328 Friendly 
master, for I believe she has not pleased. 
thee either.’ . And Fedor said, “ To 
me it seems thy niece! is beautiful ; -but 
this I> leave “tothe divine disposition, 
and God:will«decide:whether thy: niece 
is to be:abymaster’s;:and ‘whether she: 
is to please him! Whatiam I to tell my 
master‘in this; affairfrom thee?” And 
the queem-said, 161: have: given orders 
about it:to:myambassador.’’ ‘The queen: 
added} Take»my words to thy master, 
my brother, that Iam-not to be turned 
aside fromhis ‘love, and) he is; to trust 
me;'‘forI:am glad to.serve kim. in all 
things. «Though: some days hence my 
counsellors: might: dissuade me, I shall 
not listen to them, but shall do what is 
pleasing to my brother; thy master. But 
respecting all. matters, and respecting 
the secret’ matter, and respecting the 
termination, I send my ambassador, and 
have charged him with every thing;” 
On the 13th day-.of the month of 
June, Tomas ‘Randolph came.to Fedor 
at: Ushli, and said, “‘ Fhe queen sends 
the person of the Chuntintinskian prin- 
eess; her:niece; and commands thee to 
take:it to your master, her brother.” 
Y. Z. 
For the Month/y Magazine. 
Frienpiy Socreries. 
HE Edinburgh Journal contains an 
abstract’ of a report (on the point 
of being published by the Highland So- 
eiety) on the important subject of 
friendly societies. I have always been 
friendly towards the motives on which 
these institutions have been founded, 
but not equally so towards the principles 
on which they are calculated, or the 
manner in which they are usually con- 
ducted. | It is obvious to every philan- 
thropist, that in every large town in the 
kingdom these “ benefit societies,” in- 
stead/of proving beneficial to the work- 
ing classes, have, in almost every case, 
proved the reverse. This, I conceive, 
has arisen from three different causes, 
all conspiring to the same end: Ist. 
False data for the'calculations, by which 
the contingencies of sickness or death 
are underrated ;'2d. The incompetent or 
interested persons’ who undertake the 
management of these societies, by which 
they favour their own interests and that 
of their ‘friends; and last; “not least, 
_ the- meetings of these societies being 
always convened at ‘public-houses or 
taverns. ? 
With-regard to the first objection, it 
is clear that nothing but the result ‘of 
long experience, and -a comparison -of 
Societies. [Nov. 1, 
registers minutely and accurately kept 
by a large number of societies duri 
several years, can afford any thing like 
a sound basis for the calculation-of con= 
tingencies ‘as‘to *health or siekness,| or: 
the probable | duration: of » lifes | This: 
problem, however, forms: the: principal 
object: in’ the: benevolent intentions of 
the Highland:Society. :Andiwell know- 
ing the disinclination of private’ or:local’ 
institutions: to) give any thing) like de- 
tailed information ‘respecting theiriown 
proceedings, the society very judiciously, 
offered’ premiums for the most distinct 
and satisfactory returns, the prospectus 
of which) was) cirewlated: throughout 
Scotland during) ithe’ years’ 1820-2). 
The results. were so! far» satisfactory, 
that at the commencement of 1823: they 
had obtained detailed information from 
upwards of seventy societies, of ‘one 
hundred members each at an average, 
by which the experience of at least 
7,000 persons during fourteen years was 
recorded. These returns have been di- 
gested and arranged by a gentleman welt 
qualified for the task, who computes the 
annual average sickness to which an in- 
dividual is liable at the different periods 
of life, as follows :— 
Sickness in weekw, 
Age. with decimals. 
Crider ee ate eee, Ae 0.3797 
20°to 300. SIA. AAS 0.5916 
30 to 40 0.6865) 
40: ton SOx VIBES Y 1,0274 
50 to 60 1.8806 
60) tos TO cpoaefels be ge. 5.6637 
AMove GO: a0 si bii35-<9.) a9 16,5417 
The total average’ sickness« experti+ 
enced by a person’ who attains ‘to ‘the 
age of 70, during the 50‘ years"from ‘20 
to 70-is 984 weeks. But) the? quantum 
of sickness alone does not afford - 
cient data for the formation of proper 
tables, without taking mortality’<into 
the calculation. |The’ Northampton 
tables giving the contingency of /mor- 
tality too high (hence the calculations 
on which the older insurance companies 
are formed were not sufficiently advan- 
tageous to the public); the’ Highland 
report takes the average of three tables ; 
the Northampton, the ‘Carlisle, and the 
Swedish, in order to collate with’ their 
own returns in calculating’ the’ ¢ontin- 
gencies of ‘survivorship ‘and’ sickness. 
Allowance is: made for the°imterest° of 
money at 4 per cent. Bt'ebid 
The Highland ‘tables are’ calculated 
for four separate schemes : ‘Ist: Sickness 
from 21 to 70; 2d. Superannvated al+' 
lowance, or life annuity, above 705" 3d: 
Fimeral money, payable on the et 
0 
beiua 
