University of Virginia Library

HOSPITALITY OF GAMING HOUSES, AND POPULARITY OF CITY MEN AT THEM.

Joseph Atkinson and his wife, who for many years kept a gaming house at No. 15 under the Piazza, Covent Garden, gave daily magnificent play dinners, — cards of invitation for which were sent to the clerks of merchants, bankers, and brokers in the city. Atkinson used to say that he liked citizens — whom he called flats — better than any one else, for when they had dined they played freely, and after they had lost all their money they had credit to borrow more. When he had cleaned them out, when the Pigeons were completely plucked, they were sent to some of their solvent friends. After dinner play was introduced, and, till dinner

time the nest day, different games at cards, dice, and E O were continually going on.