The late Lord Thanet, celebrated for having been imprisoned in the
Tower for his supposed predilection for republicanism, passed much of
his time in Paris, particularly at the Salon des Etrangers. His
lordship's infatuation for play was such, that when the gambling-tables
were closed, he invited those who remained to play at chicken-hazard
and ecarte; the consequence was that, one night, he left off a loser of
120,000£. When told of his folly and the probability of his having been
cheated, he exclaimed, "Then I consider myself lucky in not having lost
twice that sum!"