ANN 
and in some instances the necessities of the 
bo; rowers have led them to make grants of 
this kind, on the most exorbitant terms. To 
throw, however, some check upon improvi- 
dent transactions of this kind, which are 
usually carried on with great privacy, the 
statute 17 Geo. III. c. 26, usually called the 
Annuity Act, has directed that upon the 
sale of any life annuity of more than the 
value of 10Z. (unless on a sufficient pledge 
of lands in fee simple, or stock in the public 
funds) the tine consideration, which shall 
be in money only, and the names of the 
parties, shall be set forth and described in 
the security itself, in words at length ; and 
a memorial of the date, the names of the 
parties, and of all the witnesses, and of the 
consideration money, shall within twenty 
days alter its execution be enrolled in the 
Court of Chancery, else the security shall 
be null and void. All contracts for the pur- 
chase of annuities from persons under 21 
years of age, are utterly void and incapable 
of confirmation, after the party becomes of 
age. Procuring or soliciting a minor to 
grant any life annuity, or to promise or en- 
gage to ratify it when he becomes of age, is 
an indictable misdemeanor, and punishable 
by fine and imprisonment; as is likewise the 
taking more than ten shillings per cent, for 
procuring money to be advanced for any 
life annuity. This act docs not extend to 
annuities granted by any body corporate, 
or under any authority or trust created by 
act of parliament. 
Notwithstanding these regulations, per- 
sons having occasion to raise money by the 
grant of life annuities, were obliged to sub- 
mit to the most disadvantageous terms, as it 
seldom happened that individual purchasers 
would give for such annuities more than 
8 years purchase, on lives about 30 years of 
age ; or 7 years purchase on lives above 40 ; 
while on the other hand persons desirous of 
investing money in an annuity on their own 
life, were generally under the necessity of 
accepting private security, or of waiting till 
an opportunity offered of obtaining the 
security of some local toll or rates. To 
remedy these inconveniences an act was 
passed in 1793, authorising the Royal Ex- 
change Assurance Company to grant and 
purchase annuities on lives, either immedi- 
ate or in reversion : the rates according to 
which transactions of this kind are regulat- 
ed necessarily vary in proportion to the 
current rate of interest at which money 
can be improved, a short specimen there- 
fore of the present (1808) rates at which 
ANO 
the Royal Exchange Assurance grant life 
annuities, will be sufficient. 
Age. 
per cent, 
per ami. 
4ge. 
per 
per 
cent. 
ann. 
15.. 
.. 51.18s. Od. 
50... 
... 71.16s. Od 
20.... 
.. 6 
0 
0 
55.... 
6 
0 
25.... 
2 
0 
60.... 
4 
0 
30.... 
.. 6 
6 
0 
65.... 
4 
0 
35.... 
.. 6 
10 
0 
70.... 
..11 
8 
0 
40.... 
16 
0 
75.... 
..12 
18 
0 
45.... 
.. 7 
6 
0 
80.... 
8 
10 
Several other societies, as the Globe In- 
surance, the Albion, the Rock, and the 
Eagle Insurance Companies, have lately 
granted life annuities, but it is presumed 
they vary their grants according to circum- 
stances, as they none issue a printed table 
of their rates. 
ANOMALIES, in music, are those false 
scales or intervals, which exist necessar ily 
in all keyed instruments, from their incapa- 
city of a true and perfect temperament. 
ANOMALISTICAL year, in astrono- 
my, the time that the earth takes to pass 
through her orbit : it is also called the pe- 
riodical year. The space of time belonging 
to this year is greater than the tropical 
year, on account of the precession of the 
equinoxes. 
ANOMALOUS verbs, in grammar, 
such as are not conjugated conformably to 
the paradigm of their conjugation : they are 
found in all languages ; in Latin the verb 
lego is the paradigm of the third conjuga- 
tion, and runs thus, lego, legis, legit; by the 
same rule it should be fero, feris,ferit, but 
" e say fero, fers, fert ; fero then is an ano- 
malous verb. In English the irregularity 
relates often to the preter tense, and pas- 
sive participle ; for example, give, were it 
formed according to rule, would make gived 
in the preter tense, and passive participle ; 
whereas, in the former, it makes gave, and 
in the latter given. 
ANOMALY, in grammar, that quality 
in words which renders them anomalous. 
See the preceding article. 
Anomaly, in astronomy, an irregularity 
in the motion of the planets, whereby they 
deviate from the aphelion or apogee ; which 
inequality is either mean, eccentric, or co- 
equate and true. 
ANOMIA, in natural histoiy, a genus 
of worms of the order Testacea. Animal an 
emarginate ciliate strap-shaped body, with 
bristles affixed to the upper-valve ; two 
arms, linear, longer than the body, cou- 
nivent, projecting, alternate on the valve, 
i 
