Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 3.djvu/636

Rhodes. Betterton became a great favourite with the king, and was sent to Paris to examine the French stage, with a view to the introduction of improvements. According to Gibber it was after his return that shifting scenes were first used in the English theatre instead of tapestry. In 1670 Betterton married Mrs Sanderson, a good actress of the same company ; and the marriage was a very happy one. In 1693, when he had just lost the little money he had laid by, he was enabled by the aid of his friends to erect a new playhouse in the Tennis Court ia Lincoln s-Inn- Fields. It was opened in 1695 with Congreve s Love for Love. But in a few years the profits greatly fell off; and Betterton, infirm through age, and labouring under violent attacks of the gout, determined to quit the stage. On his retirement the public gave him a benefit-night, when, though upwards of seventy, he played the part of Valentine in the comedy of Love for Love : the profits are said to have amounted to upwards of 500. His performance of Ham let after this time is particularly mentioned in the Toiler. la the spring of 1710 he made his last appearance on the stage in his celebrated part of Melantius in The Maid s Tragedy. A rash attempt to reduce the swelling of his limbs by external applications threw the gout into his head, and he died on the 28th of April. His body was interred with much ceremony in the cloisters of West minster. Betterton was author of several dramatic works which were popular in their day. An estimate of his character and abilities is given in the Apology for my Own

Life, &c., of his friend and rival Colley Gibber.

BETTINELLI, Saverio, Italian Jesuit and litterateur, was born at Mantua on the 18th of July 1718. After studying under the Jesuits in his native city and at Bologna, he entered the society in 1736. He taught the belles-lettres, from 1739 to 1744, at Brescia, where the Cardinal Quirini, Count Mazzuchelli, Count Duranti, and other scholars, formed an illustrious academy, He next went to Bologna to pursue the study of divinity, and there he enjoyed the society of many learned and literary men. At the age of thirty he went to Venice, where he became professor of rhetoric, and was on friendly terms with the most illustrious persons of that city and state. The superintendence of the college of nobles at Parma was entrusted to him in 1 751 ; and he had principal charge of the studies of poetry and history, and the entertainments of the theatre. He remained there eight years, visiting, at inter vals, other cities of Italy, either on the affairs of his order, for pleasure, or for health. In 1755 he traversed part of Germany, proceeded as far as Strasburg and Nancy, and returned by way of Germany into Italy, taking with him two young sons or nephews of the prince of Hohenlohe, who had requested him to take charge of their education. He made, the year following, another journey into France, along with the eldest of his pupils ; and during this excur sion he wrote his famous Lettere died di Virgilio agli Arcadi, which were published at Venice with his sciolti verses, and those of Frugoni and Algarotti. The opinions maintained in these letters against the two great Italian poets and particularly against Dante, created him many ene mies, and embroiled him with Algarotti. In 1758 he went into Lorraine, to the court of King Stanislaus, who sent him on a matter of business to visit Voltaire. Voltaire presented him with a copy of his works, with a flattering inscription in allusion to Bsttinelli s Letters of Virgil. From Geneva he returned to Parma, where he arrived in 1759. He afterwards lived for some years at Verona and Modena, and he had just been appointed professor of rhetoric there , when, in 1773, the order of Jesuits was abolished in Italy. Bettinelli then returned into his own country, and resumed his literary labours with new ardour. The siege of Mantua by the French compelled him to leave the city, and he retired to Verona, where he formed an intimate friendship with the Chevalier Hippolito Pindemonti. In 1797 he returned to Mantua. Though nearly eighty years old he resumed his labours and his customary manner of life. He undertook in 1799 a complete edition of his works, which was published at Venice in 24 vols. 12mo. Arrived at the age of ninety years, he still retained his gaiety and vivacity of mind, and died on the 13th September 1808. The works of Bettinelli are now of little value. The only one still deserving remembrance, perhaps, is the Risor- gimento negli studj, nelle Arti e ne Costumi dopo il Mille, a sketch of the progress of literature, science, the fine arts, industry, &c., in Italy.

BETTING may be defined as the staking or pledging between two parties of some object of material value on the issue or contingent issue of some event or contest. The pursuit (it can hardly be termed a pastime, science, or art) of betting has been in vogue from the earliest days of civilization, commencing in the East with royal and noble gamblers, and gradually extending itself westwards and throughout all classes. In all countries where the English tongue is spoken betting is now largely indulged in ; and in the United Kingdom it has spread to such an extent amongst all grades of society during the last twenty years that the interference of the Legislature has been found necessary. The evils it has been productive of are too well known to call for comment here, and the principles require to be treated solely from mathematical and legis lative points of view.

The first principle of all betting is that " you cannot win where you cannot lose." Accordingly no bets are " play or pay " except those on certain events enumerated below, or unless such a stipulation is laid down at the time the bet is made. Betting may be divided into " bookmaking" and "backing." The former consists in laying the odds, and, theoretically speaking, secures a small though certain profit, Were all debts paid and the number of starters for the event large. Daring the first half of the 19th century book- making was a far more lucrative business than now, because betting was confined to the wealthier classes and bad debts were fewer. Also, betting commenced many months before a great race, and so the bookmaker had more opportunities of laying against all the entries, whereas most betting on play or pay events is now done just before the start. Taking the St Leger (always a play or pay event) of 1875, the following table represents a 100 book opened a week before the race, according to the Continental betting quotations, September 7, 1875. Those marked t did not eventually start.

6 to 1 against Gilbert j St Cyr Earl of Dartrey... Dreadnought Balfe tBay of Naples Rabagas II Seymour New Holland Breechloader Perkin AVarbeck . Craigmillar tClaremont tRepentance Colt.. tSalvator Saint Leger tTemple Bar +Telescope tGarterly Bell tSister to Musket.. 120 2 6 7 1 7 1 10 1 10 1 12 1 16 1 16 1 20 1 25 1 25 1 25 1 25 1 OO 1 33 1 40 1 40 1 50 1 50 1 50 1 00 to 16 13 4 to 14 5 8 to 14 5 8 to 10 to 10 to 8 6 8 to 6 5 o to 6 5 to 5 to 4 to 4 "Winner. to 4 o to 3 7 to 3 7 to 2 10 to 2 10 to 2 o to 2 to 2

In this instance twenty horses are quoted in the betting. As-

suming that the bookmaker finds a customer to back each of these, and that he encounters no bad debts, he receives 120, 2s. 6d., and

has to pay 100 to the person with whom he .laid 100 to 4