led out of their money and
estates by sharpers, and to make up their loss, have recourse to means
productive of dire events, instances of which frequently occur; for
strictly speaking, those who set their minds upon gaming, can hardly be
honest; a man's reflections, after losing, render him desperate, so as
to commit violence either upon himself or some other person, and
therefore gaming should be discouraged in all well regulated
communities.

_Whisperers_.

SIR,

1. As the ladies are naturally become the immediate objects of your
care, will you permit a complaint to be inserted in your paper, which is
founded upon matter of fact? They will pardon me, if by laying before
you a particular instance I was lately witness to of their improper
behaviour, I endeavour to expose a reigning evil, which subjects them to
many shameful imputations.

2. I received last week a dinner card from a friend, with an intimation
that I should meet some very agreeable ladies. At my arrival, I found
that the company consisted chiefly of females, who indeed did me the
honour to rise, but quite disconcerted me in paying my respects, by
their whispering each other, and appearing to stifle a laugh. When I was
seated, the ladies grouped themselves up in a corner, and entered into a
private cabal, seemingly to discourse upon points of great secrecy and
importance, but of equal merriment and diversion.

3. The same conduct of keeping close to their ranks was observed at
table, where the ladies seated themselves together. Their conversation
was here also confined wholly to themselves, and seemed like the
mysteries of the _Bonna Deo_, in which men were forbidden to have any
share. It was a continued laugh and a whisper from the beginning to the
end of dinner. A whole sentence was scarce ever spoken aloud.

4. Single words, indeed, now and then broke forth; such as _odious_,
_horrid_, _detestable_, _shocking_, HUMBUG. This last new-coined
expression, which is only to be found in the nonsensical vocabulary,
sounds absurd and disagreeable, whenever it is pronounced; but from the
mouth of a lady it is, "shocking, detestable, horrible and odious."

5. My friend seemed to be in an uneasy situation at his own table; but I
was far more miserable. I was mute, and seldom dared to lift up my eyes
from my plate, or turn my head to call for small beer, lest by some
aukward posture I might draw upon me a whisper or a laugh. _Sancho_,
when he was forb