inton side of the town, the bait, however,
being not a fox, but the trail-scent of a strong red herring, dragged at
his stirrup, in wicked devilry, by one of the well-known haunters of old
Joe Lindon's. Still, we _have_ had fox-hunts of our own, one of the
vulpine crew being killed in St. Mary's Churchyard, Feb. 26, 1873, while
another was captured (Sept. 11, 1883) by some navvies at work on the
extension of New Street Station. The fox, which was a young one, was
found asleep in one of the subways, though how he got to such a strange
dormitory is a puzzle, and he gave a quarter-hour's good sport before
being secured.

~Freemasons.~--See "_Masonic_."

~Freeth, the Poet.~--The first time Freeth's name appears in the public
prints is in connection with a dinner given at his coffee-house, April
17, 1770, to celebrate Wilkes' release from prison. He died September
29, 1808, aged 77, and was buried in the Old Meeting House, the
following lines being graved on his tombstone:--

"Free and easy through life 'twas his wish to proceed.
Good men he revered, whatever their creed.
His pride was a sociable evening to spend,
For no man loved better his pipe and his friend."

~Friendly Societies~ are not of modern origin, traces of many having
been found in ancient Greek inscriptions. The Romans also had similar
societies, Mr. Tomkins, the chief clerk of the Registrar-General, having
found and deciphered the accounts of one at Lanuvium, the entrance fee
to which was 100 sesterces (about 15s.), and an amphora (or jar) of
wine. The payments were equivalent to 2s. a year, or 2d. per mouth, the
funeral money being 45s., a fixed portion, 7s. 6d. being set apart for
distribution at the burning of the body. Members who did not pay up
promptly were struck off the list, and the secretaries and treasurers,
when funds were short, went to their own pockets.--The first Act for
regulating Friendly Societies was passed in 1795. Few towns in England
have more sick and benefit clubs than Birmingham, there not being many
public-houses without one attached to them, and scarcely a manufactory
minus its special fund for like purposes. The larger societies, of
course, have many branches (lodges, courts, &c), and it would be a
difficult matter to particularise them all, or even arrive at the
aggregate number of their members, which, however, cannot be much less
than 50,000; and, if to these we add the large number of what may be
styled "annua