Legal Decisions. William Pitt, and Godsall and Co. Romance of Life Assurance. The Globe. New Companies. The Alliance--its Promoters. Improvement of the Value of Life consequent on the Improvement in Society--its Description. Trial concerning the Duke of Saxe Gotha. Important Legal Decision 176 CHAP. XII. Government Annuities--Opinions concerning them--Great Loss to the State. Mr. Moses Wing’s Letter. Mr. Finlaison. New Annuity Act--its Advantages to Jobbers. Endeavours to procure old Lives. Anecdotes concerning them. Philip Courtenay 199 CHAP. XIII. Fraud in Life Assurance Companies--its Extent--its remarkable and romantic Character. Janus Weathercock. Helen Abercrombie--her Death. Forgery of Wainwright--his Absence from England--his Return, Capture, and Death. Independent and West Middlesex--its Rise, Progress, and Ruin of all concerned 213 CHAP. XIV. Select Committee of 1841. Instances of Deception. Publication of Accounts. New Companies--Assertions about them--their Importance--Suggestions concerning them 252 CHAP. XV. Extension of Assurance. Society for Assurance against Purgatory. Commercial Credit Company. Guarantee Society. Medical, Invalid, and General. Agricultural Company. Rent Guarantee. Railway Passengers. Law, Property, and Indisputable Societies. Disputed Policy 282 CHAP. XVI. The Banker’s Mistress. The elder Napoleon. The deceived Director. The murdered Merchant. The Corn Law League and the Cutler. The Unburied buried. The disappointed Suicide. A Night Adventure 295 CHAP. XVII. Scotch Life Assurance. Scottish Widows’ Fund--its Directors. North British. The Farmer’s Fate. Edinburgh Life. List of Scotch Companies 317 ANNALS, ANECDOTES, AND LEGENDS OF LIFE ASSURANCE. CHAPTER I. ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF PROBABILITIES.--ESSAY OF JOHN DE WITT.--THE PLAGUE.--FIRST BILLS OF MORTALITY.--CAPTAIN JOHN GRAUNT--HIS OPINIONS, LIFE, AND ESTIMATES.--CURIOUS TERMS IN THE OLD REGISTERS--THEIR EXPLANATIONS.--LIFE OF SIR WILLIAM PETTY--HIS CAREER AND CHARACTER.