"You are a believer, then, in final causes? I think you are right, but
still I believe you would have scratched yourself if God had forgotten to
give you any nails."

My remarks made him laugh, and he then began to speak of our common
business, and I soon found him to be a man of intellect. He was the elder
of the two brothers, and a bachelor. He was expert in all kinds of
calculations, an accomplished financier, with a universal knowledge of
commerce, a good historian, a wit, a poet, and a man of gallantry. His
birthplace was Leghorn, he had been in a Government office at Naples, and
had come to Paris with M. de l'Hopital. His brother was also a man of
learning and talent, but in every respect his inferior.

He shewed me the pile of papers, on which he had worked out all the
problems referring to the lottery.

"If you think you can do without me," said he, "I must compliment you on
your abilities; but I think you will find yourself mistaken, for if you
have no practical knowledge of the matter and no business men to help
you, your theories will not carry you far. What will you do after you
have obtained the decree? When you speak before the council, if you take
my advice, you will fix a date after which you are not to be held
responsible--that is to say, after which you will have nothing more to do
with it. Unless you do so, you will be certain to encounter trifling and
procrastination which will defer your plan to the Greek Kalends. On the
other hand, I can assure you that M. du Vernai would be very glad to see
us join hands:"

Very much inclined to take these gentlemen into partnership, for the good