In yesterday's Times there is published a very curious little
note of Mr. Gladstone's to Mr. Douglas Mackenzie, the author of a little book on "The Ethics of Gambling," which he had sent to Mr. Gladstone. Mr. Gladstone replies :—" June 7th, 1895. Dear Sir,—In the aim of your work (for which I beg to thank you) you have the poor advantage of my hearty sympathy, and it will be the more acceptable to me, in pro- portion, as I find it thoroughgoing in the exposure of the false, destructive, and, shall I say, impious principle, on which the vice of gambling is radically founded.—I remain, Dear Sir, yours very faithfully, W. E. GLADSTONE." Of course Mr. Gladstone must mean by gambling something very different from playing whist for sixpenny or shilling points ; but we should have thought that that was included under the meaning of the term, like any other intention to gain or lose by occurrences more or less involving pure chance. But what can the word " impious " mean, even in relation to those genuine cases of gambling where a man risks a great deal more than he can afford to lose P Is there any deliberate impiety, in the true sense of the term, however much sinful. ness there may be, in a man risking even his whole fortune on the turn of a die ?
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