1809.] 
not been so extensively diffused amongst 
all ranks of the community as they 
ought to have been, to produce the salu- 
tary effects w hich these few praise- 
worthy individuals had in view. Indulge 
me then, sir, in the liber of a few ad- 
ditional remarks, which however super- 
ficial, insipid, and uninteresung, !to the 
majority of your readers, may be found 
suitable, and in some devree interesting 
and useful, to others, within whose view 
te may come. I feel myself justif fied 
in the idea I entertained respecting the 
ineflicieacy of the plans of the greater 
number of friendly societies, by the va- 
Juable and conyincing statements of Dr. 
Price’ and Mr. Morgan, and by the corro- 
borating testimony of your intelligent 
correspondent, P. who states, that’ 96 
instances out of 100 of friendly societies 
have ** ultimately proved useless and nu- 
gatory, cr of no effect, from the payments 
being found inadequate to the demands.” 
This 1 is a shocking consideration indeed ! 
qs it not a most melancholy circumstance 
to find associations unable to afford the 
support to their sick and. aged members, 
which they confidently depended on, and 
which it was. intended they should re- 
ceive = The aged and infirm, unable to 
earn a liveli hae and without friends to 
assist, are thus disappointed in their just 
expectations of receiving that aid and 
subsistence in their old age, which for a 
long series of years they had, at the ex- 
pense of many personal and family pri- 
vations, contributed from a bare income 
to procure, and en which they necessa- 
rily relied with implicit confidence, not 
as a charitable benefaction, but as inatter 
of right. Their contnbutions went 
merely to the sup} port of others, whilst 
not a sixpence is left for themselves, 
when their wants require to be supplied. 
Many suffering widows thus also expe- 
rience a similar Y disappoi ntment, 
This serious evil then loudly calls for 
the application of ‘a remedy, And, 
perhaps, so long as parliamentary inter- 
ference 1s withheld, nothing may be 
better calculated to assist in “effecting a 
cure than in the most. public manner, 
viz. through a medium, such as your pub-. 
lication ; or even through the daily news- 
papers, to expose the pernicious effects 
of injudicious schemes. Under this con- 
viction, I again repeat my~gratitude to 
Mrs. Cappe, and to P. for their very 
obliging aud important’ communications ; 
bd Gs any farther observations ohoue 
which they may conceive to be conducive 
go the fullest clucidation of the subject, 
Friendly and Annuity Societies. 
their respec 
16% 
IT hope they will have the goodness ta 
furnish them. P. is intreated not to 
withhold trom the public the account of 
the society scheme to which he alludes, 
and which he expresses his readiness to 
furnish, if required. And I also beg 
leave earnestly to request such commus 
nications from your Other numerous Ins 
elligent correspondents as will bring the 
matter under the fullest discussion. 
_ By this means the very desirable end 
a putting a stop to the impositions on 
the public, and to all the evils resulting 
from the insufficiency and iniquity of | 
_ schemes founded on erroneous principles . 
may be attained. And it is certain that 
the discussion now instituted im your ex 
tensivelyscircuiated Magazine will find 
its way amongst a great many of those 
most immediately interested in it, and 
by that means produce the happiest re- 
sults, It may be the means of making 
the muititude think, and of suv vesting — 
to the clergy and gentlemen of considerac 
tion and mfuence in the di ferent pas 
rishes,’ the propriety of making them- 
gelucsiso sufficiently acquainted with bes 
subject as to be enabled to counteract, 
throughtheir superior knowledge Sante 
ble plans, the farther extension of evil, 
By their voluntary assistance and advice 
in retrieving the affairs of such societies, 
already established, as are not yet irre- 
trievably beyond redemption, and in 
maturing the plans of those to be here- 
after established, they would render es- 
sential service to the community. While 
legislative influence to oppose the evils 
which are the subject of these remarks 
continues to be withheld, it would also 
be of essential benefit were school- 
masters, in addition to the rules in an- 
nuities commonly taught from the books 
on arithmetic, to instruct their pupils in 
the knowledge of all the rules and tables 
necessary in making the calculations 
adapted to, and requisite in, the formation 
of friendly society schemes on the true 
principles of stability: and that all the 
writers on arithmetic would insert in: 
tive treatises these rules and 
tables, with perspicuous solutions and ex- 
planations. 
It is matter of deep regret, thar the | 
Bull for establishing the plan propdsed hy 
Dr. Price, many years ago, for enabling 
the labouring poor to provide support 
for themselves im sickness and old age, 
by small weekly savings from their wages, 
after passing the House of Commons, 
\was rejected in the [louse of Lords, In 
One, department of your Magazine, a 
title 
