The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-09-11 00:00:00

STATRTICIS Or IWAIMIAGRor-HINTO
LADIES.

FOR THR

(From the Scotsman.)
We published, some years ago, a table of the probabilities
of marriage at the different periods of life, in the case of fe-
males, for which, we have no doubt, that the ladies of Bri-
tain feel grateful. It was founded, however, on limited data.
which were derived entirely from records of marriages among
the working classes. The table published in our leading ar-
ticle of Saturday supplies materials for more accurate con-
clusions, grounded on returns which comprehend all classes ;
and we think we shall confer a favour on our female readers
by putting the results into a more distinct form than the table
in its original shape affords.
If we take 100 to represent the whole of a woman's chances
of marriage between the ages of 15 and 70, the proportional
chances in each period of five years will be as follow : •
Age. Chances of Marriage.
14

15 and under 20
20
25
30
35 40
40 45
45

C one-
tenth

From this table it appears-
1. That one-seventh part of all the females who marry in
England are married between the ages of 15 and 20, or one-
seventh part of a woman's chances of marriage lies between
those years.

2. 'that fully one-half of all the women who marry are
married between 20 and 25, or one-half of a woman's chances
are comprised within these five years.
3. That between 15 and 25 precisely two-thirds of a wo-
man's chances of marriage are exhausted, and only one-third
remain for the rest of her life up to 70.
4. That at 30 no less than 85 chances out of 100 are gone,
and 15, or about one-seventh, only remain. She has strong
reason now for improving her time.
5. At 35, a fraction, a tenth, is all that remains to her—
which is reduced to a twentieth at 40.

6. At 45, her chances of marriage have sunk to one-for-
tieth ; and at 50, to one-hundredth. At 60 there is still a
glimmering of hope, for it appears that among females about
one marriage in every 1000 takes place at and beyond this

The number of women married between 15 and 20 is six
times greater than the number of men.
The number of men and women married between 20 and
25 is very nearly equal, but the number of men married at
all higher ages is greater than the number of women.

THE SOURCE OF :THE THAMES.--Withill two miles of
Cirencester is the source of the Thames—a clear fountain in
a little rocky dell, known by the name of Thames-head. This
is the little infantine stream, so great a giant when it arrives
at its full growth. The little dell whence issues the gentle
stream is in hot seasons perfectly dry, but the drought that
stops the supply at the fountain-head has but slight effect on
the course of the stream. It has so many different feeders
from various parts of the country, that at Lechlade and
Cricklade it runs on its usual course uninfluenced by the
scarcity at the head. There is an amusing story told of a
simple cockney, who, on his way from Bristol to London,
turned aside to visit the source of the river he was so proud
of. It was warm summer; there had been no rain for three
weeks, and the spring was dried up. " Good God !" said he,
with an expression of the utmost alarm and sorrow, " what
ruin this must cause at London ! Whatever will the poor
people do for water ?" and his busy fancy conjured up a dire-
ful picture of a thousand ills consequent upon the stoppage
of the stream : no more ships arriving at London laden with
the wealth of the world, the bankruptcy of rich merchants.
the shutting up of 'Change, the failure of the Bank of Eng-
land, the anguish of ruined families, and the death of thou-
sands in the agonies of thirst. The Germans tell a similar
story of a traveller who visited the springs of the Danube,
and which, as we are upon the subject, may serve as a pen-
dent to the tale of our cockney. The traveller in this case
was a Suabian, and whenever the Germans wish to palm off
a joke a Suabian is sure to be the butt. On noticing in what
a small stream the water trickled at the source of that great
river (the Danube), he formed the bold resolution of stopping
it up. 'He put his hand across it, and, as he fancied the vs_
rious cities upon its course deprived of their supply of water
by this deed, he exclaimed, in the pride of his heart, "What
will they say at Vienna?"—The Thames and its Tributaries.
AINDERBY STEEPLE.—A FRUGAL WlFE.—Last week
died, at Ainderby Steeple, near Northallerton, the wife of a
shoemaker, whose name is Thomas White, and after all hopes
of recovery had fled, she imparted to her husband the pleas-
ing information that she had, unknown to him, during their
happy union, hoarded a little cash by way of making up a
privy purse for herself, and that he might find it in certain
holes and corners of their domicile. On search being made,
much to the surprise and joy of White, upwards of £7l were
found concealed in the places which his faithful wife had
pointed out to him.