A History of English Lotteries by John Ashton

lottery office-keepers -- Suicide -- Robbery of employers -- Sharp practice over a prize -- Cheating by lottery office-keepers -- Complaint of a prisoner.

Sir Ashton Lever, who was born in 1729, and who died in 1788, was the eldest son of Sir James Darcy Lever, whose seat was at Alkrington, near Manchester. He was an ardent collector of specimens of natural history, minerals, fossils, and shells, and his museum was famous. In the May number of the _Gentleman's Magazine_ for 1773, is a letter from a gentleman who had visited it late in the previous year, and, from his account, we find that, not only did he collect every legitimate specimen of natural history he could lay hold of, but also any _lusus Nature_ that came across his path; as, for instance, "A double-headed Calf: A Pig with eight legs, two tails, one backbone, and one head: a Leveret with seven legs, eight feet, and one head: A Kitten, a perfect Polypheme, having one eye only, and that in the middle of the head: a Pupp with two mouths and one head. " Stuffed birds, fish preserved in spirits, reptiles, crustacee, fossils, marbles, medals, and casts, all were in profusion, nor did he disdain comparatively trifling curiosities, such as "A few pictures of birds in straw, very natural, by Miss Gregg; a basket of flowers cut in paper, -- a most masterly performance; the flowers are justly represented, not the least dot of the apices of the stamina wanting, or the least fault in the proportion; every part is so truly observed, that it was new to me every time I went to see it, and gave me great delight. This curious basket of flowers was executed by Mrs. Groves. There are a number of antique dresses of our own and other nations. Here is a head of his present Majesty, cut in Cannil Coal, said to be a striking likeness; indeed, the workmanship is inimitable. Here, also, is a drawing in Indian Ink of a head of a late Duke of Bridgewater, valued at 100 Guineas," etc., etc.