The North-Carolinian., 1859-05-07

eacn SIDE, and tempted HIM III the very same
degree, whether it would be possible for him
to eat of either. They generally determine
this question to the disadvantage Of the ass
who they Say would starve in the midst of pen
ty, as not having single grain of free-will to
determine him more to the one than to the
other The bundle of hay on either side strik-
ing his sight and smell in the same proportion,
would keep him in perpetual suspense like the
two magnets, which travellers have told us,
are placed one of them in the roof, and the
other in the floor of Mahomet's burying -plac
at Mecca, and by that means say they, pull the
lmpostor's iron coffin with such equal attrac-
ton, that it hangs in the air between both o
them. AS for the ass's behaviouE~'n such nice
circumstances, whether he~would stafse soone]
than violate his neutrality the two bundle.
OF hay, l shall not presume to determine bul
only take notice of the conduct of our own
species in the same perplcxity When a man
has mind to venture his money in lottery,
every figure of it appears equally alluring, and
as likely to succeed as any of its fellows They
all of them have the same pretensions no good-
luck, stand upon the same foot of competition,
and no manner Of reason can I've given why a
man should prefer one to the other before the
lottery is drawn. In this case therefore ca
price very often acts in the place of reason, and
forms to itself some groundless imaginary mo-
tive, were real and substantial ones want
ing. know well-lneaning man that is very
number III, because it is the year Of our
Lord. l am acquaint ed with tacker that
would give good deal for the number 1874
On the contrary, l have been told of a certain
Jealous dissenter who being great enemy to
I opery, and believing that bad men are the
most fortunate in this world, will lay two to
one on the number 666 against any other num-
Der, because. says he, it is the number of the
beast. Several would prefer the number l2,-
h.fn fhor ic mhpr a
the pounds in the great prize In short, some
are pleased to find their own age III their num-
Der some that have got number which makes
a pretty appearance in the cyphers and
others, because it is the same number that
succeeded in the last lottery Each OF these
upon no other grounds, thinks he stands falrest
:or the great lot, and that he Is possessed OF
what may not be improperly called the golden
number
These principles of election are the pas-times
and cxtravagances of human reason, which is
of so busy a nature, that it will be eXertInG IT
self in the meanest trifes and working even
when it wants materials. The wisest OF men
are sometimes ac.el by such unaccountable
motives, as the life of the fool and the super
stitous is guided by nothing else.
surprised that none of the fortnne-tei-
Iers or as the French call them. the Dlsea1s
de bonnie 1rauture, who publish their bills in
every quarter of tie town, have turned our
lotteries to their advantage. Did any of them
set up for a caster Of FORTUNATE figures, what
might he not get by bis pretended discoveries
md predictions !?
l remember among the advertisements in the
of September the 9th, was surpris-
I'd to see the following one /:
This is to give notice, that ten shlll:tgs
over and above the marken-price, will be given
or the ticket in the el 500, 600 lottery, No.
1872, by Nath Cliff, at the Bible and Three
Crowns in Cheapside.'
This advertisement has given great matter
Of speculation to coffee-house theorists. Mr..
Cliffs principles and conversatio" have been
upon this occasion, and various con-
ectures made why he shouid thus set his heart
lpon No. 1872. / have examined all the pow
RS in those numbers, broken them into trac-
ions, extracted the square and cube root, |
divided and multiplied them all ways, but could
lot arrive at the secret until about three days |
,go, when l received the following letter from
IN unknown hand by which find that Mr..
<ath. Cliff is only the agent, aud not the prin-
;ipal in this advertisement.
Mr. SpECrAToR-I am the person that
ately advertised l would give ten sliillings
more than the current price for the ticket No.
1872 in the lottery now drawing Which is
secret which | have communicated to some
riends, who rally me incessantly upon that ac-
count You must knew l have but one ticket,
ately had more than once, was resolved it
should be the number l most approved. am
20 positive l have pitched upon the great lot,
hat l could almost lay all am worth if it.
Ny visions SO frequent and strong upon
his occasion, that l have not only possessed
he lot, but disposed of the money which in all
)roba blitv it will sell for. This morning is
L set up an equpage, which look
lpon to be the gayest in town : the liverles are
'ery rich, but not ..gaudy. | should be very
,iadr to see speculation or two upon lottery
,biects, in which you would oblge all people
and in particular, your most humble
servant,
GEORGE GOSLING.
p S. Dear Spec, if get the 3 900 pound, |
['ll make thee handsome present
After having wished m; correspondent good
uck, and thanked him for his intended kind
less, I shall for this time dismiss the subject
If the lottery, and only observe, that the great
st part of mankind in some degree guilty
If my friend Gosling's extravaganza. We are
apt to rely upon future prospects, and become
.ealy expensive while we are only rich in posi- |
,ilty We live up to our expectations, not to
our possessions, and make figure proportiona-
Die to what we may be, not what we are. We
,utrun our present income, not doubling to
lisbu:se ourselves out of the profits some fu-
ure place, project, or reversion that we have
II view. 1t is through this temper of mind, |
which is common among u.s. that we see |
break, who have met with no mis- |
ortunes in their business and men of estates |
.educed to poverty, who have never suffered
rom losses or repairs, tenants, taxes, or law