mania were so rooted, from habit and a spirit of gaming, that no domestic pressure, and no consideration, connected either with the frauds that were practised, or the number of chances against them, would operate as a check upon the minds of the infatuated. The criminal agents felt no want of customers. The houses and offices were not only extremely numerous all over the metropolis, but in general high rented, exhibiting the appearance of considerable expense, and barricadoed in such a manner with iron doors and other contrivances as, in many instances, to defy the arm of the law. A considerable portion of their emoluments was traced to have been derived from menial servants in general; but particularly the male and female domestics in the houses of men of fashion and fortune, who were said, almost without a single exception, to be in the constant habit of insuring in the English and Irish Lot teries. Such persons, with a spirit of gambling rendered more ardent than prevails in common life, from the example of their su periors, and from their idle and dissipated habits, entered keenly into the Lottery business; and when ill luck attended them were often led, step by step, to that point where they lost sight of moral principle, and were impelled, by desire of regaining what they had lost, to sell or pawn the property of their masters, whenever it could be pilfered so as to elude detection; and this species of peculation sometimes terminated in more atrocious crimes. The insurance offices in the metropolis exceeded four hundred in number. To many of them persons were attached, called Morocco Men, who went from house to house among their customers, or attended in the back parlours of publichouses, where they were met by them to make insurances. paid by a general association of the principal proprietors of the establishments, who regularly met in committee, in a well-known public-house in Oxfordmarket, twice or thrice a week, during the drawing of the lottery, for the purpose of concerting measures to defeat the exertions of the magistrates, by forcibly resisting or bribing the officers of justice. The Lottery was declared to be inseparable from illegal insurances, by the parliamentary reports of 1807; and they further state, that "the Lottery is so radically vicious, that under no system of regulations which can be devised will it be possible for parliament to adopt it as an efficient source of revenue, and at the same time divest it of all the evils and calamities of which it has hitherto been so baneful a source." Among these evils and calamities, the committees of parliament enumerate that "idleness, dissipation, and poverty, were increased, the most sacred and confidential trusts were betrayed-domestic comfort was destroyed madness was often created-suicide itself was produced-and crimes subjecting the perpetrators of them to death were committed." LITTLE GOES. These were little Lotteries on the same plan as the great State Lotteries, and drawn in the same manner. There were generally five or six "little goes" in the year, and they were actually set up and conducted by two or three of the licensed lottery-office keepers. The State Lottery was the parent of these "little goes. Persons who had not patience to wait till another State Lottery gambled during the vacations in a "little go." A "little go" was never heard of during the State Lotteries.* It was calculated, that at these offices (exclusive of what was done at the licensed offices) insurances were made to the extent of eight hundred thousand pounds, in premiums during the Irish Lottery, and above one million during the English; upon which it was calculated that they made from fifteen to twenty-five per cent. profit. This confederacy, during the English Lottery of the year 1796, supported about 2000 agents and clerks, and nearly 7500 Morocco men, including a considerable number of ruffians and bludgeon men, Lotteries, 1806. THE GREAT Go. was chief magistrate of the police estaSir Nathaniel Conant, who in 1816 blishment at Bow-street, stated in that year to a committee of the house of commons, that the Lottery was one of the predisposing causes by which the people of the metropolis were vitiated; that it Report of Committee of House of Commons on led to theft, to supply losses and disappointments, occasioned by speculating on its chances; and that illegal insurances continued to be effected:" there are," he says, "people in the back ground who having got 40, or 50,000l. by that, employ people of the lowest order, and give them a commission for what they bring; there is a wheel within a wheel." Another magistrate, giving evidence before the same committee, said, "it is a scandal to the government thus to excite people to practice the vice of gaming, for the purpose of drawing a revenue from their ruin it is an anomalous proceeding by law to declare gambling infamous, to hunt out petty gamblers in their recesses, and cast them into prison, and by law also to set up the giant gambling of the State Lottery, and encourage persons to resort to it by the most captivating devices which ingenuity, uncontrolled by moral rectitude, can invent." CONCLUSION. Incredible efforts were made in the summer of 1826 to keep the "last lottery" on its legs. The price of tickets was arbitrarily raised, to induce a belief that they were in great demand at the very moment when their sale was notoriously at a stand; and the lagging attention of the public of the metropolis was endeavoured to be quickened, by all sorts of stratagems, to the 18th of July, as the very last chance that would occur in England of gaining "SIX 30,000l. besides other Capitals,' which it was positively affirmed were "all to be drawn" on that fatal day. Besides the dispersion of innumerable bills, and the aspersions on government relative to the approaching extinction of the Lottery, the parties interested in its preservation caused London and its environs to be paraded by the following Procession. 1. Three men in liveries, scarlet and gold. 4. A large purple silk banner carried by six men, inscribed in large gold letters "All Lotteries end for ever on Tuesday next, six 30,000l." 5. A painted carriage, representing the Lottery wheel, drawn by two dappled grey horses, tandem fashion; the fore horse rode by a postillion in scarlet and gold, with a black velvet cap, and a boy seated in a dickey behind the machine, turning the handle and setting the wheel in motion. 6. Six men with other Lottery labels. 7. A square Lottery carriage, surmounted by a gilt imperial crown; the carriage covered by labels, with "All Lotteries end on Tuesday next;" drawn by two horses, tandem, and a postillion. 8. Six men with labels. 9. Twelve men in blue and gold, with boards or poles with "Lotteries end for ever on Tuesday next." 10. A large purple silk flag, with "all Lotteries end on Tuesday next." This procession with its music drew the heads of the servant maids from the windows in every suburb of the metropolis, and was followed by troops of boys, till they tired on its frequency. It sometimes stopped, and a man with a bell cried "O yes!" and “God save the king!" and, between the two, proclaimed, in set words, the "death of the Lottery on Tuesday next!" The event was likewise announced as certain in all the newspapers, and by cart-loads of bills showered down areas, and thrust under knockers; when, behold, "the Lords of the Treasury were pleased to order" the tiral drawing to be postponed to Thursday the 18th of October; but all the good peo ple so informed were wisely uninformed, that this "order" was obtained by the lottery-office folks, to give them a long day to get rid of their unsold tickets. After this, the streets were cavalcaded by men, whose bodies were concealed between long boards on each side of their horses (as represented in the engraving on page 1407) to announce the next "last of the Lottery on the 18th of October" aforesaid; and men on foot walked with labels on their breasts and backs, with the same never-dying intelgence, according to the further figure in the engraving of the lottery wheel (on page 1439,) which cut, it may be here observed, represents one of the government of Police Committee of House of Com- Wheels, and the sledge it was drawn upon 2. Six men bearing boards at their backs and on their breasts, with inscriptions in blue and gold, "All Lotteries end Tuesday next, six 30,000l." &c. 3. Band of trumpets, clarionets, horns, from Somerset-house to Coopers'-hall, at the commencement of the drawing of every Lottery; on which occasion there were four horses to each wheel, and about a dozen horse-guards to protect the instruments of Miss-Fortune. scene. It was not an every-day occurrence, and I accompany it with these' remarks." This was the fag-end of the last struggle of the speculators on public eredulity for popularity to their "last," dying Lottery." At last, on Wednesday the 18th of October, 1826, the State Lottery expired, and its decease was announced in the newspapers of the next day by the following article: STATE LOTTERY. But the most pageant-like machine was an octagon frame work, covered by printed Lottery placards (as exhibited in the engraving on page 1405) with a single horse, and a driver, and a guard-like seat at the back. When drawn along the streets, as it was at a most funereal pace, it overtopped the sills of the first-floor windows. Its slow motion, and the route it chiefly took, evidenced the low hopes of the pro- Yesterday afternoon, at about half past prietors. St. Giles's and the purlieus of six o'clock, that old servant of the state, that neighbourhood seem to have been the Lottery, breathed its last, having for a selected as the favoured spots from whence long period of years, ever since the days favours were mostly to be expected. of queen Anne, contributed largely toAn opportunity offered to sketch it, while wards the public revenue of the country. it was pelted with mud and stones, and torn This event took place at Coopers'-hall, and disfigured by the unappreciating off- Basinghall-street; and such was the an spring of the sons of fortune whose regards xiety on the part of the public to witness it courted. The artist's letter describes the the last drawing of the Lottery, that great scene: "As I was walking up Holborn on numbers of persons were attracted to the Monday the 9th instant, I saw a strange spot, independently of those who had an vehicle moving slowly on, and when I interest in the proceedings. The gallery caine up to it, found a machine, perhaps of Coopers'-hall was crowded to excess from twenty to thirty feet high, of an long before the period fixed for the drawoctagon shape, covered all over with ing, (five o'clock,) and the utmost anxiety Lottery papers of various colours. It was felt by those who had shares in the had a broad brass band round the bottom, Lottery for the arrival of the appointed and moved on a pivot; it had a very hour. The annihilation of Lotteries, it imposing effect. The driver and the horse will be recollected, was determined on in seemed as dull as though they were attend- the session of parliament before last; and ing a solemn funeral, whilst the different thus a source of revenue bringing into the shopkeepers came to the doors and treasury the sums of 250,000l. and laughed; some of the people passing 300,000l. per annum will be dried up. and repassing read the bills that were This determination on the part of the lepasted on it, as if they had never read one gislature is hailed by far the greatest porbefore, others stationed themselves to look tion of the public with joy, as it will put at it as long as it was in sight. It entered an end to a system which many believe Monmouth-street, that den of filth and to have fostered and encouraged the late rags, where so great a number of young speculations, the effects of which have urchins gathered together in a few minutes been and are still severely felt. A defias to be astonishing. There being an ciency in the public revenue to the extent empty chair behind, one of them seated of 250,000l. annually, will, however, be himself in it, and rode backwards; the consequence of the annihilation of another said, "let's have a stone through Lotteries, and it must remain for those it," and a third cried "let's sludge it." who have strenuously supported the putThis was no sooner proposed than they ting a stop to Lotteries to provide for the threw stones, oyster shells, and dirt, and deficiency. burst several of the sheets; this attack brought the driver from his seat, and he was obliged to walk by the side of his machine up this foul street, which his show canvassed, halting now and then to threaten the boys, who still followed and threw. I made a sketch, and left the Although that which ended yesterday was the last, if we are informed correctly, the lottery-office keepers have been left with a great number of tickets remaining on their hands—a pretty strong proof that the public in general have now no relish for these schemes. The concourse of persons in Basinghall-street was very great; indeed the street was almost impassable, and everybody seemed desirous of ascertaining the fortunate numbers. In the gallery the greatest interest was excited, as the various prizes were drawn from the wheel; and as soon as a number-ticket was drawn from the number-wheel every one looked with anxiety to his share, in order to ascertain if Fortune smiled on him. Only one instance occurred where a prize was drawn and a number held by any individual present. The fortunate person was a little man, who, no sooner had learned that his number was a grand prize, then he buttoned up his coat and coolly walked off without uttering a word. As the drawing proceeded, disappointment began to succeed the hopes indulged by those who were present. On their entrance to the hall every face wore a cheerful appearance; but on the ter mination of the drawing a strong contrast was exhibited, and the features of each were strongly marked with dissatisfaction. The drawing commenced shortly after five o'clock, and ended at twenty minutes past six. The doors of the various Lottery-offices were also surrounded by persons awaiting the issue of the drawing. LOTTERY PUFFS. It is not possible to go into the Literature of the Lottery without occupying more room than can be spared, but young readers and posterity may be amused and suprised by some figures, from among many hundreds of wood-cuts on the bills of schemes, and invitations to buy. "T. BISH, 4 Cornhill, and 9 Charingcross, London, and by all his agents in the country," put forth the following. RUN, Neighbours, run, the LOTTERY's expiring, Haste, Neighbours, haste, the Chance will never come again, Then run, neighbours, run, &c. that benevolent purpose, they could only be so to those who, with the contractors, forgot, or perhaps, with them, did not know, that the original tells of This versified address and the engraving are from another bill. The verses may be presumed as sung by the footman, to excite his fellows of the party-coloured cloth to speculate in the never-enoughto-be-sufficiently - magnified - number of chances in favour of their gaining "Four of £20,000, and-Thirty other Capitals! No Blanks!-ALL IN ONE DAY!" Yet if the words, adapted from a popular duet, were regarded as an easy vehicle to effect" cajolery." VOL. II.-100. "a day of jubilee cajolery." Surely this must have been a "word of fear" to all except the contractors themselves, who alone would be the gainers by what the body of adventurers hazarded in the " grand scheme", of |