Take some cards, divide them into two parcels, taking care that in one there are only two or three sevens, and in the other seven court cards; call for a pen and ink, and write on a bit of paper the sevens; then turn the bit of paper down, that what you have written may not be seen; then tell the person to make his choice. Let him chuse whatever he pleases, your number will be good, since if he should chuse the greatest parcel, you may shew him your paper on which is written the sevens; then desire him to count the number of cards contained in the parcel he has chosen, and he will find it to be seven, as you had guessed. This will appear astonishing to him and to the company: but they will easily recover from their surprise when, on raising the other parcel, you will shew that it contains only sevens, and consequently whatever parcel he had chosen, your number, which you had set down was good, since one parcel contained seven cards, and the other nothing but sevens. This trick must not be done twice before the same company, for then it would become tiresome. But generally whenever you do a trick before a company, you must never begin it again before the same. CHAP. XVI. _A curious and agreeable Wager, which you are sure of winning._ Address some person in the company, and say, Madam, or Sir, have you a watch, a ring, an etwee, or any other trinket? Begin by examining what has been given you, in order to form an idea of its value, since you are to lay your bet considerably under the intrinsic value of the trinket, to avoid being duped. Suppose what has been offered to you is a watch, you are to propose a guinea as a wager against it; saying to the lady or gentleman, I lay a guinea that you do not say three times, my watch: when it is put on the table, and your wager is accepted, ask the person, presenting him his watch, what is that? he will not fail to answer, it is my watch. Present him afterwards another object, making him the same question: suppose the object you present to be a pen, a piece of paper, or any other thing. If the person names the object you present, he has lost; if, on the contrary, he is on his guard, and answers, my watch, you must then say, Sir, I see very well I have lost; for if you say once more, my watch, you must certainly win; but if I lose, what will you give me? the person, being always on his guard, will answer again, my watch: then, appealing to his own words, you will take the watch and leave him the stake. CHAP. XVII. _A trick with cards; uniting the double Advantage of being very easy and infallible, it being on a little numerical Combination._ Desire some person in the company to chuse, at his will, three cards out of a piquet pack, observing to him, that the ace is to be counted for 11 points, the court cards 10, and the other cards according to the points they mark.