officer of
her own age. He is represented in the act of returning her a handful of
bank-bills, with the hope of exchanging them for another acquisition
and more delicate plunder. On the chimney-piece are a watch-case and a
figure of Time, over it this motto--_Nunc_, 'Now!' Hogarth has caught
his heroine during this moment of hesitation--this struggle with
herself--and has expressed her feelings with uncommon success.

But, indeed, the thing was perfectly understood. In the _Guardian_ (No.
120) we read:--'All play-debts must be paid in specie or by equivalent.
The "man" that plays beyond his income pawns his estate; the "woman"
must find out something else to mortgage when her pin-money is gone. The
husband has his lands to dispose of; the wife her person. Now when the
female body is once dipped, if the creditor be very importunate, I leave
my reader to consider the consequences.'....

A lady was married when very young to a noble lord, the honour and
ornament of his country, who hoped to preserve her from the contagion of
the times by his own example, and, to say the truth, she had every good
quality that could recommend her to the bosom of a man of discernment
and worth. But, alas! how frail and short are the joys of mortals! One
unfortunate hour ruined his darling visionary scheme of happiness: she
was introduced to an infamous woman, was drawn into play, liked it, and,
as the unavoidable consequence, she was ruined,--having lost more in
one night than would have maintained a hundred useful families for a
twelvemonth; and, dismal to tell, she felt compelled to sacrifice her
virtue to the wretch who had won her money, in order to recover the
loss! From this moment she might well exclaim--

'Farewell the tranquil mind! farewell content!'

The affectionate wife, the agreeable companion, the indulgent mistress,
were now no more. In vain she flattered herself that the injury she had
done her husband would for ever remain one of those secrets which can
only be disclosed at the last day. Vengeance pursued her steps, she
was lost; the villain to whom she had sacrificed herself boasted of the
favours he had received. The fatal report was conveyed to her injured
husband. He refused to believe what he thought impossible, but honour
obliged him to call the boaster to the field. The wretch received the
challenge with much more contentment than concern; as he had resolution
enough to murder any man whom he had injured, so he wa