are the same as those of his married fellow labourers, may certainly spare a small weekly sum; by doing which he would in a reasonable time have saved enough to enable him to marry with a hope of never allowing any one belonging to him to become a burthen to the parish.

"Nothing is so likely as the encouragement of a plan of this sort, to prevent early and improvident marriages, which are the cause, more than any others, of the heavy burthen of the poor's rate. When a young single man shall acquire the habit of saving he will be likely to go on, till he shall get to gether as much as will enable him to make some provision for furnishing a few necessaries to assist in the support of a family, before he thinks of marrying.

"This is an attainment that every man who has the good of his country at heart must certainly wish for, without going the length of Mr. Malthus (whose patriotism will not be doubted) in desiring to prevent marriages taking place till the parties can state a probability of their being able to maintain the family which they are likely to have.

"If the full effect of this shall not be experienced instantly with respect to the class I am now speaking of, it can hardly fail of being produced as the rising generation of labourers shall get up; when a large proportion of the whole class will probably become depositors.

"At Edinburgh it is in proof that there is frequently an emulation among persons working in the same shop or manufactory, who shall save most during the week to deposit on the following Monday.

"I may here ask if the mind of man can invent any thing more likely than this to revive and to bring

into action the old spirit of abhorrence to receiving parish relief.

"The success at Edinburgh and at Bath has been very considerable; more so at the former than the latter, from the establishment having been earlier there, as well as from the greater extent of the city, and the greater variety of occupations of the lower class of its inhabitants.

"It is on that experience I rely more confidently than I should have done on the theory of the plan, excellent and unexceptionable as it is; it is going on in Scotland, according to the latest accounts, with increasing prosperity."

Such is the result of Mr. Rose's judgment, and I feel the greater pleasure in cordially assenting to it, having the misfortune widely to differ from some subsequent observations upon friendly societies, which are to be found in the same pamphlet.

By far the clearest and most useful statement however, which I have seen on this subject, is comprised in the third edition of a small anonymous tract, printed at Edinburgh and sold in London by Messrs Longman and Co. entitled, "A SHORT AcCOUNT OF THE EDINBURGH SAVINGS' BANK, containing Directions for establishing similar Banks, with the Mode of keeping the Accounts, and conducting the Details of Business.” * The author begins by observing, that "the only effectual method of assisting the poor is to encourage industry, sobriety, and economy among them, to excite and animate their own exertions, and aid them in securing

* Since this was written, a very clear and able pamphlet upon the subject has been published by Mr. Barber Beaumont, which is to be bought of Messrs. Cadell and Davies, in the Strand.

the full advantages of their success." After indulging, as is usual and natural with writers on the other side of the Tweed, in some remarks of considerable severity against the English Poor Laws, he proceeds as follows: "That much of the evil may be traced to the want of economical and provident habits among the poor themselves is unquestionable. The earnings of health and the wages of labour are made to meet only the daily expenditure, and the poor man is not careful to lay up any small sum which might be easily saved after the supply of his daily wants. The economy of nature points out the salutary maximthat the season of plenty should provide for the season of want, and the gains of summer be laid up for the rigours of winter; for the abundant harvest of one year is intended to supply the deficient crop of another, and to be husbanded for the approaching season of scarcity. But this lesson of experience, though inculcated often with the most painful efficacy, is seldom duly appreciated till the calamity comes, and the season of preparation is past; so that the accidental occurrence of a rigorous season, or defective crop, with its constant attendant an increase in the price of the necessaries of life, is met without preparation, and must be endured without the mitigation which a little prudence might have effected. Even for the approaches of infirmity and old age, though long contemplated, provision is not always made; and against the cheerless helplessness of the union of these with poverty there is no remedy but in the casual relief of the public or the parish.

"These habits of thoughtlessness and improvidence are not always the offspring of idleness or vice; they are as often the effects of ignorance or of accident. The want of a place of deposit for the small

sums which a poor man has it in his power to lay up, prevents him from thinking of doing so, and from acquiring a habit which is the foundation of so many virtues. Many would gladly adopt the plan if the facilities were brought within their reach: but while there is no means of placing these small savings beyond the reach of temptation, by withdrawing them from their immediate controul, the slightest invitation to squander them is too seldom resisted; or if not spent, they are lent to those who never repay them."

After these observations, the author proceeds to enter into a detail of the establishment of the savings' bank at Edinburgh, of its rules and regulations, the mode of keeping the accounts, and of the ample success with which it has been favoured. Although these are points of considerable practical interest, and many of them, especially the mode of keeping accounts, bear the stamp of originality and ingenuity, it would be obviously improper to enter into them in this place. I shall therefore take leave of this interesting pamphlet, after extracting the following conclusive arguments.

"The same wages are given to a man before he is married, and to one who has a large family. A larger sum even than two shillings weekly might be advantageously saved by the first class, which is too often spent in dissipation; and if the advantage of saving a little stock be once felt, early and improvident marriages are likely to be less frequent than they are at present. During the ten or twelve first years of marriage the labourer's difficulties are greatest his children are then young; they stand in need of education; and the mother's exertions are much occupied in attending to them. During this

period of life, the saving may be less; but after that period, the children begin to support themselves, and the parent may increase his rate of saving, so as with former savings to lay up a provision for old age.

"In this country (Scotland) nothing more is wanting than to show the labourer the best means of securing part of his wages, and it will be done. The advantage of doing so is abundantly felt, and a little encouragement will make the extension of savings' banks universal.

"It is certainly the interest of the higher ranks to encourage this most promising experiment which has yet been made for checking the extension of poor's rates, which comes also recommended by its beneficial influence upon the poor themselves, by removing one great temptation to dissipation and idleness, encouraging at the same time honest, sober, and religious principles."

After this comparison of the respective systems of friendly societies and savings' banks, drawn both from experience and the opinions of the several advocates for each, I think it beyond dispute, that many grounds of preference, both moral and political, exist in favour of the latter. Every farthing saved is not only preserved to the individual who saves it, but is made the most of by accumulation. Both the principal and the accumulated interest are at any time within reach of the depositor, upon a formal demand, in case his necessities should at any time require him to break in upon them; and this power is evidently superior to the privilege held out by the Friendly Society, inasmuch as its beneficial influence extends to