nothing; that every man would be forced into independence and competence whether he would or no; that taxes would be repealed; and that in this new state of society there would no longer be any need of that spirit of striving which is at the bottom of all true schemes of social progress and advancement. This period over, many illusions were dispelled, many useful lessons learnt. Under somewhat fairer and happier auspices, society settled down into its old ruts again, only too thankful in many cases that the old ways were still open. After the year 1832, the progress of Savings Banks continued to be eminently satisfactory. There was a transitory cloud in 1837, and another in 1839, caused by exceptionally hard times, such as a bad harvest and scarcity of food, and distress in the manufacturing districts caused by unusual reverses in trade, when again the funds laid by came opportunely in aid; but, with these exceptions, the Returns furnish no further grounds for remark. We will therefore proceed to give a small table, which, without giving the details of each year, shows in a clear light the progress made by the banks at the expiration of three quinquennial periods. TABLE 2. From 1825 to 1840. +--------------+-------------+--------------+-------------------------+ | | Number of | Total Amount | Increase. | | Year ended | Depositors. | of Deposits +------------+------------+ | | | from 1817. | Depositors.| Deposits. | +--------------+-------------+--------------+------------+------------+ | | | £ | | | | 20 Nov. 1825 | 358,160 | 13,769,988 | --- | --- | | 20 Nov. 1830 | 430,166 | 15,739,907 | 72,096 | 1,969,919 | | 20 Nov. 1835 | 587,488 | 17,705,228 | 157,322 | 1,965,321 | | 20 Nov. 1840 | 824,162 | 22,915,940 | 236,674 | 5,200,712 | +--------------+-------------+--------------+------------+------------+ Taking the year 1841, on account of the facilities for calculation afforded by the census of that year, we find that up to the 20th of November, 1841, the total number of Savings Banks in the United Kingdom was 555, of which 428 were in England, 23 in Wales, 76 in Ireland, and 28 in Scotland. The smallness of the number of Scotch banks is accounted for by the popular character of the private banks, and the fact that until within six years of the period we have reached, or 1835, none of the acts relating to Savings Banks had any reference to Scotland. The average amount of each deposit in 1841 was--in England about 30_l._; in Ireland 29_l._; and in Scotland 12_l._ The total number of depositors in England as compared with the population of 1841, was one to every 22 inhabitants, in Wales 1 in 58, in Scotland 1 in 52, and in Ireland 1 in 103.