for and against;' 'he was PIQUED,' from the game of piquet,
meaning, angry at losing something; 'left in the lurch,' from the
French game l'Ourche, wherein on certain points happening the
stake is to he paid double, and meaning, 'under circumstances
unexpected and peculiarly unfavourable;' 'to save your bacon or
gamon,' from the game Back-gammon[63] a blot is hit,' from the
same; 'checked in his career,' that is, stopped in his designs
from the game of chess.

[63] The etymology of the word Back-gamon has been disputed.
Hyde seems to have settled it. A certain portion of the hog is
called in Italian gambone, whence our English word gambon or
gammon. Confounding things that differ, many think that 'gamon'
in the game has the same meaning, and therefore they say--'he
saved his gamon or bacon,' which is absurd, although it is a
proverbial phrase of sufficient emphasis. The word Backgamon
seems to be derived from the very nature of the game itself,
namely, back-game-on, that is, when one of your pieces is taken,
you must go back--begin again--and then game on-- 'Back-game-on'.


The fabrication of cards is a most important manufacture of
France; and Paris and Nancy are the two places where most cards
are made. The annual consumption of cards in France amounts to
1,500,000 francs, or L62,500; but France also supplies foreigners
with the article, especially the Spanish, American, Portuguese,
and English colonies, to the value of 1,000,000 francs, or
L41,666. The government derives from this branch of French
industry not much less than L25,000 annual revenue, that is, from
20 to 25 per cent. of the product. The duty on cards is secured