Woodward Del.

Eichardt by Rowlandson.

# THE LOTTERY OFFICE KEEPER'S PRAYER!!

KIND and benignant FORTUNE! aid an Adventurer prostrate before thy Shrine, I befeech thee. Inspired by thy Smiles, I have long officiated in an Office dedicated to thy Worship: Grant, I pray thee, Insurance to my Schemes, so that they may turn up Prizes, and prevent my looking Blank when bowing at thy Altar.

If by Chance I should enter on a matrimonial Speculation, grant, I befeech thee, throughout the whole of our Connexion, that my better Half may take a Quarter, an Eighth, or at least a Sixteenth Share in the good or bad Luck attendant on my fluctuating Undertakings. May she never be guilty of any Thing that I may get Horns-by, nor Cause me to fall a Martyr to Jealoufy, or Hazard my Efteem by Carol-ing the Praifes of my Rivals.

Grant me, I pray thee, the ineftimable Talent of poetical Puff making, so may I, in the Strains of Pope, thus pour forth my lyrical Effusions:

“ O ye whofe Breeches Pockets burn,
“ Give lucky Peter Puff a turn;
“ When Fortune beckons, never foon her,
“ But feek her Office, round the Corner.
“ You cannot well miftake the Door,
“ The Lamp is green---the Number four.”

And laſtly, I pray thee, with the indulgent Aid of mighty ſoporiferous SOMNUS, to caufe all old Women and Children to Dream ineſſantly on the Advantages gained by venturing in the Lottery, ſo ſhall the nocturnal Vifions of old Chairs and Tables be converted into lucky Numbers, and thy humble Petitioner benefited thereby.

KIND and benignant FORTUNE! aid an Adventurer proftrate before thy Shrine, I befeech thee. Inspired by thy Smiles, I have long officiated in an Office dedicated to thy Worfhip: Grant, I pray thee, *Insurance* to my *Schemes*, so that they may turn up *Prizes*, and prevent my looking Blank when bowing at thy Altar.

If by Chance I should enter on a matrimonial Speculation, grant, I befeech thee, throughout the whole of our Connexion, that my better Half may take a Quarter, an Eighth, or at least a Sixteenth Share in the good or bad Luck attendant on my fluctuating Undertakings. May she never be guilty of any Thing that I may get Horns-by, nor Caufe me to fall a Martyr to Jealoufy, or Hazard my Efteem by Carol-ing the Praifes of my Rivals.

“ O ye wholee Breeches Pockets burn,
“ Give lucky Peter Puff a turn;
“ When Fortune beckons, never foon her,
“ But feek her Office, round the Corner.
“ You cannot well miftake the Door,
“ The Lamp is green—the Number four.”

And laftly, I pray thee, with the indulgent Aid of mighty foporiferous SOMNUS, to caufe all old Women and Children to Dream inceffantly on the Advantages gained by venturing in the Lottery, fo fhall the nocturnal Vifions of old Chairs and Tables be converted into lucky Numbers, and thy humble Petitioner benefited thereby.

97L

50L

20L

(These charts are for monitor calibration only)

Yale Center for British Art, 2013