CHARACTERS. 



7oj 



vites the bystanders, Avhose hands 

 are already in motiun, under the 

 most splendid assurances of drawing 

 the numbers which are to be prizes. 

 Two sous is the usual price of all 

 suth never failing prophecies. 



A little farther another has a 

 large board with letters exposed, 

 tell him only your initials he im- 

 mediately draws your name from 



doing no more than a philosopher, 

 who, taking his chair, draws up 

 with two demonstrating fingers the 

 curtain of futurity, as he would 

 unroll a piece of paper ? 



Let us go farther, and sec this 

 brilliant inscription : the golden 

 chain of fate. This valuable chaia 

 consists of ninety cases, or wrap- 

 pers of gilt paper, which are w ound 



the board, and in a hole behind it, on a Avhcel, like yarn to be un- 



finds you all you desire to know. 

 This way of divinaiion has been 

 fonnd too simple by a third. Be- 

 hold that table where all sorts of 

 neat little figures are driven round 

 by clock-work. At iirst sight, it 

 does not look at all like the sanftu- 

 ary of a lottery prophet ; but you 

 will soon perceive, that on thu mid- 

 dle pole which goes through the 

 table, a zodiac is fastened over the 

 puppets, in which the months are 

 inscribed and which turns round 

 with them. Higher up you behold 

 another circle bearing the ninety 

 numbers. Now only please to 

 touch with your finger the puppet 

 you think mostendowed with thegilt 

 of soothsaying : for instance, this 

 Turkish emperor who holds his scep- 

 tre so majestically high ; all the 

 figures immediately bugin to run, 

 the zodiac turns round, as do the 

 numbers, and you wait in piitience 

 for the result. 



Now the clock-work is run down, 

 the emperor of Turkey stands still, 

 and points with his sceptre to the 

 month of August, exaftly above 

 which is No. 78. Can any thing be 

 more natural and certain than (hat 

 by taking this number for this 

 month, you will win great sums 

 upon it? You laugh that people 

 should thus seriously give them- 

 selves up to children's play. Beg- 

 ging your pardon, it is, in fa^^t. 



reeled, and turned by a blind man. 

 You choose one of these paper cases, 

 the blind man opens it, and the 

 number it contains .again makes 

 your fortune. But should you be 

 absolutely determined not to make 

 it in the lottery, you will at least be 

 curious enough to learn your fu- 

 ture destinies, and the past like- 

 wise if you piease. 



In front of the Pont Neuf stands a 

 conjurer, who expressly announces 

 himself to be privilegtd by the 

 police, and who has devoted his 

 talent chiefly to the lottery : as 

 men had much rather win money, 

 than look into futurity. At your 

 desire the same personage opens 

 you the book of fate for two sous, 

 and with wonderous fluency of 

 speech, relates to you all that has 

 happened and will happen. Tliough 

 twenty people, one alter another,' 

 ditlerent by professions, age, and 

 sex, should all appeal to his skill, 

 it does not put him out of counte- 

 nance 5 he stares at one after the 

 other, reads in their eyes and whole 

 countenance, speaks to each for 

 at least two minutes, is very grave 

 all the M'hile, makes use of the 

 choicest terms of language, says in 

 about an hour, (so long i iniagine 

 I staid), certainly not the same tliin5 

 twice over, never stops or stammers, 

 makes a slight bow at last ; asks 

 for nothing, addresses those who 



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follow J 



