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The Gaming Table by Andrew Steinmetz

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Lady gamestresses

CHAPTER X. page 14

The celebrated Mrs Crewe seems to have been fond of gaming.
Charles James Fox ranked among her admirers. A gentleman lost a
considerable sum to this lady at play; and being obliged to leave
town suddenly, he gave Fox the money to pay her, begging him to
apologize to the lady for his not having paid the debt of honour
in person. Fox unfortunately lost every shilling of it before
morning. Mrs Crewe often met the supposed debtor afterwards,
and, surprised that he never noticed the circumstance, at length
delicately hinted the matter to him. `Bless me,' said he, `I
paid the money to Mr Fox three months ago!' `Oh, you did, sir?'
said Mrs Crewe good-naturedly, `then probably he paid me and I
forgot it.'

This famous Mrs Crewe was the wife of Mr Crewe, who was
created, in 1806, Lord Crewe. She was as remarkable for her
accomplishments and her worth as for her beauty; nevertheless she
permitted the admiration of the profligate Fox, who was in the
rank of her admirers, and she was a gamestress, as were most of
the grand ladies in those days. The lines Fox wrote on her were
not exaggerated. They began thus:--

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