victim of play lost all relish for life; and sought in death the

only refuge he could fancy from the infamy and misery which he
had brought upon himself. But whilst fully resolved on self-

destruction, he thought, before carrying his fatal purpose into
execution, he might as well do his tradesmen an act of justice,

even if in so doing he should do injustice to others. He insured
his life to the extent of his debts, amounting to several

thousand pounds. Being acquainted with several of the directors
of the company (he called them his life-and-death brokers) in

which he insured, he invited them to dinner the following day,
with the ostensible view of celebrating the completion of the

insurance. The tradesmen also received strict orders to be
present; and as the non-payment of their accounts for a long

period to come was the penalty of not acceding to his wishes in
this respect, it can scarcely be necessary to say that they were

all 'punctual as lovers to the moment sworn.' The dinner over,
and a liberalallowance of wine having been quaffed, the ruined

gambler desired the servant to call up all who were in the hall
below. In a few seconds the dining-room was filled with

tradesmen, all eager to receive payment of their accounts. 'Now,
gentlemen,' said the gambler, addressing his guests, and pointing

to the little crowd of tradesmen,--'now, gentlemen, these are all
my tradesmen; they are honest industrious men, to whom I am

indebted, and as I see no other earthly means of being ever able
to meet their just claims, you will be so kind as to pay them out

of the sum for which I insured my life yesterday. Allow me,
gentlemen, to bid you farewell.' And so saying, he pulled a

pistol from his pocket, and placing it to his head, that instant
blew out his brains. Of course his insurance office must have

been one that undertook to pay insurances whatever might be the
cause of death, not excepting suicide--which, like duelling, has

usually been a bar to such claims.
REVELATIONS OF A GAMBLER ON THE POINT OF COMMITTING SELF-MURDER.

The following is 'A full and particular account of a person who
threw himself into the Thames, from Blackfriars Bridge, on

Wednesday, July 10, 1782; with the melancholy paper he left
behind him, accounting to his wife and children for so rash an

action.' It is said that several thousands of the papers were
dispersed through London, and it is to be hoped that some of them

might produce that good effect which seems to have been so
anxiously desired by the person who wished them to be

distributed.
'Midnight, July 10, 1782.

'Whoever thou art that readest this paper, listen to the voice of
one from the DEAD. While thine eyes peruse the lines their

writer may be suffering the most horridpunishments which an
incensed Creator can inflict upon the greatest sinner.

'Reader, art thou of my own sex? Art thou a man? Oh, in
whatever rank of life, whether high or low,--beware of gambling!

Beware of so much as approaching an E O table! Had I ever met
with such a dreadfulwarning as I now offer thee, I might perhaps

have been saved from death--have been snatched from damnation.
Reader, art thou a woman? Oh, whether rich or poor, whether

wife, mother, sister, or daughter,--if thou suspect that the late
hours, the feverish body, the disturbed mind, the ruffled temper,

the sudden extravagance of him whom thou lovest, are caused by
frequenting the gaming table, oh, fail not to discover thy

suspicions--fail not to remonstrate! Had but my dear wife
remonstrated with me, when she saw me, in consequence of my

winnings, indulge in expense, which she must have known I could
not honestly afford, she would not now, within the next hour, be

deprived of her husband--of the only support of herself and her
three poor children in this world,--and deprived of him in a

manner which effectually cuts off all hopes of our ever meeting
in the happiness of another. * * * *

'Yes, in less than an hour, coward as I am, I shall have deserted
my duty and my family in this world; and, wretch as I am, shall

have rushed into all the horrors of hell in another world, by
drowning myself.

'By curiosity I was first led to the E O table. Ashamed to stand
idle I put upon E, it came E; upon O, it came O. Fortune

favoured me (as I foolishly called it), and I came away a winner.
Something worse than curiosity, though hardly more dangerous,

carried me to another table another night. My view in going was
answered. My view was to WIN, and again I WON in the course of

the evening. Again I went, and again I won. For some weeks this
was the constant story. Oh, happy had I lost at first! Now I

went every night. Everything I ought to have done, neglected.
Up all night, I was forced to lie in bed all day. The strength

of my mind, which at THIS moment might save me, was hourly
wasting away. My wife was deceived with continual falsehoods, to

which nothing but her fondness for me blinded her. Even my
winnings, with the expense and extravagance in which I indulged

myself and family, were every day more than half exhausted. But
I felt that I was always to win. Fortune favoured me. Fortune

was now my deity. * * * *
'But fortune, my new, my false deity, deserted me. My luck

TURNED. I am undone! Ruined! A beggar! My wife and children
will want a morsel of bread to eat. * * * * To destroy myself is

the only way to preserve my family from want, and to keep myself
from the GALLOWS. This morning I absolutely hesitated whether I

should not procure a sum of money with which to try my luck by
FORGERY. Gamesters, think of that-- FORGERY! O my dear wife, is

not anything better than seeing me conveyed to Tyburn? Yes, it
is better that before many hours you and your three helpless

daughters should be hanging in tears (I little merit) over my
lifeless, cold, and swollen body.

'Readers, farewell! From my sad and voluntary death, learn
wisdom. In consequence of gaming I go to seek my destruction in

the Thames. Oh, think in what manner he deserves to be punished
who commits a crime which he is fully persuaded merits, and will

not fail to meet, the severest punishment.'
The narrative proceeds to state that, 'between one and two

o'clock in the morning he took a sad farewell of this world, and
leaped over Blackfriars Bridge. It pleased Providence, however,

that he should be seen committing this desperate action by two
watermen, who found his body after it had been a considerable

time under water. In consequence of the methods used by the men
of the Humane Society, he was at length almost miraculously

restored to life and to his family. It is further stated that--
'In consequence of the advice of a worthyclergyman he was

restored to reason and to religion. He now wonders how he could
think of committing so horrid a crime; and is not without hope

that by a life of continualrepentance and exemplary religion, he
may obtainpardonhereafter. The paper which he wrote before he

set forth to drown himself he still desires should be made as
public as possible, and that this narrative should be added to

it.
INCORRIGIBLE.

In the year 1799, Sir W. L--, Bart., finding his eldest son
extremely distressed and embarrassed, told him that he would

relieve him from all his difficulties, on condition that he would
state to him, without reserve, their utmostextent, and give him

his honour never to play again for any considerable sum. The
debts--amounting to L22,000--were instantly discharged. Before a

week had elapsed he fell into his old habits again, and lost
L5000 more at a sitting; upon which he next morning shot himself!

SUICIDE IN 1816.
In 1816 a gentleman, the head of a first-rate concern in the

city, put a period to his existence by blowing out his brains.
He had gone to the Argyle Rooms a few nights before the act, and

accompanied a female home in a coach, with two men, friends of
the woman. When they got to her residence the two men proposed

to the gentleman to play for a dozen champagne to treat the lady
with, which the gentleman declined. They, however, after a great

deal of persuasion, prevailed on him to play for small sums, and,
according to the usual trick of gamblers, allowed him to win at

first, till they began to play for double, when there is no doubt