issued from the court of King's-bench. It seems that the above plaintiff was convicted in three penalties of five hundred pounds each, for insuring lottery tickets; but previous to the trial's coming on, for some indulgence, he had, by himself or agents, consented not to bring any writ of error, and an order of nisi prius was drawn up, and served upon his attorney; nowithstanding which, three writs of error were sued out. The court of King's bench being then moved, made an order that the executions should be levied according to the original rule of court: the sheriff made the levy, and the money being paid and impounded in his hands, the above action was brought to get the same returned. The novelty of the action caused much laughter among the counsel, and, after a few minutes' hearing, his lordship ordered the plaintiff to be nonsuited.

LOTTERY WOOD CUTS.

It is to be remarked, that at this period engravings on their printed addresses do not seem to have been resorted to by the lottery-schemers as they have been since, for the purpose of stimulating attention to their plans. No subject of the kind therefore can be given, to illustrate their proceedings at the time now under review; but on arriving, as we shall presently, at days nearer our own, they crowd upon us, and several will be given in the next sheet as specimens of their ingenuity and taste.

CHARLES PRICE, alias PATCH, &c. This man was a lottery-office keeper. His notoriety and his fate render him one of the most remarkable characters of the age wherein he lived; it is therefore proposed to give a brief outline of his life.

His father, Charles Price, was "by trade a tailor." He came from South

Wales, about the year 1702, and worked at several places in London, till in 1710 he got into Monmouth-street, as journeyman to a salesman there. By strict ap plication he was, in a few years, enabled to set up as a master, and kept a saleshop the corner of Earl-street and West-street, Seven Dials. Some time previous to this he had married a woman who bore a very good character. He was very clever in his business, but illiterate; yet exceedingly artful, and the flower of

Universal Magazine.

Monmouth-street for oratory in the sale of his goods: at the same time, he was sincere in his friendships, despised downright knavery, and had a regard to reputation. His eldest son, Thomas, was bred to his father's business. One Creed, a salesman in Rosemary-lane, used to send him with a cart loaded with goods round the country; and Creed dying, Thomas decamped with the produce of one journey, about 2001. For this, and for similar acts of knavery in his brother Charles, he left them only a shilling each, and bequeathed the rest of his property to his daughter. Thomas died young.

Charles, the hero of our history, when about six years of age, was sent to school, where he acquired the rudiments of the French language, and was so neglected in his own, that he was complete in neither. At about twelve years' old he was taken home to assist his father, where he soon gave proofs of address similar to the following.

A sailor who had staggered to Monmouth street to buy some clothes, was caught by Charles at the corner, and introduced by him into a room, where, in a summer's noon, it was hardly possible to distinguish blue from black, or green from blue. The honest tar was shown a coat and waistcoat, the real value of which was about two guineas. Though they were considerably too little, Charles squeezed him up, and persuaded him they fitted exactly. The price being demanded, Charles declared upon his honour the lowest farthing he could take was five guineas. The sailor put his hand in his stepped down to his father's journeyman, pocket, and laid down the money. Charles under pretence of getting something to put the clothes in, and told him the customer he met with, and that he might you," said he, "follow me up stairs, n as well have had six guineas as five. "Do quire what I have done, pretend to be very angry, swear they cost you six cuffs, and I dare swear we shall get more guineas, give me two or three kicks or money out of him, and then, as my father is not at home, you shall go halves in all we get above the five guineas." The scheme was readily acquiesced in by the the journeyman followed, inquiry, blame, Charles slipped up stairs; journeyman. and sham blows ensued; the journeyman declared the clothes cost him six guineas out of his pocket, and was going to beat Charles again, when the sailor cried,

bridge. He told Mr. R. that he had visited Mr. Bond, who expressed great happiness and easiness of mind on such a recommendation, and desired to see Mr. R. the next day. Price appointed to meet him at twelve o'clock at Mr. Bond's. At the appointed hour, Mr. R. knocked at the door. He was shown up stairs by the aforementioned sister-lady, and introduced to Mr. Bond, seated in a great chair, his legs in another, and covered with a nightcap. The poor, infirm, weak, debilitated, old gentleman regretted the absence of his ever-dear friend Mr. Price, the most worthy man in the world, and rang a peal on his friendship, honour, honesty, integrity, &c., &c., accompanied with emaciated coughs-was obliged to go to the city coffee-house-a punctual mannever failed an appointment-it was the soul of business-and then be told Mr. VOL. II.-99.

R. that his dear friend desired to meet Mr.R. there exactly at one o'clock-he approved highly of Mr. Price's recommendation, and was now happy in his mind-it wanted but a quarter to one, he believed, and he hoped Mr. R. would not fail, as his dear friend was very exact indeed. The usual compliments passed; the sister conducted Mr. R. to the door, who posted away to the city coffee-house, and left old Mr. Bond, the rich brother, who was in reality no other than Mr. Price, and the brother's maiden sister, who was a Mrs. Pounteney, to laugh at Mr. R.'s credulity. Mr. R. had not been five minutes in the coffee-house before he was joined by his friend Price, to whom Mr. R. recapitulated what passed, and as soon as Price had despatched some pretended business, he proposed calling on Mr.Bond. This was readily acquiesced in by Mr. R.

and away they drove to Leather-lane. When they came there, they were informed by the lady, that her brother was just gone out in a coach, on an airing, to Highgate. In short, Price carried on the scheme completely for several days, during which time Mr. R. had twice or thrice seen the old gentleman. The will was made, and, on the strength of the joint executorship and expectancy, Mr. R. was swindled out of very near a thousand pounds in cash, and bonds to the amount of two hundred pounds.

Another anecdote, though it does not exhibit him in his Proteus-like character, exemplifies his cunning and selfishness. He had formed a connection with Mr. W—, a brewer, a man of character. Price, who was then in the brewery, proposed a project, which was assented to, for purchasing hops to the amount of two thousand pounds, and he actually went into the country, contracted for hops to that amount with hop-growers in Kent, and then applied to Mr. W. for the two thousand pounds, alledging that there would be a sudden rise of hops, and they could not be delivered too soon; and that Mr. W. should have his share of the profit. From some undisclosed motive, Mr. W. refused to advance the money. An unexpected rise, however, did soon after take place, Price went into Kent to demand delivery, the growers were shy in delivering, especially as they found they had made a bad bargain, and he gained two hundred pounds for releasing them.

Price was servile to extreme meanness, where his servility could be recompensed by a shilling. He was master of consummate effrontery, when principle called upon him for that shilling, if it was unsupported by law. He never paid but with an eye to further plunder; and then he abounded in that species of flattery dis. tinguished under the word palaver. He possessed an extensive knowledge of men and manners, and to superficial observers appeared a very sensible person. He knew something of most of the living languages; had travelled all over France and Holland, and been at most of the German courts. He was at Copenhagen during the crisis in the fate of the unhapby Matilda queen of Denmark, sister to George III.; and he wrote a pamphlet in her behalf, tending to prove that the true motive for the degrading attack on her character, was to effect a revolution in favour of the queen dowager's son. It

proved him to have an eye directed to the cabals of the court, and an understanda capable of developing its intrigues.

Price's character about the 'Change London was well-known-he was a kee intriguing speculator, well versed in L mystery of the bulls and bears: his he. enabled him to make the most accurat calculations, but his heart would not per mit him to enjoy the fruit of even honest labours; for he never would comply with the demands of a fortunate cotomer, unless terrified into it,-and to te rify him required no small portion of genuity and resolution. His dishones was the spring of all his misfortunes; made him shift from place to place t avoid the abuse of the vulgar, and te clamorous calls of the few fortunate aúventurers in the lottery. His last ca was the corner of King-street, Covear garden, from whence he was driven, by a run of ill-luck, into a private decampment.

From that period, Price lived in obseurity. Though a perfect sycophant abroad, at home he was an absolute tyrant; pur could a prudent, virtuous woman, e dowed with every qualification to render the marriage state happy, soften his brutal disposition, when the ample fortune be obtained with her had been squandered. Having a family of eight children to sup port, he turned his thoughts to fatal devices, and commenced to forge on the bank of England. His first attack on the bank was about the year 1780, when one of his notes had been taken there, so co-aplete in the engraving, the signature, the water-marks, and all its parts, that a passed through various hands unsuspected, and was not discovered til a came to a certain department, through which no forgery whatever can pass urdiscovered. The appearance of this not occasioned a considerable alarm among the directors; and forgery upon forzen flowed in, about the lottery and Christmas times, without the least probability of des covering the first negociators. Vanos consultations were held, innumerabit plans were laid for detection, and thei were traced in every quarter to have proceeded from one man, always disguisec, and always inaccessible.

Had Price permitted a partner in his proceedings-had he employed an engro ver-had he procured paper to be made for him, with water-marks upon it, he must soon have been discovered-but he