Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/209



Concerning the first of these we must not say an adverse word: there is an act of parliament to make them legal; and who dares contravene the ordinances of a law so positive, though it sanctions crime, and renders that innocent, which is in itself altogether baleful and injurious? But we may be permitted to go into figures: we may calculate, that if for every thousand tickets the lottery contains, only ten thousand pounds are divided among the whole, (or ten pounds each,) then every pound paid for a ticket more than ten pounds, is taken out of the pockets of the purchaser; and is so much lost, thrown away, or cheated out of you. The half ticket would then be worth five pounds,—the quarter ticket two pounds ten shillings,—the eighth one pound five shillings,—and the sixteenth twelve shillings and sixpence. On the contrary, at present, the sixteenth is charged twenty-seven shillings, and the whole ticket twenty pounds! and what for?

Answer that ye knaves! Tell us how it comes to pass, that the capital prizes are never drawn until towards the latter end of the drawing?