A PROFESSIONAL GAMESTER.

Otago Witness, 14 December 1893, Page 40

A PROFESSIONAL GAMESTER.

Major-general John Scott of Baicomie claims a high place in the list of professional gamesters. He was for some time member of Parliament for Fifeshire. In married life he was not altogether fortunate, for his first wife ran away from him, and he was compelled to undergo the expense of obtaining a divorce ; but in every other stage of life he was dubbed " a man of wonderful good luck," and his career has been tersely summed up as that of "a notorious gamester who acquired numerous estate?." He is said to have won £200,000 at White's Club in S\ James's street, "and at the time of his death was considered the wealthiest commoner in Scotland." A striking instance of his imperturbability is on record in the pages of the Gentleman's Magazine for 177 G. He was playing one night in a tavern in Edinburgh, when a messenger brought him the news that he was blessed with a daughter. He turned to the company with the words, " You see, gentlemen, that I must be under the necessity of doubling ray stakes, in order to make a" fortune for this girl." Thereupon hs played rather deeper than usual, with the result that in a few hours' play he was a loser of £8000. The company began to chaff him on this ducom.fi.ture, but the general, " who had an eyenness of temper that nothing could warp, and a judgment in play superior to most," retorted on those around him with the calm assurance that things would still turn out all right. He played on, fortuue once more smiled upon him, and at daybreak, about 7 o'clock in the morning, he had recovered his losses, and was able to go home with a balance of £15,000 in his favour. One of his daughters became the Duchess of Portland, and her sister was married with a dowry of £10(J,000 to George Canning, England's Prime Minister. For which of them he intended this provision is not known. The general's skill in cards and his clearness of head are mentioned by Mrs Elizabeth Carter in a letter to the chief of " blueBtockings," Mrs Montagu. "He plays, as it is called," such is her strange opening, " very feirly, but so much upon system thab I have bteu told he drinks nothing but water, thab hi 3 head may be always perfectly cool." A boiled chicken with toast and water was bi3 usual dinner. His willingness to play for small' po ; nts when the circumstances of those "around justified no other, and his kindness ia discouragiDg his subalterns from gaming, ara acknowledged by another Scot, Sir James Campbell, of Ardkinglas. " The old general," he says, " seemed to enjoy himself " — such is the cautious expression of this northern sage — " with his officers at a rubber of 3ixpenny points." — Temple Bar.