50 ARBUTHNOT. 



of part of the title we have already given, namely from "a de- 

 monstration" down to "Backgammon." 



The words which have been quoted from Lubbock and Drink- 

 water in Art. 78, seem not to distinguish between these two 

 parts. There is nothing about the " advantage of the banker 

 at Pharaon" in the first part; and the investigations which are 

 given in the second part could not, I believe, have appeared so 

 early as 1692: they seem evidently taken from De Moivre. De 

 Moivre says in the second paragraph of his preface, 



I had not at that time read anything concerning this Subject, hut 

 Mr. Huygens's Book, de Eatiociniis in Ludo Alese, and a little Eng- 

 lish Piece (which was properly a Translation of it) done by a very in- 

 genious Gentleman, who, tho' capable of carrying the matter a great 

 deal farther, was contented to follow his Original; adding only to it 

 the computation of the Advantage of the Setter in the Play called 

 Hazard, and some few things more. 



82. The work is preceded by a Preface written with vigour 

 but not free from coarseness. We will give some extracts, which 

 show that the writer was sound in his views and sagacious in 

 his expectations. 



It is thought as necessary to write a Preface before a Book, as 

 it is judg'd civil, when you invite a Friend to Dinner to proffer him 

 a Glass of Hock beforehand for a Whet: And this being maim'd 

 enough for want of a Dedication, I am resolv'd it shall not want an' 

 Epistle to the Beader too. I shall not take upon me to determine, 

 whether it is lawful to play at Dice or not, leaving that to be disputed 

 betwixt the Fanatick Parsons and the Sharpers ; I am sure it is lawful 

 to deal with Dice as with other Epidemic Distempers; 



A great part of this Discourse is a Translation from Mons. Huy- 

 gens's Treatise, De ratiociniis in ludo Alese; one, who in his Improve- 

 ments of Philosophy, has but one Superior, and I think few or no 

 equals. The whole I undertook for my own Divertisement, next to 

 the Satisfaction of some Friends, who would now and then be wran- 

 gling about the Proportions of Hazards in some Cases that are here 

 decided. All it requir'd was a few spare Hours, and but little Work 

 for the Brain; my Design in publishing it, was to make it of more 

 general Dse, and perhaps persuade a raw Squire, by it, to keep his 

 Money in his Pocket; and if, upon this account, I should incur the 



