215 
Mr. Gompertz’s analysis, &c. 
every knowledge relative to this science, which it may be 
within its immediate power to acquire, but it should promul- 
gate its individual information ; that the actuaries of the 
different societies may, by their mathematical skill, collect 
for the common good of all, from multiplied resources, that 
which they cannot obtain from a less general observation. I 
am induced to venture this hint, as it is my firm belief, that 
the tables generally adopted, might, by this means, receive 
many extremely necessary corrections ; for those tables 
should be as accurate as they can possibly be made, and the 
interest should be calculated at that rate which shall appear 
to be the average interest to be made for money ; but such 
additional demands should be made by the company or insti- 
tution, as to leave an adequate portion for its security, profit, 
and expenses ; for it does not seem possible, in the various 
beneficial applications which can be made from a proper 
knowledge of this branch of the mathematics, to judge uni- 
versally how to adopt tables of mortality, which are not 
correct in themselves, connected with a rate of interest which 
is not the average rate made in reality, so that the advantage 
may tend to any one direction. In granting assurances on 
lives, it is a practice to use a certain table of mortality, and 
to calculate at a certain rate of interest, without making any 
additional charge ; in the presumption, that the tables are in 
themselves incorrect, but that their deviation from the truth, 
is in favour of the society ; and that the interest of money is 
less than that which they can really make : but such a plan 
does not appear to me sufficiently scientific, to be followed by 
companies concerned with life contingencies generally. It is 
not my intention in the paper I have at present the honour 
