1810.] Memoirs of the late Duke of Portland. 585 
fully managed: but the wretched plan 
or turning the meetings of these clubs 
into convivial ones, and allowing (as 
many of them have done,) two-pence 
eut of every shilling subscribed monthly, 
to be spent at their monthly meetings, 
has been the ruin of many; ict sucha 
society reflect, that two hundred persons 
Spending two-pence per month, is 
twenty pounds per annum; and was this 
suin laid up for twenty years, with the 
Interest, bow much it would amount to; 
and if for tuirty, or forty years, would be 
a very considerable fund: so that two 
societies, of an equai number of mein- 
bers, acting upon these different plans, 
at the end of forty years, while one was 
become insolvent, and could afford no 
relicf to its surviving members, the other 
"would possess an ample fund. Some 
“societies have ruined themselves by an- 
nually purchasing loitery tickets: this 
Fought to be prohibited by the rules of 
‘the society, and by the laws of the 
“country. How far the members dining 
together annually is adviseable, I pretend 
‘hot to determine; but I think it does 
no good; if the expense is paid from the 
ybox, it would be better saved ; and if paid 
or by the individual members, it is a 
considerable expense to them: and few 
ersons who are members of these cluhs, 
- so much to spare from their families. 
‘There is the loss of aday’s work, besides 
‘the expense of the dinner; and it too 
often happens, that many become intox!- 
cated, and not. only spend more than 
“they intended, but are unfit for work the 
‘next day; and some continue drinking 
for several days. I wish the description 
have here given of these annual meet- 
‘ings, were, in some circumstances, only 
Imaginary. 
I know not how long the rules of these 
societies require any member, after his 
admission, to subscribe befure he can be 
entitled to relief, but.some time ought to , 
be given to raise a fund: and if this 
time was lengthened, might be of use; 
and in that case, should any member die 
before the time fixed for) his recetwwing 
relief, a certain proportion of bis sub= 
scription might be returned:—say one 
half of it, to his family. 1 think no relief 
should be given to any one who had not 
subscribed three years; ‘for if relief was 
allowed sooner, and any epidemical dis- 
temper prevailed in the place, the whole 
of the weekly subscriptions might not be 
sufficient for the temporary support of 
its sick meinbers, and its whole stock 
might be sunk in its infancy,  !t would 
be a great public benefit, if the accounts 
of those societies which have been estas 
blished a number of years, both those 
that have become insolvent, as well as 
those that have maintained their ground, 
were inspected by persons capable of 
doing it, in order to point out the causes 
of the failure of some, and the standing 
of others; that those societies which may 
in future be formed, might avoid those 
errors which have ruined others, 
It has been a fault of those societies 
which have become insolvent, that they 
did not lessen their allowance the mu- 
ment they were obliged to intrench upon 
their capital ; for although those members 
who were at that time sick, or aged, 
might complain that they had not the 
same allowance as some before them, 
yet no injustice would be done to any 
individual, if he had an allowance as 
gieat as the subscription would afford; 
aud to allow more, would be injustice to 
those who were to follow them, It de- 
pends upon circumstances, whether I 
trouble you with a few more remarks on 
this subject. Your's, &c. 
Liverpool, J.K, 
WWov. 11, 1809. 
a NE ET TS IT PE TS 
MEMOIRS AND REMAINS Of EMINENT PERSONS. 
~ETe 
"BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Of the LIFE of the 
late MOST NOBLE WILLIAM HENRY Ca- 
VENDISH BENTINCK,L.L.D. F.R.S. DUKE 
Of PORTLAND, MARQUIS Of TITCHFIELD, 
EARL Of PORTLAND, VISCOUNT WoOD- 
STOCK, BARON Of CIRENCESTER, EX- 
FIRST LORD of the TREASURY. KNIGHT 
of the MosT NOBLE ORDER of the GaR- 
TER, CHANCELLOR Of OXFORD, HIGH 
STEWAKD of BRISTOL, LORD LIEUTE- 
‘NANT Of NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, &c. &c. 
CRAIGNEZ HONTE! 
el nobieman may be considered 
as the last member of a school, 
Hat has regulated the affairs of this 
Monruty Mac. No. 193. 
country, during a period of nearly half a 
century. The Duke of Newcastle, who 
figured and fluttered on the scene during 
a few of the first years of the present 
reign, is long since forgotten, or if re- 
membered, it is only on account of the 
bou-mot of George {{. who was accus- 
tomed to observe, ‘That his Grace was 
always in a barry; for having Jost half an 
hour in the morning, he was busily em- 
ployed in running after it during the 
rest of the day.” 
The Eari of Bute, with the system of 
favoritism he is supposed to have ens 
gendered, is at length suffered. to sleep 
4F quietly 
