Early Whist

Mrs. Hervey writes on üct. 25, 1697, to her husband, that bis "four sisters have been bear this afternoon, and as they never come unatteñded, brought with them Mr. Ga - , Mr. Down - and Mr. Bo - . Part of them staid and played at whish (sic) tel this moment, which is past 11 a'clock. " Twenty years later (March 18, 1717) Lord Hervey, as his title was then, writes to the Eev. Mr. Thomas Foulkes, the tutor of Mad Torn Hervey, at Oxford, about that son's gainbliug propensities. He is to follow the exarnple of his "good grandfather Hervey, who, pray teil Torn, never played at any game but whist, and at that only iu Christmas time for sixpence a corner." Lady Bristol was at Bath in April, 1728, and was then in the center of the world of whist. "Poor Bishop Nevell," she writes, "can scarce be reckoned among the living, being (in my oppinion) wors than dead. They say he sitts at Lindsey's with one to hold his cards and another to give him snuif. Palsey and gout have bronghthim to this missirable condition. " On May 1 she cheerfully informa her husband that the diversion of the evening is the puppet show. "Betty is gone with Lady Torrington. The whiskers have promised me some diversion after 'tis over." -