of hospitals. Their number soon amounted to twelve; and
women were allowed to resort to them two days in the week. Besides
the licensed establishments, several illegal ones were tolerated, and
especially styled _enfers_, or 'hells.'

Gaming having been found prolific in misfortunes and crimes, was
prohibited in 1778; but it was still practised at the court and in the
hotels of ambassadors, where police-officers could not enter. By degrees
the public establishments resumed their wonted activity, and extended
their pernicious effects. The numerous suicides and bankruptcies which
they occasioned attracted the attention of the _Parlement_, who drew up
regulations for their observance, and threatened those who violated them
with the pillory and whipping. The licensed houses, as well as those
recognized, however, still continued their former practices, and
breaches of the regulations were merely visited with trivial punishment.

At length, the passion for play prevailing in the societies established
in the Palais Royal, under the title of _clubs_ or _salons_, a police
ordinance was issued in 1785, prohibiting them from gaming. In
1786, fresh disorder having arisen in the unlicensed establishments,
additional prohibiting measures were enforced. During the Revolution
the gaming-houses were frequently prosecuted, and licenses withheld; but
notwithstanding the rigour of the laws and the vigilance of the police,
they still contrived to exist.

LOUIS XVI. TILL THE PRESENT TIME.--In the general corruption of morals,
which rose to its height during the reign of Louis XVI., gambling kept
pace with, if it did not outstrip, every other licentiousness of
that dismal epoch.(61) Indeed, the universal excitement of the nation
naturally tended to develope every desperate passion of our nature; and
that the revolutionary troubles and agitation of the empire helped to
increase the gambling propensity of the French, is evident from the
magnitude of the results on record.

(61) It will be seen in the sequel that gambling was vastly increased
in England by the French 'emigres' who sought refuge among us, bringing
with them all their vices, unchastened by misfortune.

Fouche, the minister of police, derived an income of L128,000 a year for
licensing or 'privileging' gaming houses, to which cards of address were
regularly furnished.

Besides what the 'farmers' of the gaming houses paid to Fouche, they
were compelled to hire and pay 120,00