the highest Prize
was a _Pint Silver Mug_: any one might become an Adventurer for
Six-pence, and the Adventurers were to put their Hands in the Glass,
and draw the Tickets themselves. A Sharper having got amongst the
Croud, contrived a Ticket like those in the Glass, and wrote upon it a
_Pint Silver Mug_, and then dextrously concealing it in the Palm of
his Hand, put in to draw the Lot: the Ticket being opened, the Master
of the Lottery called him all the vile cheating Rogues, saying, he
would go before a Magistrate, and make Oath, that the Prize of the
_Silver Mug_ had never been put into the Glass.

There are many Persons subsisted merely by frequenting the most noted
_Ordinaries_ and _Eating-Houses_ where the second-hand sort of
Gentlemen resort; and there, when they find a better Sword, Hat or
Cane, than their own at leisure, make no scruple to bring them away,
and are oftentimes so ungenerous as not to leave their old ones in
lieu of them. The Persons who fall into this _Way of Life_, I have
observed, are for the most part of pretty voluble Tongues, and are
generally well versed in the Politicks and Histories of their own
Times, so as to be able to harangue a Company into a good opinion of
their Parts and Capacity; so that when they are taking Leave, to go
away, the Company may not regard the Pegs on which those Moveables
hang. They also appear decently dress'd, so as to avoid being
suspected of making a _Trade_ instead of a _Mistake_ when they are
detected in these Practices. I have known a large Number of People,
after they have heartily filled their Bellies with Beef and Pudding,
do notable Services to their Country; two or three have made Reprisals
upon the _Spanish Guard la Costa's_ in the _West-Indies_. Others have
reduced the Army, and added to the Sinking-Fund. Some have made a safe
and honourable Peace, and brought us all to rights at last; and after
all this Merit, be rewarded with the loss of their Hats, Canes and
Swords, and be forced to march out of a Cook's Shop like a Garrison
that has surrendred Prisoners at Discretion, when some of the
_Gentlemen_ of this _Profession_ have been amongst them.

A Gentleman-like Person being on a _Christmas-Day_ taking a Walk in
_Queen-Square_ near _Ormond-Street_, and observing a handsome Table
decked out with the best Damask Linnen, and a Side-Board richly
cover'd with Plate, _&c._ he concluded that an elegant Dinner must not
be very distant from those Preparation