Lifeisnotagameofchess，thevictorytothemostknowing；itisagameofcards，one’shandbyskilltobemadethebestof。Isitthewisestwhoisalwaysthemostsuccessful？Ithinknot。Theluckiestwhist-playerIevercameacrosswasamanwhowasneverQUITEcertainwhatweretrumps，andwhosemostfrequentobservationduringthegamewas\"Ireallybegyourpardon，\"addressedtohispartner；aremarkwhichgenerallyelicitedthereply，\"Oh，don’tapologize。All’swellthatendswell。\"ThemanIknewwhomadethemostrapidfortunewasabuilderintheoutskirtsofBirmingham，whocouldnotwritehisname，andwho，forthirtyyearsofhislife，neverwenttobedsober。Idonotsaythatforgetfulnessoftrumpsshouldbecultivatedbywhist-players。Ithinkmybuilderfriendmighthavebeenevenmoresuccessfulhadhelearnedtowritehisname，andhadheoccasionally——notoverdoingit——enjoyedasoberevening。AllIwishtoimpressis，thatvirtueisnottheroadtosuccess——ofthekindwearedealingwith。Wemustfindotherreasonsforbeingvirtuous；maybe，therearesome。Thetruthis，lifeisagamblepureandsimple，andtheruleswelaydownforsuccessareakintotheinfalliblesystemswithwhichacertainclassofidiotgoesarmedeachseasontoMonteCarlo。Wecanplaythegamewithcoolnessandjudgment，decidewhentoplungeandwhentostakesmall；buttothinkthatwisdomwilldecideit，istoimaginethatwehavediscoveredthelawofchance。Letusplaythegameoflifeassportsmen，pocketingourwinningswithasmile，leavingourlosingswithashrug。Perhapsthatiswhywehavebeensummonedtotheboardandthecardsdealtround：thatwemaylearnsomeofthevirtuesofthegoodgambler；hisself-control，hiscourageundermisfortune，hismodestyunderthestrainofsuccess，hisfirmness，hisalertness，hisgeneralindifferencetofate。Goodlessonsthese，allofthem。Ifbythegamewelearnsomeofthemourtimeonthegreenearthhasnotbeenwasted。Ifwerisefromthetablehavinglearnedonlyfretfulnessandself-pityIfearithasbeen。
ThegrimHallPortertapsatthedoor：\"NumberFivehundredbillionandtwenty-eight，yourboatmaniswaiting，sir。\"
So！isittimealready？Wepickupourcounters。Ofwhatusearethey？Inthecountrytheothersideoftherivertheyarenotender。Theblood-redforgold，andthepale-greenforlove，towhomshallweflingthem？Hereissomepoorbeggarlongingtoplay，letusgivethemtohimaswepassout。Poordevil！thegamewillamusehim——forawhile。
Keepyourpowderdry，andtrustinProvidence，isthemottoofthewise。Wetpowdercouldneverbeofanypossibleusetoyou。Dry，itmaybe，WITHthehelpofProvidence。WewillcallitProvidence，itisaprettiernamethanChance——perhapsalsoatruer。
Anothermistakewemakewhenwereasonoutourlivesisthis：wereasonasthoughwewereplanningforreasonablecreatures。Itisabigmistake。Well-meaningladiesandgentlemenmakeitwhentheypicturetheiridealworlds。Whenmarriageisreformed，andthesocialproblemsolved，whenpovertyandwarhavebeenabolishedbyacclamation，andsinandsorrowrescindedbyanoverwhelmingparliamentarymajority！Ah，thentheworldwillbeworthyofourlivinginit。Youneednotwait，ladiesandgentlemen，solongasyouthinkforthattime。Nosocialrevolutionisneeded，nosloweducationofthepeopleisnecessary。Itwouldallcomeaboutto-morrow，IFONLYWEWEREREASONABLECREATURES。