rtheless, our plans must be very similar.
Believe me it will be best for us to work in concert, for by yourself you
would find insuperable difficulties in the working, and you will find no
'intelligent machines' in Paris. My brother will do all the work, and you
will be able to reap the advantages at your ease."

"Are you, then, not the inventor of the scheme which has been shewn me?"

"No, it is the work of my brother."

"Shall I have the pleasure or seeing him?"

"Certainly. His body is feeble, but his mind is in all its vigour. We
shall see him directly."

The brother was not a man of a very pleasing appearance, as he was
covered with a kind of leprosy; but that did not prevent him having a
good appetite, writing, and enjoying all his bodily and intellectual
faculties; he talked well and amusingly. He never went into society, as,
besides his personal disfigurement, he was tormented with an irresistible
and frequent desire of scratching himself, now in one place, and now in
another; and as all scratching is accounted an abominable thing in Paris,
he preferred to be able to use his fingernails to the pleasures of
society. He was pleased to say that, believing in God and His works, he
was persuaded his nails had been given him to procure the only solace he
was capable of in the kind of fury with which he was tormented.

"You are a believer, then, in final causes? I think you are right, but
still I believe you would have scratched yourself if God had forgotten to
give you any nails."

My remarks made him laugh, and he then began to speak of our common
business, and I soon found him to be a man of intellect. He was the elder
of the two brothers, and a bachelor. He was expert in all kinds of
calculations, an accomplished financier, with a universal knowledge of
commerce, a good historian, a wit, a poet, and a man of gallantry. His
birthplace was Leghorn, he had been in a Government office at Naples, and
had come to Paris with M. de l'Hopital. His brother was also a man of
learning and talent, but in every respect his inferior.

He shewed me the pile of papers, on which he had worked out all the
problems referring to the lottery.

"If you think you can do without me," said he, "I must compliment you on
your abilities; but I think you will find yourself mistaken, for if you
have no practical knowledge of the matter and no business men to help
you, your theories will not carry you far. What will you do after you
hav