35 8' THE BORDERLAND OF SCIENCE. 



not at all. Here was an infallible system according 

 to ' the most elementary of the theories of probability.' 

 The tendency of chance-results to right themselves, so 

 that events equally likely in the first instance will 

 occur an equal number of times in the long run, was 

 called into action to enrich our gambler and to ruin 

 the unlucky bankers. Be it noted, in passing, that 

 events do thus right themselves, though this circum- 

 stance does not operate quite as the gambler supposed, 

 and cannot be trusted to put a penny into any one's 

 pocket. The system was tried, however, and instead 

 of reasoning respecting its soundness, we may content 

 ourselves with recording the result. On the first day 

 our Englishman won more than seven hundred pounds 

 in a single hour. ' His exultation was boundless. He 

 thought he had really discovered the " philosopher's 

 stone." Off he went to his bankers, and transmitted 

 the greater portion of his winnings to London. The 

 next day he played and lost fifty pounds; and the 

 following day he achieved the same result, and had to 

 write to town for remittances. In fine, in a week h& 

 had lost all the money he won at first, with the 

 exception of fifty pounds, which he reserved to take 

 him home ; and being thoroughly convinced of the 

 exceeding fickleness of fortune, he has never staked a 

 sixpence since, and does all in his power to dissuade 

 others from playing.' * 



It may appear paradoxical to say, that chance re- 



* From an interesting paper entitled ' Le Jeu estfait,' in Chambers 1 s 

 Journal. 



