Benefit or Frkndlij Societies. 127 



courage those habits of mdiistry and economy, which are the 

 only sure sources of happiness and independence. 



Friendly Societies of France, 



From several interesting Reports in the Transactions of 

 the Philanthropic Society of Paris, it appears that Friendly 

 Societies are comparatively but recent institutions in France. 

 They are stated to have there originated with religious bodies, 

 upon whose dissolution the box and funds for the support 

 of the sick and aged, were preserved and supported by such 

 of the members as continued to reside near to each other. 

 When these societies became thus independent of the church, 

 entrants of various occupations were afterwards admitted, and 

 several new societies were formed for the same purposes. Their 

 progress, however, seems to have been for a long time ex- 

 tremely slow ; the first of which there is any account having 

 been instituted in 1694, and but other three from that date till 

 1789, when three more were estabUshed at Paris. In 1805 

 they only amounted to twenty-six, but, in the beginning of that 

 year, the Philanthropic Society of Paris directed its attention 

 to them. This body appointed a Committee to inquire into the 

 origin, number, and regulations of those then in that city, as 

 also to ascertain what measures should be adopted for their more 

 general encouragement. Upon their Report, 100 francs were 

 awarded to one of the societies established in 1789; and pre- 

 miums of from 100 to 200 francs were offered to every society 

 which should be afterwards instituted, so soon as they had ob- 

 tained sixty members. It was at the same time intimated in all 

 the public journals, that copies of rules considered well adapted 

 for Friendly Societies in general, would be furnished gratis to 

 all those who might choose to apply for them. This laudable 

 example of the Philanthropic Society was soon followed by a 

 similar society in Marseilles, and through their exertions no less 

 than forty Friendly Societies v/ere, in the course of three years, 

 established in that city. To such societies Government after- 

 wards also extended its encouragement ; and in May 1821, 

 on the occasion of the christening of the Duke of Bordeaux, the 



