L'evoluto

mprudence

among the many evils that arise from want of edu-
cation. The dull country squire, who has no taste
for literary amusements, has nothing, except his
dogs and horses, but his bumper to divert him; and
the town squire sits soaking for the same reasons in
a tavern. These are the common herd of Bacchus's
swine but nothing is more shocking than to see
a man of sense thus destroying his parts and con-
stitution. It not only makes a terrible innovation
in his whole frame and intellects, but also robs him of
the society of those like himself, with whom he should
associate, and reduces him to the level of a set of
wretches; since all may be admitted to his company
and conversation, who are able to toss off a bumper.

These considerations are sufficient to convince us
of the evils which result from hard drinking: but it
will shock us still more, if we reflect, how much it
will influence our life and conduct. Whoever is
engaged in a profession, will never apply to it with
success, while he sticks so close to his bottle; and
the tradesman, who endeavours to make business
and pleasure compatible, will never be able to make
both ends meet. Thus, whether health, fame, or
interest is regarded, drunkenness should be avoided:
and we may say with Cassio, every inordinate cup
is unblest, and the ingredient is a devil.'-O.

N° 93. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1755.

-Heu, Fortuna, quis est crudelior in nos
Te Deus! ut semper gaudes illudere rebus

Why, Fortune serve us such a cruel prank,

To turn thy wheel, and give us blank, blank, blank!

I CANNOT but admire the ingenious device prefixed to the advertisements of Hazard's Lottery-office, in which Fortune is represented hovering over the heads of a great number of people, and scattering down all kinds of prizes among them. What Mr. Hazard has here delineated, every adventurer in the late lottery had pictured to himself: the Ten Thousand constantly floated before his eyes, and each person had already possessed it in imagination. But, alas! all our expections are now at an end: the golden dream is at length vanished; and those, whose heads were kept giddy all the while that the wheel of Fortune was turning round, have now leisure soberly to reflect on their disappointment. How many unhappy tradesmen must now trudge on foot all their lives, who designed to loll in their chariots! How many poor maidens, of good family but no fortune, must languish all their days without the comforts of a husband and a coach and six! Every loser thinks himself ill used by Fortune: and even Mrs. Betty, the possessor of a single sixteenth, flies to the office, pays her penny, and receives the tidings of her ill luck with surprise; goes to another office, pays her penny, hears the same disagreeable information, and can hardly, very hardly persuade herself, that For

arture

tune should have doomed her still to wash the dishes, and scrub down the stairs.

Thus the views of every adventurer are directed to the same point, though their motives for engaging in the lottery may be different. One man puts in, because he is willing to be in Fortune's way; another, because he had good luck in the last; and another, because he never got any thing before : this indulges in the prospect of making a fortune; and that comforts himself with the pleasing hopes of retrieving his desperate circumstances. Every one, however, thinks himself as sure of the Ten Thousand, as if he had it in his pocket; and his only concern is, how to dispose of it. We may, therefore, consider every adventurer, as having been in actual possession of this treasure; and out of fifty thousand people, who have been blest within this fortnight with such ideal good fortune, I shall select the following instances, which fell within my own notice.

Joseph Wilkins of Thames-street, Esquire, common-councilman and cheesemonger, got the 10,000% He could not bear the foggy air and dingy situation of the city: he, therefore, resolved to take a house at the St. James's end of the town, and to fit up a snug box at Hampstead in the Chinese taste, for his retirement on Sundays. A chariot was absolutely necessary, to carry him to and from 'Change every morning: but he intended to have it made. according to the modern fashion, that it might occasionally be converted into a post-chaise, to wheel him on a Saturday night to his country-seat, and back again on the Monday morning. He designed to be chosen alderman the first vacancy; after that to be made sheriff, receive the honour of knighthood, and perhaps get into parliament: and when

ever he passed by the Mansion-house, he could not but look upon it with pleasure, as the future residence of his lordship. Nothing was now wanting but a careful plodding partner, who should take upon himself the whole drudgery of the shop; so that the squire might have no farther trouble, than to receive his dividend of the profits. But while he was considering on whom this important favour should be conferred, his ticket was drawn Blank; and Squire Wilkins is contented with his greasy employment of cutting out pennyworths of Cheshire cheese.

Jonathan Wildgoose of Cheapside, silk-mercer, had too much taste to be confined to dirty business, which he neglected for the more agreeable pursuits of pleasure. Having therefore met with great losses in trade, he was obliged to embark the remains of his shattered fortune in the lottery, and by purchasing a number of tickets secured to himself the 10,000l. He had determined to keep his success secret, bilk his creditors by becoming bankrupt, turn the whole into an annuity for his life, and live abroad like a gentleman upon the income. But unluckily his creditors came upon him too quickly; and before he could know that he had not got the Ten Thousand, hurried him to jail, where he now lies, lamenting that the Act of Insolvency had not been postponed till after the lottery.

John Jones of Ludlow, in the county of Salop, Esquire, dealer and chapman, got the 10,000l. This gentleman was forewarned of his success by several indisputable tokens. His lady had dreamed of a particular number four nights together; and while the bells were ringing on his being chosen bailiff of the corporation, they spoke in as plain words as ever Whittington heard, Mr. John Jones will get ten

thousand pound-Mr. John Jones will get ten thousand pound.' He and his lady, therefore, came up to London; and not being able to meet with the particular number at Hazard's or Wilson's, or any other office always remarkable for selling the Ten Thousands, they advertised it in the papers, and got the great prize, only paying a guinea more for their ticket than the market-price. As Mrs. Jones knew a good deal of the world, having lived for some years in quality of an upper servant in a great house, she was determined that Mr. Jones should take the opportunity, now they were in town, of learning how to behave himself as he should do when he came to his fortune. She, therefore, introduced him to the best company in all the housekeepers and stewards' rooms in the best families where she was acquainted: and as Mr. Jones was so deficient in politeness, as not even to know how to make a bow in coming into a room, he had private lessons from Mr. Aaron Hart, who undertakes to teach grown gentlemen to dance. Mrs. Jones herself was very busy in consulting with the milliner and mantua-maker about the newest fashion, when the long looked-for Ten Thousand came up; and directly after the hey-gee-ho carried, them down again to Salop, with this only consolation, that their ticket was within one of the fortunate number.

Sir Humphry Oldeastle, having greatly dipped his estate by being chosen into parliament on the Tory interest, mortgaged all he had left, to put himself in the way of the 10,000l. for the good of his country. This seasonable recruit fixed him a staunch patriot; and he declared he would stand another election against all opposition. But, however it happened, the finishing of the lottery has