A History of English Lotteries

“Mrs. B. Why, Dennis Brulgruddery, surely you’re mad!

Are these times, I wonder, to laugh and be glad?

I suppose that, as usual, you’ve been in the cellar,

And, beast as you are, with the ale have got mellow.

Dennis. Be quiet now, Mistress Brulgruddery, dear,

And let me just whisper a word in your ear;

Be aisy, my darling, and open your eyes;

Don’t you see I’ve got hold of a Capital Prize?

Mrs. B. A capital fiddlestick!—Dennis, you’re crazy.

Dennis. My Jewel!—I tell you again, now, be aisy;

Don’t bother my gig, and I’ll tell you the matter;

But paice now, and let’s have no more of your clatter.

Mrs. B. Well, tell your fool’s tale, and, for my part, I’m dumb;

You know I hate talking—I always am mum;

You should hear Mrs. Gabble—she....

Dennis.Will you be quiet?

Mrs. B. Oh, certainly, Sir;—there’s no need of a riot;

I was only a saying,—but on with your tale.

Dennis. You know who it was sav’d the Brazier from jail,

And 10 Thousand Pounds paid him “down on the nail.”

Mrs. B. Mr. Peregrine, sure....

Dennis.T’other day, in the thicket,

He slipp’d in my hand, faith! a Lottery Ticket;

A reward for our kindness to Mary, my dear;

Little share of that matter was yours, though, I fear:

I thank’d him, be sure, and now, by the pow’rs,

A fortune of Ten Thousand Pounds, dear, is ours!

Mrs. B. A Ten Thousand Prize is a Capital thing;

But better luck still, the next venture may bring:

I’ve a Scheme in my pocket, by which it is plain,

That a trifling sum may twice Ten Thousand gain!

Dennis. Good luck to the craturs! and who would say, nay?

I’m off for a Ticket as sure as the day;

Och! this is the saison for making of hay!

Exeunt.”

The Lottery for June 17, 1814 (54 Geo. III. c. 74), was for £600,000; but the net profit was small, only £174,533 1s. 3d.

“SHAKESPEARE’S SEVEN AGES.

A Paraphrase.

All the World’s a Lottery,

And men and women mere Adventurers:

As planets rule, do mortals play their parts

Throughout life’s seven ages. First the Infant—

For him, his mother, anxious to obtain

An independence, buys a Lottery Chance,

And marks the Ticket with her darling’s name.

The School Boy next—with Christmas Box well stored,

And face all shining with the rays of hope,

Creeps, in his way to school, t 'a Lott’ry Fane,

Empties his hoard, and buys a Sixteenth Share;

Then sums his Fortune by the Golden Rule.

The Sighing Lover, fond, but poor in purse,

A woeful ballad sings to Beauty’s Goddess,

To crown his purchas’d Chance with plenteous wealth;

That he may speedy gain, in wedded bands,

The greatest Prize—the maiden he adores.

The daring Soldier next—full of ambition

To acquire honor, fame, and high command,

Woos the blind Goddess—fav’rer of the bold—

And swears he’d brave the loaded cannon’s mouth,

T’ obtain a Prize of Twenty Thousand Pounds.

A Justice now—full anxious to support,

With Capons fat, and turtle season’d high,

His big round belly, a Ticket buys, in hope

To gain promotion, and ennobled blood.

The sixth Advent’rer, is the Pantaloon—

He eager views, by aid of spectacles,

The luring Tickets—buys—and hopes to pouch

A Capital—it rises to his wish—

His shrunk shank lengthens—and his deep fault’ring voice,

With shrilly pipe proclaims the joyful news.

But, last of all—to crown advent’rous life,

Would be no second childishness; to gain

A Prize that comfort yields—when age becomes—

Sans teeth—sans eyes—sans taste—sans everything.

Would every Age know Where, with prospect bright,

Of great success, is Fortune’s fav’rite Fane,

Fame tells ’tis kept by Bish—who never fails,

In each new Scheme to Sell—Prizes Immense.”

(Intitled the Linnæan Gallery), Being all the
Original Paintings of the choicest Flowers, Allegorical
Subjects, and Heads of Botanists, executed by the most
eminent Painters, Opie, R.A. dec., Russell, R.A. dec.,
Howard, R.A., Reinagle, R.A., Henderson, &c., &c.,
accompanied with a superb Copy of each of the other
prizes, most elegantly bound, valued together at upwards
of	£5,080 0 0
Also 199 Capital Prizes.
Each containing The Temple of Flora,	15,920 0 0
being representations of the choicest
Flowers of Europe, Asia, Africa, and
America, New Illustrations of the
Linnæan System and Philosophy of
Botany, making together Five Grand
Volumes, including several Hundred
Plates, by those most eminent Artists
Bartolozzi, Earlom, Landseer, Milton,
Lowry, Tomkins, Dunkarton,
Ward, &c., &c. (the Plates afterwards
to be destroyed, according to Act of
Parliament); each set of these Grand
National Works is valued at £80
Also 200 Capital Prizes.
Each being a Copy of the Botanical	6,000 0 0
Coloured Plates in the Temple of
Flora, forming a most elegant Portfolio
of Botanical Flower Plates, with a
Descriptive Catalogue in 8vo, value
£30 each Copy
Also 609 Capital Prizes.
Each being the Temple of Flora 4to	9,000 0 0
Size, richly coloured, and Letter Press,
valued at £15 each
Also 2000 Capital Prizes.
Viz. Flora of the United Kingdom,	20,000 0 0
being a Description of every British
Plant, and their Virtues, 400 Plates,
Five Volumes 8vo, valued at £10 each
Also 7000 Capital Prizes.
Viz. Elements of Botany, Two	21,000 0 0
Volumes 8vo, with 200 Plates, valued
at £3 each
Total Value of all the Prizes in the
Royal Botanical Lottery	£77,000 0 0

CHAPTER XIV.

“MASTER AND MAN.

Royal
BOTANICAL LOTTERY.

CHAPTER XIV.

“MASTER AND MAN.

Royal BOTANICAL LOTTERY.

Royal
BOTANICAL LOTTERY.