225 [=227]

[225]

[Lett. lviii Letters Historical and Galant.]

Death Lavishes from us our Heroes and Wits at the same time, as if the one were not Necessary when the other are
no longer in effect. It was once the Subject of a Dispute between Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden, and Saumaise,
which ought to be more esteemed, the Hero or the Historian. Gustavus Pretended the Historian had the better, because
'twas he that immortaliz'd the Hero. Saumaise said, that the Historian would be useless, if the Hero did not furnish
him with facts worthy to be transmitted to Posterity. And I believe they were both in the right, and that the Dispute
will be soon ended now, since we have not many more Heroes, nor people proper to eternise their Memory. But let us
leave those superior Genii here, and talk of things within our Sphere.

There happened here sometime ago something pleasant enough. A Young German, rich and newly landed in
the Suburbs of St. Germain, lived at a very great rate. This was a pure Windfall for our Sharpers; so some of them determined
to make him thier Cashier during all the Winter, and to get him in reality to boil the Pot for them. They even entred into a kind
of Sociely upon it, for fear of undoing all by Competition, and after settling matters, the most dextrous of them was charged
with the Care of conducting the Affair, and they made a little fund in Common, to furnish him wherewithall to make some Steps.
He began, with dining at the Hotel de **, where our Stranger lodged, and by this means had not much trouble in getting
acquainted with him. By his winning behaviour, and a thousand little busy cares, he soon gained the friendship and Confidence of
that Young Lord, who could not live without him, and thought himself very happy to find one in a strange Country that was in
a Condition to procure him pleasure and Acquaintance. They Immediately made Parties of Walking, at Operas and Comedies
where the German always payd for both; they were together at the Gaming houses; played a little, and in all this beginning the
Stranger was Charmed to see the Care his friend took of his Interests: for he would give him notice not to play with such &
such people; made him retire in time as soon as he began to have bad luck, and never could a Governer have given him better
advice. The Credulous Stranger too, received them with a much better heard from his Comrade's Mouth, and thinking he had
found the Agreeable and the Useful in him, thought he was very happy to meet him. In the mean time, when they thought
they had decoyed him enough, they thought of making their profit by joining together, and our Cheating Master gave his Associates
a Rendezvous in the places where they used to game; and there, without seeming to know them settled it so that the German was
the first that proposed a party at Pharaoh, and out of Complaisance would needs be banker. The others let themselves lose
at first, and the stranger who had half the profit liked it very well, and begg'd the losers to come the next morning to the same
place to get revenge. They took care not to fail; they won and lost again, at at last being desirous to hold it on, they stopp'd
at fifty pistoles which the stranger lost every day, and they divided afterwards among themselves, without the least appearance
of any understanding between them: on the Contrary the Chief Cheat seemed inconsolable at his pretended Loss; he was always
for retiring, and it was not, he said, but out of Complaisance, and to give the German an Opportunity of bringing it up, that
he ran into it every day anew. This Management held as long as the Strangers Money; and when He found he had nothing
left but some Jewels and about two or three hundred Pistoles, his friend advised him to play no more, but to keep a Pear
to quench his thirst, till more money should come to him. But as he had sworn to strip him to the last piece, he played his
last Game for it. The Stranger had a Passion for the Dutchess of **, which increased from the time he was not taken up with
that of Gaming: He rav'd, he grew melancholy, his friend heard him sigh every night, for their Acquaintance was so strong that
they lay always together. One Evening seeming more thoughtful than usual: "What's the matter, Dear Count, says our Adven-
"turer to him, and why must you have any uneasiness that I am not to share, since we have been Companions of fortune
"hitherto, and that jade has not used one of us better than the other ---- I am uneasy, replyed the German, for invol-
"ving you in the Misfortunes that follow me, and shall strive to repair it by sharing always with you all that I shall have
"But, my dear, tis not this troubles me at present, and If I am under any Concern for the Money I lost, tis only because
"I did not make a better use of it: for you know I love! The Little Appearance I saw there was to succeed, obliged me
"to give into that profuse way, which has had no influence but upon my purse. The Money has left it, but my Love re-
"mains, 'tis even stronger than before, and I am in less hopes tahn ever: for in short, how could one tell, if the two
"thousand Pistoles I lost were applyed properly for my Charming Dutchess, but they might have given me some help
"to gain her? This is what causes my trouble, which you with all your sense will never be able to find a Remedy
"for ---- How can you tell, replyed the other, but I may, I have known more desperate disorders, and yours does
"not seem to me so very incurable. Tis true, if you and I had all the Money we lost, your business would soon be done
"because, to use the very words of a great Lady, Do you but find the Sum, and the Difficulty will turn on nothing
"but the greatness or smallness of it. But, believe me, Ladies are not as dear now as in Lewis 13th's Reign;
"and the Misery of the times, or their several Necessities have made them more tractable; Your Dutchess I believe,
"may be easily brought to reason, and a present of three or four hundred Pistoles would be enough to make you
"happy. But I must tell you like the Old Philosopher, that it is purchasing Repentance too dear, and it