kind of public game at hazard, frequent in Britain, France, and Holland, in order to raise money for the service of the state; being appointed with us by the authority of parliament, and managed by commissioners appointed by the lords of the treasury for that purpose. It consists of several numbers of blanks and prizes, which are drawn out of wheels, one of which contains the numbers, and the other the corresponding blanks or prizes.

The Romans invented lotteries to enliven their Saturnalia. This festival began by the distribution of tickets which gained some prize. Augustus made lotteries which consisted of things of little value; but Nero established some for the people, in which 1000 tickets were distributed daily, and several of those who were favoured by fortune got rich by them. Heliogabalus invented some very singular: the prizes were either of great value or of none at all: one gained a prize of six slaves, and another of six flies; some got valuable vases, and others vases of common earth.

The first English lottery we find mentioned in history was drawn A.D. 1569. It consisted of 40,000 lots, at 10s. each lot: the prizes were plate; and the profits were to go towards repairing the havens of this kingdom. It was drawn at the west door of St Paul's cathedral. The drawing began on the 11th of January 1569, and continued incessantly, day and night, till the 6th of May following; as Maitland, from Stowe, informs us in his history, vol. i. p. 257. There were then only three lottery offices in London. The proposals for this lottery were published in the years 1567 and 1568. It was at first intended to have been drawn at the house of Mr Dericke, her majesty's servant, i.e. her jeweller, but was afterwards drawn as above mentioned.

Dr Rawlinson showed the Antiquarian Society, 1748, "A proposal for a very rich lottery general without any blankes, containing a great number of good prizes, as well of redy money as of plate and certain sorts of merchandizes, having been valued and prised by the commandment of the queene's most excellent majestie's order, to the intent that such commodities as may chance to arise thereof after the charges borne may be converted towards the reparations of the havens and strength of the realme, and towards such other publick good workes. The number of lotts shall be foure hundred thousand, and no more; and every lott shall be the summe of tenne shillings sterling, and no more. To be filled by the feast of St Bartholomew. The shew of prizes are to be seen in Cheapside, at the signe of the Queene's Armes, the house of Mr Dericke, goldsmith, servant to the queene. Some other orders about it in 1567-8. Printed by Hen. Bynneymen."

In the reign of Queen Anne, it was thought necessary to suppress lotteries, as nuisances to the public. Since that time, however, they have been licensed by an act of parliament, under various regulations. The act passed in 1778 restrains any person from keeping an office for the sale of tickets, shares, or chances, or for buying, selling, ensuring, or registering, without a license; for which license each office-keeper must pay 50l. to continue in force for one year, and the produce to be applied towards defraying the expense of the lottery. And no person is allowed to sell any share or chance less than a sixteenth, on the penalty of 50l.

All tickets divided into shares or chances are to be deposited in an office, to be established in London by the commissioners of the treasury, who are to appoint a person to conduct the business thereof; and all shares are to be stamped by the said officer, who is to give a receipt for every ticket deposited with him. The numbers of all tickets so deposited are to be entered in a book, with the names of the owners, and the number of shares into which they are divided. All tickets deposited in the office are to remain there three days after the drawing. And any person keeping an office, or selling shares, or who shall publish any scheme for receiving moneys in consideration of any interest to be granted in any ticket in the said lottery, &c., without being in possession of such ticket, shall forfeit 500l. and suffer three months imprisonment. And no business is to be transacted at any of the offices after eight in the evening, except on the evening of the Saturday preceding the drawing. No person is to keep any office for the sale of tickets, &c., in Oxford or Cambridge, on penalty of 20l. Before this regulating statute took place, there were upwards of 400 lottery offices in and about London only; but the whole number afterwards, for all Britain, as appeared by the list published by authority, amounted to no more than 51. They have, however, increased greatly again.

Some farther regulations to prevent the frauds committed by insurances were made in 1793. In 1808 the reports of a committee of the house of commons disclosed a dreadful scene of vice and misery brought on by lotteries, and recommended their abolition, or at least that they should be put under other regulations. Their suggestions, however, have had but little effect hitherto. The gross sum received by government from the lottery, is estimated to be 750,000l. per annum, of which 500,000l. is for tickets, and the remainder for postages, stamps, &c.