dragged at his stirrup, in wicked devilry, by one of the well-known haunters of old Joe Lindon’s.  Still, we have had fox-hunts of our own, one of the vulpine crew being killed in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Feb. 26, 1873, while another was captured (Sept. 11, 1883) by some navvies at work on the extension of New Street Station.  The fox, which was a young one, was found asleep in one of the subways, though how he got to such a strange dormitory is a puzzle, and he gave a quarter-hour’s good sport before being secured.

Freemasons.—­See “Masonic.”

Freeth, the Poet.—­The first time Freeth’s name appears in the public prints is in connection with a dinner given at his coffee-house, April 17, 1770, to celebrate Wilkes’ release from prison.  He died September 29, 1808, aged 77, and was buried in the Old Meeting House, the following lines being graved on his tombstone:—­

  “Free and easy through life ’twas his wish to proceed. 
  Good men he revered, whatever their creed. 
  His pride was a sociable evening to spend,
  For no man loved better his pipe and his friend.”

Friendly Societies are not of modern origin, traces of many having been found in ancient Greek inscriptions.  The Romans also had similar societies, Mr. Tomkins, the chief clerk of the Registrar-General, having found and deciphered the accounts of one at Lanuvium, the entrance fee to which was 100 sesterces (about 15s.), and an amphora (or jar) of wine.  The payments were equivalent to 2s. a year, or 2d. per mouth, the funeral money being 45s., a fixed portion, 7s. 6d. being set apart for distribution at the burning of the body.  Members who did not pay up promptly were struck off the list, and the secretaries and treasurers, when funds were short, went to their own pockets.—­The first Act for regulating Friendly Societies was passed in 1795.  Few towns in England have more sick and benefit clubs than Birmingham, there not being many public-houses without one attached to them, and scarcely a manufactory minus its special fund for like purposes.  The larger societies, of course, have many branches (lodges, courts, &c), and it would be a difficult matter to particularise them all, or even arrive at the aggregate number of their members, which, however, cannot be much less than 50,000; and, if to these we add the large number of what may be styled “annual gift clubs” (the money in hand being divided every year), we may safely put the total at something like 70,000 persons who take this method of providing for a rainy day.  The following notes respecting local societies have been culled from blue books, annual reports, and private special information, the latter being difficult to arrive at, in consequence of that curious reticence observable in the character of officials of all sorts, club stewards included.