The Sun.
London, England, 1819-05-10 00:00:00

THE LOTTERY.

The following article appeared In our Paper
sope time ago,•and was written in consequence
of a former ai tack on LOTTERIES by Mr.LYTTaL-
TON. We have been desired to reprint it, as a
full answer to that Gentlenian, upon grounds of
sound philosophy, founded on knowledge of man-
kind, and the nature of society, which must al-
ways weigh more with all reflecting minds than
the rant of specious declamation, or the visionary
theories of shallow Politicians. We have only
to assure our Readers, that none of the persona
at ail connected with Lotteries have reqUested
this re-insertion :

" The attacks which have been made upon this source of
finance seem to be founded hi what Doctor JOHNSON calls
'• honest folly." The Persons who object to LOTTERIES
probably mean well, but they judge from narrow views, and
are ignorant of the nature of man, particularly a social
state. It is impossible for any nation to exist without some
amusement for the great body of the people, who might
otherwise turn their attention to more vicious avocations.
The passions and the'follies of the Majority, should, if pos-
sible, he rendered subservient to the interests of the State.
In almost 'all countries where men congregate in society
some species of GAMING has prevailed: It is hardly pos-
sible to render PRIVATE Gamtsto beneficial to the State\
but in the case of Lotteries that object of political eco-
nomy is easily practicable.' That Lotteries are attended
with mischievous consequences is to say no inure than
that evil must, in some degree, be attendant on all
human concerns, and who can say whether the good re•

suiting from Lotteries does not far overbalance the evil ? '
We know that the measure is a productive source of revenue,
and in that respect ought not to be overlooked by,sound Po-
!is icians. It is a voluntary ."(tX which adventurous . spirits ;
lay upon • themselves. They at leaft buy hope for a certain
period, and hope is often more gratifying than possession it-
self, which soon cloys, while hope is a constant source of
enjoyment. If'disappointment ensues, a sanguine spirit will
.1
hope again, and hence he enjoys a renewal of pleasure. Who
coo venture to say that the mimes' devoted to the Lottery
might not have been expended in ihriety or licentious plea- ' '
sures ? The man disposers to sot away his money, or to squander
it on loose women, fixes a temporary curb upon himself while •
he rather employs his money in a Lottery adventure. No man
has ever been• so wise as not to think that FORTUNE and
CIIANCR have some influence over human affairs, and the '
great majority of mankind are.congilentirof that oaithon.—
Why are Novels and Romances written, hut because they
apply to a disposition inseparable from our nature, a dispo-
sition to I ely upon the-occurrence of some fortunate casual-
ty ? Look at GAMING among' persons of high rank, and the
next degree below them Do we not hear every day of some I '
among them Who hazard all their property upon the turn of
Dice, and bring themselves and their families to ruin? Will
any body compare the desperate adventurer upon a Dice-bar
or upon Garda, and other fatal instruments of ruin, with the
sanguine speculator who ' confines his adventurous experi-
ment to the purthase of a share in the Lottery ? The
Legislature has dote all that it email, and probably all that
can he done, to prevent. illegal Insurance, and Lotteries I
are rendered now as little mischievous as possible; but it is I
not possible to guard against every species of evil. The pus-
session 1 '
of a Lottery Ticket, or humblest Share, excites an
agreeable commotion in a family, in which the lowest servant I
partakes. Promises, in eaFe of success, are often liberally I
made, and as often faithfully fulfilled. The passions of I
mankind must be emPloyed in harmless pursuits, or they may f
take the most injurious direction. As to the distress which '
people bring on themselves by vent string in the Lotteries,pawo-
ing of their hroperty, borrowing, or stealing money for I hat
purpose, the same may he said, and with much more force,
agai,st any of the indulgencies of inordihate desires, what-
ever may he the object. Among the various designations of
MAN, it may he fairly said that he is a GASSING ANIMAL}
and if the inferior animals were not wholly employed in col-
lecting food, or securioginellistivcs num, ...---,,--,—_,,...i ~,,..
vention sufficient to so pply amusementa among each other, we
mac infer from the nature of all sentient beings, that the I
desire of deriving profit from others, that might want-1
equal capacity, would soon „introduce GAM xNG. No en- I
mite is excited by gaming in tie Lottery ; . no quarrels,
as in other Mods of gaining; nor is there the same total
destitution of humanity which atten!s that most detestable f
species of gaining, trotting a poor horse against time, ;
when the miserahle animal pays often life for its success,
falling dead at the feet of its• cruel master. It is different
with horse-iacing, for in that the noble animals feel a sort
of rivalry, and a spirit of emulation; but the wreteli who
tortures a poor animal upon bets rigainst time is a monster
in every • civilized state which is disgraced by suffering
such outrages upon humanity. On the whole, .LOtte-
lies are highly heneGeial in a nation; for, 'as they
are a voluntary Tax which people lay 'upon themselves, they
are to a certain extent exempted from the infliction of others ;
which Government might find it necessary to impose for the ;
support of the State The ' Lotteries afford amusement for
people in every class of life ; they take but little money .from ,
individuals, who, as has been said, are sore to purchase the
delightful emotions of hope; they certainly confer happiness
upon many, and they turn that attention towards gratifying l
expectations which might otherwise he devoted to the indul-
gence of the Most flagitious and destructive pursuits. We have,
we trust, treated the subject without sophistry, upon obvious
principles of national policy,as well asupon a philosophical con-
sideration of the nature of man as he exists in civilized society.
We respect the feeiings of those who regard the subject in a dif-
ferent point of view, but we must consider them as men who
think upon a very contracted scale,' and are wholly unable
to judge as wise Statesmen and sound Politicians. As to
those who view the subject through the distorting medium of
Party, we hold them in no' respect at all, particularly if, no
der the protection-of a. Parliamentary Fallopt!,,, they aim ve-
nomous shafts against those who are not permitted to reta-
liate, but must stand the helpless victims of assault, like in-
, uriceut Cocks on Shrove Tuesday. ' The injustice of such at-
tacks is the more reprehensible, when they are directed, as
in the case of the Lottery, Alice Keepers, against men who
have raised themselves into eminence by diligence anti in-

tegrity, and arr consequently well hilown to their
fellow-citizens, while it is by nu means certain, that those
who,defatne theru.would, in the same situation, hays conduct,
edltionselvcs with equal ability and honour."

The Amphion frigate, Captain W. B: Dasn-
wool), from South America, arrived at Portsmouth
on Tuesday evening, on her way from Plymouth
to Deptford, to be pant off. Ste proceeded on the
rollowmg evening. She left Buenos Ayr& on the
6th of February, and Rio Janeiro on the 6ch of
March ; was retained a fortnight on the Line
hy calms, and several days at the mouth of the
Channel by strong, easterly gales. While she
lay at Rio Janeiro, the American sloop of war
Ont,no -arrived there from Valparaiso, and re-
ported to the Consul (as he bad be-
fore done to Commodore liowLEs, in the Ri-
ver Plate), that Lord COCEIRANt bad hoist-
ed his broad pendant at Valparaiso, in the
frigate Maria Isabel (captured from the Spa-
niards), of 50 guns. commanded by Captain
FoxrEn, having on board 400 excellent seamen,
and that he had teu sail of vessels of war, of all
classes, under his command, which were perfectly
ready, • and in the most efficient state, for sea ;
two of them mounted 40 guns ; and his Lordship
had, by a special message, requested an interview
with the Captain of the Ontario, and that the
questions put-to him by his Lordship were evi-
dently intended to ascertain what was the amount
of the specie which had been shipped in his
Majesty's ships Andromache, Captain SHERIFFS
and BloSsom, Captain HICKEY, and whether the
same was the actual property of the Spanish Go-
vernment or of any of its authorities, these two
ships being then on the coast with it on board.—
The impression remaining on the mind of the
Captain of the Ontario, was, that could his Lord-
ship vrefl ascertain this latter point, it was his in-
tention to intercept these ships, and seize the
L property.