Now, what must
have been the state of their minds, when the card in question proved
decisive of their loss? Reason must unquestionably have fled. And it
must have been succeeded instantly either by fury or despair. It would
not have been at all wonderful, if persons in such a state were to have
lost their senses, or, if unable to contain themselves, they were
immediately to have vented their enraged feelings either upon
themselves, or upon others, who were the authors, or the spectators, of
their loss.
It is not necessary to have recourse to the theory of the human mind, to
anticipate the consequences, that would be likely to result to grown up
persons from such an extreme excitement of the passions. History has
given a melancholy picture of these, as they have been observable among
different nations of the world.
The ancient Germans, according to Tacitus, played to such desperation,
that, when they had lost every thing else, they staked their personal
liberty, and, in the event of bad fortune, became the slaves of the
winners.
D'Israeli, in his curiosities of literature, has given us the following
account. "Dice, says he, and that little pugnacious animal, the cock,
are the chief instruments employed by the numerous nations of the east,
to agitate their minds, and ruin their fortunes, to which the Chinese,
who are desperate gamesters, add the use of cards.
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