ready. She was very industrious too, she could knit and she could spin, and she was a capital hand at her needle, and she could wash, and get up linen; and this was a good help to our income: she was never idle; and she had such a dislike to rags and dirt that I always had my clothes neat and whole. If there was any thing wanted a little mending, Mary did it directly, remembering the old saying "A stitch in time saves nine". In short, she was such a good help to me, that instead of growing poorer by being married, I grew richer. We kept laying by something every week. When we came to have children, our expences increased a little but we did not feel the burden; we still saved something, though not so much: and, as the children grew bigger, they were more expensive, and we had then great reason to be thankful that we had both been careful and frugal, for we were now enabled to bring up our children without feeling the expense. In short, Sir, to tell you the truth, I have never known what it is to be poor: I have had every thing that I could want, and I have seen plainly that "Frugality is an estate." It seems to me, Sir that almost any body might do as I have done. But then they must set about it in earnest; there must be no, idling and gambling, and sitting at ale-houses. A man must do such things if he wishes to get rid of his money; it is exactly the way: but then he must not grumble and complain because he is poor. If a man wishes to do well in the world, he must not be afraid to go the right way to work, and he must go on boldly and resolutely. But as to real happiness, I take it that I have, all my life long, been ten times as happy as if I had wasted my time and money in drunkenness and idleness; for I have generally observed that prudent sober men cheerful and contented, but that drunken profligates are never satisfied and never happy. I am quite sure, Sir, from my own experience, that the

are

English poor might, by prudence and good management be a great deal better off than they are at present, especially now they have the advantage of Saving Banks which I had not in my younger days. Some people object to all this saving, and say, that, by fixing our thoughts too much upon our gains and our savings, we may be led to covetousness, and have our minds drawn from that feeling of Christian kindness to our fellow-creatures which our religion commands; and they fear likewise that this care about our worldly affairs should destroy the right feelings of devotion to God, and give us a worldly spirit instead of a heavenly one. I know Sir, there is danger of this, and I confess to you that I have felt it myself. I have been sometimes tempted to think too much of my gains and my savings; but I felt sensible that this must be wrong; for if covetousness were not contrary to the mind of a Christian it would not have been so strongly condemned in Scripture. This thought convinced me that we have need to be on our guard at all times, and in every undertaking; and that evil dispositions will creep in, and lead us astray even in the midst of our positive duties. I knew that it was right, by industry and care, to seek to supply my own wants, and those of my family; and I endeavoured at the same time to avoid a covetous spirit.. Indeed I cannot help thinking that my frugality has been the means of keeping me out of much harm and leading me to some good. I sought only such companions as were careful and steady; I attended my church regularly and I read the Scriptures, and other good and useful books, at home, and I endeavoured to bring up my children in the same practices. If I had not got these steady habits, I should perhaps have lived with a set of idle, careless, companions, and have got into bad ways, and should have had no thought about what was good, and no disposition to be instructed. I might have got into debt, which often is a great injury to a fellow creature, and gives

the mind such disturbance as unfits it for the consideration of any thing calm and Christian-like. But as I felt that my worldly affairs were going on well, I saw that I had no need to disturb myself about them, and that my mind need not be drawn from right considerations. Having money always by me, I could help a distressed neighbour when there was need; and it has been a great satisfaction for me to think that I have not only been enabled to bring up my children creditably, but that I have had it in my power to assist my aged Father and Mother, who are now got to that time of life that they can do but little for themselves. They had always been industrious and careful people, and in youth had laid by something of a provision for old age. They were always anxious to provide for themselves without having to apply to the parish; but now they are both very old, and my father's eyes have now almost wholly failed him, and he has not been able to work for several years; but the little help that I can give them, added to what they have laid by themselves; enables them to live in great comfort, and to pass their latter days without worldly cares and difficulties. As I have a family, it cannot be expected that I should lay by much now, but we have always kept laying by a little, and it now mounts up faster than it did formerly, because we have the Savingbank to go to, where we get Interest for our money. And even if we could not save at all now, it would be a great satisfaction to be able to bring up our family without running into debt, or being obliged to go to the parish for their support.

I am Mr. Visitor,

Your Constant Reader,

FRANCIS FRUGAL.

N..B. This is a sham name, but I don't wish any

body to know who wrote this letter.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

SIR,

SEEING that a "Constant Reader" is desirous of obtaining further information respecting the Society of Females mentioned in your Number for December 1823, I take the earliest opportunity of sending you the Rules of the above-named Society.

I remain, Sir, Your humble Servant,

June 2nd, 1823.

S. M.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

to be kept and observed by every Member of the Female Friendly Society, held at the Charity School, in the Parish of.. County of...... Established January 1, 1812.

PATRONESS, MRS.

Article 1. Each Member to be of a good and honest character, and to pay one shilling at the time of admission, and three halfpence a week to be paid monthly, and to be subject to forfeiture of all former payments and to expulsion, on neglect of payment for three succeeding months.

Article 2. The monthly payment to be made to Mrs.......who is Steward of this Society; and, by her, to be paid into the hands of the Patroness, who is Treasurer to it.

Article 3. No person to be admitted a member of this Society who is under the age of fourteen, or above the age of forty-five, or in an infirm state of health; and any one entering, under the abovenamed disabilities, shall not be entitled to relief, and shall be excluded this Society.

Article 4. Application for admission to be made to the Steward, who is to enquire into, and report, the name and character of each candidate to the NO. 32.-VOL. III. R

Patroness, without whose consent no one can be admitted a member of this Society.

Article 5. No person to receive any benefit from the box, until she has been a member twelve months. Article 6. If any member, having been admitted twelve months, and having paid her weekly subscription, shall by sickness, lameness, or otherwise, be disabled from attending to the management of her family, and from working (such inability not proceeding from her own immoral conduct) she shall apply to the Steward, who is to visit her immediately, and to report her situation to the Patroness and Treasurer of this Society: if it appear to the Patroness that the member applying is a proper claimant, she shall allow her, out of the stock of this Society, three shillings and sixpence per week for four weeks; and, if her illness continue longer, she shall afterwards allow her one shilling and sixpence a week until she recover.

Article 7. In case of the death of any member, who has been admitted twelve months, and was not at the time of her decease in arrears to the Society's fund, the sum of fifty shillings for her funeral shall be allowed from the fund, and sixpence shall be paid to the box by each member, the corpse to be followed to the grave by all the members.

Article 8. If any member shall disgrace herself by immoral conduct, or indecent language, she shall be expelled this Society.

Article 9. If the fund belonging to the Society shall at any time be reduced to the sum of five pounds, the members shall be excluded the benefit of it, until it again amount to the sum of ten pounds.

Article 10. This Society shall not be broken up so long as there are THREE of the present members living; and, if any person or persons, being members of it, shall propose to dissolve it, she or they shall be expelled.

Article 11. In case of child birth, each married