Games that occupy great numbers of persons, in the .winter evenings particularly, introduce and keep alive vicious propensities throughout the year, and frequently occasion heart burnings by the destruction. of hours

which ought to be devoted to better purposes, are salutarily interdicted to journeymen, apprentices, and mechanics. Yet are the whole three in universal request, and the first mentioned destructively prevalent. With stated parties, who meet for the express purpose of playing at cards, we profess not to interfere; but in the name of common sense, why should fellows of the lowest order, and thence upward, dare to play at this or any sedentary game, against which so many hands are uplifted, and voices raised, in public-house taprooms, parlours, kitchens, to the infinite annoyance of the better inclined athlete, and with the evident design of intrapping the unwary possessors of small sums, and seducing young men and boys, by their evil example? If people of any degree admire card playing, even let them enjoy their whim, whilst we pity their taste; but let them not insult some parties, whilst they set others a longing by the publicity of such an exhibition. Clumsy cheating takes place at every public-house cardparty-and these pervade every common room throughout the metropolis; a little higher, the more refined the chicanery, the larger the stakes, but equal the ultimate ruination to the parties: time, money, peace of mind, rest, all sacrificed to the itch for play, and a foolish desire to imitate their betters in the lowest of all pursuits that is not a positive crime in men who can scarcely afford to throw away either.

Even in the better sort of taverns and coffeehouses, where the card players have the grace to retire out of sight, upstairs, or into a small cabinet, the cheating system is invariably introduced, so far as I have seen, can learn, or have been given to understand; in this respect, the gaffing shops and flash houses, spoken of higher up, (page 240,) are not exceeded by an equal number of

respectable houses at which the company play.

fair cheating at cards.

through the merest accident imaginable,

the twelve days

or other to ensure the victory. Marking the cards, during the play, in an off handed manner

slipping in an old man,

the long shuffle,

Cards belong only to the higher orders; those whose time hangs heavy on their hands, and requires to be

murdered

Draughts have the recommendation of occupying much time in each contest, that the players are necessarily mute

as mice in

cheese,

draughts are allowed in public-houses by law, from their resemblance to the chequers they place on their lintel posts.

Bagatelle is a modern vulgar approximation towards Billiards-the most manly, scientific, and genteel of in-door games. In no other view is the new game fit to be tolerated; but the rapidity with which the matches come off seems to counteract completely its only good quality; besides which, little art is necessary to play these matches, practice, cunning, and a steady arm, supplying the place of every absent quality: a multitude of those boards are constantly going all over the metropolis, at which great quantities of liquor and some wagers are lost; of these, I cannot hear of any higher stakes than a pound or two at farthest, and then but seldom. The landlords invariably play well at their respective boards. In every respect, Backgammon is the very reverse of La Bagatelle. Affording no opportunity for exercise, farther than throwing the dice and moving the men, it yet involves science and dexterity of move in the highest degree. Long in the contestation and

difficult of acquirement, a rubber at back- gammon offers no invitation to the generality of spectators; consequently holds out no inducement to the novice to intermeddle, though the game were to be played in a public room, which is very seldom the case in London.

None of the commonalty undertake to play those games: they are more appropriately smitten with the charms of nine pins-whether this be of skittles, knock-em-down, bowl- andtip, dutch-pins, or the more sturdyfour-corners. These are the bold, athletic, in-door games, that seem pleasingly calculated to exercise the sedentary mechanic after labour, and fill up the holiday sports of the more hardy artizan, in the way best adapted for keeping his limbs in proper suppleness. For a tailor off work, what amusement could we devise so well adapted to afford due exercise at short intervals, of every muscle in his ninth part of a body? The bare flinging a lignum vitae ball of ten or fourteen pounds, upwards of twenty feet, is no child's play. In summer time, many hundreds, on Saint Mondays, thousands of mechanics and others are found playing at those games; mostly at the outskirts of town, though the sport is evidently better adapted to winter use, when is covered overhead.None of the commonalty undertake to play those games: they are more appropriately smitten with the charms of nine pins-whether this be of skittles, knock-em-down, bowl- andtip, dutch-pins, or the more sturdyfour-corners. These are the bold, athletic, in-door games, that seem pleasingly calculated to exercise the sedentary mechanic after labour, and fill up the holiday sports of the more hardy artizan, in the way best adapted for keeping his limbs in proper suppleness. For a tailor off work, what amusement could we devise so well adapted to afford due exercise at short intervals, of every muscle in his ninth part of a body? The bare flinging a lignum vitae ball of ten or fourteen pounds, upwards of twenty feet, is no child's play. In summer time, many hundreds, on Saint Mondays, thousands of mechanics and others are found playing at those games; mostly at the outskirts of town, though the sport is evidently better adapted to winter use, when

the ground

Tennis, Racket, and Fives are noble games, and demand notice: at the Court in Windmill-street, pistol-shooting is practised-to the terror of all quarrelsome duellists.

[] LOW GAMBLERS-RUINATION :

[] CARD-PLAYHOUSES; CHEATING AT CARDS.

[] HIGHER ORDERS, DISPENSE RICHES TO LEGS.

[] IN-DOOR GAMES, DEMERITS OF;

[] NINE PINS-SAINT MONDAY-TAILORS.