Bets were immediately proposed by some of
the most thoughtless on his recovery, and accepted by others.
The more humane part of the company were for sending immediately
for medical assistance, but this was overruled; since, by the
tenor of the bets, he was to be 'left to himself,' and he died
accordingly!
According to Walpole--'A person coming into the club on the
morning of the earthquake, in 1750, and hearing bets laid whether
the shock was caused by an earthquake or the blowing up of
powder-mills, went away in horror, protesting they were such an
impious set that he believed if the last trump were to sound they
would bet puppet-show against Judgment.'
And again: 'One of the youths at White's, in 1744, has committed
a murder, and intends to repeat it. He betted L1500 that a man
could live twelve hours under water; hired a desperate fellow,
sunk him in a ship, by way of experiment, and both ship and man
have not appeared since. Another man and ship are to be tried
for their lives instead of Mr Blake, the assassin.'
He also tells us of a very curious entry in the betting-book.
Lord Mountford bets Sir John Bland twenty guineas that Nash
outlives Cibber.
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