ions;
and even at the present time its only rival is, 'The Guesses at Truth,'
although we have numerous collections of apothegmatic extracts from
authors, a class of works which is not without its fascination, if
readers are inclined to _THINK._(129)

(129) The first work I published was of this kind, and entitled, 'Gems
of Genius; or, Words of the Wise, with extracts from the Diary of a
Young Man,' in 1838.

Two years after he returned to his 'Napoleon,' which he republished,
with extensive additions, under the new title of 'The Conflagration of
Moscow.

It would appear that Colton at this period gave in to the fashionable
gaming of the day; at any rate, he dabbled deeply in Spanish bonds,
became involved in pecuniary difficulties, and, without investigating
his affairs closely--which might have been easily arranged--he
absconded.

He subsequently made appearance, in order to retain his living; but in
1828 he lost it, a successor being appointed by his college. He then
went to the United States of America; what he did there is not on
record; but he subsequently returned to Europe, went to Paris, took up
his abode in the Palais Royal, and--devoted his talents to the mysteries
of the gaming table, by which he was so successful that in the course of
a year or two he won L25,000!

Oddly enough, one of his 'maxims' in his Lacon runs as follows: 'The
gamester, if he die a martyr to his profession, is doubly ruined. He
adds his soul to every other loss, and, by the act of suicide, renounces
earth, to forfeit heaven.'

It has been suggested that this was writing his own epitaph, and it
would appear so from the notices of the man in most of the biographies;
but nothing could be further from the fact. Caleb Colton managed to
_KEEP_ his gambling fortune, and what is more, devoted it to a worthy
purpose. Part of his wealth he employed in forming a picture-gallery;
and he printed at Paris, for private distribution, an ode on the death
of Lord Byron. He certainly committed suicide, but the act was not the
gamester's martyrdom. He was afflicted by a disease which necessitated
some painful surgical operation, and rather than submit to it, he
blew out his brains, at the house of a friend, at Fontainebleau, in
1832.(130)

(130) Gent. Mag. New Month. Mag. Gorton's Gen. Biograph. Dict.

BEAU BRUMMELL.

This singular man was an inveterate gambler, and for some time very
'lucky;' but the reaction came at last; the sta