permitted the admiration of the profligate Fox, who was in the
rank of her admirers, and she was a gamestress, as were most of

the grand ladies in those days. The lines Fox wrote on her were
not exaggerated. They began thus:--

`Where the loveliest expression to features is join'd,
By Nature's most delicate pencil design'd;

Where blushes unhidden, and smiles without art,
Speak the softness and feeling that dwell in the heart,

Where in manners enchanting no blemish we trace,
But the soul keeps the promise we had from the face;

Sure philosophy, reason, and coldness must prove
Defences unequal to shield us from love.'

`Nearly eight years after the famous election at Westminster,
when she personally canvassed for Fox, Mrs Crewe was still in

perfection, with a son one-and-twenty, who looked like her
brother. The form of her face was exquisitely lovely, her

complexion radiant. "I know not," Miss Burney writes, "any
female in her first youth who could bear the comparison. She

_uglifies_ every one near her."
`This charmingpartisan of Fox had been active in his cause;

and her originality of character, her good-humour, her
recklessness of consequences, made her a capital canvasser.'[101]

[101] Wharton, _The Queens of Society._
THE GAMBLING BARROW-WOMEN.

In 1776 the barrow-women of London used generally to carry dice
with them, and children were induced to throw for fruit and nuts.

However, the pernicious consequences of the practice beginning to
be felt, the Lord Mayor issued an order to apprehend all such

offenders, which speedily put an end to such street-gambling. At
the present day a sort of roulette is used for the same purpose

by the itinerant caterers to the sweetmeat and fruit-loving
little ones.

GAMESTRESSES AT BADEN-BADEN.
Mrs Trollope has described two specimens of the modern

gamestresses at the German watering-places, one of whom seems to
have specially attracted her notice:--

`There was one of this set,' she says, `whom I watched, day after
day, during the whole period of our stay, with more interest

than, I believe, was reasonable; for had I studied any other as
attentively I might have found less to lament.

`She was young--certainly not more than twenty-five--and, though
not regularly nor brilliantly handsome, most singularly winning

both in person and demeanour. Her dress was elegant, but
peculiarly plain and simple,--a close white silk bonnet and gauze

veil; a quiet-coloured silk gown, with less of flourish and
frill, by half, than any other person; a delicate little hand

which, when ungloved, displayed some handsome rings; a jewelled
watch, of peculiar splendour; and a countenanceexpressive of

anxious thoughtfulness--must be remembered by many who were at
Baden in August, 1833. They must remember, too, that, enter the

rooms when they would, morning, noon, or night, still they found
her nearly at the same place at the _Rouge et Noir_ table.

`Her husband, who had as unquestionably the air of a gentleman as
she had of a lady, though not always close to her, was never very

distant. He did not play himself, and I fancied, as he hovered
near her, that his countenance expressed anxiety. But he

returned her sweet smile, with which she always met his eye,
with an answering smile; and I saw not the slightest indication

that he wished to withdraw her from the table.
`There was an expression in the upper part of her face that my

blundering science would have construed into something very
foreign to the propensity she showed; but there she sat, hour

after hour, day after day, not even allowing the blessed sabbath,
that gives rest to all, to bring it to her;--there she sat,

constantly throwing down handfuls of five-franc pieces, and
sometimes drawing them back again, till her young face grew rigid

from weariness, and all the lustre of her eye faded into a glare
of vexed inanity. Alas! alas! is that fair woman a mother? God

forbid!
`Another figure at the gaming table, which daily drew our

attention, was a pale, anxious old woman, who seemed no longer to
have strength to conceal her eager agitation under the air of

callous indifference, which all practised players endeavour to
assume. She trembled, till her shaking hand could hardly grasp

the instrument with which she pushed or withdrew her pieces; the
dew of agony stood upon her wrinkled brow; yet, hour after hour,

and day after day, she too sat in the enchanted chair. I
never saw age and station in a position so utterly beyond the

pale of respect. I was assured she was a person of rank; and my
informant added, but I trust she was mistaken, that she was an

_ENGLISH_ woman.'[102]
[102] Belgium and Western Germany, in 1833.

GAMING HOUSES KEPT BY LADIES.
There is no doubt that during the last half of the last century

many titled ladies not only gambled, but kept gaming houses.
There is even evidence that one of them actually appealed to the

House of Lords for protection against the intrusion of the peace
officers into her establishment in Covent Garden, on the plea of

her Peerage! All this is proved by a curious record found in the
Journals of the House of Lords, by the editor of the

_Athenaeum_. It is as follows:--
`Die Lunae, 29 Aprilis, 1745.--_Gaming_. A Bill for

preventing the excessive and deceitful use of it having been
brought from the Commons, and proceeded on so far as to be agreed

to in a Committee of the whole House with amendments,--
information was given to the House that Mr Burdus, Chairman of

the Quarter Sessions for the city and liberty of
Westminster, Sir Thomas de Veil, and Mr Lane, Chairman of the

Quarter Sessions for the county of Middlesex, were at the door;
they were called in, and at the Bar severally gave an account

that claims of privilege of Peerage were made and insisted on by
the Ladies Mordington and Casselis, in order to intimidate the

peace officers from doing their duty in suppressing the public
gaming houses kept by the said ladies. And the said Burdus

thereupon delivered in an instrument in writing under the hand of
the said Lady Mordington, containing the claim she made of

privilege for her officers and servants employed by her in her
said gaming house. And then they were directed to withdraw. And

the said instrument was read as follows:--"I, Dame Mary,
Baroness of Mordington, do hold a house in the Great Piazza,

Covent Garden, for and as an Assembly, where all persons of
credit are at liberty to frequent and play at such diversions as

are used at other Assemblys. And I have hired Joseph Dewberry,
William Horsely, Ham Cropper, and George Sanders as my servants

or managers (under me) thereof. I have given them orders to
direct the management of the other inferior servants (namely):

John Bright, Richard Davis, John Hill, John Vandenvoren, as
box-keepers,--Gilbert Richardson, housekeeper, John Chaplain,

regulator, William Stanley and Henry Huggins, servants that wait
on the company at the said Assembly, William Penny and Joseph

Penny as porters thereof. And all the above-mentioned persons I
claim as my domestick servants, and demand all those privileges

that belong to me as a peeress of Great Britain appertaining to
my said Assembly. M. MORDINGTON. Dated 8th Jan., 1744."

`Resolved and declared that no person is entitled to privilege of
Peerage against any prosecution or proceeding for keeping any

public or common gaming house, or any house, room, or place for
playing at any game or games prohibited by any law now in force.'

That such practice continued in vogue is evident from the police
proceedings subsequently taken against

THE FAMOUS LADY BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.
This notorious gamestress of St James's Square, at the close of