The purchasing power of the people we know has enormously increased; the marriage-rate has not increased, it has, in fact, slightly decreased; but the birth-rate per marriage, or the fecundity of marriage, has decreased in a remarkable degree.
In "Industrial Democracy," by Sydney and Beatrice Webb (p.

637), the following occurs:--"The Hearts of Oak Friendly Society is the largest centralised Benefit Society in this country, having now over two hundred thousand adult male members.

No one is admitted who is not of good character, and in receipt of wages of twenty-four shillings a week or upwards.

The membership consists, therefore, of the artisan and skilled operative class, with some intermixture of the small shopkeeper, to the exclusion of the mere labourer.

Among its provisions, is the "Lying-in Benefit," a payment of thirty shillings for each confinement of a member's wife." From 1866 to 1880 the proportion of lying-in claims to membership slowly rose from 21.76 to 24.78 per 100.