Chapter IX: Epilogue: Written by a FRIEND,

And Spoken by Mrs. PRITCHARD.

On every GAMESTER in th' Arabian nation,
'Tis said, that Mahomet denounc'd damnation;
But in return for wicked cards and dice,
He gave them black-ey'd girls in paradise.
Should he thus preach, good countrymen, to You,
His converts would, I fear, be mighty few:
So much your hearts are set on sordid gain,
The brightest eyes around you shine in vain:
Should the most heav'nly beauty bid you take her,
You'd rather hold--_two aces and a maker._
By your example, our poor sex drawn in,
Is guilty of the same unnat'ral sin:
The study now of every girl of parts
Is how to win your money, not your hearts.
O! in what sweet, what ravishing delights,
Our beaux and belles together pass their nights!
By ardent perturbations kept awake,
Each views with longing eyes the other's--stake.
The _smiles_ and _graces_ are from Britain flown,
Our_ Cupid _is an errant sharper grown,
And _Fortune_ sits on _Cytherea_'s throne.
In all these things, though women may be blam'd,
Sure men, the wiser men, should be asham'd!
And 'tis a horrid scandal, I declare,
That four strange queens should rival all the fair;
Four jilts, with neither beauty, wit nor parts,
O shame! have got possession of their hearts;
And those bold sluts, for all their queenly pride,
Have play'd loose tricks, or else they're much bely'd.
Cards were at first for benefits design'd,
Sent to amuse, and not enslave the mind:
From good to bad how easy the transition!
For what was pleasure once, is now perdition.
Fair ladies, then these wicked GAMESTERS shun,
Whoever weds one, is, you see, undone.

FINIS.

* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *

_THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY_

Announces Its

_Publications for the Third Year (1948-1949)_

[Transcriber's Note: Many of the listed titles are or will be available from Project Gutenberg. Where possible, the e-text number is given in brackets.]

_At least two_ items will be printed from each of the _three_ following groups:

Series IV: Men, Manners, and Critics

Sir John Falstaff (pseud.), _The Theatre _(1720). Aaron Hill, Preface to _The Creation_; and Thomas Brereton, Preface to _Esther_. [#15870] Ned Ward, Selected Tracts.

Series V: Drama

Edward Moore, _The Gamester _(1753). Nevil Payne, _Fatal Jealousy _(1673). Mrs. Centlivre, _The Busie Body _(1709). Charles Macklin, _Man of the World _(1781).

Series VI: Poetry and Language

John Oldmixon, _Reflections on Dr. Swift's Letter to Harley _(1712); and Arthur Mainwaring, _The British Academy _(1712). Pierre Nicole, _De Epigrammate_. Andre Dacier, Essay on Lyric Poetry.

_THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY_

Makes Available

_Inexpensive Reprints of Rare Materials_

from

English Literature of the
Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries

Students, scholars, and bibliographers of literature, history, and philology will find the publications valuable. _The Johnsonian News Letter_ has said of them: "Excellent facsimiles, and cheap in price, these represent the triumph of modern scientific reproduction. Be sure to become a subscriber; and take it upon yourself to see that your college library is on the mailing list."

The Augustan Reprint Society is a non-profit, scholarly organization, run without overhead expense. By careful management it is able to offer at least six publications each year at the unusually low membership fee of $2.50 per year in the United States and Canada, and $2.75 in Great Britain and the continent.

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New members may still obtain a complete run of the first year's publications for $2.50, the annual membership fee.

During the first two years the publications are issued in three series: I. Essays on Wit; II. Essays on Poetry and Language; and III. Essays on the Stage.

PUBLICATIONS FOR THE FIRST YEAR (1946-1947)

MAY, 1946: Series I, No. 1--Richard Blackmore's _Essay upon Wit_ (1716), and Addison's _Freeholder_ No. 45 (1716). [#13484]

JULY, 1946: Series II, No. 1--Samuel Cobb's _Of Poetry_ and _Discourse on Criticism_ (1707). [#14528]

SEPT., 1946: Series III, No. l--Anon., _Letter to A.H. Esq.; concerning the Stage_ (1698) and Richard Willis' _Occasional Paper_ No. IX (1698).

NOV., 1946: Series I, No. 2--Anon., _Essay on Wit_ (1748), together with Characters by Flecknoe, and Joseph Warton's _Adventurer_ Nos. 127 and 133. [#14973]

JAN., 1947: Series II, No. 2--Samuel Wesley's _Epistle to a Friend Concerning Poetry_ (1700) and _Essay on Heroic Poetry_ (1693).

MARCH, 1947: Series III, No. 2--Anon., _Representation of the Impiety and Immorality of the Stage_ (1704) and anon., _Some Thoughts Concerning the Stage_ (1704). [#15656]

PUBLICATIONS FOR THE SECOND YEAR (1947-1948)

MAY, 1947: Series I, No. 3--John Gay's _The Present State of Wit_; and a section on Wit from _The English Theophrastus_. With an Introduction by Donald Bond. [#14800]

JULY, 1947: Series II., No. 3--Rapin's _De Carmine Pastorali_, translated by Creech. With an Introduction by J.E. Congleton. [#14495]

SEPT., 1947: Series III, No. 3--T. Hanmer's (?), _Some Remarks on the Tragedy of Hamlet_. With an Introduction by Clarence D. Thorpe. [#14899]

NOV., 1947: Series I, No. 4--Corbyn Morris' _Essay towards Fixing the True Standards of Wit_, etc. With an Introduction by James L. Clifford. [#16233]

JAN., 1948: Series II, No. 4--Thomas Purney's _Discourse on the Pastoral_. With an Introduction by Earl Wasserman.

MARCH, 1948: Series III, No. 4--Essays on the Stage, selected, with an Introduction by Joseph Wood Krutch.

The list of publications is subject to modification in response to requests by members. From time to time Bibliographical Notes will be included in the issues. Each issue contains an Introduction by a scholar of special competence in the field represented.

The Augustan Reprints are available only to members. They will never be offered at "remainder" prices.

_GENERAL EDITORS_

RICHARD C. BOYS, _University of Michigan_ EDWARD NILES HOOKER, _University of California, Los Angeles_ H.T. SWEDENBERG, JR., _University of California, Los Angeles_

_ADVISORY EDITORS_

EMMETT L. AVERY, _State College of Washington_ LOUIS I. BREDVOLD, _University of Michigan_ BENJAMIN BOYCE, _University of Nebraska_ CLEANTH BROOKS, _Louisiana State University_ JAMES L. CLIFFORD, _Columbia University_ ARTHUR FRIEDMAN, _University of Chicago_ SAMUEL H. MONK, _University of Minnesota_ JAMES SUTHERLAND, _Queen Mary College, London_

[Errata Noted by Transcriber:

Editor's Introduction and _Gamester_ text:
The main character's name is spelled "Beverly" in the Introduction,
"Beverley" in the play as originally printed. This has been left
unchanged.