124 Mr W. Fraser mi the History and Constitution of 



some time divided into two great classes, — the one, resorted to 

 in the higher ranks, termed Life Assurance Companies, but not 

 affording benefits during sickness ; the other hitherto confined to 

 the working classes, chiefly for these benefits, and still known by 

 the name of Benefit or Friendly Societies *. But the former class, 

 although their capital and transactions are to a very great amount, 

 embrace a small proportion of the population, when compared 

 with the latter. It is impossible to ascertain exactly the number 

 of either Friendly Societies or their members ; but from 1793 to 

 1820, the regulations of upwards of 200 societies had been con- 

 firmed by the Justices of the Peace for Aberdeenshire alone. 

 According to the Parliamentary returns in 1802, the Friendly 

 Societies established in England and Wales were no fewer than 

 9,672 in number ; and in the Returns to Parliament in 1815, 

 the members of Friendly Societies were enumerated at 925,429, 

 or about one-thirteenth part of the population. But even this 

 must have been far below the actual numbers, because of the 

 difficulty of obtaining accurate returns, owing to the reluctance 

 which has hitherto existed among these institutions to give pub- 

 licity to their transactions : And as in neither of these returns 

 was Scotland included, where Friendly Societies are considered to 

 be proportionately still more numerous than in England, the 

 total number of their members may be supposed to be pretty 

 accurately given in the Edinburgh Review for January 1820, 

 in which they are estimated to include one-eighth part of the 

 whole population of the Empire, or about 1,610,571 members. 



• The Medical Provident Institution of Scotland^ formed last year, and now 

 in full operation, is the first association in this quarter of the island, which 

 has extended the benefits to the middle ranks of society. The most distin- 

 guishing feature of their scheme is Health Assurance, by which they are 

 to pay certain sums to their members while labouring under professional disa- 

 bility, arising from sickness or accidents, in middle age ; combined with a 

 life-annuity after 60. They also grant annuities for old age, and to the wi- 

 dows or nominees of members, unconnected with assurance on Health. As 

 there is no proprietary, the whole funds are of course available to the mem- 

 bers themselves, under deduction of the charges of the most economical 

 management. The association is at present confined to the Medical Profes- 

 sion, but without making this an essential article of their constitution. It 

 is, we understand, likely to become very popular with this numerous and 

 highly respectable body, which is almost the only one in the country that has 

 no annuity institution peculiarly ajjpropriated to its members. — Edit. 



