Five thousand a year in London is no great things. A man may, to be sure, appear among the great world, by its aid; but it can only be in _forma pauperis_. If he seek to imitate those by whom he is tolerated, he is ruined. Thus fared it with our hero. A desire to appear even as a star amid the constellations by whom he was surrounded, led him to ape, still at an humble distance, their extravagances. But this was enough to destroy him. His house, his horses, and his chariot, in due time came to the hammer, and for the benefit of his creditors. But still Mitford had a thousand guineas left. Though reduced to poverty, he did not despair; but the source to which he looked was a delusive one. He turned to gaming, and invoked the spirit of chance. Oh, Gaming!--of all vices thou art the most seductive, for thou assailest us through our avarice. What the merchant feels, when his ship is on the seas--what the broker feels, while the rise or fall of stocks is yet undecided--that delightful agony of suspense, which flattering Hope whispers may be decided in his favor--all this the gambler feels, while yet his stakes are on the table. From other vices a man may be divorced. The bottle he may relinquish--women he may forswear--but gambling, never! Mitford was in the habit, since the decadence of his fortunes, of visiting those palaces of vice which, in defiance of the severest laws, rear their pernicious heads in the most public portions of the British metropolis; the more seductive, because they put forth all the blandishments of the most refined elegance--mirrors, Turkey carpets, the most exquisite wines, and last, though not least, a _cuisine_ over which Ude himself might have presided without a blush. It may be said, 'Why are not these houses put down?' It must be responded, that in a free country, abuses of liberty will always take place. No good is inseparable from its concomitant evil. The magistracy once upon a time determined to be firm. Some of the gaming houses were attacked; the iron doors were forced; the barred windows were escaladed. Some of the proprietors, and twenty of the votaries, were captured, together with the guilty instruments of their occupation. From Bow-street they were released on bail. The case came on to be tried at the Clerkenwell Sessions.