SECT. IV.
_Another cause of their prohibition is, that, if indulged in, they may
produce habits of gaming--these habits after the moral character-they
occasion men to become avaricious--dishonest--cruel--and disturbers of
the order of nature--observations by Hartley from his essay on man._
Another reason, why the Quakers do not allow their members the use of
cards, and of similar amusements, is, that, if indulged in, they may
produce habits of gaming, which, if once formed, generally ruin the
moral character.
It is in the nature of cards, that chance should have the greatest share
in the production of victory, and there is, as I have observed before,
usually a monied stake. But where chance is concerned, neither victory
nor defeat can be equally distributed among the combatants. If a person
wins, he feels himself urged to proceed. The amusement also points out
to him the possibility of a sudden acquisition of fortune without the
application of industry. If he loses, he does not despair. He still
perseveres in the contest, for the amusement points out to him the
possibility of repairing his loss. In short, there is no end of hope
upon these occasions. It is always hovering about during the contest.
Cards, therefore, and amusements of the same nature, by holding up
prospects of pecuniary acquisitions on the one hand, and of repairing
losses, that may arise on any occasion, on the other, have a direct
tendency to produce habits of gaming.
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