228 Induction. [CHAP. ix. 



statistics would be interfered with unless this condition were 

 secured. 



We are here supposed to have two sets of statistics, one 

 for the English and one for the consumptives, so that the 

 consumptive English are in a sense counted twice over. If 

 their mortality is of an intermediate amount, therefore, they 

 serve to keep down the mortality of one class and to keep 

 up that of the other. If the statistics are supposed to be 

 exhaustive, by referring to the whole of each class, it follows 

 that actually the same individuals must be counted each 

 time ; but if representatives only of each class are taken, the 

 same individuals need not be inserted in each set of tables. 



27. When therefore they come to insure (our remarks 

 are still confined to our supposed Madeira case), we have 

 some English consumptives counted as English, and paying 

 the high rate ; and others counted as consumptives and pay 

 ing the low rate. Logically indeed we may suppose them all 

 entered in each class, and paying therefore each rate. What 

 we have said above is that any individual may be conceived 

 to present himself for either of these classes. Conceive that 

 some one else pays his premium for him, so that it is a 

 matter of indifference to him personally at which rate he 

 insures, and there is nothing to prevent some of the class (or 

 for that matter all) going to one class, and others (or all 

 again) going to the other class. 



So long therefore as we make the logically possible 

 though practically absurd supposition that some men will 

 continue to pay a higher rate than they need, there is no 

 thing to prevent the English consumptives (some or all) from 

 insuring in each category and paying its appropriate pre 

 mium. As soon as they gave any thought to the matter, of 

 course they would, in the case supposed, all prefer to insure 

 as consumptives. But their doing this would disturb each set 



