222 
fluity of wisdom to look no further than 
the present moment. i 
Of the Pattapium, we think much 
more favourably. Its Directors | are 
men of known liberality, probity and 
talents, and, with their excellent ma- 
nagement, success is certain. It pro- 
fesses to combine the advantages, and 
to remedy the defects, of other esta- 
blishments; and a prompt payment of 
six years’ premium will entitle the as- 
sured to the benefit of a seven years’ 
Insurance. Another novel feature is 
the office of mathematical inspector— 
a sonorous title truly, but cui bono ?— 
The same gentleman, Dr. Young, we 
observe, is the physician; who will be 
thus enabled to cast a problem with 
one hand, while he feels the pulse with 
the other. 
But the most novel, and, all things 
considered, the most interesting, is the 
“Mepicat, Crertcat, and Grenerat 
Lire Assurance Company;” although 
we must confess, that, in the first in- 
stance, we were not inclined to place 
much confidence in this tremendous 
union of the two professions. Profes- 
sional men, be they either divines or 
medical practitioners, are notorious for 
their ignorance of what is technically 
termed “business ;”but the auspices under 
which this new company has come forth 
are such, as to ensure, at all events, a 
favourable reception. Even the novelty 
of its plan will obtain this; for a very 
striking feature in it is, the extension of 
the benefits of life-insurance to such 
persons as have been excluded by the 
majority of the other offices; in other 
words, by insuring lives, deviating from 
the common standard of health, but not 
tending, necessarily, to shorten life; 
and these are the necessary restrictions 
imposed :— 
“1. That they make a declaration, stat- 
ing the nature of their complaints, the 
dates of their first attacks, and the names 
and addresses of the medical practitioners 
who attended them then, or in any subse- 
quent return of their disorders. 
“2. That they pay an increased premium, 
proportioned to the degree of hazard.” 
Now, it is stated in the prospectus, 
that a considerable proportion of the 
Directors (we believe one-half) will 
consist of eminent medical practitioners, 
whose object, of course, it will be, to 
regulate the admission of these lives, 
upon principles of the strictest fairness 
and equity. This being the case, the 
institution will always be safe, while the 
assured will be justly and honourably 
Joint-Stock Philosophical Company. 
[April 1, 
treated. This measure will prevent, 
most effectually, any subsequent litiga- 
tion, with regard to the validity of the 
policy ; for it is a very common practice, 
for persons labouring under interdicted 
maladies, to obtain policies upon such 
terms as should only be granted on lives 
perfectly healthy: a practice, however, 
necessarily fraught with great risk to 
the assured. In several other respects, 
the objects of this society are very laud- 
able; and the unassuming manner in 
which it comes forth—not as a rival, but 
as an associate—must secure for it, at 
all events, the respect of the public. 
But, although these institutions are, 
for the most part, calculated to do good, 
still the abuse, which they may have the 
power of exercising, should be guarded 
against. In many—indeed, in most 
cases—a company is established, not 
with the consideration of merely benefit- 
ing the public, but for the purpose of 
obtaining ample interest for capital ad- 
vanced; and a company so constituted 
may become a very extensive and enor- 
mous evil. When we consider how 
deeply the comfort of hundreds of indi- 
viduals is involved in the honesty and 
success of such institutions, we cannot 
be surprised at the interference of the 
Legislature with regard to so important 
a subject. It appears to us, indeed, that 
this very interference will become, even- 
tually, a great benefit to the public; for 
it has been well observed by an able 
contemporary journalist, that those 
societies which will become established 
under the sanction of these new regula- 
tions, will necessarily rest their founda- 
tions upon a basis which no ordinary 
occurrence can undermine: and such, 
in fact, ought to be the stability of every 
joint-stock company. The formation of 
a company merely as a matter of specu- 
lation, is nothing less than an extensive 
act of swindling; and some effectual 
provision should therefore be adopted, 
to prevent the calamity, which the failure 
of such a scheme would necessarily 
entail upon the majority of those con- 
cerned. —=_|_ 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
PurtosopHy MADE Hasy:—Prospectus 
of a new Joint-Stock Company for the 
Manufacture and Supply of Science, 
Intellect, and Genius. 
«© Make systems still, 
And then let Nature follow, if she will.” 
T is now quite necessary for every 
one to become a philosopher, unless 
he wishes to proclaim to the world his 
own 
