[ "3 ] 



The profits of infurers, which do not depend on gambling 

 but on calculation, would be raifed, not in the immediate in- 

 creafed rate of infurance but in the certainty of the revenue. 

 In proportion as their intelligence was expeditious and authentic 

 they could afford to infure on lower terms, becaufe their bufi- 

 nefs would become more extenfive, and becaufe the hazards 

 arifing from ignorance of foreign and domeflic events would, 

 to them, be confiderably diminifhed. 



I AM fenfible that the gambling (lock-jobber, and all thofe 



concerned in the infurance of lotteries, ought, if they under- 



ftood their own intereft, to confider this invention as the ruin of 



their trade. "Whatever brings the condudl of affairs within the 



limits of calculation, and enlarges the power of prudence, di- 



minifhes the empire of fortune, and mufl be deprecated by 



gamefters of every defcription. A flock-jobber traffics in the 



ignorance and credulity of his neighbour, againfl which he 



flakes his own information and cunning, and fometimes his 



rafhnefs and prefumption. His bufinefs is to colletft intelligence, 



and to conceal or divulge it as may fuit his interefl. He lives 



by the news of the day and by the report of the moment ; 



but fince news, even with all the adtivity he can employ, cannot 



[be circulated from kingdom to kingdom, through the ftreets of 



[ London, the coffee-houfes and the exchange, with the fame ve- 



I 'locity by the human tongue as by the Telegraph, he will hate 



-and fear it as his rival and detedlor ; nor will any man of bu- 



VoL. VI. P finefa;, 



