creditors? The reply is—the GAMBLING CLUBS. Why are they obliged continually to rack their invention in order to save appearances? The answer still is—the GAMBLING CLUBS!
'The father frequently ruins his children; and sons, and even grandsons, long before the succession opens to them, are involved so deeply that during their future lives their circumstances are rendered narrow; and they have rank or family honours, without being able to support them.
'How many infamous villains have amassed immense estates, by taking advantage of unfortunate young men, who have been first seduced