her husband or father. Her creditor was probably a fine
gentleman, or she became indebted to some rich admirer for the
means of discharging her liabilities. In either event, the
result may be guessed. In the one case, the debt of honour was
liquidated on the old principle of the law-merchant, according to
which there was but one alternative to payment in purse. In
the other, there was likewise but one mode in which the
acknowledgment of obligation by a fine woman would be acceptable
to a man of the world.'

`The pernicious consequences of gambling to the nation at large,'
says another writer, `would have been intolerable enough had they
been confined to the stronger sex; but, unfortunately, the women
of the day were equally carried away by this criminal
infatuation. The disgusting influence of this sordid vice was so
disastrous to female minds, that they lost their fairest
distinction and privileges, together with the blushing honours of
modesty. Their high gaming was necessarily accompanied with
great losses. If all their resources, regular and irregular,
honest and fraudulent, were dissipated, still, _GAME-DEBTS MUST
BE PAID!_ The cunning winner was no stranger to the necessities
of the case. He hinted at _commutations_--which were not to be
refused.

"So tender these,--if debts crowd fast upon her,
She'll pawn her _VIRTUE_ to preserve her _HONOUR!_"


Thus, the last invaluable jewel of female possession was
unavoidably resigned. That was indeed the forest of all