428

SPECIAL PUBLIC EVILS.

'[Part VI.

persons are collected on these occasions, whose intense anxietyis read in their flushed and distorted countenances. Listen tothe loud imprecations and blasphemy, mingled with the scarcelyaudible whisper of profane, delirious, and intoxicating joy, uponthe announcement of a prize. Observe the motley throng upontheir dispersion, and witness the agonizing disappointment anddespair, which are seen upon the faces of ninety-nine in everyhundred. Such is the system, which, though considerablychecked within a few years, still exists very extensively, both inEurope and in the United States.

The celebrated French mathematician and physical astrono-mer, M. Laplace, has summed up the objections to the lotterysystem, in a manner at once so clear and comprehensive, that Ihave been anxious to give the close of this chapter the advantageof being enriched by his observations, but my limits render itimpossible to gratify this wish.* He sustains me fully in themathematical, financial, and moral views which I have taken ofthe subject, f

CHAPTER V.

DUELLING.

Duelling is accustomed to be defended by very few, evenof those who are willing, on certain occasions, to resort to it.They are rather accustomed to rest it on alleged necessity, thanon argument; of which necessity they assume to be the exclusivejudges. It seems useless, therefore, to treat by argument andprotracted discussion, a practice which is scarcely ever vindicated

* See Extrait du Discours prononce par M. de Laplace, k la Chambre desPairs, le 16 Juillet, 1819.—Mr. Jefferson’s views maybe seen in his Works,Vol. IV. PP . 428-438.

t In preparing this chapter, much use has been made of a -well-writtenand otherwise very valuable pamphlet of 105 pages, on the evils of the lotterysystem in the United States, published by Job R. Tyson, Esq., at the request ofa meeting of the citizens of Philadelphia, on the 22d of November, 1833.