CHARLES KINGS LEY ON CAMELING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9220, 24 November 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

CHARLES KINGS LEY ON CAMELING.

Tiik following letter, which is quoted by the Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette, was addressed by the late Charles Ivingsley to a public schoolboy who had put money into a sweepstake without thinking it was wrong : —" My Dearest. Boy,—There is a matter which gave me much uneasiness when you mentioned it. You said you had put into some lottery for the Derby, and had hedged to make safe. Now, all that is bad, bad, and nothing but bad. Of all habits gambling is the one I hate most and have avoided most. Of all habits it grows most on eager minds. Success and loss alike make it grow. Of all habits, however much civilised men may give way to it, it is one of the most intrinsically savage. Historically, it has been the peace excitement of the lowest brutes in human form for ages past. Morally, it is unchivalrous and unchristian. 1. It gains money by the lowest and most unjust means, for it takes money out of your neighbour's pocket without giving him anything in return. 2. It tempts you to use what you fancy your superior knowledge of a horse's merits—or anything else —to your neigbour's harm. If you know better than your neighbour you are bound to give him your advice, instead, you conceal your knowledge to win from his ignorance ; hence come all sorts of concealments, dodges, deceits—l say the devil is the only father of it. I'm sure, moreover, that the headmaster would object seriously to anything like a lottery, betting, or gambling. I hope you have not won. I should not be sorry for you to lose. If you have won, I shall not congratulate you. If you wish to please me, you will give back to its lawful owner the money you have won. If you are a loser in gross thereby, I will gladly reimburse your losses this time. As you had put in. you could not in honour draw back till after the event. Now you can give back your money, saying that you understand the headmaster and I disapprove of such things, and so gain a very great moral influence. Recollect always that the stock argument is worthless. It is this : 'My friend would win from me if he could, therefore I have an equal right to win from him. Nonsense. The same argument would prove that I have a right to maim or kill a man if only I give him leave to maim or kill me if he can and will. I have spoken my mind onco and for all on a matter on which I have hold the same views for more than twenty years."