Feb. 10. 1791. Yours of the 5th reached me yesterday. I instantly went to the Don, who purchased for you at the office of Hazard and Co. a half, stamped by government and warranted undrawn, of No. 43 m 152. in the English State Lottery. I have marked on the back of it Edward, Henrietta, and Catherine Malone, and if Fortune will not favour those three united, I shall blame her. This half shall lie in my bureau with my own whole one, till you desire it to be placed elsewhere. The cost with registration is 8/. 12.?. 6d. A half is always proportionally dearer than a whole. I bought my ticket at Nicholson's the day before, and paid i6/. 8s. for it 1 . I did not look at the number, but sealed it up. In the evening a handbill was circulated by Nicholson, that a ticket the day before sold at his office for i6/. 8s. was drawn a prize for 5ooo/. The number was mentioned in the handbill. I had resolved not to know what mine was till after the drawing of the lottery was finished, that I might not receive a sudden shock of blank ; but this unexpected circumstance, which elated me by calculating that mine must certainly be one of 100, or at most 200 sold by Nicholson the day before, made me look at the two last figures of it ; which, alas ! were 48, whereas those of the fortunate one were 33. I have remanded my ticket to its secrecy. O ! could I but get a few thousands, what a difference would it make upon my state of mind, which is harassed by thinking of my debts 2 . I am anxious to hear your determination as
tary rank who attended Johnson's for 1791 is entered on May 19,
funeral. He married Lady Sarah * Profit in 50,000 lottery-tickets at
Lennox, with whom George III had 16. 2. 6 .306,250.' Annual
been in love. Being divorced, she Register, 1791, Appendix, i. 116.
married the Hon. George Napier, by The difference bet ween 16. 2. 6 and
whom she was the mother of Sir 16. 8 was, I suppose, the dealer's
Charles Napier, the conqueror of profit. The total sum paid at this
Scinde, and Sir William Napier, the rate for the tickets was ,820,000, of
373 n. She died in 1826 a great was returned in prizes, while over
grand-daughter of Charles II. Top- 13,000 went to the dealers,
ham Beauclerk and Charles James 2 I learnt on good authority at
Fox, both of whom Johnson called Auchinleck that Boswell left his
his friends, were descended from estates nearly clear of debt, but that
Charles II. they became encumbered by his
1 In the Table of Way sand Means son, Sir Alexander, and his grand-
to
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