Fortunatus' Looking-Glass; OR, AN ESSAY UPON LOTTERIES. IN A Dialogue between Jack and Harry, wherein are discovered the Intrigues of Lotteries in general, and the great Advantage the Undertakers reap by them; more particularly the extravagant Profit of some of them now on foot: with other remarkable Passages in several of their Proposals. Collected, and Calculated for the good of the Public. Dame Fortune, like false Looking-Glasses, Representing ugly Faces, As fine, and clear as any are, Shows nothing but a Chance that's fair. But if you venture much she nicks ye, And ten to one but that she tricks ye. Hudibras, p. 4. LONDON, Printed for A. Baldwin, MDCXCIX. THE EPISTLE. Courteous Reader, THis Age so abounds with Projects, and new Devices for getting Money, that the Commonalty are almost mad, if they are not got in one Lottery or other to venture their Fortunes, every one (like every little Priest of the Church of Rome, expecting to be a Pope, or a Cardinal at least) hoping no less than a 1000 l. will fall to his share; not giving themselves leave to think of the great Disadvantages they must of necessity meet with in these Attempts, by the vast Advantages every Undertaker proposes to himself. Witness the Twopenny Lottery, called the New Wheel of Fortune, which the common People run mad for for no other reason, but because there is two Prizes of 1000 l. each to be had for 2 d. apiece. But I refer the Reader to the following Treatise, by which he will find that for every 20 s. the Adventurers brings into that Lottery, they are to have but 13 s. 9 d. repaid them; for the Undertakers keep 6 s. 3 d. out of it for their Charges, etc. And so by the Twelve-Penny Lottery, called the Honourable Undertaking; the Undertakers propose to keep 6 s. 8 d. in every 20 s. adventured, and pay 13 s. 4 d. to the Adventurers. And so by the Sixpenny Lottery, called the Trible Chance, which gets 5 s. in Money, and at least 2 s. in Goods out of every 20 s. adventured with them, and pays 13 s. to the Adventurers; and for others, I refer the Reader to this little Treatise, in which I have at large pointed out and calculated their Gains, and cannot persuade myself but that when your Eyes are opened and see other Lotteries which get but 3 s. or 4 s. in 20 s. and pay 16 or 17 s. to the Adventurers, with all other things fair and answerable besides; that he will do better than to venture his Money upon those unreasonable and unconscionable Terms: I took this Method by way of Dialogue, as being most readily and easiest to be understood by the Vulgar, and by so doing I have made this short Essay partly jocular and partly serious, with Matter of Fact for the Readers better Information in this New Trade, so much crept in among us of late; which if it answers but the ends of diverting you on the one Hand, or the edifying your Judgement on the other, that you may work more carefully and cautiously in these Affairs, for the future; it will be much to the Satisfaction of Yours TIB. SAUNDERS. A Dialogue between a Citizen and a Country-Farmer of Hatfield, concerning Lotteries, under the Names of Jack and Harry over a Dish of Coffee. Jack. Well met Countryman, a good Morning to you; how does all our Friends in Hertford-shire? Harry. In troth Cit you ask me a hard Question, for I never was in half the County in all my Life, though I live in one part of it. J. When I speak of Hertford-shire, I mean Hatfield from whence you came. H. That's something like, for I can soon answer you to that; Never Better. J. Prithee how do you mean, Never Better, when there is such dull Trading and hard Times? H. Ay but Cit, we at Hatfield have got a new Trade, that the Profit of an East-India Voyage is a Jest to ours. J. What sort of an Improvement have you got in your Country more than in others? H. You a Citizen and done't know that; one of our Town at Hatfield made a greater return of Profit at home in proportion, than the Duke of Albermarle did that upon his Rack-Voyage abroad, and even outdid Whittington with his Cat; and when you talk of an East-India Voyage to our Hatfield Merchant-Adventure, you lessen us extremely; for India ought not to be named that Day as Hatfield is. J. Dear Harry put me out of my pain, for all you have said to me, is such an amusement that I stand aghast, therefore let me know what it is. H. Why then I'll tell you. That Tom Houghton. Footboy to Dr. Fuller of our Town hath got a Thousand Pound for one Penny, put into a Lottery called the Wheel of Fortune; and now I think our Hatfield-Adventurer hath outdone all you London-Merchant Adventurers. J. I perceive now what you mean, it is about Lotteries; but what is all this to the whole Town of Hatfield? One Man's good Fortune cannot have effect upon a whole Town. H. We in the Country are not like your Citizens, to keep all your good Fortune to yourselves, for there is honest Tom Houghton, out of his Penny-Adventure treats all the young Boys and Girls in the whole Town with Cakes, and Ale good store, and Wine too into the bargain; sends for Music, and dances all Wethers in my Neighbour Hony-Suckle's Barn, and makes good two Proverbs at once; They are as merry as the Maids, or as they Day is long: besides which the Bells proclaim his good Fortune and Well-wishes to his Country, nor does the Fiddlers and Ringers go unrewarded but taste of his bounteous Fortune. So now I think I have made good that first Answer; Never Better. J. In good Faith this is a pretty Trade indeed, but I hope you do not think that Hatfield must always be the Fortunate Town; it's well if Hatfield do not pay for it at last, as well as the Merchant-Adventures of London have done for that of the Duke's Rack, as you just before was talking of. H. Prithee Cit how can that be? We stake but a small matter and have a great profit, but the Rack-Merchants cannot try their Fortune under 500 l. or a 1000 l. and that's upon one single Ticket which is more odds it comes up blank, than there was in my Neighbour Houghton's Wheel of Fortune, though 1680 to one against any Prize, and 1— 600— 000 to 1 against the 1000 l. J. Ay but such another Rack would make half ascore Merchants good Estates to live upon all days of their Lives. H. So I think is a 1000 l. for a Footboy. J. It's true, for a Footboy it is very considerable, and will be his making if he don't dance too much, etc. at your Neighbour Hony-Suckle's Barn; but 1000 l. to a good Country Yeoman is not such a matter, it will only serve for a Portion for one of his Daughters. H. It's strange that you Londoners should be so dull of Apprehension: why Cousin Jack, I'll tell thee, that one Load of Hay I brought to Town with me will get an Estate of a 1000 l. a Year for my eldest Son, and good Portions for all the rest of my Boys and Girls. J. In good Faith you have hit upon a pretty Name; for we Londoners are damned Couseners sometimes; and therefore Cousin and Countryman I advise you take care of your Load of Hay. H. Let me alone for that, for I will adventure in them all more or less, that I shall stand fair for my share of the 1000 l. a Year in the Land Lottery, my Coach and Horses with my Countryhouse, Gold Watch, Diamond Ring, Hats, Head-Dresses, Morning Gowns, Cabinets and Scrutores, and the Devil knows what; in others abundance of ready Money Prizes, of 3000 l. 2000 l. 1500 l. 1000 l. and a Multitude of 500 Pounds; and if this Load of Hay is not enough to do all this, next Week I will bring up another to Market. And— J. Hold, hold, you run to fast dear Cousin Harry, take one Word by the way, when your Lotteries are drawn, and all your Tickets come up blank; how then will you look? H. Look, how then should I look? J. Why I'll tell you; you will make good and old Proverb, or one of our London Sayings; that you will look like one that sold his Hay at Market and took no Money for it.— That is very sheepish. H. How do you mean took no Money for it. J. It's the same thing to take no Money for it, or when you have, to fool it away in Lotteries. H. Prithee Cit which are the most Fools? The London Rack-Adventurers who seek for a Needle in a Bottle of Hay, and at last there is none there, or we Lottery-Adventures that are sure of the Needle, and that some of the Adventurers must find it. J. So far Countryman I think you in the right, that there is some great Prizes in all Lotteries, and some Person must have them; and in the Rack-Affair there may and may not be any Prize at all. H. I am very glad I have gained that Point of you; and in the next Place pray give me your Opinion of Lotteries in general, and what the Town says of them. J. Ay, now you come to the Point, and seem to ask a reasonable Question, to which I will give you a short and flat. Answer: Why the Town says they are all sham's, or at best raising an Immense Profit to the Undertakers from you Country Fools, for let one get tolerably by it, I am sure a thousand Persons must lose; for the Undertakers will take care of themselves to come off free from a scratched face of their Charges and Profit, whatever they do in their Reputations. H. But since the Undertakers you call them get certainly by it, I question not but some get more than others, just as their Conscience serves them, being their own Carvers out of their Profit. J. Nay now Countryman you have hit it, Conscience in a Lottery-man is like that of a Whores never satisfied. H. When I speak of Conscience, Cit, I mean some of them have modelled their Lotteries upon better and more easier Terms than others, therefore I desire to know which are the best, fairest, and most advantageous to the Adventurer. J. That I'll resolve you by a visible Demonstration, but that will be a work of some time; therefore what think you of a Dish of Coffee, and there peradventure we may find all or most of the Lottery-Papers, and we will compare them together. H. With all my Heart, let us cross over Smithfield-Rounds to Yates' Coffee-house, where my Neighbour Houghton took out his Penny Ticket that got the Thousand Pound, for I design to take mine out of that Fortunate House. J. To Yates' by consent; but I think your Reasons above are Superstition and Popery all over. H. Countryman, and almost Townsman, give me leave to give you a Morning's Draft; Here Boy, Coffee, or what else you please Sir. J. Countryman, I thank you, Coffee is best, for that is a sober Liquor fit for a sober Debate: we are just going to enter upon to discern and distinguish clearly amongst a parcel of Canary-Birds, which sings best and is the most Harmonious. H. Well, Sir, to the Point in hand downright, which is the best for me to venture my Money in? J. Truly I have made a Calculation on most or all of them, and I have seen such a prodigious advantage to all the Undertakers, that my advice is to venture your Money in none of them, but carry home your Money, and add a Quarter of Malt to your next Brewing, to make Humming Liquor, and I will come in Whitson-Holydays and drink part of it myself, with some other brave Lads in our Country; by which means I doubt not but that you will be as famous and as much talked of for your Noble Liquor, as your Neighbour Houghton is now with his foolish Lottery-pences. H. But I am resolved to venture some Money, and pray be short in the matter, and tell me your Opinion, which Lottery is the best now on Foot. J. I will answer as short as you desire, it is the Lady's Invention, a Sixpenny Lottery. H. I'll take you at your Word and challenge your Promise of giving me a visible Demonstration which is best to the Adventurer. J. That I will do, and begin with the Lady's Invention, and lay before you what they receive by the Tickets, and what they pay by the Prizes in their own Proposals, by which means you will soon see what they get, provided they can get to draw it completely full. H. I like your Method; pray proceed. J. When this is done, I will go forward in the same manner with all the rest, and still as I go forwards, the Sixpenny Lottery called the Lady's Invention shall be the Standard to try all the rest by. H. I thank you Sir, this manner of proceeding will be a help and a guide to me for my Government in this Affair. J. Now countryman take notice that the Lady's Invention Lottery is composed of 500000 Tickets at each, which makes 12500 l. and the Proprietors draw 3555 Prizes, which does amount to 9950 l. so that those pretty young Ladies Proprietors of this Lottery will get 2550 l. either to buy themselves fine Clothes, or help get them Husbands by the assistance of Fools Pence. H. Indeed it is a great Profit, but their Charge is great. J. That's true, but still it is out of your own Money, and they do but abate it out of their great Profit; and they still make you but the Fool of the Play. H. But by your Favour; you tell me there is 2550 l. short paid to the Adventurers of their Money paid into the Undertakers as their profit; pray what is that in the Pound rate, that being easiest to be understood by my weak Capacity. J. Why then, it is 4 s. in the Pound and a little more, not quite a Penny. H. Pray what odds of Blanks to a Prize, and your opinion upon that Head? J. There is 3555 Prizes drawn against 500000 Numbered Tickets, which is 140 Blanks to one Prize; but I acknowledge there is abundance of Middling Prizes, as 150 Ten Pounds, 300 Five Pounds, 600 Three Pounds and Two Pounds: which is pretty good advantage for 6 d. if you are so fortunate to have your Numbered Tickets come up against them. H. I thank you Sir, you have given me a great insight in these Affairs, pray your Opinion of the Twelve-penny Lottery called the Honourable Undertaking, or five Hundred Pound for a Shilling; with the Permission of Authority. J. You have now pitched upon a very pretty Lottery, a noble Title indeed; The Honourable Undertaking, or 500 l. for 12 d. Nay with Permission of Authority. Truly, I know no Authority they have more than others, unless it be to get more in their Lottery in proportion than others do. H. Pray Sir what is their profit? J. Why Friend; there is an unconscionable Profit even as large as those Women we mentioned before; this Honourable Adventure puts out 90000 Tickets at 12 d. each, which makes 4500 l. and pays 1019 Benefits amounting to 3000 l. so that the Undertaker gets 1500 l. which is 6 s. 8 d. per Pound, in every Pound adventured in their Lottery, a complete third. H. Since their Lottery is so much worse than the Lady's Invention, why do they call it the Honourable Undertaking. J. It's only a fine gloss to put off a bad Commodity. H. Pray your opinion of the Twopenny Lottery, called The Honest Proposal, or the Fairest Adventnre, being 500 l. for 2 d. or 1000 l. for a Shilling. J. There's ne'er a Barrel better Herring among them, for this Honest-Proposal, you call it, hath no more honesty in it than the rest, but is a fine gilt Bait to hook in the Adventurer, and may well be compared to gilt Pills, which the Surgeon does cover with Gold to prevent the discovery and taste of the damned naseous Bitterness of the inside of them. H. But the Profit and Advantage to the Undertakers of this Lottery? J. You must take notice this Lottery gives out 480000 Numbered Tickets at 2 d. each, which makes 4000 l. and they draw 1200 Prizes, value in Money 2988 l. so that they get 1012 l. when full, deducting Charges. H. A pretty handsome Sum got indeed, 1012 l. in so small an Adventure as 4000 l. pray the odds of Blanks against a Prize, and what in the pound rate advantage to the Undertakers in this? J. It is 400 Blanks to any Prize, and the Prizes very small too, the Profit is 5 s. in the Pound, and a little more, not quite a Penny. H. Then I find the Lady's Invention still the best, and withholds the least of the Adventurers Money for the Profit of the Undertakers, which truly I think, that aught to have the Name of the Honest Proposal and not this last. J. No doubt of it; for those that draw most of the Adventures Money in Prizes they receive for Numbered Tickets, I am sure is the Fairest and Honestest Proposal; let them gild them over with what Name or Title they please. H. I have seen likewise another Twopenny Lottery, entitled, Two Thousand Pounds for Twopences apiece; pray the meaning of that? J. Why, that is two Lots of 1000 l. each; and if you can pick out them two Numbered Tickets for your Groat, and so likewise the same in other Lotteries, you then will make a prodigious Adventure of your Load of Hay, and outdo my Lord Duke of Albemarle's Spanish-Rack; but Countryman, remember my advice in the beginning of our Discourse, and take care of your Hay. H. I thank you Sir for your Remembrance; but pray what does the Undertakers get in this last Twopenny Lottery, since there is two such large Prizes for two Pence a piece to be had? J. The Undertakers will get enough in this, and more than than the other Twopenny Lottery in Proportion; for though there be two high Prizes, yet there is so many small ones of 20 s. each that makes it a Balance: and my opinion is that middling Lots of 10 and 5 l. apiece is the best way of modelling a Lottery. H. Pray proceed— J. These Two Thousand Pounds for two Twopences; you must take notice they give out 960000 number'd-Tickets of 2 d. each, which makes 8000 l. and draws 2374 Prizes, amounting to 5500 l. that the Undertakers will be Gainers 2500 l. which after our old way of reckoning is 6 s. 3 d. just, in every Pound, or 20 s. ventured in this Lottery, and above 400 Blanks to a Prize— Therefore take care of your of Hay. H. This is worse and worse; then the Lady's Invention shall have my Money: and you are much in the right in telling me that is the best and fairest. J. There is so many now on foot, and swarm daily on us, that I am afraid I shall not have time to give you an account of all. H. I'll beg your patience but for a relation of one or two more, and then take leave and own my obligation for all your Favours; pray what think you of the Threepenny Lottery, called the Fortunate Chance, or 1000 l. for 3 d. with the Permission of Authority? J. I think just as I did before, that their Permission of Authority is a pretty Whim, or Gloss upon the Matter, to gull People out of their Money.— H. I shall soon discern the foulness or fairness of their Adventure when you have given me the particulars of their Profit and Advantage, as you did in the others. J. Then take norice that the Undertaker of this Lottery gives out 800000 numbered Tickets at 3 d. each, which makes 10000 l. in Money, and he draws 2000 Prizes, which amounts in the whole to 7487 l. so that he gets 2513 l. which is 5 s. in the Pound, and a small matter over, and the odds of Blanks against Prizes is 400 to 1. H. Then I find the Lady's Invention is still the best, and therefore I am resolved to stick to that. J. But Countryman remember my Advice, and done't stick too close to that neither; a few lose Corns is no great harm— H. I'll warrant you I shall be cautious enough now I am so fairly warned; but pray what is your opinion of the Groat-Lottery, called the Lucky Adventure, or the Fortunate Chance, being 2000 l. for 4 Pence? J. Why, I think he must be very lucky indeed that gets the 2000 l. which I dare engage no Person ever will do. H. What Reason have you for that? J. To tell you the Truth of it, my opinion is it will never go forward to be drawn, for it is just peeped out of the Shell, and this is not a time of day to begin to set up Lotteries, there is too many already, more by half than will ever be drawn either full or in part; but this Lottery can never— H. Pray out with it; give me your opinion clear of the Matter. J. I mean this Groat-Lottery can never go forward; for first the Undertaker puts out a little slip of Paper, like a Pocky Bill, wherein he says not one word for to induce his Adventurers to come in; in the second place names no Cashiers wherein he ought to propose the Money arising should be lodged, for the satisfaction of his Adventurers; nor thirdly, does he name any trusties, which should be Men of sound Credit and Reputation, and are indeed designed to be Checks upon the Undertakers.— H. Then I warrant you that he designs to be his own Cashier, Ay, and his own Trustee too, that there might be no Check upon him, but left ad libertatem; that is to say, when he hath got all the Money he can into his Hands, if he pleases he may buy a Brush; and so good night Adventurers.— J. In troth Countryman you have hit the right Nail o'th' Head as to my opinion, for it jumps exactly with yours, and yet this deep reached Undertaker gets as much as the rest, if he should do things fairly and honestly; but I may venture to give him 5000 l. for the first 5 l. he receives upon the Basis he now goes upon: And so much for his Groat-Lottery.— H. Well, Sir, I shall trouble you but with one more, and then take my leave for this time, and that is your opinion of another 6 d. Lottery, called the Trible Chance, or Triple Adventure, or something like it. J. There was both those Lotteries afoot, and both for ; but the Triple Adventure laid his down, and desired all his Adventurers to exchange all their Tickets for those in the Lady's Invention; by which means he gets his Charges he was out of Pocket, and the Adventurers have got the advantage of exchanging their Fortune in one of the best Lotteries that is now extant: but for the Trible Chance, that still goes forward after the old rate, a Snails Gallop. I suppose you mean that. H. I do so. J. The Title of that is, Three Thousand Pound for , or the Triple Chance, Composed of 10000 l. value, in a Countryseat, Coach and Horses, a Suit of Dressing-Plate, a fine Diamond-Ring, a striking Gold-Watch, Morning-Gowns for Men and Women, Beaver-Hats, and Head-dresses, Cabinets and Scrutores, and to make up these things, Ten Thousand Pounds in Money.— H. It's the very same.— J. To be short with you, it is the very worst of all the Lotteries on foot, and will admit of the greatest Fallacies of any of them; for first, the Undertaker tells you it is the Fairest and most Advantageous Adventure for Ten Thousand Pound yet published, wherein no Fraud can be used; but tells you not how many number'd-Tickets of each there shall be given out: So there may be a great Fallacy in that particular, and receive 20000 l. instead of 10000 l.— H. You are really in the right of it; here is room left the Undertakers to make a great cheat upon the Adventurers, if they don't use a Conscience in doing the thing that is fair and just. J. Conscience in a Lottery-man, as I told you before, is not to be expected: But I'll proceed, in the next place I will take it for granted that the Undertakers give out but 400000 Tickets, each at 6 d. which makes just 10000 l. they propose to draw in Money, and those fine things ; which when valued at their own Price makes but 7535 l. So that they will get 2465 l. profit, besides half so much more by their Countryhouse, Coach and Horses, etc. H. Ad so! this is a damnable profit indeed, and must of consequence be the worst Lottery of all: I am afraid these are one of my Cousins you at first talked of, and bid me take care of. J. Will not this fine Bait of a Countryhouse, a Coach and Horses, a deal of Houshold-Plate, a Gold-Watch, and a rich Diamond-Ring for your eldest Daughter Mrs. Marry, gull you in for part of your Load of Hay, besides 3000 l. in Money to support all this Grandeur.— H. You have made me so sensible in these Affairs that I will not be gulled, as you call it, by these gilded Baits.— But what profit in the Pound-rate, and what odds is there in this Lottery? for that is the only Method to proceed upon to show the difference in Lotteries.— J. As I told you before, they draw 7535 l. in Money and Goods, and receive 10000 l. which is 5 s. in the Pound, wanting less than a Penny, besides the profit of their Goods I reckon may come to about half so much more; so that I account the whole is upwards of 7 s. in the Pound. H. But pray Sir, what odds of Blanks to a Prize? J. There is 1947 Prizes drawn against 400000 number'd-Tickets, which is a little more than 200 Blanks to a Prize; withal take notice in those Prizes there is a thousand of 1 s. each, and 400 of 10 s. each, which will greatly counterpoise that single 3000 l. Prize. H. Such pitiful Prizes as those, are not worth going over the Threshold for, not Porter's Labour; for my part they shall have none of my Money. J. I hope you are throughly satisfied, that as yet none of the Lotteries you have named is to be compared to that called the Lady's Invention, by a true comparison, as I promised you at first to make appear. H. I acknowledge it, and am convinced in the Matter; and therefore Landlady Yates here is an Angel, give it me out in Tickets in the Lady's Invention; and the rest of my Money I'll carry Home till we next meet.— J. In good Faith, Countryman, you have bolted out a very pretty Word by Chance; an Angel's worth of Tickets: Now if your better Guardian-Angel should reign predominant those days of Drawing, and direct blind Fortune on your Angel Numbers, I will say then that Hatfield is the most Fortunate Town in England. H. I hearty thank you for your good Wishes, and shall not now trouble you any further, but beg the favour to meet at this House next Market-day, and renew our Conference, and go through the whole Tribe of Lotteries.— J. Agreed; and so Countryman I wish you both a good Morning and a good Journey. The Second Conference. H. WEll met; I find you are a punctual Man to your Word. J. I always love to be so, and find you are not much behind me; pray what have you brought now to sell, for I know you Farmers constantly bring one thing or other to Market— to help fill the Bag? H. I have brought only a small Parcel of Hogs, which (if I am not discouraged by you) I design to make an Adventure in some of the Lotteries. J. I can but laugh to think what two Commodities you have brought to London to turn into Lottery-Tickets; Hay and Hogs! H. Prithee, is not the Money arising by them as good as any thing else? J. Yes, no doubt of it; but it's very unlucky that those two Commodities you design to turn into Lottery-Tickets, to raise an Estate for your eldest Son, and Portions for the rest of your Children, should have two such odd Proverbs upon them— H. Prithee, what are they? be free in your Thoughts. J. I have told you already that about your Hay; and for that about your Hogs, I doubt not but you have heard often in Company.— H. No really not I, pray inform me. J. Why then, after you have disposed of your Hogs, and turned them into Lottery-Tickets, and when drawn they come up Blank; then— H. What then? Pray let me know what you mean? J. As the Old Proverb says, You will bring your Hogs to a fine Market. H. Come, come, you're a Wagg, let us have done drolling, and take up our adjourned Debate of what Lotteries now extant are the best, and which you would advise me to venture my Money in.— J. I troth, I am like the Cuckoo always in one Tone, the Lady's Invention: I have seen none yet so good as that, and duly weigh all Circumstances of Lotteries.— H. Well, we'll take our former Method, and make that still the Standard to try the rest by it.— J. Agreed; and so proceed to take them all in Turns, for I doubt not but you are so inquisitive about Lotteries, that there is none escapes your knowledge.— H. Then Sir, your Opinion of the Half-Crown Lottery, entitled, with a hard Name that I cannot well tell it you, but it is something about the Mathematics?— J. I understand which you mean, and the name of it is, Ludus Mathematicus, or the Mathematic Adventure, with Permission of Authority. H. The very same. J. Ludus Mathematicus, is the Mathematic Sport; and their Permission of Authority, is only to get Money as well as their Neighbours. H. I have read their Proposals, and cannot understand what it is they propose; please to inform me their manner of Drawing: for all they writ about it is perfect Logic to me. J. And so it is to most other People, for not one in a thousand Persons, I dare engage, unsterstands what they writ; and if they had intended to be understood by the common sort of People, who must be their Adventurers, they ought, being so many Master Mathematicians (if there's any amongst them) to have kept a School, and taught the Mathematics in every Parish in the City of London, and Liberties of Westminster, either by themselves, or their Deputies, for one Year gratis, and then peradventure, by the Genius of their Scholars, and their Gratitude to their Masters for their Charitable Learning them, they might now and then have dropped Half a Crown into their Lottery: Then, and not till then, I say, had been the time to set up their Ludus Mathematicus. H. Nay indeed, it is all Gibberish and wild Irish to me, and being so lately set afoot, that I have not met any Person to give me account of it before. J. And when all's done, their Digits, Tablets, and Combining-Tablets, Globes, Repositories, Combined-Numbers, Double, Triple, and Quatruple Chances they so much talk of, are no more than the empty Terms of Art or Denomination of things used by those that are Mathematicians, but are here jumbled all together to confound the common sort of People's Judgements. H. Let them go forward with their Gibberish, cramp Expressions, and hard Words, as much as they will; I am sure I understand Figures well enough to discover that these Undertakers, J. N. C. H. P. E. R. P. C. C. J. W. Mathematicians, propose to draw in Benefit Tickets 8200 l. and by their number'd-Tickets proposed to give out, they will receive 11250 l. so that they will get 3050 l. by bantering People out of their Senses with hard Names. J. Well hit of Countryman, I find you have got their blind side; but more of that hereafter.— H. Pray go forward and explain to me their meaning of their Tablets, etc. J. After all their hodge podg, and confounding People's Senses: their Tablets as they call them, are no more than square pieces of Wood or Pasteboard, with a numbered Figure upon it or cipher, as 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, five of each sort to be put into one Globe and mixed together, and the Benefits in another Globe as they call it, from whence is a Benefit every time taken out, and five of those 50 numbered- Tablets to be taken out of the other Globe, to declare what number'd-Ticket claims that Prize, and so afterwards to be put in again and mixed, and so every draft of a Prize; and if it chance the first numbered- Tablet (as these Virtuoso's call them) comes up a figure 9, unless the other 4 chance to be all Ciphers, that draft is void and gives themselves and Spectator-Adventurers the trouble for nothing, by reason it must be above 90000, the number and quantity of the Half Crown Tickets Sold; a very mean contrivance for such Learned Men to make such a bustle and noise with their Cramp Names and Acquaint Expressions.— H. Indeed so it is, a great Cry and a little Wool. J. And further I must acquaint you, that this manner of drawing is no more than an imitation of the Balls-Lottery, stolen from them: and though these Learned and Just Mathematicians give out intheir Proposals, and say no Fallacy can be imposed on the Adventurers, though the Projectors were in consultation so to do. Which I deny, and will proceed to tell you what might be done, but I do not say what would be done in this infallible Lottery. H. I believe the Pope and this Lottery are infallible alike— but pray proceed. J. Then take notice that these 50 single Numbers upon Tablets, of Pasteboard, or such like, are to be made in great Characters, that they may be visible to all the Company present, though at never so great a distance; and so by taking 5 of them out of a Globe is to betoken what Number challenges that Prize: and so every time a Prize is drawn by a Person appointed by the Undertakers. H. Pray go forward— J. Now this Person being in Combination with the Undertakers, who may all of them be joint Adventurers but for 999 Tickets, and suppose they take them out from 42000 to 42999, how easy is it, I say, for that Person so employed to take out the 5 Numbered Tablets, to pull out first a 4 and then a 2, and place them on his left Hand, which betoken forty two thousand (they being large and visible not capable of rolling up) then let the other three next Tablets be what they will it must be a Prize to these Virtuoso-Mathematicians, and in 555 drafts of Prizes 100 of them may reasonably come to their Shares. H. But how can they pick out a 4 and a 2? J. Nothing more easy, for if the Figures be made so large to be visible to all the Company at a distance, it will be no difficulty to the Person that pulls out these five Tablets to pull out Figures of 4 and 2 first, being but 50 in all, ten whereof are fours and two's, and in a twinking of an Eye take up on put by a Figure as shall serve or disserve these Mathematicians turns. H. I think it very easy and plain, and am satisfied in the matter there may be a great Fallacy used, notwithstanding these Conjurer's Assertion, That there can be no Fallacy in their Method, even if the Projectors were in consultation so to do. And now you have made out what might be done: But we will suppose that this Lottery is carried on very fair without any Fallacy; what merit have they more than others of withholding less of the Adventurers Money for themselves, and what odds of Blanks to a Prize, and compare this with the Lady's Invention to see how much it falls short of that? J. There is no Comparison betwixt them, for Ludus Matheticus ought not to be named the same day as the Lady's Invention is.— H. Pray proceed to Particulars— J. Then as you hinted to me before, that by 90000 Numbered Tickets delivered out at 2 s. 6 d. each, makes 11250 l. and they propose to draw 8200 l. in Benefit Tickets: so that their Honest Profit, as it may be called, is 3050 l. which is 5 s. 5 d. out of every pound adventured with them. H. Prodigious Profit! sure they need no indirect methods to get more by their Lottery, under the fallacious Title of being impossible to deceive the Adventurer, if the Projectors were in consultation so to do. But pray to the odds?— J. Then to the odds; it is ninety thousand to one against every single Ticket you have in every Draft of their Tablets, as they call them, and 162 to one against every single Ticket that it does not come up a Prize in the 555 Drafts to be made in Benefits. H. Well, I find you in the right of it, that the Lady's Invention is preferable to all the rest; and there's as much difference betwixt that and this Ludus Mathematicus, as there is betwixt Light and Darkness. J. Then I hope you will allow my first Assertion, that the Lady's Invention is the best extant for the Adventurer. H. I do so; and be it to their eternal Renown to nick things off, so much before our Sex, and break the Neck of that rude Expression, (speaking of things out of measure) as large as a Woman's Conscience.— J. Well done Countryman, I find you have a great Veneration for the Female Sex, as well as for their Lottery.— H. I have so; and I think I need not trouble you further about any other Lotteries, being well satisfied about them; however since you are so free with me, I'll beg your Information about 3 or 4 more, and so conclude. J. Which of the Lotteries shall devour your Hogs and your Hay? H. Prithee, Cit, leave off bantering your Friends, and let us talk seriously of the Matter; and let us run through the whole small Fry of Lotteries. J. That's a work of some difficulty I will assure you Neighbour Spriggins, for we can no sooner have done with one, but another starts up in his place, Mushroon-like, of a Night's growth, and stairs the World in the Face as if it came for a Public Good, when it is altogether for their private Interest. H. They may think so, Cit, but from what you have said, I dare be bold to say they will not find it so. J. Unless you Hatfield-Bumkins will bring all the Hogs and Hay in your whole Parish to venture with them. H. Two words to that bargain; but pray what other small Lotteries is there at present got abroad? J. Faith, so many of them abroad, and such Tricks and Devises amongst them, to hook in their Adventurers, that it will be impossible to tell you half their Stratagems— H. Let us run through them and just name their Titles for I think those Lotteries not worth spending time upon which are so lately set on Foot; and inconsiderable too into the bargain. J. Then you will find in some Coffeehouses about Town who make it their business to receive all Grists that comes to their Mill. A Three-half-penny Lottery, called 300 l. for three Halfpences, or a New Adventure; the whole is but for 1800 l. and neither is there named Trustee or Cashier, and but 4 places procured as yet to take in their Books; it is much like those Mushroons of a Night's growth we was talking of before— H. You have said enough of that; pray go forward— J. The next is a Twopenny Lottery for a Guinea-Cake, which is so much like children's playing at Push-pin that I shall say no more of it— H. A mere Trifle. J. Then there is a Hat-Lottery for 10 s. each Ticket, wherein the Adventurer will be sure to have a Cloth or Carolina-Hat, as it is called in the Proposal; but the value I leave to Hat-makers' and Haberdasher's to inform you; and by chance may have two Beavers for your 10 s. being 5 Lots of two Beavers each as the highest Prizes: All I can say in this Matter is that the Haberdasher will take 1000 l. for 2000 Tickets he proposes to deliver out, which is an excellent way of forcing on a Trade— H. What more Money-Lotteries is there?— J. Why there is several, partly Money and partly Houses; as first a Twelve-penny Lottery for 5 new Brick-houses at St. Giles' on Lease, and their value made up in Money 1500 l. Besides which there is a Twelve-penny Lottery with five Balls for the Sum of a 1000 l. in the whole made into a Thousand Prizes; likewise a Norwich-Lottery for 12 d. and another at York for 12 d. in Houses and Money; all these Twelve-penny Lotteries I say, are at present on the Wheels moving to try what Fish they can catch in their Nets. H. In good Faith! a fine handsome parcel of them, and I doubt not but all's Fish that comes to their Net; pray what is observable in them?— J. To the first about St. Giles' Houses; let every Adventurer take care of his Title where there is Land or Houses, but their Sum is so small not worth our further Cognizance. H. Well Cit, what is your Opinion of the Balls Twelve-Penny Lottery? J. We shall have occasion hereafter for a larger Discourse on that Head in the Hopeful Adventure revived and improved, being likewise drawn with Balls, and is proposed for 20000 l. by 20000 Tickets to be delivered out at 20 s. each H. However give me some slight account of it. Now— J. Then take notice that there may be a great Fallacy in the Balls, and I advise the Adventurers to demand the Balls to be sawed; every Ball in 4 pieces after the Lottery is drawn, which every Undertaker ought to do for satisfaction of his Adventurers. H. I think it very reasonable what you propose— J. Then further I advise the present Adventurers to pitch upon two Gentlemen sort of Men out of the Crowd of Adventurers to go up to the Engine to see all disputable Balls fairly managed, and that the right Number be constantly called, which is the main Point, for you have not Numbered Tickets filled as in other Lotteries to satisfy all absent Adventurers or others to have recourse to the File. But hear the Criers Declaration registered is all the Justification and Satisfaction you can receive in this manner of drawing. H. In troth I think you have given very good and wholesome advice. J. And for their odds I will treat of that when come to the other Balls Lottery, the Hopeful Adventure. H. Pray what are the two Country Lotteries Norwich and York? J. For that of Norwich I never saw any of their Proposals but only read it in the common Advertisement; and therefore can say nothing for or against that Lottery. H. Pray have you seen the York Proposal? J. Yes that I have, and I find the Country-Undertakers have as large Consciences (as you call it) as those in London. H. Pray what does he pay, and what receive, and what odds of Blanks to a Prize, as by our former Method? J. Then pray observe this Worthy Country-Undertaker proposes to deliver out 60000 Tickets at 12 d. each, which makes 3000 l. and draws 281 Benefits, two whereof is to be in Houses in York City, valued at 1400 l. which I doubt not, but that is a topping price for them too; and for the other 1600 l. the Undertaker puts 1200 l. of it into 279 Money Prizes, and sinks the other 400 l. clear to himself; and besides all this the Fortunate are to pay this Country- Vertuoso-Undertaker 5 per Cent. out of their Prizes, as well from the two House-Benefits after the rate of 1400 l. for them, (whether they are worth it or not) as likewise from the 1200 l. Money Prizes which comes to 130 l. more, so his Profit is 530 l. besides the advantage of Sale of his Houses. H. What is that in the Pound Rate, and what odds of Blanks against a Prize? J. It is 3 s. 6 d. in the Pound Profit besides what he gets in his Houses, and the odds is 213 Blanks to a Prize. H. Then I find the Country Folk are not a Whit behind you Londoners,— But pray have you any more of this small Fry as you call them? J. Yes there is three new Penny Lotteries, all spick and span new, just come out of the Mint; I have not time to say much about them, but only name the Titles of them, etc. H. Do but that and it will be sufficient— J. Well Neighbour Spriggins, for your further satisfaction, I'll tell you, one is called Fortunatus, or an Adventure of 1000 l. for a Penny; the second is called the Triple Penny-Lottery; and the third is called Fifty Pound a Year for a Penny: These are their Titles. H. Why really these are lumping Pennyworths; but the Cream of the Jest will be to know how to come at them. J. Nay indeed my opinion is, that it is beyond Fortunatus' Cap. H. Why so? You know that's a very lucky Cap. J. Ay, but that's beyond his Cap to get where it is not to be had: for you must take notice these diminutive Lotteries are but just crept abroad, and can scarce see, being like P—s not nine days old; and I say this is not a time of day to set up new Lotteries, the heat of that Trade is over.— H. Is there any thing observable in them extraordinary to induce Adventurers to come in? J. No, nothing, unless it be that they get as much Money by their Lotteries as their Neighbours; and that one of them would make the World believe that his is a charitable Lottery in imitation of the Greenwich-Hospital charitable Adventure: But Neighbour Spriggins you will find at bottom that both their Charities gins at home— H. Prithee, Cit, which of them is it, and what does he propose? J. It is the last, called 50 l. per Ann. for a Penny, by Houses on Lease, wherein he tells all the Overseers in the Bills of Mortality that for the good of the Poor, and for the use of them every Parish shall have six Tickets given then Gratis, and desires the Overseers to call accordingly for them at the Book-keepers— that cuts out his Tickets. H. A noble Gift! and I warrant you he expects that these Overseers should lay out as many Six-pences or Shillings in his Lottery for themselves as he gives them Tickets for the Poor, and then tell me who hath got the best end of 〈…〉 J. I am much of your Opinion, it is what the Under … expects, and if he should be baulked in it, he won't do 〈◊〉 A— much harm in the great Gift; and so much for these Penny-Lotteries— H. Have you any more, Cit, of this small Fry as you call it? J. No; none at all of that Stamp, but we are promised one from Mr. Conwallis, and when it comes out I'll crowed that small Mushroon-Lottery with what is observable amongst the great ones in my second part of this designed Discourse on Lotteries; for I find they will swell too big for the narrow Compass, I design to publish this; I will only name them I shall then treat upon.— H. Pray let me know their Titles— J. Then the first will be the Land-Lottery for 50000 l. at 5 s. each Ticket; the next shall be the Lottery, called 12000 l. for one, a 5 s. Lottery for 30000 l. a third is a 20 s. Lottery called the Hopeful Adventure revived, drawn with Balls for 20000 l. The fourth the Charitable Lottery for 5 s. each Ticket, for 25000 l. and 20 s. each Ticket for 100000 l. a fifth for a Guinea each Ticket, for a parcel of Books called an Address to the Learned: a sixth a Guinea each Ticket in a Lottery called the Golden Fleece, for 50000 Guineas: the seventh is Mr. Neale's Lottery a Guinea each Ticket, and it is for 20000 l. Besides all these there are Dice Lotteries, with 6 Dice, and the Royal Oak Lottery, both which are by Authority from the Government, and licenced by Patent, or otherwise. These are the Lotteries. I shall compose my next part of this Discourse with such Remarks reasonable to be made upon them; recommending the growing of these ill Habits to the Legislators of the Nation to put a stop to the same. J. A fine hopeful parcel of them indeed, nay and for great Gobbets too, which is no sign of hard Times and dull Trading, as you at first was talking of; but what are those Legislators you design to recommend your next part to— J. 〈…〉 Bumpkin, don't you know them? they are our … w-makers, the House of Commons, in whose Power it is to put a stop to these growing Evils, and for to occasion Money to circulate in a more noble manner; but more of that in my next Part. H. But what must become of all these Lotteries then? if a stop should be put to them that there is not time to fill them by having their Billets cut out. J. No, never trouble yourself, time or not time, I dare be bold to say not three of them will ever be drawn full. H. But what must be the Consequence then both in relation to the Undertakers, and likewise to the Adventurers? J. Why; that the Conclusion of all these Lotteries must of consequence fall under these four Heads.— Either first the Undertakers must refund the Adventurers Money received and fit down at several hundreds of pounds' loss out of Pocket ges— H. That they will never do, but pray proceed to the next. J. Or that secondly, they must draw their Lotteries a fourth, an eighth or sixteenth part full, not sufficient to reimburse their past Charges and those to come on drawing, which will be very considerable— H. That's very poor business, I wonder there is so many Persons abroad so mad to set up these Lotteries now a days! no doubt it must be for want of Consideration! but pray go on to the next. J. Or that thirdly, the Undertakers of all these Lotteries do agree and sink them all (which I think is about five or six and Twenty) into two or three of the best of them to the Adventurer, by means whereof all these unadvised Undertakers will save their Charges and Credit too; and the Adventurer will be much better satisfied with the trial of his Fortune in some of the best Lotteries, and those too drawn completely full. and some few in the Twelve-penny Lottery the Hon … Undertaking, and the Sixpenny Lottery the Trible Chanc●, when their Advantage is so great above others. J. Those that take out their Tickets, are either their own particular Friends or unthinking Persons, that run hand over head without consulting their Interest when they may have a Chance in a better Lottery; the Lady's Invention (you may still see that is the best of all the Bunch) and all things with a seeming fairness, both to their Proposals and Engine already made.— H. Have you seen it then, Cit? J. Yes I have, and all things appears so fair, and all their Transaction is so visible to the Spectators, that it will be impossible to put any Fallacy upon the Adventurers in their drawing.— H. But what think you of this Land and Houses, and partly Money Prizes. J. Their Title, their Title Neighbour Spriggins, and their value is what I would be at; and yet I must do the York-Lottery that Justice, that they have made out their Title the best of any Lotteries of that nature, and proposes the best Method as a Satisfaction to the Adventurers, which is to deposit into two of his trusties Hands what the Houses are valued at by the Undertaker, and Counsels Opinion to the Title; and if it happen that any difficulty arises about the Title, the trusties than shall pay to the Fortunate Adventurer the Money so deposited in their Hands for that purpose— H. I wish the five Shillings Land Lottery would do the same. And then— J. Hold, hold, your breaking into the second part of this Discourse as I promised to give you in some few days, and told you I would begin with that Land Lottery. Therefore our further discourse on that Subject we will defer till then; and so Neighbour Spriggins till our next Meeting, I bid you Farewell. FINIS.