PENNY BANKS.

BY MISS H. M. RATHBONE.

WE have recently been reading, with much interest, the report of a new and valuable institution, called a Penny Savings' Bank, established for the purpose of inducing and helping the very poor to lay by a portion of their earnings. Several of these banks have been introduced into various parts of Scotland and the North of England; and their indefatigable originator, Mr. James Scott, is at present anxiously endeavouring to set them afloat in the metropolis; and the following quotation, from a circular letter of his on the subject, will show our readers the advantages to be derived from the system proposed:

"With reference to the social and moral influence of such institutions, it may be stated that whatever, in the least degree, induces self-respect, so far tends not merely to the formation of good, but to the correction of evil habits:-it produces gradually an entire change of thought and action, substituting thoughtfulness for carelessness; also a due regard and well sustained anticipation of future wants; it converts intemperance and prodigality into sobriety and thriftiness, and, in a word, engenders a manly desire for independence instead of a degrading and paralizing reliance on parish support or almsgiving."

The distinguishing feature of the plan by which this good work is to be brought about is, that the Penny Banks receive daily any sum below and not exceeding one shilling; while the ordinary savings' banks mostly require twenty shillings as an entrance fee, which is too large a sum for the poorest classes to raise. Perhaps a short account of the working of the Penny Bank lately established in Hull, will best illustrate its mode of operation, and show how easily the system may be introduced elsewhere. Every depositor has a ruled card or ticket given to him with his name inscribed, and space for six entries of savings in the week, a similar account of each deposit being registered, whenever money is brought, in a regular ledger. Whoever lays by something, however little, each week of the year, receives a premium of a shilling at the end of twelve months; and in large towns,

where the amount deposited is considerable, the expenses of clerks' salaries, as well as the premiums, are paid out of the interest, which accrues from the investment of these penny savings in a larger bank. The cost of house-room for receiving the daily deposits, has hitherto been saved to the institution, by the business hours being appointed at such times in the morning or evening as enables the depositors to have the free use of other savings' banks or public school-rooms, before or after these rooms are needed for their ordinary transactions. At Greenock the bank is opened from eight to ten o'clock every morning; and at Hull it is open from five to seven o'clock every evening. The mechanical part of the work is managed by six clerks (sometimes under fourteen years of age,) who receive a salary of £2 per annum, and are again under the superintendence of a superior clerk at £10 per annum. The six clerks sit at a long table, with six money boxes before them, and each having a separate ledger. Every day the cash is balanced and paid over to the head clerk, who gives it to the treasurer. At Hull the amount received is partly invested in the savings' bank, and partly in the bank of Messrs. Pease and Liddell; but in both instances the investment is made in the names of the trustees of the institution, without whose written order no money can be withdrawn. A paid auditor examines the books weekly.

Another advantage of Mr. Scott's plan is, that it need not interfere with any existing benevolent institutions, but should be regarded as an auxiliary society, for the purpose of helping a still poorer class to lay by their scanty earnings than the present savings' banks accommodate. At Hull the new system came into operation on the first of August, 1849; and before the close of the old year the deposits amounted to £630, from above four thousand depositors, which are daily increasing, and this single fact is a strong proof how much such an institution was needed, and how warmly it has been welcomed.

We shall conclude our brief notice of this excellent system, which we trust will before long be adopted in all large towns, by relating a true anecdote of a poor depositor, furnished us by Mr. Paton, a

gentleman who has been mainly instrumental in the formation and carrying out of the Greenock Penny Bank. One of their earliest depositors was an aged widow, who, upon applying for the Trinity-money, had been desired by the Custom House authorities to obtain certi

ficates of her own and her husband's birth and of their marriage, without which the money would not be paid her. This could not be accomplished without incurring the expense of a long journey to her native country far away in the Highlands; and she must have gone without the bounty due in her situation, had she not laid by, in the newly established Penny Bank, a small but sufficient sum to take her to her childhood's home, where she managed to obtain the necessary information, and received the Trinity money to support her old age. Such is her attachment to the green mountains where her fathers are buried, that her ardent desire now is to save enough by means of the new bank, to carry her own remains to the same Highland grave.

Sir James Mackintosh in 1816."What are we to consider our subjects as our enemies, and an army as the means of continuing popular discontent, and insuring passive obedience? I waive all the tremendous consequences to public liberty of this extending and perpetuating, in every part of the empire, the wretched principle of administration, which seem for a moment excused by necessity in Ireland. Small Peace establishments, old English liberty, a people fearlessly discussing all principles and measures of Government, a House of Commons jealous of the power of the sword, and tenacious of the power of the purse, have given these islands happiness and greatness."

* * *

Mr. Wilberforce in 1816.-"He could not forbear to express that jealonsy of a standing army, which our most distinguished constitutional writers had never ceased to inculcate. He also objected to the measure, because he was one of those who thought that this country was always too ready to go to war, and the existence of a large standing army, was but too likely to encourage that disposition."

SPRING.

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IN all climates Spring is beautiful. In the south it is intoxicating, and sets a poet beside himself. The birds begin to sing;-they utter a few rapturous notes,

and then wait for an answer in the silent woods. Those green coated musicians, the frogs, make a holiday in the neighbouring marshes. They, too, belong to the orchestra of Nature, whose vast theatre is again opened, though the doors have been so long bolted with icicles, and the scenery hung with snow and frost, like cobwebs. This is the prelude which announces the rising of the broad green curtain. Already the grass shoots forth. The waters leap with thrilling pulse through the veins of the earth, the sap through the veins of the plants and trees, and the blood through the veins of man. What a thrill of delight in spring-time!. What a joy in being and moving! Men are at work in gardens; and in the air there is an odour of the fresh earth. The leaf-bud begin to swell and blush. The white blossoms of the cherry hang upon the boughs like snow-flakes; and ere long our next door neighbours will be completely hidden from us by the dense green foliage. The May-flowers open their soft blue eyes.

Children are let loose in the fields and gardens. They hold buttercups under each others' chins, to see if they love butter. And the little girls adorn themselves with chains and curls of dandelions; pull out the yellow leaves to see if the schoolboy loves them, and blow the down from the leafless stalk, to find out if their mothers want them at home.

And at night so cloudless and so still! Not a voice of living thing,-not a whisper of leaf or waving bough,-not a breath of wind, not a sound upon the earth nor in the air! And over-head bends the blue sky, dewy and soft, and radiant with innumerable stars, like the inverted bell of some blue flower, sprinkled with golden dust, and breathing fragrance. Or if the heavens are overcast, it is no wild storm of wind and rain; but clouds that One does not melt and fall in showers. wish to sleep; but lies awake to hear the pleasant sound of the dropping rain.Longfellow.

THE SWAN AND THE EAGLE.

It was on a beautiful Spring morning, when the trees and the flowers were sparkling with dew-drops, when an eagle descended to quench its thirst from a lake which lay embosomed between the mountains. It was immediately saluted by a swan, which was quietly enjoying itself on the placid waters. "Why do you not take up your abode here," said the swan, "why trouble yourself to fly over the hills and the sea, of which I have heard other birds speak, when you can remain in this lovely valley and lead a tranquil life? Why permit your feathers to be ruffled by the breeze and the storm, or why attempt to fly towards the sun, when his rays must dazzle your eyes, and give you pain? Why not be less ambitious, and become more happy by dwelling on the banks of the lake?" "Ah," said the eagle, "you talk like a swan, and not like an eagle. You think that this little valley is the world, and that the highest and noblest life is quietude and contentment. I prefer to visit the crags and the heights of the mountains, to roam over the world, and to breast the wildest storms. I allow I am put to inconvenience, and that my life is not so settled and still as yours, but I cannot but prefer my own with all its seeming disadvantages." 'You must be a foolish bird," rejoined the swan; "you appear to prefer bustle to tranquillity and waywardness to wisdom. Look at me, see how beautifully my days pass away. I am cheered in the morning by the song of birds and the sweet breath of flowers. I swim slowly and delightfully over the lake. I pride myself in seeing my perfect form reflected from its glassy surface. I take walks on its flowery margin, recline myself on beds of violets, and smooth my plumage amid the hum of honey-bees, and the whisper of butterflies. In this way the day passes away, and evetide and twilight approach, when the warblers pour forth their vespers and soothe me to rest. Is not such a life preferable, to your uncertain and unsatisfactory one?" "I will allow," said the eagle, "that yours is a calmer existence. You may enjoy more pleasure than I do, but it is a mere passive pleasure. I prefer to mount the azure sky, to battle with the breeze, to fly over lakes and landscapes, and hills, and large cities

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where men reside. I prefer to see other islands and kingdoms, and all I can behold, wherever my wings may bear me.. I like to descend into dark caverns, or to sit monarch of all I survey,' on the highest pinnacle of the highest mountain. I have an intense love for action; I want always to be observing and enquiring. I allow I am never satisfied-that the more I see only increases my desire to see more -that the higher I soar and the deeper I dive, only increases my longing to soar higher and dive deeper still. I am sometimes beaten by the tempest, and pelted with the rain, and scorched with the lightning, but with all the inconveniences attending my life, I would on no consideration exchange it for yours." "Happiness," answered the swan, "should be the aim and end of life; and you, having always some desire unsatisfied, cannot be content, and if not content you cannot be happy. Your restless desires and unbounded ambition bring you disappointment and pain. As for myself I am satisfied with my position. All my wants are supplied; all my hopes and aspirations are realized. If I know nothing of other lakes, vallies, and mountains, neither do I know anything of the storms which would meet me in my way to them. If I know nothing of kingdoms, caverns, or the habitations of men, neither do I know anything of the struggles and fatigues consequent on my attempts to make their acquaintance. The winds that make those forests nod which crown yonder mountain, scarcely stir a ripple on my placid home. And why should I be so foolish as to wish to wing my way over them, or to scale the altitudes of the highest mountains, if disappointment and inconvenience and perhaps acuter pain may accrue from my attempts." "Your arguments do not convince me that yours is the noblest life, though it may be the calmest and most delicious" rejoined the eagle. "Your hopes are bounded by your own powers of vision, mine are as broad and as vast as the great globe itself. But there is one thing, sister swan, that you should not forget. I can not only bound over the mountain, but I can regale myself on the flowery banks of this calm lake. I can not only ascend but descend. I can not only swim through the sky, and bathe my wings in the noontide splendours of the sun, but I can wash my

feet in this pure lake and snuff the breath of roses, while the smaller birds sing their matins on such a rosy morning as this. And, besides, I am only following my own instinctive impulses, and fulfilling my destiny by the most difficult and daring actions I can achieve. What, if I cannot get all I wish? What, if I am sometimes doomed to disappointment, am I not remunerated by the additional strength I get in trying to realize my desires? If I never tried to do great things, I should never perform them; and if I do not get all I wish, I have the satisfaction that I did my best. And that satisfaction is sweeter to me than any of those passive enjoyments which you, and such as you, realize. Where you feel one noble soul-inspiring emotion, I feel ten. My many disappointments and pains prepare me for the realization of the highest pleasures. You, sister swan, may remain here in unruffled contentment on the bosom of this lake, but I must away to the eyries." With this the eagle spread his wings, and cut through the blue empyreum. Many people are like the swan. They think success and contentment should be the object and pursuit of existence. There are other people like the eagle, who think that life is a noble battle; and who, also, think they are only answering their highest purpose on the earth but by the stoutest endeavours to enlarge their capacities to win victories by struggles-to achieve greatness by patient perseverance -and to try to solve the most difficult problems of human life and destiny, by the most daring leaps and boldest flights. The former may be compared to Epicurus, the latter may be compared to Plato. EDITOR.

M. Odillin Barrot in 1848.-" I desire that the Representatives of the People should come out of the ballot with a majority strong enough to discourage all violent attempts, and to give to this new power, strength enough to enable it, without danger, by reducing the army, to reduce the budget which now overwhelms us, to avoid the bankruptcy which is too imminent, and in short to re-establish and re-assure society."

In cities there is a danger of soul becoming wed to pleasure, and forgetful of its high vocation.

The Students' Column.

111

HAVING stated in our last our intention asking and answering of questions, and to to devote a portion of our little book to the the translation of passages from one language into another, for the mutual entertainment and edification of our readers in general, and the younger portion of them in particular, we now fulfil our promise. We think this department of our little edifying. And we fully hope that it will book will be found both entertaining and excite emulation and enquiry. As we cannot promise to devote more than a column, or at the very outside, more than a page a month to this purpose, it cannot be reasonably expected, that all the questions and answers sent to us will be inserted. It is respectfully requested that whatever may be asked or answered, will be done in as few words as possible. Each question, problem, or passage will be numbered, and its answer, solution, or translation will bear a corresponding number, so that no mistake may arise.

1. J.A.-Where and when was Sir John Franklin born?

2. H.-What is the amount of all the

national debts of Europe?

3. R.J.-Will a magnifying glass act so as to burn substances under water? 4. T.U.R.-Who was the discoverer of

the atomic theory?

5. Tyro.-Who approached nearest the North Pole, and what is the latitude and longitude of the point reached?

6. Enquirer.The best translation of the following passage of Dante's into English:

Per me si va nella Cettà dolente:

Per me si va nell' eterno delore:
Per me si va tra la perduta gente.
Giustizia mosse 'l mio alto fattore:
Fece mi la divina poteslate.

La somna sapienza e 'l primo amore.
Dinanzi a me non fur cose create

Se non eterne, ed io eterno duro:
Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch' entrate.
7. W. R.-The best translation of the
following passage of Pope's into Latin:-
For me the mine a thousand treasures brings;
For me health gushes from a thousand springs;
Seas roll to waft me, suns to light me rise,
My footstool earth, my canopy the skies.

8. A travels at the rate of 5 miles an

hour, and B at 74. A starts 40 minutes before B. How far will A have travelled when B overtakes him?

9. My garden is circular, and contains 2A. 2R.; determine the length of radius which struck the figure.