The mortality, according to age, of the general population of England in all localities, was first satisfactorily determined for the period of seven years, ending with the year 1844. The observations and results were published by the Registrar-General in the year 1849; and in the following year I was allowed the opportunity of exhibiting in The Lancet (vol. i. 1850, pp. 297–330) the principal results in new combinations, with my conclusions therefrom. The knowledge thus obtained of the mortality of the general population (with distinction of town from country districts) is valuable for testing the correctness of independent observations made on the mortality of classes of the labouring population, such as are contained in “Friendly Societies,” whose mortality and sickness it is now proposed to discuss.