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 A N 
 
 EXAMINATION 
 
 o F 
 
 Dr. P R I C E's ESSAY 
 
 ON THE 
 
 POPULATION of ENGLAND and WALES; 
 
 AND 
 
 THE DOCTRINE OF AN INCREASED POPULATION 
 IN THIS KINGDOM, 
 
 ESTABLISHED BY FACTS. 
 By the Rev. JOHN HOWLETT, A. B. 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED AN 
 
 Containing Remarks on Dr. PRICE'S Argument of a 
 decreafed Population deduced from the decreafed 
 Produce of the hereditary and temporary Excife. 
 
 MAIDSTONE: 
 
 PRINTED TOR THE AUTHOR BY J. BLAKE; AND SOLD BY 
 T. PAYNE AND SON, MEWS-GATE, LONDON.
 
 Stack 
 
 Annex 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 INTRODUCTION Page ix 
 
 Plan or Diftribution into 3 Parts i 
 
 PART I. 
 
 Examination into the Caufcs afligned by Dr. 
 
 PR ici for the Depopulation of this Kingdom z 
 
 Increafe of our Army and Navy 3 
 A devouring Capital too large for the Body that 
 
 fupports it 4 
 The three long and dcjlruttive Wars in -which we 
 
 have been involved Jince the Revolution 13 
 
 Migrations to our Settlements abroad 15 
 
 EngroJJing of Farms 23 
 
 Enclofure of Commons, &c. 29 
 
 High Price of Provijions, &c. 35 
 
 Increafing Luxury 36 
 
 A 2 PART
 
 iv CONTENTS. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 Page 
 
 Examination of the Proof s adduced by Dr. PRICE 
 
 to eflablijh the Fad of a decreafed Population 4 1 
 The Proof sjlated ib. 
 Sufpicious Foundation of two of them ib. 
 Statement of the Dottors Reafoning from the Sur- 
 vivors Returns - A? 
 
 Dijlmttion between Families and Houjes 46 
 Infu/iciency of the Dottors Table for ascertaining 
 
 their Proportion 47 
 
 A proper one for that Purpofe 50 
 
 Sufpicious Appearance of the Surveyors Returns 52 
 
 Returns of Cottages uncertain c 3 
 
 The Dolor's Reafoning upon it 54 
 
 The true Nature of the Returns Jlated 56 
 
 Table Jliewing their Deficiency 50 
 
 Gradual Decreafe - . 6 
 Neither any Proof of Depopulation 61 
 Examination of Doctor PRICE'S Argument for 
 Depopulation deduced from the decreafed Num- 
 ber of Burials in the London Bills of Mortality. 63 
 The Supposition of their Decreafe not founded in 
 
 Fail __ 64 
 Fallacy of the Arguments from the new Parifhes, 
 
 and thefuppofed Decreafe of ' Dijj r enters 65-7 
 
 The Argument deduced from the dccreafed annual 
 
 Produce of the Excife 71 
 
 Contrary
 
 CONTENTS. v 
 
 Page 
 
 Contrary Conclufions to be deduced even from the 
 
 DJ^^'S o:^n Statement of it 72 
 
 Its Imperfect: om evinced 73 
 
 Diminution of the Number of Victuallers 77 
 
 Tlie Eafe with which K. WILLIAM raife d Trcops ib. 
 
 PART III. 
 
 Proofs of increafed and increajing Population 80 
 Regi/ler evidence applied to afcertain the relative 
 
 Population of London 83 
 
 Deficiencies of the Bills of Mortality 84 
 The fcveral Kinds of Burials not in them 84-93 
 The total Amount of the London Burials both in 
 
 and out of the Bills 93 
 
 Regi/lers of the neighbouring Villages 96 
 
 Of Kent 98 
 
 EJJex 102 
 
 Suffix - 1 105 
 
 Surrey 106 
 Hants, Wilts, Dorfet, Devon, and Corn-wall 108-9 
 Suffolk. no 
 Norfolk. - 114 
 Middlefex, Northampton, Huntingdon, Cambridge 
 
 Hertford, Leicejler, Stafford, Salop, Berks, 
 Bucks, Derby and Oxford 117-20 
 
 Parifhes in Wales 121 
 
 The Northern Counties of York, Lancajler, Cum- 
 berland, and Che/ler 122-4 
 Regijler Returns for the Diocefe of Chejler 1 25-6 
 
 CoUeSivc
 
 vi CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 Colkftiw View of the Regijler Evidence 128 
 
 Incrcafe of Population during the la/I 20 Years 130 
 Comparative View of the Advance of Population 
 
 in England and France 104 
 
 Prefcnt amount of our Population computed 137 
 
 From the returns of Houfes at the Tax-Office 138 
 
 Table of Returns - 109 
 
 Ditto of Perfom to a Houfe. 144. 
 
 Number of Inhabitants computed from the Militia 147 
 Condujion. 
 
 Sr Some little improprieties in the arrangement of Chapters 
 and Scftions, rendered it inconvenient to make any other 
 references than to the parts and pages ; which, as it can 
 occafion no difficulty to the reader, it is hoped will b 
 
 j Y/*nl*/3 
 
 excufed. 
 
 PREFACE
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 WHEN two thirds of the materials 
 for the following fheets were col- 
 lected, and more than half the work alu- 
 ally written, Mr. WALES'S Enquiry into the 
 Population of England and Wales fell into 
 my hands. That ingenious performance 
 I have read with pleafure, and it has af- 
 forded me, in fome particulars, no incon- 
 fiderable afliftance. It does by no means 
 however, (as the author himfelf feems to 
 acknowledge;) preclude all further profe- 
 cution of the fubjecl:. And it is a fortunate 
 circumftance, that, as far as we have adopt- 
 ed the fame mode of investigation, our re- 
 fearches have been dire&ed to different 
 quarters. By thefe means we are furnifhed 
 with an accumulation of evidence for the 
 fame purpofe ; and the near coincidence in 
 the refult of our enquiries gives additional 
 weight to the general argument, and mu- 
 tual confirmation to each other's conclu- 
 fions. 
 
 At
 
 At the fame time, I may be allowed to 
 obferve, that the plan I have adopted is 
 more comprehenfive than that of Mr. 
 WALES ; both becaufe I have entered more 
 largely into an examination of Dr. PRICE'S 
 fyftem, and have not contented myfelf with 
 tracing merely the progrefs of population, 
 but have- alfo endeavoured to afcertain its 
 prefent aclual amount. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 P. 42, line laft, for 1,319,000 read 1,319215. 
 
 50 1. 9. column 5. r. i to 1.189. 
 
 52 1.5, for 986481, r. 986482. 
 
 60 1. 8, for of r. or. 
 
 70 1. 20, for 10 r. 20. 
 
 86 1. 2, dele dunng i 77 years only 1 1. 
 
 87 1. 13 and 14, exchange 285 for 365 and vice verfa. 
 
 97 for the total 24782-29662-41183-66286, 1. 12, r. 
 41183 !o 24782. 
 
 100 for the total, 1. 18, r. 34594-346*0-45712.43338, 
 
 115 1. laft dele three. 
 
 1 16 1. 20, for 1 1000 r. 1 100. 
 
 123 for the total r. 20400-19583-47869-37089. * 
 
 131 1, 9, for refpett r. rcfpctts. 
 
 *25 1. 9, after Burgundy r. Provence &c. 
 addenda p. 2, dele i, 2, 3, 4. 
 
 * N. B. There are alfo (light errors in fome of the totals 
 of other counties ; but as they are too inconfiderable materi- 
 ally to affect the general conclufions, and as they are befides 
 all duly corrected as a foundation for the collective view of 
 the regiftcr evidence, p. 128, it is needlefs to point them out. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 for Examination of, r. Remarks on. 
 
 p. 6, 1. 23. overjlrong beer r. barrclt of.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 IT has often been afierted, and not uncommonly 
 aflented to, that the ftrength of a nation is 
 proportionate to the number of its inhabitants; 
 but this can be no further true than while every 
 other circumflance remains precifely the fame. 
 Great-Britain and Ireland, which at mod contain 
 not above twelve or fourteen millions, were yet, 
 in the laft glorious war, more than a match for 
 the combined powers of France and Spain, which 
 have at leaft three times that number. Nay, what 
 is greater and more extraordinary ftill, we feem at 
 this very day to maintain our ground with firm- 
 nefs againft the united force of thefe perfidious 
 enemies, aided by the unnatural alliance of our 
 revolted colonies, and our mercenary neighbours 
 the Dutch. 
 
 But whatever may be the advantages that thus 
 amply compenfate for our great inferiority in point 
 of numbers; whether they arife from our infular 
 fituation, our peculiar form of Government, or 
 that high fpirit of liberty fo alive and vigorous 
 in Englifh breads; it is ftill certain, that in given 
 circumftances, our national confequence muft be 
 ever in exaft proportion to the number of our 
 people. It is, therefore, in a political view, a 
 matter of effential importance, that thefe do not 
 
 decreafe
 
 X INTRODUCTION. 
 
 decreafe. And it muft afford very high fatisfac- 
 tion to every one who is really attached to the wel- 
 fare of his country, or who wifhes it to preferve its 
 authority amidft the various powerful ftates of 
 Europe, to find that general appearances, in al- 
 moft every part of the kingdom, for 50 or 100 
 years paft, afford the ftrongeft prefumption that 
 an increafing population muft have been gradually 
 taking place. Our commerce, during this period, 
 has been extending itfelf into every quarter of the 
 globe; our manufactures have been multiplying 
 and improving to an aftonifhing degree; our agri- 
 culture has been daily receiving additional extent 
 and additional perfection; dreary marfhes and 
 barren waftes have been gradually transformed 
 into rich paftures, meadows, and cornfields; fmall 
 hamlets have grown into confiderable villages, 
 and villages have fwelled into large and populous 
 towns. Nor have we, mean time, fuffered thofe 
 public calamities, which, in former ages, fre- 
 quently fpread fuch dreadful devaftation among 
 the human fpecies. Neither famine nor peftilence 
 have repeated, in the prefent century, their peri- 
 odical vifits, which heretofore ufed to fweep fuch 
 multitudes to the grave, and defolate both town 
 and country. While, on the other hand, the arts 
 of medicine and furgery have made no inconfidcr- 
 ablc advances; and almoft every diforder has been 
 fo much more fkilfully treated than amongft our 
 anceftors, as at once to alleviate the miferies of life, 
 
 and
 
 INTRODUCTION. xi 
 
 and not uncommonly prolong its duration. Duly 
 confidering all thefe favourable circumftances, 
 men of plain common underftandings, would natu- 
 rally conclude that our population muft be greatly 
 increafed; and that notwithftanding the little tem- 
 porary interruptions it may from time to time 
 have received, it muft, upon the whole, during 
 the prefent century, have been a growing and 
 progreffive quantity. 
 
 But thefe obvious deductions of unbiaffed minds, 
 we have been told, by a writer of acknowledged 
 talents, are mere popular deceptions, and vulgar 
 errors. We have not only heard of the deferted 
 village and the depopulated country in the fictions of 
 poetry; but have been repeatedly afTured, by an 
 able calculator, the Reverend Dr. PRICE, that it 
 is a* clear and indubitable fact that the number 
 of our inhabitants has long been decreafing; that 
 they are now near a quarter lefs than ihey were at 
 the revolution; that for the laft twenty years, in 
 particular, this decline has been uncommonly ra- 
 pid, nnd that the caufes thereof ftill continue to 
 operate with additional force. 
 
 This aflertion, coming from fuch a quarter, 
 was, it muft be acknowledgedj truly alarming, 
 and produced in my mind many a difma! appre- 
 henfion. I could not but think if this was really 
 
 He 
 
 * Eflay on the population of England an:} Wal~s. 7vge 
 , 23, 85; and Supplement to revedionaiy payments, 2d 
 j page 362, &c
 
 xii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the cafe, and matters continued to go on in this 
 accelerated courfe to deftru&ion, that Great-Bri- 
 tain, fo long the admiration and envy of the world, 
 muft very foon dwindle into perfect infignificance; 
 and, in 50 or 60 years, muft become an uninha- 
 bited ifland, or a mere defolate wafte. Reflecting, 
 however, that in matters level to common under- 
 ftandings the moft ingenious theorifts have fome- 
 times been miftaken, I could not help flattering 
 myfelf that the prefent might be an inftance of 
 that kind, and therefore determined not to give 
 way to the melancholy impreflions, which the peru- 
 fal of his book had made upon my mind, but to 
 enquire a little more minutely into the fubject it- 
 felf. The refult of my enquiries is a ftrong per- 
 fuafion that the real fact is directly contrary to 
 the Doctor's affertion; that our population, fo 
 far from rapidly declining, has long been greatly 
 advancing, and more efpecially for 20 or 30 years 
 paft. What the evidence and the reafons are which 
 have induced me fo totally to differ from a writer 
 of fuch diftinguifhed eminence, I venture, with 
 refpeclful deference, to lay before the public; who 
 will judge of their ftrength or weaknefs with 
 impartiality and candour, and from whofe deci- 
 fion, whether for or againft me, I fhali have ^no 
 inclination to appeal. 
 
 AN
 
 A N 
 
 EXAMINATION 
 
 O F 
 
 Dr. PRICE'S Effay on the Population of 
 
 Plan or Dijlribution of the SubjeEl. 
 
 THAT I may not bewilder, either myfelf, or 
 my readers, on a fubjeft of fuch vaft extent 
 and variety, I propofe to obferve the fol- 
 lowing method. I (hall firft examine into the 
 principal caufes afligned by Dr. PRICE for the 
 depopulation of this country; next confider the 
 pofitive proofs adduced to eftablifh the fal of a 
 great and gradual decreafe of our people; and 
 then fubmit to the reader, what appears to me, 
 the real truth of the cafe, according to the beft in- 
 formation I have been able to obtain. 
 
 B PART
 
 PART I; 
 
 Examination into the Caufes qjfigned by 
 Dr. PRICE for the Depopulation oj this 
 Kingdom. 
 
 WITH regard to the firft point, the caufes of 
 depopulation affigned by the Do&or, they 
 fprm a long and formidable lift, and are 
 as follows, '* the increafe of our army and navy, and 
 " the conftant fupply of men neceflary to keep 
 " them up; a devouring capital, too large for 
 " the body that fupports it; the three long and 
 " definitive continental wars in which \vc have 
 " been involved during the prcfent century; the 
 " migrations to our fettlements abroad, and, parti- 
 " cularly, to the Eaft and Weft Indies, the en- 
 " groffing of farms; the inclofing of commons and 
 ' : wafte grounds; the high price of provifions: 
 " but above all, the increafe of luxury and of our 
 " public taxes and debts." 
 
 A (light examination of thefe particulars will, 
 I prefume, be fufEcient to make it probable, at 
 leaft, that moft of them are far from being univrr- 
 fally deftruQive of population, and that fome of 
 them are not unfrequently, to certain degrees, 
 and in certain fituations, aQually Conducive 
 to it. 
 
 SECT
 
 ( 3 ) 
 SECT. I. 
 
 Increafe of our Army and Navy. 
 
 WITH refpea to the firft, t: the increafe of 
 our army and navy," what has it -been ow- 
 ing to ? Has it not been occafioned by the 
 amazing increafe of our commerce, which has 
 required a greater number of hands, both to de- 
 fend and proteft it ? If the one has tended to 
 diminifh our people, the other has, perhaps, more 
 than equally tended to augment them. Nay it is far 
 from certain, that a large (landing army and a 
 numerous fhipping, even in themfelves confidered, 
 and during a time of peace, the only time at pre- 
 fent in view, are greatly, if at all, injurious to 
 population. Our foldiers and failors do not, per- 
 haps, fo generally marry, as perfons of other oc- 
 cupations, and. therefore, may not be fuppofed to 
 give fo many fubjecls to the ftate as they otherwife 
 might. But if they do not marry themfelves, they 
 are remotely the caufe of marriage in others. 
 They give conftant employment, of courfe con- 
 ftant fupport and maintenance, to thoufands and 
 tens of thoufands, who, but for that refource, 
 would be idle or ftarved. It is, I believe, no 
 extravagant fuppofition that nearly fifty thou- 
 fand perfons arc fed and clothed from our dock 
 yards alone; and I make no doubt but that 
 twice that number are amply provided for in mak- 
 ing and preparing the many requifites for our 
 army and navy. 
 
 B 2 But
 
 i 4 ) 
 
 But if our naval and military force have greatly 
 increafed; have not thofe of our neighbours done 
 the fame ? Has not the navy of Ruffia, in parti- 
 cular, and I might almoil fay its army, received, 
 as it were, its very exiftence during the prefent 
 century? Has this depopulated that empire? On 
 the contrary, while it has given birth to commerce, 
 arts, and fcienccs, to fplendor and opulence, 
 has it not likewife prodigioufly multiplied its inha- 
 bitants, and given them a diftinguifhed place 
 among the powers of Europe ? Unfortunate it is 
 if a Gmilar caufe has produced fo different an 
 effect in Great-Britain! As I do not intend, how- 
 ever, a minute difcuflion of this topic, I purfue 
 it no further, but proceed to the next affigned 
 caufe of depopulation, a devouring capital, too large 
 for Hit body that fufiports it. 
 
 SECT. II. 
 
 devouring Capital, too large for the Body 
 that fupports it. 
 
 i 
 
 Cannot help previoufly remarking that our 
 author fcems here to have fallen into an ob- 
 vious inconfiilency. After having very flre- 
 
 nuoufly
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 imotifly laboured to prove that our metropolis, 
 like the reft of the kingdom, has greatly decreafed 
 fince the revolution, he afligns, as a ftill incrcafing 
 caufe of depopulation, an over-grown capital - 
 that is to fay, a. growing caufe of a diminution of 
 people, which caufe, in his own opinion, is every 
 day becoming lefs and lefs. This looks fo very 
 like a contradiction, that I am ftrongly tempted 
 to call it fo. Left, however, the apparent incon- 
 fiftency fhould be really no where but in my own 
 mifapprehenfion, I will (lightly confider what we 
 are to underftand by a devouring capital; and, fup- 
 pofing it aftually to exiil, what are the natural 
 confequences of it. 
 
 When the Doclor aflerts then, that our capital 
 is too large for the body that fupports it, does he 
 not mean that it contains fo many inhabitants, 
 that the reft of the kingdom cannot conveniently 
 fupply them with the neceffary accommodations 
 of life? Now if this be really the cafe, I apprehend 
 that this difproportioned animal, (to refume the 
 Doctor's metaphor) would vigoroufly beftir its 
 hands and feet, and other members, fmall as they 
 are fuppofed to be, in order to feed its prodigious 
 head; well knowing that every morfel which en- 
 tered its mouth would in return diftribute nourifh- 
 ment to the whole body, by which it would thrive 
 and grow till it rofe to a proper ftature, and became 
 perfcft, full fized, and well proportioned. In plain 
 
 B 3 terms,
 
 ( 6 } 
 
 terms fhould the city of London to-morrow dou- 
 ble its number of inhabitants, we mould foon find 
 lhat the country like wife on every fide, for 50 
 miles round, would receive a proportionable aug- 
 mentation. The farmer would have double in- 
 citement to cultivate and improve his grounds; 
 his produces in corn and cattle would every day 
 incrcafe; the tradefman, the manufacturer, the 
 mechanic, would fliare in the general advantage; 
 great additional numbers, mean time, would be 
 conftantly employed in carrying the fruits and 
 riches of the country to the newly augmented 
 metropolis, and in preferving a continual inter- 
 courfe between them. All around neat and ele- 
 gant country houfes would be taking pofieflion of 
 every pleafant hill or vale; and gay villages would 
 be rifing on every fide, which would foon become 
 rich and populous. That this is not mere fpecu- 
 lation or fancy, the amazing growth of the towns 
 of Liverpool, Manchefter, and Birmingham, with- 
 in thefe 60 years paft, and the correfpondent in- 
 creafc, in populoufnefs, beauty, and magnificence, 
 of the towns, villages, and houfes in their refpec- 
 tive neighbourhoods, are ftrong prefumptive evi- 
 dence. 
 
 But fuppofing the event fhould be otherwife, 
 and that the utmoft exertion of the adjacent coun- 
 try fhould be inefficient to furnifh the ncccfTary 
 Applies for this immenfe capital ; what would be 
 
 the
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 the confequence? Why it would gradually dwin- 
 dle till it fhrunk to a fize exa&ly adequate to its 
 foreign fupports. And this indeed fuggefls the 
 true criterion by which to judge, with certainty, 
 when a capital is overgrown and when not. If 
 the manufactures, the trade, the commerce, the 
 agriculture of a country can readily furnilh it with 
 every requifne fupply, it is not too large ; if the con- 
 trary be the cafe, it undoubtedly is. Hence what is 
 too great a capital in one country, is not fo in ano- 
 ther. This depends on local and incidental circum- 
 fiances; the extent of its commerce, the wealth and 
 freedom of its people ; the variety of its manufac- 
 tures; the luxuriance of its foil and ftate of its 
 cultivation. Thus while England, for inftance, 
 maintains its naval fuperiority, and the river 
 Thames runs through the city of London fending 
 the merchandize of our country round the globe, 
 and bringing back the riches of every quarter of the 
 world, it might, perhaps, increafe its numbers to 
 even two millions, not only without detriment to the 
 reft of the kingdom, but even, as above ftated, to 
 its advantage. Whereas Paris, on the contrary, 
 {landing as it does on a muddy ditch, called the 
 Seine, which is navigated only by a few paltry 
 boats; and the inhabitants of France remaining all 
 the while in a kind of fplendid vaffalage; half 
 that number may be too great and highly injurious 
 to the general welfare of the people. 
 
 B 4 Great
 
 8 
 
 Great towns, indeed, in themfelves confidered, 
 and without relation to their influence on the 
 country around them, are very generally, in 
 fome refpefts. prejudicial to population. Where 
 large numbers are collected together, the air 
 naturally becomes more foul and unwholefome; 
 men are more ftrongly incited to irregular con- 
 duel; to luxury, intemperance, and vice. All 
 thefe are at once obftruclions to marriage, and 
 tend to morten the lives of individuals. But the 
 former of thefe evils, may to a confiderable degree, 
 be avoided; while the latter is neceffarily reftrain- 
 ed within certain limitations. The circumftance 
 of unhcalthinefs may be almoft intirciy obviated, 
 partly by choice of fituation; partly by making 
 the ftreets wide and ftrait, and the houfcs large, fpa- 
 cious, and airy. And as to the matter of irregu- 
 larity of conduct, it will generally take place after 
 a town is increafcd to a certain degree, and -will 
 make but little further progrefs, though its in- 
 habitants arc greatly multiplied. Divide the city 
 of London into a dozen parts, and remove them 
 into fo many different quarters of the kingdom, 
 and you will find, I believe, thefe feparate portions 
 juft as virtuous as they are now in the aggregate; 
 jufl as temperate and innocent, perhaps, as are the 
 people of Briilol, Birmingham, Liverpool, and 
 Manchefler. 
 
 Dr. PRICE obferves, thU great c: towns do more 
 
 towards
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 " towards obftru&ing the increafe of mankind, than 
 " all plagues, famines, and wars; and that he has 
 " often thought, with pity zndfurprize, of the zeal 
 " with which Sir WM. PETTY, and after him, Mr. 
 " M AIT LAND, contended, in oppofition to fome 
 (: French writers, for the fuperiority of London 
 " to Paris, or any other city in the world. They 
 " did not confidcr, continues he, that they were 
 " only maintaining that England had a greater evil 
 " in it than any other kingdom." 
 
 I cannot help thinking that this remark might 
 have been fpared. The zeal of thofe gentlemen 
 was, in my conception, natural and laudable. 
 They were not ignorant probably, that great towns 
 are, in themfelves, very frequently great evils; 
 but they knew alfo, that they are fometimes indi- 
 cations or caufes of greater advantages ; that they 
 are the natural concomitants of overflowing wealth, 
 of extenfive manufactures, of a wide and flourim- 
 ing commerce ; that they give life and animation 
 to arts and fciences, and diffufe fupport and main- 
 tenance, with all the bleflings of induftry, far and 
 wide; and that if, from the too common licenti- 
 oufnefs of their inhabitants, they are not able of 
 themfelves always to keep up their numbers, the 
 encouragement they give to the adjacent country 
 will enable it mod amply to fupply that de- 
 ficiency. 
 
 But perhaps it is not neceflary to make thefe 
 conceflions. Notwithftanduig what generally hap- 
 pens,
 
 pens, it is by no means inconteftably and invari- 
 ably true that large towns, even in themfelves 
 confidered, and independent of external confe- 
 quences, are unavoidably deftru&ivc of population. 
 If proper attention were always paid to choice of 
 fituation; to public, domeftic, and perfonal clean- 
 linefs; to the introduction and circulation of frefh 
 air and fome other circumftanccs, I am inclined 
 to believe that the largeft cities, notwithftanding 
 the many difadvantages infeparable from them, 
 might be rendered nearly, if not altogether, as 
 healthy, as the healthieft of country parifhes. I 
 am led to this conclufion from fome obfervations 
 upon the difeafes and population of the (city of 
 Chefter, made by the ingenious Dr. HAYGARTH 
 of that place, in the year 1774. According to 
 this writer, the annual proportion of deaths in the 
 fix parifhes comprehended within the walls of 
 that city, is, 
 
 In St. Michael's i in 50 
 
 Olave's i in 55 
 
 Bridget's i in 66 
 
 Martin's i in 59 
 
 Peter's i in 61 
 
 Cathedral i in 87 
 
 Average i in 61 
 
 The proportionable number of inhabitants thai 
 die annually in fome country parifhes of diftin- 
 
 guifhed heahhinefs, is as follows 
 
 Pais
 
 ( 11 ) 
 
 Pais de Vaiid i in 45 
 
 Country parifhes in Brandenburgh i in 45 
 Others in Brandenburgh i in 50 
 
 A country parifh in Hampihire for j> 
 
 90 years J V* $ 
 
 Average i in 47! 
 
 This account of country parifhes is taken from 
 the fame writer. They have the original authority 
 of Dr. PRICE himfelf, and I have called them 
 parifhes of diftinguifhed heahhinefs, becaufe they 
 appear to be more fo than the generality of thofe 
 which have fallen under my own immediate obfer- 
 vation; in fome of which the annual proportion 
 of deaths on an average of 20 years, is very 
 nearly, thus, 
 
 Hunton, in Kent i in 45 
 
 Boughton i in 40 
 
 Toppesfield, in Eflex i in 44 
 
 Stifled, in Effex i in 36,5 
 
 Brightling, in Suflex 1 in 46,8 
 
 Eaftham. in Chefhire, (on an? 
 
 r \ > i in 44,5 
 
 average or 14 years) > 
 
 St. Kevcrne, a village in Cornwall i in 40,5 
 
 Thefe being country parifhes nearly of the fame 
 kind, and not greatly differing in fize, if we divide 
 the fum of their degrees of mortality by 7, the 
 number of places, it will give as accurate an aver- 
 age, I may faTely venture to fay as any of thofc 
 
 above
 
 aboveraentioned. The eftimates arc founded on 
 correft enumerations, and two of them on the 
 medium of different enumerations made at differ- 
 ent times in the courfe of the twenty years. Now 
 this average mortality is about i in 42. Confe- 
 quently, thefe feven country parifhes, moft of 
 which are reputed to be extremely healthy, and, 
 in my apprehcnfion, are really fo as much as any 
 I know, are, in this refpeft, almoft one third in- 
 ferior to the city of Chefter; which contains more 
 than 14000 people, fome of whom are, perhaps, 
 not intirely free from the infection of modern 
 luxury. Here then is one great town, at leaft, 
 that does not feem the grave of the human fpecies, 
 nor to check the growth of mankind quite fo faft 
 as either war, pejlilence, or famine. To what is 
 this owing? If the reader will confult the ingeni- 
 ous obfervations above alluded to, he may form 
 fome probable conjecture. He may too, perhaps, 
 be inclined to doubt, whether if this city were 
 converted into a country parifh, it would be much 
 more healthy than it is at prefent. 
 
 SECT
 
 ( 13 ) 
 
 SECT. III. 
 
 The three long and dejlruttive Continental 
 Wars in which ioe have been involved Jincc 
 the Revolution. 
 
 THE next caufe of depopulation affigned by 
 by our author, is, the three long and dejlruttivc 
 continental wars in -which we have been involved* 
 Now the carnage of war it muft be owned, will 
 necefiarily diminifh the numbers of the contending 
 parties. It may, however, be obferved that this is 
 not always injurious to population, in full propor- 
 tion to the numbers (lain, added to thofe who pe- 
 riih by ficknefs and military hardmips, and the 
 change and variety of climate. We have already 
 remarked the great multitudes employed in making 
 the various inftruments of deftruftion, and the 
 other requifites of armies and navies. And this 
 confideration is of fo much importance, that could 
 we fuppofe the cafe of a war carried on with per- 
 fect fecurity to our manufactures, commerce, and 
 agriculture, inftead of diminishing our inhabitants, 
 it would, probably, on the whole, tend to increafe 
 them. 
 
 However, granting the matter to be otherwife, 
 I fee not why our author has affigned the deftruc- 
 tion of people occafioned by thefe continental wars, 
 as either peculiar to this nation, or to this century. 
 
 C The
 
 ( '4 ) 
 
 The fields of Oudenard, of Blenheim, and of 
 Hochftet; the plains of Minden, and innumerable 
 other places [by fea and land, in almoft every 
 quarter of the world, are ftrong evidence that in 
 two of thefe wan at leafl our enemies fuffered 
 rather more than we, and yet their numbers, it 
 feems, have notwithftanding greatly increafed. 
 But if foreign continental wars have fo wonderfully 
 depopulated our country, muft not civil and domcf- 
 tic wars have done fo infinitely more ? And have 
 not thefe been few or trifling fince the revolution 
 compared with thofe that fo frequently happened 
 before? Did our manufactures, our agriculture, 
 our population, receive fo i r evere a check during 
 any of the wars abovementioned, as in the grand 
 rebellion of the laft century, when all was confufion 
 and carnage from one end of the kingdom to the 
 other, and our fields and plains, in almoft every 
 county, were drenched in the blood of the braveft 
 of our countrymen? Or what was even that to 
 thofe inceffant fcenes of (laughter, of havock and 
 devaftation, during the dreadful contefts between 
 the houfes of York and Lancafter ? Can, therefore, 
 the three continental wars in which we have been 
 involved fince the revolution be mentioned, with 
 any propriety, as caufes of increafmg depopulation^ 
 peculiar to the prejcnt century? 
 
 SECT.
 
 t '5 ) 
 
 SECT. IV. 
 
 Migrations to our Settlements abroad; and 
 particularly to the Eqfl and Weft Indies. 
 
 AS to migrations to our ftttlcmcnts abroad, and 
 particularly to the Eajl and Weft Indies, the 
 diminution of inhabitants arifing from thence 
 is by no means proportionate to the number which 
 actually leave us for that purpofe. Thofe who 
 remain behind have probably more ample means 
 of fubfi Hence. They have ftronger encourage- 
 ments to marriage, and are likely to be rendered 
 better and more ufeful members of fociety. 
 
 Emigrations to the Eaft and Weft Indies, in 
 particular, which the Do&or marks as contribut- 
 ing more to depopulate our country than any other, 
 I am inclined to think, on the contrary, have done 
 the leaft towards it. The hopes of railing a for- 
 tune, or obtaining an advantageous eftablimment, 
 in one of thefe places, has, perhaps, operated on 
 the minds of the middle ranks of people in the 
 kingdom at large ; in the fame manner as the prof- 
 peel of comfortable fubfiftence from the rifing towns 
 of Liverpool, Manchefter, and Birmingham has up- 
 on the apprehenfions of both the middle and lower 
 claffes,in their refpcclive neighbourhoods. The pea- 
 fants and inferior farmers are firmly perfuaded that, 
 fhouldthey have ever fo many children, they (hall 
 find ample employment, consequently decent f jp- 
 C 2 port
 
 port and maintenance, from the growing manu- 
 factures of thofe flourifhing towns. All fears 
 of a burdenfome family are removed, and they 
 form the matrimonial connexion as foon as may 
 be. A numerous offspring is the confequence; 
 this is a powerful incitement to the mod active in- 
 duftry ; and the children are, at length, many of them 
 provided for in the manner which the original rea- 
 foning of their Parents taught them to expect, and 
 the remainder gain fubfiftence from that increafcd 
 and improved agriculture of the circumjacent 
 country, which has been the natural confequence 
 of its fortunate fituation. Whereas had there 
 been no fuch rifing and flouriming towns near thefe 
 men, they would probably have funk under the 
 difcouragement of their narrow views, and pafled 
 their days in a (late of celibacy. Of fimilar influ- 
 ence are the profpefts opened to the Eaft and Weft 
 on the minds of pcrfons of middle and higher rank. 
 A young man of tolerably good education, but 
 (lender fortune, is often deterred from marriage by 
 the alarming apprehenfions of poverty anddiftrefs. 
 He has perhaps no talents for mining at the bar, 
 no abilities or connections to raife him in the 
 church, no relifh for the hardfhips, dangers, and 
 diflipations of the army and navy. If his views, 
 therefore, do not extend beyond the limits of 
 this ifland, he is in danger of finking into a very 
 ufelcfs and infignificant being. To refcue him 
 from thii defponding ftate ; both the Indies fpread 
 
 their
 
 ( 17 ) 
 
 their treafures to his view. He is tranfported at 
 the idea of fudden opulence; he obtains an ap- 
 pointment to a lucrative poft; he eagerly embarks, 
 and fafe*ly arrives at the deftined port. He is foon 
 admitted to a profitable fhare in the merchandize 
 of the place. In ten, fifteen, 'or twenty years, h 
 acquires an affluent fortune, the love of his native 
 country, or the ambition of making a diftinguimed 
 figure in it, fends him home. He marries a wife, 
 buys an eftate, makes a thoufand fancied improve- 
 ments, whether right or wrong, judicous or inju- 
 dicious, is of no great importance; the induftrious 
 poor are employed, the hungry are fed, and the 
 naked clothed; while his houfe, mean time, is 
 filling with a family of his own. Grant that all 
 adventurers of this kind are not equally fortunate, 
 but that fome perifh by the way, and that others 
 fall a facrifice to change of climate; yet if one in 
 three or four return as above defcribed, much more 
 is done for the general advantage and population 
 of the kingdom than if they had ftaid at home, and 
 fpent their time in that torpid ftate in which they 
 would otherwife moft probably have remained. 
 
 In conformity to the above obfervations, I might 
 here remark that the Greek and Roman dates were 
 never more flourishing and populous than when 
 their emigrations were moft frequent and numerous. 
 And we are aflured, in modern times, that thofe 
 provinces in Spain which fend the greateft num- 
 C 3 bers
 
 frers to their South American colonies ftill remain 
 the fulleft of people*. Thefe fafts might afford 
 the fpeculative reafoner a ftrong prefumption that 
 this may likcwife have been the cafe with ourfelves; 
 that what has increafed the number of mankind 
 in other countries may poflibly have done the fame 
 in our own. But, unlefs I am greatly miftaken, 
 I have fomething more than fpeculative reafoning 
 to depend upon; I have, I think, nearly pofitivc 
 proof that what occafioncd, at leaft, accompanied, an ad- 
 vance of population amongft the Greeks, Romans, 
 and Spaniards, has produced, or been uniformly 
 attended by, a fimilar effect among Britons. 
 
 Y- 
 As the kingdom is made up of counties, and 
 
 counties compofed of parifhes, I prefume it will be 
 readily allowed, that what can be certainly fhewn 
 to have taken place in the laft, muft probably like- 
 wife hold good with regard to the two firft. This 
 principle admitted, I have no doubt of evincing, 
 to very general fatisfaftion, that emigrations have 
 been far from depopulating our country. The beft 
 
 evidence 
 
 * Mr. EDEN'S letters to the Earl of Carliflc, letter 5, page 
 183. The latter part of the above aflertion feems ftrongly 
 countenanced by Mr. DILLON, in his late travels through 
 Spain, where he tells us, page 5, that the population of that 
 whole kingdom from the year 1768 to 1778 was advanced 
 more than one tenth. And as the Spanifh commerce to their 
 fouthern fettlements has been vaftly increafed during that 
 period, the Spanifh emigrations thither moft probably have 
 been more numerous than heretofore. As to the Greek and 
 Roman dates, they fcem to have been one continued feries 
 of emigrations from their morning dawn, to their meridian 
 iplendor.
 
 ( '9 ) 
 
 evidence in this cafe are the pariih regifters* which, 
 where there are no diffenters, exhibit the number 
 of baptifms and burials, and confequently fhew, 
 with confiderable accuracy, whether there have 
 been any emigrations and how great. If the burials 
 and baptifms are equal, it is to be prefumed there 
 have been no emigrations at all; if the baptifms 
 exceed the burials, that excefs mews the number 
 of perfons that have left the parifh ; and on the con* 
 trary, when the burials are more numerous than 
 the baptifms, the place muft have been recruited 
 from fome others. Allowing thefe principles, then, 
 and that this fource of information is fatisfaftory, 
 we may eafily judge, from the following fhort table, 
 whether emigrations have fo wonderfully thinned 
 this kingdom of inhabitants as is fuppofed. 
 
 c 4 TABLE;
 
 TABLE of the Number of BAPTISMS and BURIALS 
 
 in Country Parijhes in different and dijlant Counties 
 
 for twenty Years each, at two different Periods, the 
 
 former beginning a few Years before or after the 
 
 Revolution, the latter between the Years 1749 
 
 and 1760. 
 
 B 
 
 E. 
 
 
 Former Period. 
 
 Latter Period. 
 
 Counties. *Parifties. 
 
 Bap. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Bap. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Emigr. 
 
 
 Hunton 
 
 148 
 
 108 
 
 2 33 
 
 192 
 
 41 
 
 
 E. Farleigh 
 
 201 
 
 184 
 
 302 
 
 219 
 
 83 
 
 
 Boughton 
 
 213 
 
 M3 
 
 316 
 
 242 
 
 74 
 
 i 
 ' i 
 
 Loofc 
 
 182 
 
 144 
 
 250 
 
 186 
 
 
 
 Linton 
 
 '59 
 
 157 
 
 296 
 
 223 
 
 73 
 
 tawj 
 
 Debtling' 11 
 
 121 
 
 119 
 
 139 
 
 7 6 
 
 
 Kent< 
 
 Hawkhiirft 
 
 5 21 
 
 59 
 
 778 
 
 55 
 
 2 73 
 
 
 Barming 
 
 85 
 
 74' 
 
 118 
 
 96 
 
 22 
 
 
 Brabourne 
 
 184 
 
 137 
 
 166 
 
 148 
 
 l8 
 
 ./ ! 
 
 Monk's ) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 . i 
 
 Horton $ 
 
 106 
 
 64 
 
 100 
 
 55 
 
 45 
 
 
 T. Sutton 
 
 *54 
 
 186 
 
 265 
 
 221 
 
 44 
 
 
 Chart 
 
 164 
 
 130 
 
 192 
 
 10 5 
 
 87 
 
 
 ^Otham 
 
 93 
 
 74 
 
 155 
 
 145 
 
 10 
 
 Lancaft.Stalmin 
 
 528 
 
 560 
 
 6 33 
 
 462 
 
 171 
 
 Stafford. Hanbury 
 
 433 
 
 472 
 
 485 
 
 476 
 
 9 
 
 Eflex. 
 
 Toppesfield 
 
 252 
 
 149 
 
 339 266 
 
 73 
 
 Chefter.Eaftham 
 
 463 
 
 380 
 
 680 
 
 520 
 
 160 
 
 
 Totals 
 
 4207 
 
 3 6 79 
 
 5447,4137 
 
 1310 
 
 
 We 
 
 * Many of thcfe pariflies have no diflenters at all; the reft 
 extremely few. The reader is alfo defired to remember, that, 
 being country parifhes, very little part of the different propor- 
 tion between the baptifms and burials at the two periods is 
 occafioncd by any different degree of healthincfs.
 
 . ( 21 ) 
 
 We here fee that in the courfe of twenty yean 
 no lefs than 1310 perfons, nearly the fourth part of 
 the whole, emigrated from thefe 17 parifhes; and 
 yet that the remaining population is ftill confidera- 
 bly greater than it was 90 years ago (i. c.) comput- 
 ing by the bapdfms, one fourth, by the burials, one 
 eighth, and by the joint ratio of both, about one 
 (ixth. It is immediately obvious likewife, on the 
 flighted infpeftion of the table, that, in general, 
 agreeable to the reafoning above adopted, thofe 
 parifhes have had the greateft increafe of people 
 from which the emigrations have been moft numer- 
 ous. And, I prefume, no one will pretend to affirm 
 that it is a matter of any confequence in the prefent 
 argument, whether the perfons that thus to appear 
 have left their refpe&ive places of nativity, went 
 to London, Briftol, or Liverpool; to North Ame- 
 rica, to the Eaft or Weft Indies. In each and all the 
 cafes, the conclufion in favour of emigrations is 
 precifely the fame. In fhort, mere emigration, 
 in itfelf confidered, proves nothing at all. It will 
 increafe or diminim a people according to the 
 caufe from whence it proceeds. If it be occafioned 
 by lofs of trade, decreafe of manufactures, decline 
 of hufbandry, and confequently want of employ- 
 ment, depopulation of a country will rapidly follow. 
 If, on the contrary, it arifes from extent of foreign 
 pofleffions, which enlarge the demands for domeftic 
 commodities, whether the products of agriculture, 
 or the fabrications of art, it will conftantly aug- 
 ment
 
 ( 22 ) 
 
 ment the remaining population, and, perhaps, the 
 more, that under thefe circumftances go away, the 
 more will ftill be left behind. I cannot better ap- 
 ply this to the emigrations from our kingdom dur- 
 ing the prefent century, nor can I more clearly 
 illuftrate, or more ftrongly confirm its truth and 
 propriety, than in the words of a writer, whofe au- 
 thority Dr. PRICE will not be difpofed to contro- 
 vert, Dr. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN*. In his thoughts 
 written in the year 1751, on the peopling of countries, 
 " there are fuppofed, fays he, to be now upwards 
 " of one million of Englijh fouls in North America; 
 " and. yet, perhaps, there is not one the fewer in 
 " Britain, but rather many more, on account of 
 *t the employment the colonies afford to manufac- 
 ," -twers at home. A well regulated nation is like 
 "# .polypus; take away a limb, its place is foon 
 "ifuppjied; cut it in two, and each deficient part 
 " fhaH fpeedily grow out of the part remaining. 
 ' Thus, as you may, by dividing, make ten poly- 
 " pufes out of one; you may, of one, make, ten 
 * c nations, equally populous and powerful; or ra- 
 " ther, increafe a nation tenfold in numbers and 
 " ftrength." 
 
 SECT, 
 
 * Political, mifccllaneouj, and philofophical pieces, page 
 10. printed at London, 1779.
 
 SECT. V. 
 
 Engrojfing of Farms. 
 
 THE engroffing of farms is the next caufe affign- 
 ed by Dr. PRICE for a diminution of people. 
 Now this may poffibly be productive of that 
 effel in fome particular cafes, in certain fituations, 
 or when carried to an extravagant length; but, in 
 general and as far as ufually takes place, I am perfua- 
 ded, from my own obfervation in more counties than 
 one, it is far otherwife. That we may proceed with 
 greater clearnefs and certainty on this fubjecl:, I will 
 put a plain intelligible cafe, and which carries the 
 fyftem of engroffing even further than what com- 
 monly happens. Suppoie, then, fix farms nearly, 
 or quite contiguous to each other; four of 25 pounds 
 a year a piece, with about three fourths arable and 
 the reft pafture. The remaining two 50 pounds a 
 year each, containing 70 or 80 acres of land, and 
 the fame proportion of arable and pafture. Let 
 thefe be firft occupied by fo many different farmers. 
 A perfon poffeffed of more than a hundred and 
 fifty pounds will hardly condefcend to take one of 
 the fmallcr fize. Such a man after having furnifiied 
 his houfe, laid in his flock, and paid for the pre- 
 vious tillage of the land, has not a farthing to fpare. 
 Jf the foil be hard and rocky, or ftiff and heavy, 
 the little team he can afford to keep, two horfes at 
 mpft, is not fufficiently powerful to plough it as it 
 
 ought
 
 ( 24 ') 
 
 ought to be. He and his next neighbour, there- 
 fore, occafionally join their forces. The confe- 
 quencc is that both farms, each in its turn, are 
 unfeafonably ploughed and unfeafonably fown. 
 Hence a frequent failure of crops. They proba- 
 bly too want money to manure and improve 
 their grounds; which alone could render them 
 productive. Or fuppofe them not deficient in thi* 
 refpecl; yet is their cxpence, their labour and in- 
 duilry, for the moft part, but poorly recompenfed; 
 in order to have a due proportion of corn and fal- 
 lows, or a fufficierit variety of produces, their fields 
 are fmall, at moil three or four acres a piece. If 
 inclofed, the feparations arc probably hedges, with 
 perhaps many a large pollard or tall timber tree; 
 thefe fo obRruft the fertilizing rays of the fun, and 
 draw fo much of the nutricious qualities of the foil, 
 that, for two or three rods around every field, the 
 land becomes good for but little, and fcarcely pays 
 the mere expence of tillage. When harveft arrives, 
 there is about half a crop. During the courfe of 
 the year, the horfes, hogs, cows, and fheep. fenfi- 
 bly feel their maftcr's poverty. You fee them 
 {talking about, half flarved and like fo many fkele- 
 tons. Hence a ftrange deficiency in the produce 
 of the dairy; and if the butcher can be perfuaded 
 to take any of their half-fed hogs, fheep, or cows, 
 it muit be at an under price. 
 
 Two of thefe wretched farmers find employment 
 for one labouring family; and they pafs their days 
 
 in
 
 in continual drudgery and fatigue; for ever encoun- 
 tring greater difficulties, and greater hardfhips 
 than perfons who have nothing to fupport them 
 but their daily labour. 
 
 With regard to the affair of population, it ap- 
 pears, from the above detail, that there are upon 
 the four fmaller farms, fix families, four of farmers, 
 and two of labourers; which, upon an average 
 computation, will amount to about 28 or 30 
 perfons. 
 
 In the two remaing farms of 50^. each, all the 
 above particulars will be fomewhat mended. The 
 farmers will each do their bufinefs within themfclves; 
 their lands will be more feafonably and more effec- 
 tually cultivated; every confequence will be more 
 advantageous; while four labourers are conftantly 
 employed, and their families, in a great meafure, 
 fupported and maintained. The number of inha- 
 bitants therefore on thefe two farms will be about 
 25 or 30 perfons; which added to thofe on the 
 fmaller farms, amount, in all, to 55, or 60. 
 
 Let us next fuppofe thefe feveral farms in the 
 occupation of a fingle perfon. If he has a proper 
 capital, which ought not to be lefs than 1500 or 
 2000 pounds, he immediately fets himfelf to culti- 
 vate and improve them to the utmoft of which they 
 are capable; ftubs up every ufelefs pernicious hedge; 
 enlarges the fields and paftures; drains thofe that 
 
 are
 
 ( 26 ) 
 
 are too wet; overflows thofc that are too dry; 
 fetches manure from every quarter; howeverdillant 
 and however cxpenfive; ploughs, fo\vs, and per- 
 forms every other part of hufbandry, in its proper 
 feafon, and in the moft thorough and effectual 
 manner. When harveft arrives, his crops arc 
 plentiful ; his barns are filled ; flacks arife on every 
 fide; and when his corn is threfhed, taking advan- 
 tage of the variety of markets, he fells it for the 
 beft price. His cattle, mean time, arc numerous 
 and well fed; battening on his highly improved 
 paftures, they every way turn to the bed account; 
 are pleafing to the eye, ftrong for labour, or fat 
 and fleck for (laughter. His dairy fhares the gene- 
 ral advantage; at once producing greater quantities 
 of cheefe and butter, and, perhaps, of fuperior 
 quality and better Jlavour. While all thefe things 
 are going forward, he employs eight or ten, or, as 
 I have fometimes feen in very high degrees of cul- 
 ture and improvement, even 15 married labourers; 
 befides the fervants in his own family. So that in- 
 cluding the farmer and his houfhold, thefe labourers 
 and their refpetive wives and children, there are, 
 in a great degree, maintained and fupported from 
 this cngrofling mode of cultivation not lefs than 
 between 60 and 70 perfons; whereas in the former 
 feparate one there were at moft not above 60. 
 
 But granting that in the former fcale of occupa- 
 tion there were really more handj immediately 
 
 employed
 
 employed upon the feveral farms, as will certainly 
 fometimes happen; it would by no means prove it 
 more favourable for population than the latter. 
 The engrofling method, as it evidently raifes greater 
 quantities of corn, and an increafed and improved 
 produce of every kind, muft naturally lay the 
 foundation for an encouragement of manufac- 
 tures, and, confequently, an increafe of inhabitants, 
 in other parts of the kingdom. 
 
 The cngroffing of farms, therefore, fo generally 
 and fo loudly complained of, while attended with 
 thofe improvements in agriculture, which it almoft 
 always occalions, is fo far from being upon the 
 whole, a caufe of the depopulation of our country, 
 it is either productive of the contrary effeft, 
 or a prefumptive evidence that this contrary effecl 
 is really taking place in the nation at large. 
 
 One very ftriking confequence, indeed, of the 
 engrofling fcheme, and at firft fight, not the moft 
 pleating one, is the greater increafe of labouring 
 poor, and, in the end, of neceffitous and indigent 
 perfons. And hence one principal fourceofthat 
 rapid growth of our parifh rates, the fubje6l of fuch 
 common andjuft complaint. But this, difagreea- 
 blc and painful as it may be to the tender and feel- 
 ing heart, in other refpefts, is, I conceive, highly 
 favourable to an augmentation of the general flock 
 of our people. It is allowed, on every hand, that 
 early and general marriage is of all things moft con- 
 ducive
 
 ducive to this defirable purpofe. But amongft 
 whom docs this mod univei Tally take place ? Is it not 
 among the lower and labouring part of mankind? 
 Go into any country town, village, or parifh, and 
 who are the unmarried? Who are the maids and 
 batchelors between the ages of twenty and fifty? 
 Are they not of the middle and higher ranks? The 
 number of regularly working people, when com- 
 pared with their fuperiors, are, perhaps, three to 
 one; and yet of thcfe latter I think I may venture 
 to affirm, there are almoft three times as many (in- 
 gle pcrfons, as of the former; confequently the 
 marriages among the lower claffes of fociety are to 
 thofe among the middle and higher orders, in the 
 proportion of nearly nine to one.* Thefe latter 
 have a certain pride of Ration; a Ihame and fear of 
 defcending beneath it; a fuperior, perhaps, a falie, 
 refinement of thought; a luxury and delicacy of 
 habit; a tendernels of body and mind, which ren- 
 dering formidable the profpecl of poverty, and 
 thereby checking the impulfes of nature, frequently 
 prevent matrimonial connections. The former, 
 on the contrary, having none of thefe impediments 
 to furmount, readily obey the fuggcflions of natu- 
 ral 
 
 N 
 
 * Since writing this I have made an aftual enumeration of the 
 perfons of the different ranks here mentioned, in five or fix 
 country parHhes, and their proportion to each other, and their 
 relative number of marriages for the lad 30 years. From 
 this refearch, as far as hitherto carried, the labouring poor 
 are to all the fuperior ranks, nearly as 3 to i ; but their mar- 
 riages as about 6 to i. In large towns and villages this dif- 
 ference is probably much greater, and the proportion may br 
 little lefs tlun that Hated above,
 
 ral conftitution, and embrace the firft opportunity 
 of an infeparable union with fome one of the other 
 fex. They are perfectly regardlefs of what they 
 may meet with in their paffage through their hum* 
 ble walk of life. Let the worft happen that may, 
 it will be nothing more than what they have been 
 enured to in their earlier years. They have alrea- 
 dy trod the rugged path, and felt its thorns and 
 briars; at all events, thofe of higher rank, and who 
 have plenty of money, muft help them forward, and 
 afford them every neceflary fupport. What, there- 
 fore, is apparently the worft confequence of engrof* 
 fing farms, is highly conducive to an increafe of 
 people. 
 
 SECT. VI. 
 
 Enclojure of Commons and wqfle Grounds. 
 
 ANOTHER afligned caufe of depopulation is 
 the enclofure of commons and wafte grounds. 
 This I confefs, from the very nature of things 
 and amerefpeculative view of the matter, appears to 
 mypoorunderftanding, a moft extraordinary para- 
 dox. There is in my own neighbourhood a fine heath, 
 confiding of about a thoufand acres. In its prefent 
 uncultivated ftate, it does not fupport a fingle poor 
 family; nor does almoft any one receive benefit from 
 it but fome of the farmers around, who occafionally 
 D turn
 
 ( 30 ) 
 
 turn a few of their cattle upon it. Whereas, were it 
 enclofedwellcultivatedand improved, it would make 
 fix or eight good farms, from fcventy to a hundred a 
 year each. Thefe, befides the farmers and their 
 feveral houfeholds. would require near 30 labourers, 
 who, together with their wives and children, added 
 to the tradefmen and mechanics, that would be 
 necefiary to fupply their refpcclive wants, would 
 raife the population on this fingle fpot, in the courfe 
 of a very few years, at leaft, 200 perfons. The 
 produce of the ground, mean time, upon an 
 annual average 500 quarters of wheat, 200 of 
 barley or oats, and other things in proportion, 
 would afford provifion for an augmentation of 
 people in other places. 
 
 Thefe public advantages might be eafily obtain- 
 ed without the leaft degree of private injuftice. 
 Whatever benefit any one at prefent enjoys might 
 be amply compenfated by a certain allowance of 
 inclofure fecured to him as his peculiar and per- 
 manent property. If the poor man's cow has hi- 
 therto furnifhed fuftenance to himfelf and his 
 numerous family; if his geele and poultry help 
 him to pay his rent; if his horfe or his afs fave 
 him many a weary ftep as he returns from the 
 labours of the day, in God's name, let him not 
 be plundered of thefe bleffings without an adequate 
 return. But thefe and every other requifite amends, 
 whether claimed on the foundation of ancient 
 
 right.
 
 right, or enjoyed only from connivance, may 
 eafily be made. A hundred acres, well fenced, 
 fecured, and cultivated, would be more than equiva- 
 lent to every advantage poffefled at prefent; nine 
 tenths, therefore, would ftill remain clear profit 
 to the public, as well as to numerous private 
 individuals. 
 
 Where, indeed, arable land, in confequence of 
 inclofures, is converted into pafturage, depopula- 
 tion, on that particular fpot, muft naturally follow. 
 Undoubtedly the tending of fheep and feeding of 
 oxen require much fewer hands, than tilling the 
 ground, threfhing and fowing of corn, reaping 
 and gathering into barns. This kind of inclofures, 
 I am informed, has particularly taken place in 
 the counties of Northampton, Leicefter, Warwick, 
 Huntingdon, and Buckingham. And there was 
 a fort of neceffity for it. The foil being extremely 
 wet, it was very little fuited to the plough; it was, 
 confequently, miferably cultivated, and its pro- 
 duce proportionably fmall. Since its tillage has 
 been exchanged for pafture, the intire quantity 
 of food produced by it for the benefit of mankind 
 has been greatly increafed. Thoufands and tens 
 of thoufands have been fed by its beef and mutton 
 more than ever were by its wheat and barley; the 
 landlords have doubled their rents; the farmers 
 have increafed in wealth; while the hides, tallow, 
 and wool of their oxen, and fheep have furnifhed 
 D 2 materials
 
 ( 32 ) 
 
 materials for increafing imployment, increafing 
 manufactures, and increafing people in various 
 places. If, therefore, in thofe particular fpots 
 where thefe inclofures have been made, the num- 
 ber of peafants and labourers has been confidera- 
 bly diminiflied, and the country parifhes deprived 
 of many of their inhabitants; mechanics and arti- 
 ficers have greatly multiplied, and neighbouring 
 towns and villages become rich, large, and 
 populous. 
 
 Since writing thefe remarks I have met with 
 Mr. YOUNG'S ingenious publication, called Political 
 Arithmetic, which affords, I think, ample fatisfac- 
 tion on this head; and, indeed, whoever will con- 
 fult that performance will find many juft obferva- 
 tions, with much judicious reafoning, on the caufes 
 and principles of population in general, as well as 
 on other fubjecls of civil and political importance. 
 The reader I am perfuaded, will require no apo- 
 logy for my introducing here part of two pages 
 from this author. They do equal credit to the 
 clearnefs of his judgement, and the vigour of his 
 fancy; while I flatter myfclf they are alfo a ftrik- 
 ing illuftration of what is above advanced, and 
 mufl carry conviction to every mind that is open to 
 it. " Dr. PRICE, fays he, and the other writers 
 " who affure us we mould throw down our hedges 
 " and wafte one third of our farms in a barren 
 *' fallow by way of making beef and mutton cheap, 
 
 will
 
 ( 33 ) 
 
 " will confine themfelves to the inclofures which 
 " have converted arable to grafs. What fay they 
 " to thofe that have changed grafs to arable? 
 " They chufe to be filent. I do not comprehend 
 " the amufemcnt lhat is found in conftantly look- 
 " ing at thofe objects which are fuppofed to be 
 " gloomy, and in regularly lamenting the evils 
 " that furround us, though they flow from caufes 
 " which fhower down much fuperior bleffings. 
 " When I look around me in this country, I 
 '' think I every where fee fo great and animating 
 ' a profpecl, that the fmall fpecks which may be 
 " difcerned in the hcmifphere, are loft in the 
 " brilliancy that furrounds them. I cannot fpread 
 " a curtain over the illumined fcene, and leave 
 " nothing to view but the mere fliades of fo 
 " fplendid a piece. 
 
 " What will thefe gentlemen fay to the inclo- 
 " fures in Norfolk, Suffolk, Nottingham/hire, Dcrby- 
 "Jhire, Lincoln/hire, York/hire, and all the northern, 
 " counties? What fay they to the tends of Suffolk, 
 ' : Norfolk, and Nottingham/hire, which yield corn 
 " and mutton, and beef, from the force of inclofure 
 t: alone.? What fay they to the wolds of York and 
 " Lincoln which from barren heaths, at one {hilling 
 " an acre, are by inclofure alone rendered profita- 
 " ble farms? Afk Sir CECIL WRAY if, without in- 
 11 clofure, he would advance his heaths by fanfoin 
 <; from one milling an acre to 20? What fay they 
 D 3 ta
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
 tl to the vaft tra&s in the peak of Derby, which 
 '' by iriclofure alone are changed from black re- 
 <: gions of ling to fertile fields covered with cattle? 
 ct What fay they to the improvement of moor in 
 " the northern counties, where mclofures alone, have 
 " made thofe countries fmile with culture which 
 " before were dreary as night?"* 
 
 All this is ftrong, perhaps, decifive evidence, in 
 favour of inclofures, and I am glad to find that 
 the practical good fenfe of the nation is every day 
 fo far furmounting the ideal fuggellions of fpecu- 
 Jation that feldom a feffion of parliament paffcs 
 without frefh bills being granted for this purpofe, 
 in fome part of the kindom or other. Provided 
 they are fairly obtained, and the feveral allotments 
 of ground equitably and judicioufly apportioned, 
 I have never yet met with afolidobjeclion to them. 
 With thefe precautions therefore, and under thefe 
 reftriclions, I hope and truft they will go on till 
 there is fcarcely an uninclofed, or wafle and barren 
 fpot, from one extremity of the ifland-to the other; 
 but all are converted into fruitful fields, or paf- 
 tures, and the whole refembles one large rich and 
 variegated garden. 
 
 SECT 
 
 Political Arhhmcticj pa^c 149.
 
 ( 35 ) 
 SECT. VI. 
 
 High Price of Prom/ions and, the increafe of 
 public Debts and Taxes. 
 
 AS to the high price of provifions and the in- 
 creafe of the public debts and taxes, they 
 may be caufes of depopulation or not, ac- 
 cording to their proportion to other things. If 
 they rife remarkably higher than they are among 
 neighbouring nations, they may difcourage our 
 hufbandry and manufactures; may check our trade 
 and commerce, and thereby probably obftruci the 
 further increafe, perhaps, actually diminifh the 
 prefent number of our people. But while the price 
 of provifions rapidly advances likewife *among our 
 neighbours, \vhich every one who has vifited them 
 knows to be the cafe; and whilft they are plunged 
 in debts in full proportion to their refources, ours 
 may, perhaps, continue to rife ftill higher and yet 
 produce no very mifchievous confequences as to 
 the purpofe in queftion. 
 
 D 4 SECT 
 
 * I mvfelf vifited France and Flanders in the years 1770, 
 and 1776; and I think I may venture to affirm that the price 
 of provifions, and the expence of travelling in general, in 
 that very fhort fpace of time, were increafed one fifth. But 
 nothing can be fafely built on a foundation fo extremely fluc- 
 tuating. Whoever will confult the accounts at our victualling 
 office will fee that the leading and more fubftantial articles of 
 human food were, on an average of ten years, in the latter 
 end of the reign of Queen Anne and the beginning of that of 
 George the firfl, as dear as they have ever been fmce.
 
 ( 36 ) 
 SECT. VII. 
 
 Increajing Luxury. 
 
 BUT our author feems to lay the greatefl ftrefs, 
 on our increafing luxury. As he has no where 
 exprefsly defined the term, and as in the 
 common ufe of it, there is fomething extremely 
 vague and indeterminate, it is, perhaps, not abfo- 
 lutely clear what we are to underftand by it. T f 
 by luxury be meant the ufe of whatever accommo- 
 dation, convenience, or elegance is beyond the 
 mere neceffities of nature, it is certain that there 
 may be various degrees of it, not only without in- 
 jury, but with great advantage, tofociety; with- 
 out impairing either the morals, the health, or the 
 fortune of the individuals that indulge in it, while 
 it affords comfortable fupport and maintenance to 
 thofe who are employed in providing its objects. 
 The Doctor mentions as inftances of the advanced 
 prevalence of luxury the many fplendid houfes 
 about London, the great increafe of coaches, and 
 the almofl doubled confumption of coals. Now 
 furely thefe are all very harmlefs things; a man 
 may live in a large commodious houfe, may adorn 
 it with handfome furniture, may be conveyed in a 
 carriage, inftead of going on foot or on horfe back; 
 may have a comfortable fire both in his kitchen and 
 parlour, without danger of either fhortening his 
 days, or bringing on a fingle diforder ddtruftive 
 
 to
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 lo the human conftitution. Grant that it operates 
 on a few individuals as a check to marriage; to a 
 great majority it certainly furnilhes the itrongeft 
 motives for forming that connection. Grant that 
 a few weak men, from an ambition of aping their 
 fuperiors, are carried beyond the limits of their 
 fortune, ruin their credit and fink into poverty 
 and wretchednefs; on what numbers, mean time, 
 does the fafhion of fplendid expence beftow fub- 
 ftantial benefits? What multitudes of induftrious 
 artificers is it warming and clothing and feeding? 
 The carpenter, the mafon, the upholfterer, the 
 cabinet-maker, the coach-maker, the painter, the 
 collier, the failor? If it has not the merit of charity, 
 it produces at leaft fome of its beneficial effefts, 
 conveyed through the channel of inceffant in- 
 duftry. 
 
 Let me not here, however, be underftood to 
 maintain the pernicious do6lrine that priv ate -vices 
 are public benefits. When luxury corrupts the 
 heart, and produces irregularity of conduct, it is 
 highly mifchievous to the community. If a man, 
 in the delicacies of eating and drinking, proceeds 
 to excefs and intemperance; or if he fo gives way 
 to the indulgences of nice accommodation, and 
 elegant refinement as to become flothful and effe- 
 minate, utterly incapable of any noble exertion; 
 he is then a contemptible being; wretched in him- 
 felf, ancj of little fervice to his country. But thefe, 
 
 however
 
 ( 38 ) 
 
 however they may difgrace a few individuals among 
 us, are not, I apprehend, the general chara6ter 
 of the age. The brutal exceflcs of gluttony and 
 drunkennefs difgraced, perhaps, the manners of 
 our early anceftors; but they are now driven from 
 polite fociety and confined, in a great degree, to 
 the low and the vulgar. And with regard to ef- 
 feminate refinement , inactivity, or incapacity for 
 noble and manly exertion, where is the founda- 
 tion for the charge ? When was that high fpirit 
 which has fo often diftinguimed the inhabitants of 
 Britain more alive than at prefent? Have not per- 
 fons of every rank, almoft of every age, capable 
 of lifting a fword, or bearing a mufket, readily 
 ftept forth in defence of their country? Have they 
 not eagerly left their private affairs for the public 
 fervice; and quitted the enjoyments of domeftic 
 life, for the tumult of a camp, and the fatigues 
 of military duty ? Do not the courage and conduct 
 of our officers by fea and land and the -valour and 
 intrepidity of OUT foidiers and failors equal their highffl 
 character in any age? Have not RODNEY, and 
 Co R N w A L L i s given repeated proofs' of (kill 
 and judgement, and a cool determined courage 
 which have hardly been exceeded by our greateft 
 commanders in the moft fplendid periods of our 
 hiftory? Upon the whole, whatever progrefs luxury 
 may have made amongd us, we have not been 
 prefented with any convincing evidence that it 
 lias produced* very pernicious confequences in the 
 
 minds
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 minds and manners of our people at large, or fo 
 operated as a check to marriage as to have thinned 
 our country of inhabitants. There feems, indeed, 
 little more truth and accuracy in the Doctor's 
 eftimate of our prefent principles and manners, 
 than there was in that ejlimate of the principles and 
 manners of the times given by a celebrated writer at 
 the commencement of the laft war who drew 
 a pifture of our national character as little confo- 
 nant to faft as to that high reputation for genius 
 and good fenfe, which by his former productions 
 he had fo juftly. acquired. He confidently repre- 
 fented us as deftitute of every moral and manly 
 principle; as loft in diflipation or devoted to plea.- 
 fure and amufement; as fo enfeebled by luxury 
 and indolence as to be incapable of purfuing with 
 vigour our moft favourite objecls; as having loft 
 the ufe of all our limbs, and therefore forced to be 
 conveyed like helplefs infants from place to place. 
 He maintained that we had neither ftrength nor 
 courage to defend ourfelves ; that we muft fall at the 
 firft attack of our neighbours, and quietly fink 
 into the moft wretched and contemptible flavery. 
 The indignant Englifh made no other reply to thefe 
 groundlefs imputations, than (as VOLTAIRE, I 
 think, fome where exprefles it) by immediately 
 beating their enemies in every quarter of the world, 
 and carrying terror and conqueft where ever they 
 went. But our prefent author extends his accu- 
 fations of luxury even ftill further. He does not 
 
 merely
 
 ( 40 ) 
 
 merely afTert that it has deprived us of ftrength 
 and courage to fight, but even of fpirit and refo- 
 lution, to continue our fpecies. I hope, however, 
 to evince, to a great degree of probability, at leaft, 
 that we have all the while not only been keeping 
 up our old ftock of inhabitants, but actually in- 
 creafing them as faft as ever. 
 
 I have now taken the propofed curfory view 
 of the affigned caufes of depopulation ; and al- 
 though I have not attempted to difcufs them with 
 that degree of accuracy which would be requifite 
 to give perfect fatisfaftion ; yet there has appear- 
 ed, I think, in the courfe of even this flight ex- 
 amination a weight of argument againft them fully 
 fufficient to juflify our difTent from them, if only 
 fupported by mere perfonal affertion, or fpecu- 
 lative reafoning. 
 
 But our author, to do him juftice, does not 
 pretend to claim our affent on his own perfonal 
 authority, or mere abftraft fpeculation. He pro- 
 duces what he efleems ckar dccifivc proofs of the 
 foci, and pronounces them to be altogether as fa- 
 tisfaclory as an atual enumeration of the inhabi- 
 tants of the whole kingdom could be *. What 
 thefe proofs are and how much to be relied on, 
 let us now proceed to confider. 
 
 PART 
 
 * Appendix to the eflay on the population, &c. page 38.
 
 ( 41 ) 
 PART II. 
 
 Examination of the Proofs adduced by Dr. 
 PRICE to ejlablifh the fad of a decreased 
 population. 
 
 nr 
 
 JL H E S E proofs we are told are three ; the 
 
 I. Is deduced from the decreafed number of 
 houfes in the returns of the furveyors of the 
 window lights ; the 
 
 II. From the decreafed number of burials in the 
 London Bills of mortality ; and the 
 
 III. From the decreafed produce of the heredi- 
 tary and temporary excife. 
 
 All thefe, it feems, are in fuch perfeft confor- 
 mity, and fo mutually corroborate each other's 
 teftimony, that they form together a body of evi- 
 dence little inferior to mathematical demonftra- 
 tion. 
 
 Before I venture to attack thefe proofs in form, 
 I muft beg leave to obferve, in order to foften a 
 little the formidable appearance they have af- 
 fumed, that the firft and laft of them, the returns 
 of the furveyors, and the produce of the excife, are 
 obvioufly built on a fufpicious foundation. All 
 public accounts, in confequence of the impofition 
 
 of
 
 ( 42 ) 
 
 of any public tax, -will always be extremely un- 
 certain. There are never wanting a number of 
 perfons who are interefted to attempt connivance 
 and concealment. Orders are accordingly no 
 fooner iffued for a general return to be made on 
 fuch occafions, than the wife heads of every pa- 
 rim are immediately laid together, how beft to 
 evade and defeat the intention of the legiflature, 
 whatfoevcr that may be. 
 
 Nor let it be laid that this will equally take 
 place, at every period, and that consequently, 
 the deception muft be as great at one time as at 
 another. For it is, on the contrary, a fair pre- 
 fumption that it will gradually increafe with in- 
 creafmg taxes ; the motives for this fpecies of 
 cunning are thereby ftrengthened and multiplied, 
 and, therefore, allowing the fame degree of vir- 
 tue and morality in the conduct of men, the ope- 
 ration of thefe motives muft be proportionably 
 advanced. 
 
 Having made thefc general remarks let us now 
 come to an examination of the particular pre- 
 tended proofs. The firft is deduced from the fur- 
 veyors' returns. That this argument may appear 
 in its full force I will here place it before the 
 reader, according to the Doctor's own ftatement. 
 
 Total number of houfes in Eng-^ 
 land and Wales from the hearth book. > 1.319,000 
 in the year 1690, } 
 
 Number
 
 f 43 ) 
 
 NUMBER OF HOUSES IN ENGLAND AND 
 WALES IN 1759, 6l, AND 77, FROM THE 
 RETURNS OF THE SURVEYORS OF THE HOUSF 
 AND WINDOW DUTIES. 
 
 In 1759 In 1761 In 1777 
 Houfes charged 679,149 678,915 682.077 
 Uninhabited Houfes 24,904 25,628 19,396 
 Houfes excufcd-v 
 
 on account oK 282^29 276,149 251,261 
 
 poverty } 
 
 Total 986,482 980,692 952,734 
 
 According to this ftatement the whole of the 
 Doctor's reafoning in all its efiential parts, ftands 
 thus. 
 
 In the year 1600 the number of ) 
 
 i r i i > 1 53 1 9> 21 'l 
 
 homes in the kingdom was ^ 
 
 Of people at five to a houfe 6,596,075 
 
 In the year 1759, that is 70 years af- ) ft - 
 
 ter, the number of houies was only ) 
 Of people, 4,932,410 
 
 Dccreafe of houfes > 33 2 -733 
 
 Of people . 1,663,665 
 
 Two years after, i. e. in 1761, the) c 
 J C 900.092 
 
 number of houfes was no more than) 
 
 Of people _ . 4,903,460 
 
 Further decreafe of houfes 5:79 
 
 Of people. 28.950 
 
 In the year 1777 the number of > 
 
 houies was reduced to S 
 
 Of
 
 C 44 ) 
 
 Of people to . ' 4,763,670 
 
 Still further decreafe of houfes 27,958 
 
 Of people 1 3979 
 
 Total decreafe from 1690 to 1777? gg 
 
 (both inclufive) of houfes ) 
 
 Of people ' 1,832,405 
 
 The fubftance of thefe feveral deductions is, 
 that, in the firft feventy years of thefe periods, 
 the decreafe of our people was more than a 
 million and a half; and in the next eighteen years 
 a further gradual decreafe to the amount of almoft 
 a hundred and feventy thoufand more ; and in 
 the whole 89 years a decreafe of more than a mil- 
 lion and eight hundred thoufand perfons ; or con- 
 fiderable more than one fourth part of the whole; 
 If we allow only 4^ to a houfe, the number of 
 individuals in each period refpe&ively would in- 
 deed be confiderably lefs, yet, as the general 
 proportions would ftill remain the fame, and the 
 eflence of the argument continue unaltered, I 
 make no other allowance than that of Jive to a 
 houfe ; which, I am likewife ftrongly perfuaded, 
 notwitbftanding what the Doftor has aflerted to 
 the contrary, is by no means too great an ave- 
 rage for EngliJIi houfes, whatever it may be for 
 Dutch, Swifs, French and Sicilian, fo flrangely in- 
 termingled with them, when the fole purpofe was 
 to afcertain a proportion for our own country 
 only, and not any foreign one whatever. 
 
 From
 
 t 45 ) 
 
 From a fair and attentive confideration of the 
 accounts for the feveral periods as dated above, 
 I am fully convinced that the reafoning founded 
 upon them is every where erroneous ; that fome 
 of the accounts themfelves are improperly intro- 
 duced at all, and others manifeftly inconfiftent 
 with the conclufion of the whole. 
 
 With regard to the number of houfes in 1690, 
 according to the returns in the hearth books, Mr. 
 EDEN, in my apprehenfion, has fhewn, with great 
 appearance of probability at leaft, that by houfes 
 was meant, not the buildings that people lived in, 
 but the families contained in them. He has clearly 
 evinced, by pafTages from Dr; DAVENANT'S book, 
 where he is exprefsly reafoning upon this fubjecl, 
 and from which the above account was taken, and 
 not from the official hearth books, that be ufes the 
 words houfes and families as fyndnimous terms, and 
 without any other reafon for the choice of the one 
 or the other, but the mere variation of phrafe. And 
 indeed this promifcuous ufage of the two words 
 I am fully convinced by feveral letters I have re- 
 ceived during my prefent enquiries, is, in fome 
 counties, extremely common to this very day. 
 
 Mr. EDEN further obferves that this conftruc- 
 tion of DAVENANT'S words is countenanced by the 
 aftual produce of the hearth tax, from which the 
 account itfelf was extracted. Nay, as he very 
 
 E juftly
 
 ( 46 ) 
 
 juflly obfcrves, the very table itfelf (hews that 
 Dr. DAVENANT muft have meant families and not 
 the buildings which they inhabited. For accord- 
 ing to this return there were in the kingdom in 
 the year 1690, 1,319115 houfes, and 2,563517 
 hearths. Under Dr. PRICE'S conftruclion of the 
 word houfes there are lefs than two fire hearths or 
 Jtoves to every dwelling-houfe in the whole king- 
 dom, a thing utterly incredible, as there is fcarcely 
 even a cottage, or at moft not one in 500, that 
 has not at leafl two hearths. 
 
 Noto if Dr. DAVENANT by the word houfes 
 meant families and not the buildings themfelves, it 
 is evident that the number of inhabitants calculated 
 from his return muft be lefs than Dr. PRICE has 
 made them ; becaufe there is frequently more than 
 one family to a houfe, and upon an average the 
 number in a family is undoubtedly lefs than the 
 number in a houfe. 
 
 This reafoning, however, Dr. PRICE does 
 not admit; for he tells us Dr. DAVENANT con- 
 fidered the number of houfes and the number of 
 families as fo nearly the fame that he did not think 
 it neceflary to diftinguifh between them. I am 
 unwilling to believe that DAVENANT was under 
 this miftake. According to all the obfervations I 
 have yet been able to make the difference is very 
 confiderable. Dr. PRICE, indeed, has produced, 
 p. 6, of his eflay, a long lilt of towns and parifhcs 
 
 to
 
 ( 47 ) 
 
 to prove the near equality between them ; but 
 I muft take the liberty to obferve that of the 38 
 articles which he has given us, only three are di- 
 rectly to the purpofe ; that of the town of Not- 
 tingham, the parifh of Manchefter, and the town 
 of Liverpool ; and, unfortunately, thefe are full 
 and ftrong againft him. In Nottingham the differ- 
 ence between houfcs and families is more than a 
 twelfth, in Manchefter near a twentieth, and in Li- 
 verpool more than a fifth. An average formed 
 from a conjunction of all three is above one eighth ; 
 which, aflumed as an average for the whole king- 
 dom, would make a difference of feven or eight 
 hundred thoufand people; a number furely of fome 
 confequence. 
 
 As to the remaining articles of this table, 35 
 in number ; fome in themfelves, and the reft from 
 the partial manner in which they are ftated, are, 
 with refpeft to the fact to be afcertained, abfo- 
 lutely ufelefs. In one part of them he has given 
 us the number of perfons in a houfe, without tell- 
 ing us how many there were in & family; in another 
 we have the number in a family, but are not in- 
 formed how many there were in a houfe. From, 
 this partial ftatement nothing can be concluded 
 with certainty. As the numbers, however, in/0- 
 milics and houfes often appear near an equality, 
 the only probable deduction is, that thefe words 
 hovjes and families were ufed, by thofe that gave 
 E 2 the
 
 ( 48 ) 
 
 the information, promifcuoufly to fignify one and 
 the fame thing ; that what are called families in 
 one place, are deemed hoitfes in another, and fo 
 reciprocally with regaid to moft, if not all, of 
 them. 
 
 What thus appears on the very face of the ta- 
 ble, to be extremely probable; I beg leave to af- 
 lure the Doftor is the real facl. with refpeft to all 
 thofe places from which I have yet received au- 
 thentic information, which are no inconfiderable 
 part of the whole. I will mention only one, the 
 town of Eolton in the county of Lancafter. In 
 the Doctor's table there appears to be only 4 to 
 a houfe in this crouded manufacturing town. I 
 have good authority to believe there are more than 
 fix. A letter now in my hands affures me that 
 the inhabitants are really fo thick that it is no 
 uncommon thing for one family to live in the cel- 
 lar, and another in the garret ; and I leave the 
 reader to guefs whether the intermediate apart- 
 ments are uninhabited. 
 
 In fhort, wherever in the Doctor's table there 
 appears lefs than fac to a houfe, there the word 
 houfe, (as far I have yet been able to dif cover) 
 
 Another part of this catalogue, confifts of ac- 
 counts from foreign countries, as Holland, France, 
 Switzerland, Sicily ; but why thefe are introduced 
 
 in
 
 ( 49 ) 
 
 in a table profeffcdly intended as a ground to efti- 
 mate the proportion between Englijh houfes and 
 families I cannot conceive. One thing however, 
 is flrikingly obvious in them. The average num- 
 ber of perfons in the houfes and families of thefe 
 countries refpe&ively, Holland in particular, is 
 confiderably fmaller than among ourfelves ; and 
 it confequently proves, with at leaft a ftrong de- 
 gree of prefumptive probability, that the Eng- 
 Hfh are more prolific and England more populous, 
 than any of thofe places. 
 
 (i Any communications the Doctor informs us, 
 " pag. 82, will be received with gratitude which 
 " may enable him to form a more perfect table of 
 " this kind." I will endeavour to oblige him. 
 The following table is formed, partly from the 
 only pertinent part of his own, partly from the 
 obliging communications of friends, partly from 
 my own immediate rcfearches, and partly from 
 a table of a fimilar kind in a pamphlet lately pub-< 
 limed by the ingenious Mr. WALES. 
 
 E 3 TABLE
 
 50 
 
 TABLE SHEWING THE PROPORTION BETWEEN- 
 
 ENGLISH HOUSES AND FAMILIES. 
 TABLE, 
 
 Counties. 
 
 Parifhcs. 
 
 Hou. 
 
 Fam. 
 
 Proportion 
 
 Cumberland 
 
 Carlifle 
 
 891 
 
 1,605 
 
 i to 1,8 
 
 Nottingham 
 
 Nottingham 
 
 fr*<>7 
 
 3.556 
 
 i to 1,088 
 
 Lancafter 
 
 Manchefter 
 parifli b 
 
 2,412 
 
 2,525 
 
 i to 1,046 
 
 
 Liverpool 
 
 6 34 
 
 8,002 
 
 i lo 1,088 
 
 Chefter 
 
 Chefter 
 
 2,883 
 
 3'4 28 
 
 
 Effex 
 
 Toppesfield 
 
 105 
 
 129 
 
 i to ,228 
 
 
 Stebbing 
 
 200 
 
 212 
 
 to ,06 
 
 
 High Roding 
 
 6 3 
 
 79 
 
 to ,254 
 
 Kent 
 
 Maidftone 
 
 1,106 
 
 1,276 
 
 to ,153 
 
 
 Eaft Mailing 
 
 1 75 
 
 186 
 
 to ,006 
 
 
 Boughton 
 
 87 
 
 1O2 
 
 to >!73 
 
 
 Addington 
 
 29 
 
 33 
 
 to ,013 
 
 
 Hunton 
 
 7 1 
 
 82 
 
 to ,*54 
 
 
 Otham 
 
 37 
 
 5 
 
 1 to ,351 
 
 
 Tunftall 
 
 7 
 
 20 
 
 i to ,017 
 
 Suffolk from ) 
 
 Haverhill 
 
 146 
 
 220 
 
 i to ,,506 
 
 MJT.WALES ) 
 
 Hawfton 
 
 5 
 
 60 
 
 5 to 6 
 
 
 Blythiord 
 
 21 
 
 3 
 
 i to 1,428 
 
 
 Sotherton 
 
 62 
 
 83 
 
 i to 1,253 
 
 
 Spexhall 
 
 *,5 
 
 22 
 
 i to 1,466 
 
 
 Bramfield 
 
 4 1 
 
 66. 
 
 i to 1,609 
 
 
 Henham 
 
 24 
 
 3 
 
 i to 1,250 
 
 
 Helton 
 
 1 5 
 
 J 7 
 
 1 to 1,133 
 
 
 Swelland 
 
 21 
 
 2 9 
 
 r\ 
 
 i to 1,380 
 
 
 Tuddcnham 
 
 27 
 
 43 
 
 i to 1,592 
 
 i 
 
 Wangfoid 
 
 47 
 
 63 
 
 i to 1,340 
 
 
 Wenhafton 
 
 56 
 
 87 
 
 to 1,553 
 
 
 Waterfield 
 
 24 
 
 4 1 
 
 to 1,708 
 
 
 Wefthall 
 
 45 
 
 61 
 
 10 1 .355 
 
 
 Wiffett 
 
 38 
 
 54 
 
 to 1,421 
 
 
 Witncfham 
 
 50 
 
 78 
 
 to 1,560 
 
 Average proportion 7 to 8 
 E 4 It
 
 It is evident from this table that the difference 
 between the number of houfes and families is much 
 greater in country parifhes than in large towns. 
 In the former the proportion is often 3 to 4, and 
 2 to 3. Could we therefore have obtained as 
 many country houfes, as of thofe of towns; the 
 average proportion would probably have been at 
 leafl as g to 6. 
 
 At the aera of the revolution the difparity was, 
 perhaps, confiderably lefs. I will fuppofe the pro- 
 portion to have been .only what appears in the table 
 as 7 to 8. Apply this to Dr. DAVENANT'S ac- 
 count, and, fuppofing that by the word houfes he 
 meant families, as is upon the whole moft probable, 
 it will reduce the number of inhabitants at that pe- 
 riod to about 5,771566. 
 
 But were we to admit at once the accuracy of 
 DAVENANT'S account, and that by the word hoiifcs, 
 he really intended not families but the buildings that 
 men lived in, and confequently that our people 
 were fix millions, or even fix millions and a half; 
 I have no doubt of adding fo much to the returns 
 of the laft period (i. e.) between 1750 and 78, as 
 amply to counterbalance thofe of the former 
 period. And that we may proceed in thefe returns 
 with the more eafe and clearnefs, I beg leave once 
 more to place them immediately under the eye of 
 the reader as ftated by our author.' 
 
 Houfes
 
 ( 5? ) 
 
 Houies returned in 1759 in 61 in 77 
 
 charged 679,1491678,915 682.077. 
 
 uninhabited 24,904 25,628 19,396 
 
 cxcufed on account ) Qn 
 
 of poverty $ 282,429^76,149 251,261 
 
 986,481 980,6921952,734 
 
 The Doftor fays that the fa returns have no ap- 
 pearance of incredibility, but that they afford as 
 flrong a proof of progrefiive depopulation as ac- 
 tual furveys can give. For my part, I cannot 
 but think they carry evident marks of inaccuracy 
 on the very face r of them, and that they fuggeft the 
 moft erroneous ideas of our population at thefe 
 feveral periods. 
 
 I might, in the firft place, take notice of the 
 impropriety of admitting uninhabited houfes into a 
 ftatement intended as a ground on which to form 
 an eftimate of the r umber of people; and that it 
 would lead us to an error of more than a hundred 
 thou&nd in each of thefe periods. However, I 
 pafs this over and proceed to obferve, that as they 
 are he.re introduced they naturally lead us to be- 
 lieve, contrary to the author's afifertion. that our 
 numbers have been gradually incrcajing. In the 
 year 1761 there were above 25,000 uninhabited 
 houfes; but 1777 little more than 19,000. The 
 natural conclufion is that the number of inhabit- 
 ants, at the allowance of only 5 to a houfc, was 
 augmented 30,000. By way of accounting for 
 this, the Dofclor fays there was at this time a greater 
 
 demand
 
 ( 53 ) 
 
 demand for houfes. I fay fo too; but we differ 
 extremely as to thofe who became the tenants. 
 Into thefe fpare buildings / would put fo many 
 human beings with their refpelive families; 
 whereas he, I fuppofe, will make the monfter luxury 
 to engrofs them all, without the addition of a {ingle 
 individual. Leaving thofe to believe this, who can, 
 I pafs on to another remark, which is this; 
 
 Jt appears from thefe returns that the number 
 
 of houfes excufed on account of poverty was fuc- 
 
 ceffively diminijhcd; which is juft the contrary of 
 
 what mil/I have been the cafe had the lifts been cor- 
 
 ret. In the year 1761 there were above 5000 
 
 fewer exempted from this caufe than in the year 59, 
 
 and ia 77 there were even 30,000 fewer. A ftriking 
 
 evidence this of the incorreQnefs of the returns! 
 
 It is allowed on all hands that the numbers, as well 
 
 as diftreffes, of the poor, have greatly increafed 
 
 fince the firft of thefe periods. If the returns 
 
 therefore had been accurate, the number of houfes 
 
 excufed on account of poverty muft have been 
 
 greater and greater every year; juft the reverie of 
 
 what appears in the annual lifts. 
 
 Mr. EDEN, by way of anfwer to the Doctor's 
 firft publication on this fubje6l, aflerts, without 
 producing indeed any fatisfaftory evidence, that 
 the return of cottages excufed on account of 
 poverty is uncertain and defective. To this un- 
 
 fupported affertion the Doftor has given no clear 
 
 and
 
 ( 54 J 
 
 and decifivc reply. He has indeed attempted it, 
 but how fuccefsfully I leave the reader to deter- 
 mine. The fingular manner in which he reafons 
 for this purpofe is worth obfervation. 
 
 In the firft place, he fays, the uncertainty in the 
 returns of houfes not charged does not at all affect 
 the evidence arifing from the diminution of the 
 houfes charged. I muft beg the Doctor's pardon. 
 The number of houfes charged, if correctly re- 
 turned, muft decreafc in exact proportion to the 
 intreafed number of poor ; fince every poor man, 
 who either receives parochial alms, or is exempt- 
 ed from contributing to parochial expences, is 
 alfo exempted from paying the duty on windows 
 and houfes. Now if the number of houfes thus 
 excufcd on account of poverty be not accurately 
 returned, the evidence arifing from the whole, 
 muft be impaired precifely in proportion to that 
 defect. Confequently this argument, or rather 
 this appearance of an argument, for it is nothing 
 more, entirely vanifhes. 
 
 But it is obferved ,2dly " That the returns of 
 thefe exempted cottages, have not been made with 
 lefs care in 1777 than for 1761." With what care 
 the returns have been made in either period, I 
 mail not here flay to determine ; I muft, however, 
 obferve that if they had each time only been made 
 with the fame care ; the whole number of houfes 
 
 returned
 
 .( 55 ) 
 
 returned muft from the allowed gradual increafe 
 of poverty, have been continually diminifhed. 
 
 We are next informed that the diminution 
 which has certainly taken place in the number of 
 houfes charged, proves undeniably that there muft 
 have been a proportionable decreafe in the houfes 
 not charged. Now if I am not ftrangely miftaken 
 it proves the direct contrary. If the number of 
 houfes charged has decreafed, the only natural con- 
 clufion is, that the number of houfes not charged 
 has increafed, and that exactly in the fame pro- 
 portion ; unlefs there is previoufly fomc abfolutc 
 proof of the contrary. 
 
 Thefc feveral appearances of inconfiftency ; thefe 
 various prefumptive marks of incorrectnefs might 
 induce a philofophic enquirerafter truth not to be 
 over confident that they are any firm ground 
 on which to creel; a demonftrative proof of pro-. 
 greflive depopulation. 
 
 But by purfuing this enquiry a little further we 
 mail be convinced that the whole of our author's 
 reafoning has not the fmalleft foundation in truth. 
 
 We are informed that the decreafed returns of 
 the furveyors afford as fatisfactory evidence of the 
 decline of population amongft us as an actual cen- 
 fus or numbering of the inhabitants could do. I 
 muft beg leave to remark, by way of general pre- 
 
 para-
 
 ( 56 ) 
 
 paratory anfwer, that although thefc returns, when 
 viewed in their true light, (as will appear here- 
 after) afford a tolerable ground of juft compu- 
 tation ; yet, as far as our author has thought pro- 
 per to flate them, inftead of amounting to deci- 
 five proof, they do not enable us to form even 
 probable conjcdurc. 
 
 The cafe with regard to thefe returns ftands 
 thus. The parochial afleffors are required by aft 
 of parliament annually to make out and return to 
 the commiffioners of the land and window tax a 
 lift of the dwellings chargeable with the duties on 
 windows and houfes in their refpe6live pariflies, 
 fpecifying the number of windows in each of thofe 
 that have more than fix, and charging thofe which 
 have only fix or under, with nothing but the 35. 
 houfe duty. All the other dwellings inhabited by 
 perlons exempted from the ufual taxes to church 
 and poor, are exempted likewife from thefe du- 
 ties, and are confcquently not required to be in- 
 ferted in the annual parochial lifts or duplicates. 
 
 If the affefTors do infert ,thern they do more 
 than their duty ; which J fuppofe few of thefe gen- 
 tlemen think necefiary. Thefe works of fupere- 
 rogation fome of them however do perform ; but 
 they are a very inconfiderablc part. I have received 
 information from perfons in almoft every county 
 in the kingdom upon this fubjecl; and they, in 
 general, concur in alluring me that the unaffcifed 
 
 houfes
 
 houfes in their annual returns are never mentioned 
 or taken any notice of. Many of them have fa- 
 tisfaftorily confirmed this by giving me the num- 
 ber of houfes returned in their refpeclive pa- 
 rimes, and the number of houfes not returned, 
 nor ever appearing in any official lift whatever. 
 My own immediate and peifonal refearches ex- 
 actly correfpond with thefe accounts. I have 
 examined, with confiderable care and attention, 
 the parochial duplicates of whole divifions, not 
 only for a few years now laft paft, but through 
 almoft every year fince 1747. In about one pa- 
 rim in 15 or 20 I have found the exempted 
 cottages put by themfelves ; while in the reft they 
 are never once mentioned. 
 
 Indeed, the al of parliament itfelf, in the very 
 ftrain and tenor of it, holds out peculiar mo- 
 tives to omit as many as poffible. In fome other 
 publick returns there are moft powerful induce- 
 ments to accuracy. In the militia returns for in- 
 ftance the conftable, if from private friendfhip 
 or any other confideration he makes out a defi- 
 cient lift of perfons liable to ferve, his neighbours 
 will generally fet him right. For in exact pro- 
 portion to this deficiency the chance to each in- 
 dividual of being ballotted into actual triennial 
 fervice is increafed. Hence thefe lifts in general, 
 but efpecially in fmall country parifhes, where 
 every man is known to his neighbour, are toU 
 
 lerably.
 
 ( 58 ) 
 
 lerably corre6l. Again with refpecl to the land- 
 tax, if the alfeifor wifhe-s to lighten the burden of 
 one neighbour, he cannot do it without increafing 
 that of another; for the fame total fum mull at all 
 events be railed. If he attempts it, therefore, that 
 other will immediately exert himfelf to bring mat- 
 ters back to their proper equality. But notwith- 
 flanding thefe feveral judicious checks, it is very 
 well known that wealth and greatnefs fo fuccefs- 
 fully prevail over poverty and littlenefs, that there 
 is often great incorre&nefs even in thefe returns. 
 What ihall we fay then to the returns of the fur- 
 veyors of the window lights, where a variety of 
 motives muft operate both on them and the reit 
 of the parifh to frequent connivance and omiffion ? 
 Jf they exempt any perfon, not a {ingle individual 
 pays a farthing the more ; not a fingle individual 
 therefore will probably trouble himfelf about it. 
 If they affefs the cottagers they will only bring an 
 expence upon themfelves and the reft of the parifh 
 by reducing them the fooner to the neceflity of 
 parochial affiftance. Prudent parifhes, therefore, 
 will take care to excufe as many as they con- 
 veniently can. And when once exempted, they 
 will foon vaniih out of the annual returns; and 
 you will very feldom be able ever to find them there 
 again. So that from the very nature of the al of 
 parliament it is reafonable to fuppofe that there 
 have always been a great number of houfes omitted 
 in the annual returns, and that thefe omiflions, 
 
 from
 
 ( 59 ) 
 
 from the increafe of poverty, as well as other caufes 
 above fuggefted, muft be perpetually increafmg. 
 
 Thefe obvious conclufions of reafon arc con- 
 firmed by indubitable fafts. I beg leave to produce 
 a few inftances both of abfolutely deficient returns, 
 and of the continued increafe of that deficiency. 
 That they may be perfectly unexceptionable I will 
 place them at hazard, without any motive for felec- 
 tion, out of a great number of parimes from differ- 
 ent counties. In the fequel, when I attempt to af- 
 certain the prefent alual population of the king- 
 dom, I mail prefent the reader with the whole 
 
 11 
 
 table. 
 
 TABLE OF THE PRESENT ABSOLUTE DEFICI- 
 ENCY OF RETURNS: 
 
 . -,Y-.-;Ji, f ;:G, 
 
 Counties. 
 
 Parijhcs. 
 
 ioufes re- 
 
 Not re- 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 
 turned. 
 
 turned. 
 
 
 Eflex 
 
 Thaxftead 
 
 102 
 
 248 
 
 3<5 
 
 
 Toppesfield 
 
 38 
 
 67 
 
 105 
 
 
 Lindfell 
 
 21 
 
 26 
 
 47 
 
 
 Sroxftead 
 
 42 
 
 50 
 
 . 9 2 
 
 
 Little Baddow 
 
 40 
 
 24 
 
 64 
 
 Suffolk 
 
 Haverhill 
 
 55 
 
 9 1 
 
 146 
 
 Kent 
 
 Bough ton 
 
 53 
 
 34 
 
 8 7 
 
 
 Hunton 
 
 39 
 
 3 2 
 
 7* 
 
 
 Tudely 
 
 56 
 
 27 
 
 83 
 
 
 Maidftone 
 
 623 
 
 483 
 
 1106 
 
 Suflex 
 
 Brightling 
 
 38 
 
 42 
 
 80 
 
 
 Catsfield 
 
 2 3 
 
 27 
 
 5<> 
 
 Stafford 
 
 Abb. Bromley 
 
 161 
 
 85 
 
 246 
 
 
 Old Swinford 
 
 414 
 
 1165 
 
 1579 
 
 Chefter 
 
 Chefter 
 
 1227 
 
 1656 
 
 28% 
 
 
 Burton 
 
 4i 
 
 54 
 
 95 
 
 From
 
 From the flighted infpeftion of this fhort table 
 which I could eafily make five times as long, it is 
 obvious that, upon an average, not half the houfes 
 in the feveral places are returned by the parochial 
 afleffors. Thefe deficient lifts are dcpofited with 
 the clerks of the commiffioners to the land tax, 
 copies of them are fent to the general furveyors 
 for thedivifion or county; by whom they are tranf- 
 mitted to the tax-office, and you may there be 
 furnifhed with the aggregate deficient return for the 
 whole kingdom. Thefe returns to the tax-office 
 afford not the leaft idea, nor give the flendereft 
 clue by which to determine the numbers omitted; 
 confequently, inftead of amounting to dcmonjlrativc 
 proof of our prefent flate of population, they are 
 no ground, in themfelves confidered, and as far as 
 ftated by our author, for even probable conjetture. 
 ' : . ., ........ i ..i 
 
 That the gradual decreafe in thefe returns is no 
 proof of a gradual decreafe of inhabitants may be 
 clearly concluded from the following fhort table. 
 
 TABLE OF GRADUAL DECREASE. 
 
 Counties. 
 
 Part/lies. 
 
 1 7<55 
 
 59 
 
 61 
 
 65 
 
 77 
 
 80 
 
 Total. 
 
 Effex 
 
 Thaxftead 
 
 167 
 
 '57 
 
 140 
 
 39 
 
 108 
 
 102 
 
 ' < 
 
 3.50 
 
 
 Lindfell 
 
 3 2 
 
 22 
 
 22 
 
 22 
 
 21 
 
 21 
 
 47 
 
 
 Broxftead 
 
 49 
 
 49 
 
 49 
 
 47 
 
 4* 
 
 4 2 
 
 9 2 
 
 Kent 
 
 Bonghton 
 
 70 
 
 63 
 
 74 
 
 72 
 
 68 
 
 5'6 
 
 87 
 
 
 Maidftone 
 '747 703 
 
 6,56 
 
 656 
 
 
 651 
 
 6 33 
 
 62 3 | 
 
 1 106 
 
 There
 
 There is a gradual decreafe in the returns fof 
 mod of thefe places, though there is actually the 
 fame number of houfes in each refpectively, in 
 fome of them more, than there were 25 years 
 ago, and they are mod of them fuller of people 
 than ever. What then becomes of this argument 
 of gradual depopulation deduced from the gradual 
 decreafe in the furveyors' returns ? For what ap- 
 pears to have been the cafe with refpect to thefe 
 few places, there is no reafon in the world to fup- 
 pofe it is not equally applicable to thoufands of 
 others, or even the kingdom at large ; which we 
 fhould have been enabled to fee, had the clerks 
 to the commiflioners been always careful to pre- 
 ferve the annual returns. But as they have not, 
 we can only make our deductions from analogy ; 
 an analogy however compleatly fatisfactory, as 
 there is not a fhadow of objection, or the fmalleft 
 degree of probability againft it. 
 
 Upon the whole then the furveyors' returns, in 
 themfelves confidered, are no rule by which to 
 compute the actual population of the kingdom; nor 
 is their continual decreafe any evidence at all of a 
 gradual diminution of people. The. general deficiency 
 is the immediate and natural refult of the act of 
 parliament itfelf ; and the gradual increafed deficiency, 
 only proves, if it proves any thing, either the gra- 
 dual increafe of poverty, or the gradual increafe 
 of cunning, or as fome would rather call it, of 
 
 F -wifdom
 
 ( 62 ) 
 
 tuifdom and prudence in the parochial afleflbrs, or 
 the pariflies at large. * 
 
 SECT. 
 
 * That there have, from time to time, been orders to re- 
 turn the houfes of all denominations, whether charged or not 
 charged, cannot be difputed. But how well thefe orders have 
 been obeyed may be pretty cafily cenjeftured from the follow- 
 ing letter which I have been favoured with, and which was 
 written by a General Surveyor of the window lights in one 
 of our principal counties. 
 
 FEB. i, 1781. 
 
 : The cottages have not been returned for many years till 
 " laji year, and then many of the afleflors did not do it till 
 " they came to the meeting, and fo gueffcd at it as near as 
 they could ; fo that you ice they are far from being exaft." 
 
 Here then it appears that there was no return of the cot- 
 tages at all for many years till the year 1780. What then be- 
 comes of that perfeft and compleat return in the year 1777, ^ 
 " which we are told has no appearance of incredibility, and 
 " which affords as ftrong a proof of progreflive depopulation 
 " as actual fui veys can give ?" In the county above alluded 
 to there w,us doubtlefs no return at all of collages for the year 
 1777; for three years cannot, I prefume, wiin much pro- 
 priety, be called many years. And when there was a return 
 (which return, by the way, I am aflured upon pretty good 
 authority, was never taken an account of at the tax-office) 
 the parochial furvcyors only gue/ftd at it ; and if there were 
 only 40 or 50 houfes in their parifh they might, perhaps, 
 guejs pretty near the matter ; but as to Lirge towns, in which 
 there had been no previous enumeration, they could almoft 
 as v.-:ll I a T told how many houfe? there are in Pekin or 
 Conflantinople. An aclual furvey or the houfes in two very 
 confiderable places, the town of Stourbridge and parifh of 
 old Swinford in the county of Worccflcr, and the town and 
 parifh of Maidftone in the county of Kent, has been taken 
 this fpring. The total number in each, as well as thofe re- 
 turned by the furveyors of the window lights, arc as follow ; 
 
 No. 
 f Appendix to the Eflfay on the Population, &c. p. 38.
 
 ( 63 ) 
 C H A P. II. S E c T. I. 
 
 Examination of Dr. PRICE'S Argument for 
 Depopulation deduced from the decreafed 
 Number of Burials in the London Bills of 
 Mortality. 
 
 WE may now proceed to the author's fecond 
 argument of decreafed population dedu- 
 ced from the decreafed number cf burials in 
 the London bills of mortality. 
 
 But I muft here beg leave firft of all to obferve 
 that this, fuppofing it true, and fuppofmg likewife 
 that population is to be eftimated from burials alone, 
 without regard to laptifms, would only mew that 
 London is decreafed; which would be fo far from 
 proving that the reft of the kingdom was fo, that, if 
 the Doctor's maxim of the deftruclive influence of 
 great capitals be true, it might afford, perhaps, no 
 inconfiderable prefumption that England was aclu- 
 F 2 ally 
 
 No. of Houfes returned 
 Stourb ridge and Parifh ? 
 
 ofoldSwinford 
 
 
 Maidftone - - - - - - 1106 - - 623 
 
 If Dr. PRICE will produce a return of houfcs -nade at the 
 tax-office Tor either of the fe places fmce the year 1760, in 
 which the amount is within 200 of the truth for each of them 
 refpeclively, I will give him up all the arguments I have ufed 
 upon this fubjeft, and frankly acknowledge they are nothing 
 to the purpofe. On the contrary, if he cannot produce fuch 
 return, I fhall conclude that their force is unimpaired, and 
 that his fyftem of depopulation, as for as built on reafoning 
 deduced from this quarter, is fairly overturned,
 
 ( 64 ) 
 
 ally advancing in numbers; that the inhabitants of 
 the town were retired into ihe country; that they 
 were there employed in ufcful manufactures; in 
 attending to the healthful and important bufmefs 
 of agriculture, and in moft fuccefsfully obeying the 
 great command of increafe and multiply; in a word, 
 that we were likely foon to become a populous, and 
 flourifhing, a great and happy nation. 
 
 This feems, on our author's principles, the natu- 
 ral refult of the fuppofiiion of a decreafed metro- 
 polisk It is a point, however, on which I lay no 
 ftrefs; becaufe I well know that the fuppofition it- 
 felf is not founded in truth. The number of burials, 
 in the bills of mortality, on which alone his rea- 
 foning is founded, is not lefs at prefent than at the 
 revolution ; on the contrary, it is confiderably great- 
 er. On an average often years immediately fubfe- 
 quent to that period, they amounted to 21242,5 
 Whereas for ten years now laft paft the 
 
 average annual number is 
 
 23340,5 
 
 6 
 
 exceeding the former 2098.0 
 
 But we are told there are two confiderations that 
 more than counterbalance this. The ift. is, that 
 fince the revolution there have been 12 new parifhes 
 taken into the bills; and that in thefe 12 parifhes 
 there were buried, in the years immediately fuc- 
 ceeding thofe in which they were taken into the 
 bills, 5000 annually. Now this 5000 we are to 
 
 dedua
 
 ( 65 ) 
 
 deduct, I fuppofe, from the prefent 
 
 i rn. r 
 annual lilt or 
 
 and the remainder is only 18340,5 
 indicating a decreafe of 2902,0 
 
 Specious as this reafoning may feem at firft 
 view, it will, if I miftake not, on a clofer examin- 
 ation appear to be a mere fallacy. 'Tis true thefe 
 pariflies did not come into the bills at the time of 
 the revolution. And llrange it would have been 
 if they had. For unlefs my information deceives 
 me, thefe parijhes had then actually no cxiftencc. 
 The fpace of ground, indeed, which they now 
 comprehend was certainly juft where it is at pre- 
 fent, but it had no diftinguifhing parochial name. 
 The true ftate of the cafe, it feems, is this. When 
 the number of inhabitants in the city of London 
 was fo increafed that the old churches were inefficient 
 to contain all who wifhed to aflemble for the wor- 
 ihip of God, upon application to royal authority, 
 new churches were erected; new parijhes were form- 
 ed out of the old; new names were appropriated to 
 them; new regijlers were likewife opened, each 
 thenceforth containing its own refpective burials; 
 and, if our author will take the pains to examine the 
 bills of mortality at the particular periods when 
 thefe changes took place, he will probably find that 
 the burials of each old parifh were immediately di- 
 imniflied in near proportion to the actual number 
 
 F 3 of
 
 ( 66 ) 
 
 of thofe of the refpeftive new parifhes taken out of 
 it, and that the aggregate of all the diminutions in 
 the old regifters is fully counterballanced by the 
 total amount of numbers in the feveral new regiflers. 
 Confequently the fuppofed addition to the bills 
 becomes nothing more than an addition of names 
 only. 
 
 I beg leave to illuftrate this matter by, I believe, 
 an exaQly parallel cafe. At the aera of the revolu- 
 tion, the to-wnofDebtford contained only the parifli 
 of St. Nicholas; and. its number of baptifms during 
 twenty years at that period was 4^ 1 7 
 
 of burials 4817- 
 
 After this the parifh was divided into two; and 
 St. Paul's fprung out of St. Nicholas's. The new 
 church immediately exhibited a very refpeftable 
 lift of births and burials; while the old one was 
 diminifhcd in exacl: proportion. 
 
 Their refpeftive regifters for twenty years from 
 1758 (land thus; 
 
 Baptifms. Burials. 
 
 3 8 35 
 49*7 
 
 Total 7181 8752 
 
 St. Nicholas 3211 
 St. Paul 3970 
 
 Although St. Nicholas therefore has not even 
 yet quite recovered his priftine ftrength, yet when 
 
 viewed
 
 ( 67 ) 
 
 viewed in conjun&ion with St. Paul, he is more 
 flourifliing than ever; even to almoft the double. 
 
 The cafe, I prefume is, nearly the fame with the 
 old and new pa rimes in the city of [London. But 
 ftill we are told that the difcnters are greatly dt- 
 creafed, and that from thence great acceffions have 
 been annually made to the bills of mortality. 
 Whether the feffcnttn of the city are increafed or 
 dccrtajei, I mail not at prefent enquire. Our au- 
 thor Jhould and probably does know this matter 
 much better than I. The only thing to the pur- 
 pofe is, whether their burials are more or lefs now 
 than at the revolution. I believe, I may venture to 
 aflert, that they are really not only more, but above 
 three times more. Had this no other authority 
 than my bare aflertion, it might fairly be thought 
 incredible; but I can produce fuch authentic evi- 
 dence as I flatter myfelf, will meet with ready 
 belief. 
 
 I do not know that we have any certain informa- 
 tion as to the number of diffenting burials in the 
 city at the asra of the revolution, nor at any time 
 prior or fubfequent to that period, but in the year 
 1729; when Mr. MAITLAND, author of a very 
 voluminous hiftory of the metropolis, collefted, 
 with great induftry and care, a well authenticated 
 lift" of their annual number. This gentleman, who 
 feems ambitious to make our capital appear as large 
 as pofiible, it will not be fufpecled would give 
 F 4 this
 
 ( 68 ) 
 
 this lift much below the truth. The only plaufible 
 apprehenfion would be, that it was above it; to me, 
 however, it carries fuch marks of honeft plainncfs 
 that I fcruple not to believe it was very near the 
 matter; and I will fuppofe too, and I know not 
 any great improbability in the fuppofition, that 
 the diflenting burials were as numerous in 1729 as 
 in 1688. If then another annual lift of thefe bu- 
 rials, of equal authenticity can be obtained for the 
 prefent time, the point in queftion will be afcertain- 
 edwith fatisfa6lory precifion. Such a lift has been 
 made out, with equal induftry, and, I believe with 
 equal accuracy of inveftigation and fidelity of re- 
 port, in this very month of March 1781. 
 
 Mr. MAITLAND's LIST OF DISSENTING 
 BURIALS NOT ENTERED IN THE BILLS OF 
 MORTALITY IN THE YEAR 1729. 
 
 BAPTIST. 
 
 In Mill Yard 28 
 
 Sheer-Alley, White-Street - - - - 21 
 
 Collier's Rents, White-Street - 22 
 
 Glafs-Houfe-Yard, Pick-ax-Street - - - 5 
 Bandy- Leg- Walk, Southwark - - - - - 51 
 
 Broad-Street, Wapping ------16 
 
 Peppermint-Street, Southwark - 47 
 Independents ..----- 118 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN. 
 Tindal's Burying-Grqund, Bunhill-Fields, 500 
 
 828 
 DISSENT"
 
 DISSENTING BURIALS in the Year 1780, 
 
 BAPTIST. No. 
 
 Britain's Ground in Church-Lane, ) 
 White-Chapel $ 
 
 Langfords Ground. Church Lane. 100 
 
 Gothland's Ground, Holywell Mount 600 
 Brown's, Horfeley Down. Soutnwark 36 
 Wallin's Ground, May's Pond 75 
 
 Crawford's Oround, Ewer-Street in the Mint .153 
 Mrs. Newton s, Pepper-Street 5 
 
 Matlock s, -St. George's, Ratcliff-Highway 40 
 
 1329 
 PRESS YTERIAN. 
 
 Dr. Watfon's Ground, Deadman's Place 160 
 Tindal's Ground, Bunhill-Fields. 
 
 Total Prefoyterian 1560 
 
 INDEPENDANT. 
 
 Cartwright's Ground. Snow-Fields ao 
 
 Roger's Ground, Collier's-Rents, Long- Lane 70 
 
 Total Independent 80 
 Total of diflenting burials in 1780, 3 lf ^9 
 In 1729, - 828 
 
 Increafe 2341 
 
 Upon a co.mparifon of thefe two lifts it appears 
 
 that the dillenting burials, in the moil confined, 
 
 fenfc
 
 o 
 
 J 
 
 fenfe of the -word diffenter. inftead of being dc- 
 creafed. as the Do6lor intimates, are more than 
 three times as many as they ufcd to be. If we add 
 the amount in each period to thofe in the bills 
 refpeftively, we mail fee the fum total of the city 
 burials, as far, at leaft, as appears from this 
 quarter, and the. proportion they bear to each 
 other, at the two periods. 
 
 i ft period 2 d period 
 
 Burials annually in the bills 1 
 
 3 > 21242 23340 
 
 on an average of 10 years ) 
 Diffentirig burials - - 828 3169 
 
 Total in each 21070 26509 
 The latter period exceeds the former - 4439 
 
 Or if you even take the average only of the 
 3 laft years, in the latter period, as, for reafons 
 that will more fully appear hereafter, is but fair, 
 the account will ftand thus. 
 
 Annual number in the bills 
 on an average of 10 years 
 in the firft period 
 
 On an average of 3 years 
 
 in the fecond 
 DirTenting burials in each 
 
 i ft period ad period 
 21242 
 
 828 
 
 20668 
 
 3 l6 9 
 
 Totals 22070 
 The latter period exceeds the former 
 
 23837 
 1767 
 
 When
 
 When I endeavour to afcertain the relative po- 
 pulation of the city, I (hall prefent another lift of 
 deficiencies of various kinds and from various 
 quarters, much longer than that now given. E- 
 nough is here produced to eftablifh our prefent 
 point, which is. that our author's proof of depo- 
 pulation deduced from the bills of mortality, like 
 the former deduced from the official returns of 
 houfes, is abfoiutely nothing at all ; its fuppofed 
 foundation has no exiftence, and the fuperftruc- 
 ture endeavoured to be raifed upon it, of courfe 
 fails to the ground. 
 
 C A H P. III. SECT. I. 
 
 Excwination of Dr. PRICED Argument of 
 D-.pnbuLitioii deduced from the deer e of ed 
 t : wd Pi oduce of the hereditary and tern- 
 ' v Excife. 
 
 AT H I R D proof of depopulation is drawn 
 -om the decreafed annual produce of the 
 hereditary and temporary excife. If this be 
 admitted as a foundation on which to build an 
 eftirnife of the increafe or decreafe of people, one 
 mi^K. deduce con. iufions, even from the Doctor's, 
 own i'hitemrnt o*' the extracts from the excife 
 books, the moft extravagant and incredible. That 
 I may not mifreprefent this matter, I will give 
 his whole table of extracts, page 47. 
 
 Annual
 
 ( 72 ) 
 
 Annual average of 3 ) ,_ 
 
 years ending at ) 
 Two years ending at - 1699 381,886 
 
 43 8 >573 
 
 473-799 
 1710 449,666 
 
 17*9 59 : 37 
 
 495 749 
 
 1753 5 2 7.-9i 
 
 _ _ __ _ 17 6i 57,5,280 
 
 Of four years ending at 1768 527,991 
 
 1774 5 20 > 6l 3 
 
 1778 554,460 
 
 From this table it appears that the annual produce 
 for three years ending at :68g \vas ^.740,147 
 and for two years endingat 1699 only 381.886 
 and confequently, by a fair application of the Dr's. 
 argument, at leaft as ftated in this table, the in- 
 habitants of the kingdom, in the courfe of ten 
 years, were decreafed almoft one half; a circum- 
 ftance too extravagant for the moft credulous to 
 believe. This is a ftrikipg inftance of the infuf- 
 fkienry of averages taken from Jlwrt, periods, to 
 form any fatisfaftory eftiinate upon. But fuppofe 
 we try it by the tefl of averages deduced from 
 long pmods the only way, in this cafe, of forming 
 any rational eftimate at all (even allowing the in- 
 formation from this quarter of any importance, 
 
 \vhicli
 
 ( 73 ) 
 
 which we (hall prefently mew it really is not,) 
 how will the matter then ftand ? The average pro- 
 duce from 1686 to 1710, that is for 24 years 
 was . 488,808. 
 
 And the average from 1751 to) 
 
 o u r 501,087. 
 
 1778, that is for 27 years, was ) 
 
 Which, upon the affumed mode of reafoning, 
 would indicate a fmall increafe of population. 
 Should we begin the former period at 1693, the 
 average of 17 years would be 435.981 
 
 And the latter in the year 1759 the ) 
 
 r u u C 
 
 average tor 19 years would be ) 
 
 Confequently the augmentation of inhabitants 
 more than one fifth. Should this kind of arguing 
 be admitted, therefore, upon the faireft, and moft 
 unexceptionable ufe of it, it would turn againft 
 our author. 
 
 But the truth is, no argument to eftablifli the 
 comparative number of people at different peri- 
 ods can be deduced from fuch precarious change- 
 able premifes. Could the real confumption of 
 any article at different seras be accurately afcer- 
 tained from the produce of the excife, (which I 
 prcfume, however, cannot always be done) it 
 would ftill authorize no conclufion as to the rela- 
 tive number of inhabitants ; unlefs it was firft 
 proved that that article was at both periods, in 
 the fame degree of common ufe. 
 
 I will
 
 ( 74 ) 
 
 I will inftance in two mod unexceptionable arti- 
 cles, and at prefent of more univerfal consumption 
 than perhaps any other; I mean wheat and beef. 
 In the northern parts of the kingdom there is, at 
 leaft, ten times as much of thefe annually confumed 
 as formerly. An ingenious man from this quarter, 
 an$ of diflinguifhed accuracy of obfervation, fays, 
 in a very obliging letter he has favoured me with, 
 " Wheat, which is the bread now very generally 
 " ufed, a hundred years ago, was rarely to be 
 (: found, even in the houfes of our gentry. In a 
 " fmall market town, called Ravenglafs, at the 
 " martinmas feafon, when the country lays in their 
 * winter ftores, they now will (laughter 200 black 
 *' cattle, whereas 60 years fmcc they did- not kill 
 " ten." The cafe, I am affured, is fimilar to this, 
 in all the counties of the north; and from the whole 
 taken together, it may be fairly concluded, that 
 they now confume ten, if not twenty times as 
 much leff and wheat as their forefathers did at the 
 time of the revolution. Our author will perhaps 
 fay, that all this increafed confumption is occafion- 
 ed by the enormous growth of luxury; for my part, 
 I can only view it as a pleafing evidence of the 
 increafe of induflry, the Improvements in agri- 
 culture, and the bleflings of heaven, which feldom 
 fail to attend them. But however we may differ 
 in this particular, there is a circumftance in which 
 I am fure we perfectly agree ; and that is, that this 
 increafed confumption of wheat and oxen is no evi- 
 dence
 
 ( 75 ) 
 
 dence of a proportionable incieafe of men and women. 
 And yet, unlefs I am ilrangely miibken, it would 
 be a conclufion altogether as juft as the contrary 
 one deduced from the decrcafed produce of the 
 fared < 7 and temporary excife. For with regard 
 even j beer, the moft unexceptionable objecl of 
 this excife, it would argue a ftrange ignorance of 
 the ufages of the middling and lower ranks of peo- 
 ple among us, to fuppofe that it is nearly fo com- 
 mon and univerfal a beverage, in country towns, 
 villages, and parifhes, efpecially in the maritime 
 counties, as it was before the fo general introduc- 
 tion of fmuggkd jpirits and fmuggled tea. It has 
 been proved to the houfe of commons, upon pretty 
 fatjsfaclory evidence, that the contraband trade in 
 thefe articles, annually deprives the revenue of 
 nearly two millions fterliug.* Now fubftitute the 
 
 ufe 
 
 * That this account is not exaggerated may be clearly feen 
 from the following detail, which I am allured is^f indubitable 
 authenticity. 
 
 In the year 1777 there were 2,500,000 gallons of 
 geneva imuggled from Dunkerciur- ; and i ,500,000 
 from Holland and other ports; in 'all 4,000.000; 
 which at ss. Gd. per gallon, is , 500,00$ 
 
 N. B. Hollands's geneva on importation pay's 3, 
 duty of 75. sd. per gallon, whereas the duty in this 
 calculation is only 25. 6d. that being nearly the duty 
 paid for corn ipirits made in England. 
 
 Rum fmuggled from Guernfey and other ports, 
 800,000 gallons, which at 55. per gallon is 2OO,oe* 
 
 Brandies fmuggled from different ports in France, 
 Guernfey, Holland, and Germany, 2,000,000 gal- 
 lons, at 75. per gallon. - . 700,00* 
 
 In the year 1 778 there were 10.000,000 Ib. of tea 
 fmuggled into England, which on the average duty 
 of 2s. iod. per Ib. is - , - i,5%3>333 
 
 The total amount is
 
 ( 76 ) 
 
 ufe of one or the other of thefe in the room of beer, 
 as they notorioufly arc fubllituted by great num- 
 bers of the poorer people, and there may be a 
 very confiderable decreafe in the confumption of 
 this article, without giving rife to any apprehen- 
 fion of a diminution of people. If we afcend from 
 thefe lower claffes to the next fuperior ranks, the 
 farmers and tradefmen, we mail find that although 
 good ale be ftill in ufe in their private houfes, yet, 
 that when they meet for the mutual tranfaftion of 
 bufinefs or for fociety, thofe who were once con- 
 tent with a pot of good October, muft now have 
 their bottle of wine or bowl of punch. All thefe 
 circumftances duly confidered, and that the public 
 confumption of beer notwithftariding is not greatly 
 diminished, from hence alone arifes a ftrong pre- 
 fumption that our number of people, inftead of 
 being leflened, muft be greatly increafed. 
 
 SECT 
 
 This I have from the author ef " Obferva^'ons on fmuggling 
 humbly fubmitted to the confederation of the right honourable 
 the houfe of peers and thf honourable the houfe of commons 
 in parliament aflembled, in 1779," ever}' article of which, he 
 aflures me, may be proved on the moft fatisfaftoiy evidence. 
 Befides all this, I may, from the fa-DC authority, remark, that 
 there are at this very time fome thoufands of private ftills in 
 London and its environs that work prodigious quantities of 
 fpirits, which are confumed without paying any duty ; and that 
 this very King's Town and parifh of Maidftone ufes at prefent 
 upon an average 7oolb. of ftr.uggled tea in a week. This I pre- 
 fume will pretty well fupply the place of the ancient morning 
 draught, and ev?n afternoon refreshment. And it is likcwife to 
 be remembered that half this, at leaft, is confumed, not as an 
 article of luxury, but as a common beverage; and, even further, 
 that the fanners on our fea coafts, v -o in former days ufcd to 
 regale their haivcft men with good ocer, now give them gin 
 or brandy. 
 
 N. B. The duties on geneva, &c above fct at 25. 6d. by the 
 additional duties on fpirits, aie now upwards of 3^. 6d.
 
 C 77 ) 
 SECT. II. 
 
 Diminution of the Number of Victuallers.. 
 
 TT^ H E diminution of the number of our 
 JL alien our author contends, p. 21, is likewife 
 " a fact of particular confequence to eftablifh 
 " his point; becaufe victuallers include all that 
 " keephoufes for felling ftrong liquors." I am ready 
 to grant that this fact is altogether of as much im- 
 portance to confirm his general alfertion as thofe 
 he had before adduced; but whoever really thinks 
 it of any importance at all, will be much deceived. 
 In all fmuggling counties, \vheretheufe offpiri- 
 tuous liquors is moft frequent, it is notorious, 
 that almoft irf every country parifh there are two 
 or three private unlicenfed brandy Jhops at which five 
 times as much of that liquor, and of thofe of a 
 fimilar kind, are conftantly fold as at the public 
 houfe by the licenced victualler. 
 
 SECT. III. 
 
 The Eafe with which King WILLIAM raifed, 
 Troops. 
 
 OUR author further obferves, p. 22, " that he 
 " cannot help mentioning, as an additio- 
 '' nal fact, indicating a particular degree 
 " of populoufnefs at the revolution^ that King 
 
 G William
 
 ( 78 ) 
 
 " William wanting, in 1689, to raife 23 new 
 " regiments for the war in Ireland, the levies 
 *' were compleated in fix weeks." In anfwcr to 
 this, it may be fufficient to remark, that the eafe 
 with which foldiers are raifed in any country, is, 
 of itfelf and unconnected with other circumflances, 
 no indication of populoufnefs at all: Towards the 
 clofe of Maryborough's glorious campagnes againft 
 the French, Lewis the XlVth might foon have had 
 the 4th part of the kingdom of France in his ar- 
 mies, if he could but have clothed paid and fed 
 them. And were Great Britain now reduced to the 
 fame deplorable fituation, which, thank God, is far 
 from being the cafe, George the Hid at the i ft beat 
 of the drum, might find a full quarter of his fubje6ts 
 moft ready volunteers. Deflroy our commerce, 
 turn our manufacturers out of employment, and bid 
 the plough ftand Hill, and in two months time, even 
 though our population were much lefs than it really 
 is, you might raife an army, not only of 23 re- 
 giments, but of 23 times 23; provided you could 
 put clothes on their backs, money in their poc- 
 kets, and food in their mouths. 
 
 Upon the whole, then, neither the fpcculative. 
 arguments urged by the Doftor to evince the de- 
 population of this country, nor the flofitivf proofs 
 he has brought to eftablifh the fact, afford the 
 fmallcft derive of rational conviction. As they 
 were however fo fcrionfly and confidently urged 
 
 by
 
 ( 79 ) 
 
 by a writer of fo much diftinBion, I fhould hardly 
 have ventured to have called them' in queftion, 
 had I not pofitive evidence to produce that the truth 
 of the cafe is dire&ly contrary to his afiertion* 
 This pofitive evidence I now proceed to lay be- 
 fore the reader: 
 
 Go PART
 
 PART. III. 
 
 Proofs of increafed and increajing Popu- 
 lation. 
 
 HAVING fhewn as I conceive in the two pre- 
 ceding parts, that there is no rcafon to con- 
 clude, either from fpeculative arguments, 
 or pofitive evidence, that this kingdom has been, 
 as Dr. PRICE afTerts, wafting away by a gradual 
 depopulation From the revolution to the prefent 
 time, I fhall now endeavour to eftablifh on what 
 I think very folid grounds the direttly oppofite 
 do6lrine ; viz. that the number of our inhabitants 
 has been for many years paft in a ftate of progref- 
 five increafe, and particularly that it is now much 
 larger than it^vvas at the time of the revolution. 
 
 The moft compleat and fatisfaftory mode of af- 
 certaining this point would have been an aclual 
 enumeration of the people, or at leaft of the houfes 
 at thefe two different periods; but government 
 never having thought fit, (for what rcafon I know 
 not) to adopt this obvious method, we muft be 
 content with fuch other means of calculation as are 
 within our reach. 
 
 Now the moft authentic fource of information 
 next after this which prefents itfelf, is the evidence 
 of parifh regifters. And this I firfl. fought for in 
 
 the
 
 the regiftries of feveral diocefes. But I foon found 
 that except in a few "inftances, of which I have 
 availed myfelf, but little fatisfa&km was to be ex- 
 pefted from this quarter. My next application 
 therefore was to the clergy themfelves for extracts 
 from the regiiters of their refpeclive parifhes. And 
 here I muft with the greateft gratitude acknowledge 
 that I have been favoured with,a large number of 
 extracts, and much ufeful information, collected 
 
 with accuracy, and communicated with liberality. 
 
 
 
 There are, it muft be acknowledged, feveral 
 circumftarces which (as fome of my ingenious cor-r 
 refpondents have very juftly obferved) may fome- 
 times affeQ: the force of regifter evidence. But 
 after cpnfidering them with a good deal of atten,- 
 tion, there is only one, which, in the prefent 
 enquiry, appears to me of any great importance; 
 and that is, the different degrees of healthinefs, or 
 to fpeak with more precifion, the different degrees 
 of mortality at the two periods between which we 
 mean to form a comparifon. Both the baptifms 
 and burials of one period may be confiderably 
 more than at the other, and yet the real popula- 
 tion, or the actual number of living inhabitants, 
 may be lefs. Now it will I think be readily ac- 
 knowledged that this circumflance is greatly in fa- 
 vour of the prefent time compared with the aera 
 of the revolution. Confiderable improvements (as 
 J have before obferved) have taken place in the 
 G 3 cleanlinefs
 
 eleanlinefs and airinefs of our towns, ftreets and 
 houfes, and the general treatment of difeafes of 
 almoft every kind. Thefe and many other caufes 
 which will readily occur to every thinking man, muft 
 have preferved the lives of prodigious numbers ; 
 and whoever will take the pains to confult the pa- 
 rifli regifters, either of large and populous towns, 
 or even in fmallcr villages and country parimes, 
 and compare their tcilimony at different periods 
 with that of aclual enumerations, will, if I am not 
 much miftaken, find abundant proofs of this facl. 
 I have had an opportunity of making very minute 
 enquiries into this circumftance in the towns of 
 Braintree in EfTex and Maidftone * in Kent, and 
 the refult is an ample confirmation of the pofition 
 here advanced. The detail would be too tedious 
 and unimerefting to lay before the reader ; and 
 therefore I mall only add that I have very good 
 reafons for ftating the average proportion of di- 
 miniihed mortality in great towns at about i-4th, 
 in country parifhes at i-ioth and on a combination 
 of both at more than i-8th,t. Should it then 
 even appear from the regiflcr extracts (which it 
 
 moft 
 
 * Judging from regifter evidence alone the town of Maid- 
 rtor.c is not increafcd above one twentieth, fmcc the revo- 
 lution . whereas it is manifeft by aftual furvcys made at the 
 two periods, that it is incrcafed more than i-4th ; which dif- 
 ference evidently arifes from the different degrees of morta- 
 lity at the two periods. 
 
 r With refpeft 1o country parifhes, Mr. A R T H r R 
 Y o u N c, in fome papers which he has favoured me 
 \vuli, has given a curious detail of the gradual increafc of 
 
 health.-
 
 C 83 ) 
 
 moft certainly does not,) that the number of bap- 
 tifms and burials at the revolution was even an 
 eighth more than thofe of the prefent time, yet 
 ftill the living population would be nearly the 
 fame. 
 
 SECT. T. 
 
 Regifter Evidence applied to afcertain the 
 relative Population of the City oj London. 
 
 HE R E we muft have recourfe to the bills of 
 mortality which exhibit to us in one view, 
 the regifter evidence refpe&ing London. 
 And from thefe it appears that the medium annual 
 
 G 4 average 
 
 >i9ff|}u8. .^.k^a%j 
 
 healthinefs in the parjfii of North Runclon in the county 
 of Norfolk, during the 150 years now immediately paft, 
 by which it appears that its degree of mortality in the 
 courfe of that period has been diminiihed almoft i~5th, and 
 which he afcribes to the better living of the poor. A ftriking 
 inftance to the fame purpofe in the parifh of Great Chart, near 
 Afhford in the county of Kent, has been fcnt me. Its burials 
 in a period of twenty years immediately fubfequent to the 
 revolution were 192 but almoft 100 of them were occafion- 
 ed by the fmall-pox ; whereas in 20 years beginning with 
 i 760, there appears to have been only 4 or 5 who died of that 
 diforder; This diminution my ingenious correfpondent im- 
 putes to inoculation, and adds " that no regifter can, as yet, 
 1 properly inform us of the thoufands that have been pre- 
 : ferved by this falutary practice for thefe 20 years paft all 
 : over the kingdom. As they have been chiefly infants and 
 ' young people they are or dinarily too young to die, and fcarcc 
 ' yet old enough to marry ; but they are latent in focicty, and 
 " will greatly fwell both regifters in due time." Thefe in- 
 ftances alone mav induce the reader to believe that the aboi't 
 gf, of diminiflied mortality is not let too high.
 
 average of the births and burials for 10 ) 
 years beginning with the year 168 1 is ) 
 For the fame number of years beginning ) 
 with the year 1771 is ) ^55* 
 
 This mews an increafe of 1 j955> 
 or about one tenth; which fuppofing the bills 
 equally accurate at both periods, and that the 
 healthinefs of the city and every other circum- 
 ftance remained nearly the fame, would enable us 
 to afcertain, the relative degree of population. 
 But in thefe refpe&s there is a prodigious de- 
 ficiency. .''< 
 
 With regard to the bills I have already noticed 
 their deficiency as far as it is occafioned by the 
 burials of that part of the diflenters, ufually com- 
 prehended under the feveral denominations of 
 Prefiyterians, Independents, and Baptifts. But there 
 are other fe&s, fuch as Quakers, Methodifls, 
 Moravians, &c. whofe annual burials, which are 
 not entered in the bills of mortality, are as follows, 
 
 in 1729 in 1780 
 
 Quakers 245 117 
 
 Puckeredge's Ground, Baker's 
 Row, White-chapel, a reputed 
 
 Quaker, but his Ground com- 
 
 ^ 
 
 mon 
 
 SABBATARIAN. 
 
 Noble'sGround.MillYardjGood- ) 2O 
 
 man's Fields ) 
 
 Morgan's Ground
 
 ( 85 ) 
 
 Methodifts, &c 
 
 Northampton Chapel 2080 
 
 Worfhips Ground, Mile End 138 
 
 Wefley's new Ground, Moorfields 41 
 In the burialGround atWhitfield's > 
 Tabernacle $ 
 
 Totals 245 2743 
 
 Increafe 2498 
 
 FOREIGN DISSENTING BURIALS. 
 
 Dutch Chapel, Auftin Friars 3 
 
 Lutheran Chapel, Savoy 22 
 
 German Calviniftical ditto 6 
 
 Lutheran Church 4 
 
 Total 35 
 
 In Maitland's Lift 21 
 
 Increafe 14 
 JEWISH BURIALS. 
 
 Dutch Jews, Mile End 100 
 
 Portuguefe ditto . 125 
 At Hoxton- Square, from the ) 
 Hamburgh Synagogue ) 
 
 Total 240 
 
 In Maitland's Lift 125 
 
 Jncreafe 115
 
 ( 86 ) 
 
 But befides diflenting and jewifh burials, which 
 never enter the annual bills, there is a vafl num- 
 ber of others under the fame predicament. 
 
 The firft I mall (hew the reader are thofe of St. 
 Paul's cathedral, St. Peter in Vmculo, or Tower of 
 London Church, the Rolls Chapel, the Charter Houfe, 
 the Temple Church, Lincoln s-Inn, Wcjlminjlcr- Abbey 
 and Cloi/lers. From moft of thefe places, by the 
 very aclive refearches of a moft obliging friend, 
 I am furnifhed with the regifter extrafts, both at 
 the revolutional period and the prefent ; and with 
 regard to the reft, which are indeed comparatively 
 inconfiderable, the accounts arc derived from the 
 communication of perfons well qualified in every 
 refpecl to give authentic intelligence. 
 
 AVERAGE of ANNUAL INTERMENTS AT THE 
 REVOLUTION AND AT PRESENT AT THE FOL- 
 
 LOWING PLACES. 
 
 i ft period, zd period. 
 
 St. Paul's ~~**'KTf ;77 r no regifter. 2 
 
 Tower Church during 177 years? ^ 
 
 only. 11 3 
 
 Charter-Houfe 8 8 
 
 Temple Church 13 15 
 
 Liricoln's-Inn 3 if 
 
 Weftminfter Abbey and CloiRers 16 12 
 
 Let
 
 Let us next go to the hofpitals, which make fo 
 magnificent a figure in our capitar, and of which 
 far the greater part has rifen up long fincc the 
 revplution. 
 
 The total amount of the burials from thefe 
 which do not enter into the bills of mortality, I 
 cannot precifely afcertain. In thofe hofpitals from 
 which I have received fatisfa&ory information they 
 are as follows. 
 
 i ft period. 2d period. 
 
 In St George's 95 
 Guy's about 80 120 
 Bartholomew's 150 
 
 80 285 
 Increafc 365 
 
 Thefe are all the accounts that I can depend 
 upon. Thofe others, however, which Mr. Mah> 
 land has inferted in his lift of 1729, amount to 
 about 45, which I will fuppofe were nearly t}ie 
 lame as the annual average both at the revolu- 
 tion and now. thefe added to the former make 
 the whole of the hofpital burials for the two periods 
 ftand thus. 
 
 i ft period. 2d period. 
 
 Increafe 285 
 
 Ye
 
 ( 88 ) 
 
 We have hitherto only fought for the dead with- 
 in the limits of the city; we will now extend our 
 enquiries to the villages around it, where we mall 
 fiiid no inconliderable number. The change that 
 has taken place in this refpeft, during the prefent 
 century, is allowed on all hands to have been pro- 
 digious. Modern luxury, or modern vanity, call 
 it which you pleafe, fend out their multitudes 
 both alive and dead, which ancient fimplichy. or 
 ancient poverty confined, both in life and death, 
 to the fame fmoky fpot. The perfon who a 
 hundred years ago would have contented himfelf 
 with lodgings, or at moft a (ingle houfe, muft 
 now have a magnificent building in town, and a- 
 noiher of equal elegance in the country. The 
 greater part of his family are chiefly in the rural 
 manfion, where he himfelf paffes his nights, and 
 only repairs to the city for the tranfaftion of his 
 commercial affairs by day ; and if he himfelf, his 
 family, or any of his domeftics, fall fick, they are 
 probably nurfcd in the country, and if they die 
 are there buried. 
 
 To thefe we may add thofe multitudes which 
 annually fwarm from this immenfe hive, into al- 
 moft every part of the kingdom, to Bath, Tun- 
 bridge, Scarborough, and other places of general 
 refort, which modern wealth has opened on all 
 fides. Others mean time, crofs the channel and vi- 
 fit our neighbours in France, Flanders, Germany,
 
 &c Many of both thefe, whether their excurfions 
 were made for the recovery of health, or mere 
 diffipatioa and amufement, come back no more, 
 but die and are buried in fome diftant part of 
 their native land, or in foreign countries. From 
 all thefe caufes the external burials of London 
 muft be incomparably more numerous than in 
 former days ; efpecially fo long ago as the 
 revolution. It would be to little purpofe to at- 
 tempt to afcertain the total number of the various 
 kinds above alluded to. The utmoft we can 
 hope to know, with any degree of certainty and 
 precilion, are thofe which annually take place in 
 the villages round London to the diftance of ten 
 or twelve miles. 
 
 Mr. MAITLAND found them even in the year 
 1729 confiderably more than a thoufand. It is 
 probable that this is three times as much as they 
 were at the revolution ; and it is equally probable 
 that fince that time they have been increafed three 
 times more : this has certainly been the cafe with 
 regard to fome of the moft confiderable of them; 
 I mean Pancras, Paddington and Marybone, as 
 appears from the regifters of thofe three places. 
 From fome other parifhes, I am affured that their 
 burials, which are very numerous, are nearly half 
 of them from London. I am convinced there- 
 fore that 3000 would not be too great an allowance 
 for the prefent annual burials of the city of Lon- 
 don
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 don in the circumjacent villages. As I wifh, 
 however, to be rather below the mark than alm*e 
 it, I will fet them only at 2000 
 
 I will alfo admit that at the revolution ) 
 
 500 
 
 they were 3 
 
 Which is probably more than the truth, 
 there will remain ^5 
 
 for the excefs of thefe annual interments of the 
 city in the neighbouring villages beyond what 
 they were at the revolution. 
 
 The burials from the Eaft India Company's 
 Clips are now annually 500 
 Iii the year 1729 (when they were pro-} 
 
 bably much more than at the revo-/" *98 
 
 lutiou) they were only 
 
 Increafe 302 
 
 The prefent annual executions, on an average 
 of 8 years the humane Mr. Howard informs us 
 are _- _-_ 34 
 In Mr. Maitland's lilt they are only - 24 
 
 Increafe 10 
 
 We have hitherto fought the deficiencies of the 
 bills of mortality in the manfions of the dead. We 
 will now enter on a more agreeable fearch, and 
 give the reader the pleafure of finding them likewife 
 (to ufe a feemingly inconfiltent expreflion) in the 
 houfes of the living. Many of that clafs of humari 
 beings who ufcd to be annually doomed to certain 
 
 death.
 
 death, are now as conftantly preferved, to enjoy 
 the blefling of life, and to be of future fervice to 
 their country. In the year 1767, in confequence 
 of the humane fuggeftionsof Mr. JON AS HAN WAY, 
 an aft of parliament was patted obliging the parifh 
 officers of the cities of London and Weflminfter 
 to fend their infant poor to be nurfed in the country 
 at proper diftances from town. Before this bene- 
 volent meafure took place, not above i in 24 of 
 the poor children received into the work-houfes 
 lived to be a year old; fo that out of 2800, the 
 average annual number' admitted, 2690 died. 
 Whereas fince, only about 450 die in the work- 
 houfes, (where by the acl: they are to be only three 
 weeks,) and 150 in the country; which makes in 
 all 600. Thofe. however, who die in the country 
 are no part of our prefent enquiry. The dimi- 
 nution of the burials in London only is the object of 
 our refearch. And it is manifeft that by the regu- 
 lations of this act they were diminifhed 2240 in the 
 very firft year after its palling. But this is not all. 
 I am allured that before the expiration of the fe- 
 cond year far the greater part of the fmall remain- 
 der of children ufed not uncommonly to be dead 
 likewife. So that we may fairly reqkon that the 
 London burials in the sd year after this act took 
 place were lefTened above 2300. This diminution 
 
 * o 
 
 muft have {till continued to go on till the return of 
 the children into the city; which by the law is not, I 
 
 think,
 
 ( 92 ) 
 
 think, to be before they are fix years old. However, 
 as fome of them, it muft be acknbwleded, certainly 
 come back to their mothers long before that, we 
 will only fuppofe that the 2300 was the annual di- 
 minution, during the firft fix years after the com- 
 mencement of the aft, that is, from the year 1767 
 to 1773. After the return of the children, as 
 fome of them muft die, this diminution muft have 
 gradually decreafed from the year 1773 inclufive 
 to the prefent time. I will admit that this decreafe 
 now amounts to 200, and the remainder 2100 will 
 Ihew the prefent annual diminution in the burials 
 of ihe bills of mortality from the falutary regula- 
 tions of this act of parliament.* 
 
 Thefe muft doubtlefs be taken into the eftimate 
 of the relative population of the city from its bu- 
 rials. And after we have taken an account of them 
 as fuppofed to be de-ad, we are to remember that 
 moft of them are ftill alive; and that inftead of con- 
 cluding from this diminution in the bills, that the 
 inhabitants are decreafed upwards of 40,000, they 
 they arc nearly 25,000 increafed. I cannot here 
 flay to make thofe reflections which the feelings of 
 humanity would naturally fuggeft, and which the 
 lover of his country muft gladly indulge. I muft 
 
 haften 
 
 * I cannot too thankfully acknowledge the obliging civility, 
 as well as minute prccifion and accuracy, with which Mr* 
 HAN WAY communicated the fubfbnce of the above informa- 
 tion. If I have deduced any falfe conclufions from it, made 
 it the ground of fallacious rcafoning or fallen into any miftake 
 relative to it, he will not a little increafc the obligation already 
 conferred if he will be kind enough to correci me.
 
 I 93 ) 
 
 haften to prefent the reader, in one collective view, 
 with the whole lifts of burials not entered in the 
 bills of mortality, and of thofe which would have 
 been entered but for the humane and judicious 
 regulations of this aci of the legiflature. 
 
 DEFICIENCIES IN THE BILLS of MORTA- 
 LITY AT THE REVOLUTION AND AT PRESENT. 
 
 i ft Period. 2d Period 
 
 Diffenting burials 828 3169 
 
 Foreign Diflenting ditto 21 35 
 
 Quakers 245 117 
 
 Reputed Quakers 16 
 
 Sabbatarian 26 
 
 Methodifts, &c. 2701 
 
 Jews 125 240 
 
 In Weftminfter Abbey, St. Paul's, &c. 48 50 
 
 In hofpitals 125 285 
 
 In the neighbouring villages 500 2000 
 
 In the E. India Corn's fervice abroad 198 500 
 
 Executions 24 34 
 
 Prevented by Mr. Hanway's aft of Pmt. 2 100 
 
 Total 2114 11273 
 
 Add thefe two fums to the number of burials in the 
 bills of mortality at the two periods refpefctively 
 and the account will appear thus, 
 
 ift Period 2d Period 
 
 Burials included in the bills 21124 20668 
 
 Out of the bills 2114 11273 
 
 Total 23238 31941 
 H Increafe 8703
 
 Suppofing therefore the city juft as healthy now as 
 at the revolution, its population is increafed more 
 than i-4th. But it is a pleafing truth, which Dr. 
 PRICE himfelf is ready to acknowledge, that, the 
 circumftance of healthinefs is greatly in favour of 
 the prefent time. It may be rho'ught, at fir.il fight, 
 that the heahhinefs of London is more increafed 
 than that of country towns ; and, as far as it has 
 been occafioned by widening of ftreets, taking down 
 of figns, removing obllruftions, and promoting a 
 fuller and freer circulation of frefh air, it is pro- 
 bably true. But it muft be remembered that the 
 diininifhed mortality of the latter appears to be 
 chiefly owing to the falutary practice of inocula- 
 tion ; whereas, in the former, for want ofuniverfality, 
 it has hitherto been of little advantage. On an 
 average of ten years *ift paft, as appears from the 
 bills of mortality, the number of perfons annually 
 dying of the fmall-pox is confiderably more than 
 in the fame compafs of time immediately fubfe- 
 quent to the revolution. In provincial towns and 
 villages, as foon as this diforder makes its appear- 
 ance, inoculation takes place amongft all ranks of 
 people ; the rich and poor, from either choice or 
 neceflity, almoll inftantJy have recourfe to it ; and 
 where two or threa hundred ufed to be carried to 
 their graves in the courfe of a few months, there 
 are now perhaps not above 20 or 30. At London 
 the cafe, I prefwne, is far different ; a few are 
 inoculated, and. perhaps, the infection by their 
 means is communicated to thoufands, who might 
 
 other-
 
 f 95 ) 
 
 otherwife have efcapcd the difeafe as long as they 
 lived. But although, for thefe reafons, the dimi- 
 nifhed mortality of the capital may not be fo con- 
 fiderab'c as that of country towns ; I believe it will 
 not be thought an extravagant fuppofition that its 
 degree is at leaft one tenth, the ratio above laid 
 down for the whole kingdom. This, added to the 
 prcfent annual number of burials, will mew the po- 
 pulation to be increafed fmce the revolution nearly 
 one third ; and that its a&ual amount cannot be 
 lefs than between feven or eight hundred thoufand ; 
 even exclufive of Pancras and Marybone, and 
 perhaps fome other places, which may juftly be 
 comprehended under the general idea of our ca- 
 pital, and are chiefly the growth of modern times, 
 and would probably give us an addition of fifty 
 or fixty thoufand. * 
 
 Having thus difcovered that our metropolis is not 
 in a ftate of depopulation we may proceed with 
 courage to inferior places. The heart of the em- 
 pire is found, and we may hope its limbs are healthy 
 and vigorous. Let us then take a view^of its nearer 
 parts ; I mean the immediate vicinity of London, 
 to the diftance of eight or ten miles. Which way 
 the courfe of population has here been, the follow- 
 ing regifter extracts, for the two periods in quellion, 
 will pretty clearly mew. 
 
 H 2 BAPTISMS 
 
 * From the above detail it muft be extremely obvious, that 
 by computing the number of inhabitants in London from the 
 prefent wretchedly imperfeft bills of mortality alone we fall 
 fhort of the truth considerably more than one third ; perhaps 
 very little lefs than three hundred thoufand fouls.
 
 ( 96 ) 
 
 BAPTISMS AND BURIALS IN THE VILLAGES 
 ROUND LONDON FOR TWO PERIODS OF 
 TWENTY YEARS EACH, THE FIRST BEGINNING 
 ABOUT THE REVOLUTION, THE SECOND WITH 
 THE YEAR 1758 60, OR 61. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period 
 
 Paridies. Bapt. Bur. Bapt. Bur. 
 
 Clapham 340 400 720 1080 
 
 Deptford - - 4618 4817 7191 8951 
 
 Streatham 403 448 645 951 
 
 Woodford 394 410 704 762 
 
 Kenfmgton 1734 2514 2419 3571 
 
 Eltham 515 575 731 864 
 
 Tooting 139 132 283 328 
 
 Fulham 1 434 1640 1793 253 1 
 
 Hammerfmith J ^53 1816 2011 2542 
 
 Chifwick -'"' 967 1286 1715 2354 
 
 Greenwich 3754 3755 5125 5924 
 
 Wai th am Row 666 778 877 1125 
 
 Dulwich 149 60 523 408 
 
 Highgate Chapel 591 219 768 304 
 
 Chelfea 1109 *347 2720 4746 
 
 Wanftead -'" 156 197 289 462 
 
 St. Pancras 539 1281 809 6063 
 
 Camberwell 688 965 1549 2681 
 
 Weftham - *2O5 1662 3161 3811 
 
 Bromley 711 771 1087 1143 
 
 Lewifham 707 793 1195 J 39^ 
 
 Lee
 
 ( 97 ) 
 
 Lee - - - - 
 Paddington 
 Wandfworth 
 Stoke Newington 
 Kentifti Town 
 
 Total 20782 31342 39383 66276 
 
 The burials muft here be thrown intirely out of 
 the queftion, on account of the number of them 
 from London. If we judge then by the baptifms 
 alone the population of thefe parifhes now and 
 immediately fubfequent to the revolution is as 
 39383, 1020782, or nearly doubled; and if we 
 make the addition of i-ioth for the ratio of dimi- 
 ni med mortality, confiderably more fo. 
 
 We will now extend our enquiry further into 
 the country and take a view of fome of the prin- 
 cipal parts of the kingdom. And firft let us ex- 
 amine the fertile and populous county of Kent, 
 
 H 3 KENT.
 
 KENT. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period. 
 
 Parifhes. 
 
 Deptford - 
 
 Tudely 
 
 T. Sutton 
 
 Chart - 
 
 Goudhurft 
 
 Chatham 
 
 Stroud 
 
 Shorne 
 
 Otham 
 Staplehurft 
 Cranbrook 
 
 Farningham 
 
 Horton Kirby 
 
 Brenchley 
 
 Seal 
 
 Sevenoaks- 
 Yalding 
 
 Sutton near Dart- ) 
 
 ford $ 
 
 Boughton Malhcrb 
 
 Aylesford 
 Burram 
 
 Wouldham - 
 
 Lee - - 
 
 Bromley - 
 
 Chiflehurft - . 
 
 Bapt, 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 R...-. 
 
 4617 
 
 4817 
 
 7181 
 
 8, '2 
 
 106 
 
 57 
 
 277 
 
 i 7 a 
 
 254 
 
 186 
 
 265 
 
 221 
 
 164 
 
 130 
 
 192 
 
 105 
 
 783 
 
 75^ 
 
 910 
 
 603 
 
 4080 
 
 4417 
 
 5582 
 
 5622 
 
 986 
 
 1123 
 
 "99 
 
 1405 
 
 288 
 
 404 
 
 322 
 
 385 
 
 93 
 
 74 
 
 *55 
 
 145 
 
 321 
 
 33 6 
 
 4% 
 
 388 
 
 880 
 
 1196 
 
 1202 
 
 1178 
 
 104 
 
 116 
 
 2l6 
 
 1 9 8 
 
 164 
 
 154 
 
 196 
 
 1 3 8 
 
 6 33 
 
 486 
 
 849 
 
 492 
 
 338 
 
 aG8 
 
 57 6 
 
 468 
 
 1150 
 
 97 6 
 
 M39 
 
 1264 
 
 470 
 
 385 
 
 888 
 
 578 
 
 211 
 
 209 
 
 308 
 
 288 
 
 117 
 
 loo 
 
 209 
 
 99 
 
 3 l8 
 
 312 
 
 458 
 
 328 
 
 75 
 
 40 
 
 67 
 
 53 
 
 60 
 
 66 
 
 102 
 
 56 
 
 93 
 
 138 
 
 "5 
 
 593 
 
 711 
 
 771 
 
 1087 
 
 "43 
 
 296 287 421
 
 ( 99 ) 
 
 Parifhes Bapt. Bur. Bapt. Bur. 
 
 St. Mary Cray 183 200 322 282 
 
 Lewifham - 77 793 1J 95 *39 8 
 
 Weft-Wickham - 117 14* *74 *97 
 
 Beckenham - 239 223 444 531 
 
 Pembury 194 l6 3 28 9 22 3 
 
 Laybourne - 72 47 129 74 
 
 Boxley - 45 37 54 2 45 2 
 
 Sandwich 1765 1865 1408 1229 
 
 Eaftry - 300 211- 371 254 
 
 Lenham 4 2 3 344 86 9 549 
 
 Tenterden 563 669 873 725 
 
 Crayford ~ 295 337 696 621 
 
 Dodington 74 5 2 1 94 *3 S 
 
 Wkkling 41 28 74 43 
 
 Mereworth - 173 115 304 196 
 
 Harrietfham - 181 160 274 177 
 
 Weft Farleigh ,85 66 128 102 
 
 Teflon 48 47 6 7 75 
 
 Cuxton - - 71 95 112 75 
 
 Rochefter St. Ni- > l6 226l l66l 
 
 cnolas ) 
 
 St. Margaret 1261 1042 984 1038 
 
 Hunton - - 148 108 233 192 
 
 Eaft Farleigh 201 184 302 219 
 
 Boughton 213 143 316 242 
 
 Loofe 183 144 250 186 
 
 Linton - - 159 157 2 9 6 22 3 
 
 Detling 121 119 139 76 
 
 Hawkhurft - 521 598 778 505 
 
 H 4 Bar-
 
 Parities. 
 
 Barm ing 
 
 Maidftone 
 
 Marden - - 
 
 Brabourne 
 
 Monks-horton 
 
 ,Eaft Mailing 
 
 Addington 
 
 Sundridge 
 
 Hollingbourne 
 
 Alhford - - 
 
 Great Chart 
 
 Kingfnorth 
 
 Welmington 
 
 Darenth 
 
 Wrotham - - 
 
 ( 100 J 
 
 Firft Period Second Period. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 85 
 
 74 
 
 118 
 
 96 
 
 2608 
 
 2984 
 
 3 or ) 8 
 
 2847 
 
 688 
 
 55* 
 
 683 
 
 462 
 
 184 
 
 J 37 
 
 166 
 
 148 
 
 106 
 
 64 
 
 100 
 
 55 
 
 462 
 
 
 
 574 
 
 442 
 
 82 
 
 75 
 
 108 
 
 104 
 
 373 
 
 35 2 
 
 411 
 
 3 2 7 
 
 268 
 
 189 
 
 441 
 
 294 
 
 760 
 
 784 
 
 628 
 
 6 34 
 
 281 
 
 192 
 
 301 
 
 172 
 
 111 
 
 106 
 
 123 
 
 82 
 
 210 
 
 209 
 
 2 13 
 
 2 37 
 
 188 
 
 127 
 
 208 
 
 188 
 
 45 2 
 
 343 
 
 651 
 
 499 
 
 345 2 4 3977 43733 4O949 
 
 Thefe regifter extracts are perhaps no inade- 
 quate reprefentation of thofe of the intire coun- 
 ty. They comprehend places of every fize and 
 every defcription in it, from its largeft towns to 
 its fmalleft parifhes; if, there are on the one hand 
 the rifing villages in the vicinity of London, 
 there are on the other thofe which have experi- 
 enced peculiar caufes of depopulation. The 
 towns of Maidftone and Cranbrook, the villages 
 
 of Sutton, Hawkhurft, and Marden have each loft 
 
 no
 
 no inconfiderable manufacture. The lofs how- 
 ever has been amply compenfated, by the great 
 improvements in agriculture, either in themfelves 
 or in the country adjacent; for thefe five places 
 taken together are confiderably increafed. And 
 the population of the whole county appears to be 
 advanced fince the revolution about a fourth. 
 
 It has long been a general apprehenfion, that the 
 increafe of great towns has been occasioned by the 
 depopulation of the adjacent villages. In particular 
 parts of the kingdom, for reafons already taken 
 notice of, this may, in fome meafure at leaft, have 
 been the cafe. But with regard to the county of 
 Kent, it is manifeft from the flighteft infpeftion of 
 the foregoing table that the faft is dire6lly the 
 reverfe. No places appear fo much decreafed as 
 the* town of Sandwich and the city of Rochefter. 
 The country parifhes, on the contrary, are gene- 
 rally increafed one third and fome are more than 
 doubled. 
 
 Let us next crofs the Thames into the county 
 of EffeXj and fee whether any dcfolation appears 
 there; 
 
 ESSEX
 
 1O2 
 
 S S E X. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period. 
 
 ParifKcs 
 
 Felftead - - 
 
 Stcbbing - - 
 
 Toppesfield 
 
 Great Yeldham 
 
 G. Baddow - 
 Coggefhall ''. -w 
 
 Copford - - 
 
 Kelvedon - - 
 Sible Headingham 
 Rayne 
 
 Afhen - - 
 Tilbury near Clare 
 
 Ovington - 
 
 Booking - - 
 
 Wanftead - 
 
 Wood ford - 
 
 Walhamftow 
 
 Harlow V . . 
 Caftle Headingham 
 
 Mapleftead - 
 
 Stifted , - .- . 
 
 Sandon - - 
 
 Farnham - - 
 
 Witham - - 
 
 Halftead - ., 
 
 Colne Engaine 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 473 
 
 447 
 
 729 
 
 549 
 
 57 1 
 
 435 
 
 687 
 
 49 * 
 
 252 
 
 *49 
 
 339 
 
 266 
 
 148 
 
 130 
 
 246 
 
 170 
 
 54 
 
 568 
 
 537 
 
 471 
 
 857 
 
 1741 
 
 1454 
 
 1789 
 
 168 
 
 154 
 
 2 39 
 
 193 
 
 37 1 
 
 3 o 
 
 486 
 
 534 
 
 5 2 5 
 
 383 
 
 815 
 
 722 
 
 177 
 
 131 
 
 212 
 
 157 
 
 79 
 
 72 
 
 141 
 
 88 
 
 59 
 
 61 
 
 "5 
 
 59 
 
 36 
 
 3 
 
 43 
 
 <4 8 
 
 17*3 
 
 1516 
 
 1838 
 
 J 9^5 
 
 156 
 
 *97 
 
 289 
 
 462 
 
 394 
 
 410 
 
 704 
 
 762 
 
 666 
 
 778 
 
 877 
 
 1115 
 
 446 
 
 478 
 
 580 
 
 59 
 
 355 
 
 440 
 
 3 8 4 
 
 423 
 
 130 
 
 7 1 
 
 187 
 
 1^8 
 
 34 1 
 
 270 
 
 377 
 
 334 
 
 132 
 
 100 
 
 176 
 
 149 
 
 158 
 
 139 
 
 196 
 
 152 
 
 79 1 
 
 916 
 
 837 
 
 1O12 
 
 1616 
 
 1607 
 
 1901 
 
 2 99 
 
 121 
 
 11 9 
 
 270 
 
 220 
 
 
 
 
 High
 
 ( i<>3 ) 
 
 Firft Period. 
 
 Second Period. 
 
 Pari flies. 
 
 High Ongar - 
 
 Panfield - - 
 
 Fordham - - 
 
 Bumftead - 
 
 Romford - 
 
 Braintree - 
 
 H. Roding - 
 Colchefter, Trinity 
 
 Ail- Saints and 
 
 St. Botolph 
 
 St. Leonard - 
 
 St. James - - 
 
 Lexden - - 
 Gr. and Lit, Birch 
 Gosfield - - 
 Bardfteld Saling - 
 Great Saling 
 
 Total 16605 16991 20299 20559 
 
 The increafe of population in this county ap- 
 pears from thefe extracts to be only i-5th. 
 But this is mod probably far below the ave- 
 rage increafe of the county; for to avoid all poffi- 
 ble imputation of an unfair feleclion of places, I 
 have defignedly fixed upon four of the largeft 
 towns and the moft unpromifing I could think of. 
 I mean Coicheftef, Coggefhall, Braintree. and 
 Halftcad; for as in all thofe I had reafon to believe 
 
 the 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 225 
 
 *94 
 
 379 
 
 282 
 
 127 
 
 57 
 
 142 
 
 108 
 
 243 
 
 166 
 
 306 
 
 270 
 
 258 
 
 163 
 
 3 1 / 
 
 21O 
 
 1003 
 
 1378 
 
 *453 
 
 1698 
 
 918 
 
 J1 73 
 
 952 
 
 1714 
 
 1 5 
 
 61 
 
 192 
 
 .108 
 
 462 
 
 328 
 
 217 
 
 2 33 
 
 1089 
 
 1164 
 
 79 6 
 
 1051 
 
 3*7 
 
 628 
 
 3 11 
 
 443 
 
 74 
 
 1*34 
 
 558 
 
 73 6 
 
 328 
 
 39* 
 
 316 
 
 282 
 
 195 
 
 151 
 
 252 
 
 235 
 
 125 
 
 !54 
 
 226 
 
 163 
 
 65 
 
 67 
 
 1 3 1 
 
 57 
 
 9 
 
 75 
 
 160 
 
 82
 
 the woollen manufactory was greatly declined, I 
 was apprehenfive that no inconfiderable depopu- 
 lation had been the confequence. But I find, to 
 my great fatisfa&ion, that Colchefter is the only 
 one of the four that has fuffered any material di- 
 minution; that the numbers in Coggefhall are 
 advanced very much, and that thofe of Braintree 
 and Halftead are certainly not gone backwards. 
 
 I mall now give regifter extracts from the coun- 
 ties of Suflex and Surrey. 
 
 SUSSEX
 
 10 5 
 U S S E X. 
 
 Fir ft Period. Second Period. 
 
 Parifhes. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Hooe 
 
 93 
 
 1OO 
 
 262 
 
 121 
 
 Ninfield 
 
 117 
 
 146 
 
 290 
 
 1 5 2 
 
 Crowhurft 
 
 96 
 
 93 
 
 103 
 
 87 
 
 Warbleton 
 
 2 35 
 
 220 
 
 420 
 
 269 
 
 Oare near Haflings 
 
 78 
 
 83 
 
 1 3 8 
 
 73 
 
 Afhburnham 
 
 218 
 
 163 
 
 244 
 
 168 
 
 Catsfield 
 
 140 
 
 99 
 
 166 
 
 9 1 
 
 Brightling 
 
 214 
 
 161 
 
 264 
 
 1*5 
 
 Bexhill 
 
 340 
 
 49 * 
 
 449 
 
 2 93 
 
 Battle 
 
 627 
 
 5*8 
 
 94^ 
 
 605 
 
 Penftiurft 
 
 73 
 
 37 
 
 48 
 
 21 
 
 Mountfield 
 
 146 
 
 126 
 
 265 
 
 136 
 
 Whatlington 
 
 7 1 
 
 37 
 
 114 
 
 54 
 
 Seddlefcomb 
 
 *5 2 
 
 *35 
 
 250 
 
 *73 
 
 Hertfmonceux 
 
 240 
 
 207 
 
 407 
 
 260 
 
 Dallington 
 
 229 
 
 188 
 
 158 
 
 128 
 
 Northiam 
 
 2 37 
 
 185 
 
 419 
 
 254 
 
 Pulborough 
 
 403 
 
 360 
 
 684 
 
 459 
 
 Total 3709 3349 5627 3529 
 
 SURREY
 
 S 
 
 U 
 
 Pariflics. 
 
 Abinger 
 Albury 
 She re 
 
 Wotton 
 Newdigate 
 Guildford 
 -St. Trinity 
 Clapham 
 Streatham 
 Tooting 
 Dulwich 
 Dorking 
 Epfom , 
 Carnbervvell 
 Mortlake 
 Richmond 
 Wimbleton 
 
 R R E Y. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Bapr. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 21 5 
 
 l8 3 
 
 37 6 
 
 2 53 
 
 232 
 
 205 
 
 221 
 
 1 9 8 
 
 312 
 
 266 
 
 413 
 
 373 
 
 122 
 
 104 
 
 2 35 
 
 188 
 
 204 
 
 127 
 
 37 
 
 182 
 
 269 
 
 270 
 
 34i 
 
 306 
 
 449 
 
 467 
 
 346 
 
 402 
 
 340 
 
 4OO 
 
 720 
 
 1080 
 
 43 
 
 448 
 
 645 
 
 95 1 
 
 139 
 
 132 
 
 283 
 
 328 
 
 M9 
 
 60 
 
 5 2 3 
 
 408 
 
 1030 
 
 !<>39 
 
 1378 
 
 41 33 
 
 619 
 
 672 
 
 1O22 
 
 1218 
 
 683 
 
 9 6 5 
 
 1( H9 
 
 2681 
 
 6 33 
 
 ' 728 
 
 684 
 
 921 
 
 1274 
 
 1280 
 
 2228 
 
 2284 
 
 63^ 
 
 2 95 
 
 589 
 
 895 
 
 Total 7709 7641 11860 13801 
 
 With refpeft to the regifters of thefe two* 
 counties it is obvious that taken together they 
 are advanced above i-3d; and that SufTex is more 
 increafcd than Surrey. This latter circumHance 
 is a frefh confirmation of the falfity of the 
 general idea, that if the inhabitants in tovr.s 
 
 are
 
 3 
 
 are multiplied, it is from the depopulation of 
 country pariflies. For the Suflex regifters are 
 intirely of this latter defcription \vith the {ingle 
 exception of the town of Battle ; which indeed is 
 fcarce an exception, as it is little more than a neat 
 and populous village. With refpecl; to Surrey, it 
 is remarkable that the burials exceed the baptifms ; 
 which is occafioned by a confiderable mare of 
 pariflies being in the vicinity of London. 
 
 I proceed to the five fouth-weftern counties of 
 Hants, Wilts, Devon, Dorfet, and Cornwall.
 
 H A N T S. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period. 
 
 ParilKes. Bapt. Bur. Bapt. Bur. 
 
 Fareham 769 708 979 743 
 
 Lawton 217 275 491 300 
 
 Bifhop's Waltham 778 593 916 698 
 St. Maurice 
 St. Mary's 
 
 St. Peter's in Win- > 45 6 9 2 9 1 * 
 chefter 
 
 Portfea 1455 1303 7243 7598 
 
 Total 3838 3335 10531 10251 
 
 WILT S. 
 
 Steeple Langford 221 187 282 289 
 
 DEVON. 
 
 Yealmpton 334 346 524 406 
 
 Torrington 1348 1495 $90 963 
 
 Puflinch 183 155 238 127 
 
 Holfworthy 365 482 411 351 
 
 Total 2230 2478 2063 1847 
 
 DORSET
 
 DORSET. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period, 
 ( ^ * ( /V 
 
 Shillingftone 136 144 186 
 
 Stour Pain - 158 137 174 
 
 Furftmell Mag. 263 245 253 
 
 Bellchallwell 61 54 64 
 
 Shroton - - 106 86 236 
 
 Total 724 666 913 730 
 
 CORNWALL. N 
 
 St. Kevern - 753 680 994 809 
 
 Perhaps thcfe extracts are not fufficiently nu- 
 merous to form a fatisfa&ory average. As far 
 as their evidence goes, we muft conclude thefe 
 counties are nearly doubled, whether we calcu- 
 late by births, or burials, or by the combination 
 of both. 
 
 The next extracts are from the eaftern counties 
 of Suffolk and Norfolk. And firft 
 
 SUFFOLK
 
 SUFFOLK. 
 
 Firfl Period Second Period. 
 
 Parilhes 
 
 St. Edmund's Bu- ) 
 ry, St. James <J 
 St. Mary's - 
 Clare - - - 
 Haverhill - 
 Great Thurlow 
 Bungay, St. Mary 
 
 St. Trinity 
 
 Sudbury, St. Greg. 
 S. Peter 
 
 Bardwell - 
 
 I x worth - - 
 Jpfwich. St. Mary 
 
 St. Lawrence 
 
 St. Peter's 
 
 St. Stephen's 
 
 St. Nicholas 
 
 St. Clements 
 
 St. Mary Eton 
 
 St. Matthew's 
 
 St. Mary Key 
 
 Thwaite - - 
 Beccles -, - 
 Wefton - 
 Hawftead > 
 
 Bapt. Burials 'Bapt. Burials 
 2286 
 
 2021 1477 !8 55 
 
 2 377 
 518 
 
 2 34 
 106 
 
 534 
 
 '99 
 
 680 
 
 953 
 210 
 
 374 
 308 
 
 221 
 
 3 6 4 
 
 222 
 
 334 
 1217 
 
 161 
 
 43 
 
 379 
 
 39 
 
 1220 
 
 58 
 
 53 
 
 234! 
 
 l6 34 
 
 2161 
 
 438 
 
 630 
 
 569 ' 
 
 440 
 
 478 
 
 667 
 
 122 
 
 146 
 
 167 
 
 554 
 
 573 
 
 505 
 
 220 
 
 424 
 
 258 
 
 72O 
 
 691 
 
 6 95 
 
 7 6 9 
 
 872 
 
 718 
 
 *75 
 
 225 
 
 172 
 
 277 
 
 406 
 
 278 
 
 312 
 
 433 
 
 3*3 
 
 241 
 
 140 
 
 '49 
 
 377 
 
 458 
 
 416 
 
 217 
 
 208 
 i 
 
 25 1 
 
 476 
 
 373 
 
 386 
 
 1127 
 
 1191 
 
 1270 
 
 229 
 
 164 
 
 210 
 
 484 
 
 575 
 
 580 
 
 246 
 
 335 
 
 354 
 
 28 
 
 5 2 
 
 23 
 
 268 
 
 1206 
 
 1128 
 
 79 
 
 '3 1 
 
 69 
 
 1J 9 
 
 232 
 
 *49 
 
 Homers
 
 ( 111 ) 
 
 Firft Period Second Period 
 
 Parishes 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Burials 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Burials 
 
 Homers-field 
 
 67 
 
 53 
 
 90 
 
 34 
 
 St. Peter's 
 
 46 
 
 68 
 
 6 9 
 
 3 2 
 
 Sancroft + t 
 
 70 
 
 46 
 
 95 
 
 55 
 
 Mettingham - 
 
 106 
 
 94 
 
 126 
 
 96 
 
 St. Andrew Illketmall 
 
 103 
 
 82 
 
 225 
 
 *34 
 
 Total 13827 13157 13932 12615 
 
 From the regifter extracts of this county it 
 feems to be but little increafed. This appear- 
 ance however is delufive; and the deception 
 is eafily explained. In the firft place, I have 
 chofen three towns the moft likely to be decreafed 
 of any in the county; St. Edmunds Bury, Ipfwich, 
 Sudbury: But in fact only one of the three, that 
 is, St. Edmunds Bury, is really diminifhed. The 
 other two, even on the face of the regifter, are 
 a little increafed, and if we take into the account 
 the diminifhed degree of mortality in each, they 
 are confiderably fo. It is to be obferved alfo that 
 in the neighbourhood of moft of the places from 
 which the regifters are taken there is, what is called, 
 a county houfe of indujlry, into which prodigious num- 
 bers of the poor are received, and there employed. 
 In one of them alone, that of Ship Meadow, there 
 are 96 perfons from the towns of Beccles and 
 Bungay ; and the burials from it were laft year ^2. 
 There are, if I am not miftaken, five of thefe houfes 
 
 la in
 
 in the county; a circumftance which muft have 
 greatly lefiened the number of the parochial burials 
 and perhaps fomething even the baptifms. To 
 which may be added that the country parifhes in the 
 above lift, notwithftanding all obftruclions, appear, 
 exactly conformable to the 18 Suffolk parifhes in 
 Mr. WALES'S tables, pages 55 and 59, to be in- 
 creafed one third. Upon the whole therefore we 
 may fairly conclude that this county, upon an ave- 
 rage, is advanced between a third and a fourth' in 
 its population fince the revolution.* 
 
 Let us now go into Norfolk, of the depopula- 
 tion of which I have heard ftrange accounts; but 
 we fhall, find them juft as confonant to truth as the 
 idea of the depopulation of the kingdom at large. 
 Before I give the reader the evidence of fat for 
 
 this 
 
 * This idea might perhaps be confirmed by the very ingeni- 
 ous papers already alluded to of Mr. ARTHUR YOUNG; a 
 writer to whom this country is fingularly indebted for his 
 many valuable publications. It appears by regifter extrafts 
 he has made in. 14 parifhes in this county for two periods of 
 90 years each, the one dire&ly before the revolution, the other 
 almoft immediately fubfequent, that the number of chriftehings 
 in the latter were nearly -8th more than in the former; and 
 that the exccfs of the baptifms over the burials was as 3 to i 
 in favour of the prefent century. To fhew that this increafe 
 of population, is not confined to this long period he forms a 
 comparifon between the laft thirty years ana the thirty preced- 
 ing. The chriftenings of the latter period furpafled thofe of 
 the former i-ioth, and the increafe of the baptifms over the 
 burials was more than doubled. From whence he concludes 
 that the rapid rife of our population has been in the laft thirty 
 years; for that there can fcarcely be a part of the kingdom 
 where this can be lefs attributed to any but general caufcs ope- 
 rating through the whole of it than in the parifhes in which 
 his extracts were made
 
 this purpofc, as deduced from the regifter extra&s 
 of the county, I beg leave to prefent him with the 
 opinion of a native of it, in all refpels well quali- 
 fied to judge in this matter. It is contained in a 
 letter with which he has favoured me, together 
 with much other ufeful intelligence; " As I am a 
 " native of the county, fays this ingenious corref- 
 " pondent, and have always redded in the center of 
 " it, except feven years fpent at Cambridge, having 
 " patTed, faving that exception, 54 years in it, I am 
 " by no means a ftranger to its general flate, and 
 " think myfelf well affured to fay, that the county 
 " of Norfolk at large, was never in a more popu- 
 " lous and flourishing ftate than of late years, or at 
 " prefent. In feveral parts many extenfive com- 
 " mons and wafte lands have been inclofed and 
 " are now inclofing amongft us, and the fpirit of 
 " agriculture and cultivation is very high and alert, 
 " where the preffures of the times have not yet 
 " extended their effects, and where the means yet 
 " remain to perfevere in the improvement of our 
 " lands." 
 
 This gentleman, I flatter myfelf, will not be dif- 
 pleafed to fee the probable confirmation of his 
 opinion in the following regifter extracts. 1 
 
 7 3 NORFOLK,
 
 ( U4 ) 
 NORFOLK. 
 
 Firfl Period. Second Period. 
 
 Pariflies Bq,t. Bur. Bapt. Bur, 
 
 Sfrpd .m 608 463 669 499 
 
 Catton 197 159 304 251 
 
 Thorpe 185 198 178 178 
 
 Trower Newton 378 331 396 290 
 
 Lakenham 89 86 164 109 
 
 Kirby Bedon 127 101 160 123 
 
 Sweinfthorpe 50 61 49 62 
 
 Altcar 246 148 182 137 
 
 Hellefdon 56 44 63 52 
 
 Drayton 142 98 167 127 
 
 White-Gate 386 212 351 223 
 
 Hedenham 121 87 170 109 
 
 Dcreham 1198 941 1724 1251 
 
 Ellingham 102 80 99 64 
 
 Laddon 427 334 407 296 
 
 Brome 101 61 106 64 
 
 Detchingham 172 155 259 175 
 
 4545 3559 544 4010* 
 
 From thefe extracts it appears that, as far as 
 their evidence goes, the county is increafed at 
 leaft one fifth in its population, exclufive of the 
 addition to be made from the degree of dimi- 
 niihed mortality. 
 
 * This difparity between the baptifms and burials is partly 
 o;ying to the coitnty houfes of j'
 
 A moft obliging and aftive correfpqndent in 
 the city of Norwich, not only furnifhed me with 
 a confiderable part of the above regifter extracts, 
 but likewife fent me the bills of mortality for the 
 city of Norwich for thefe laft 20 years. Thefe 
 bills are much more fatisfa&ory than thofe of 
 London, as they contain the births and burials of 
 all denominations. Unfortunately however they 
 go no farther back than the year 1729. Their 
 annual number of baptifms and burials then and 
 now are as follows. 
 
 Bapt. Bur. 
 In 1729 877 1136 
 
 On an average of c years, be-) r 
 
 > A1 57 **# 
 
 ginning with the year 1775, \ 
 
 From this increafe of the baptifms the popu- 
 lation of the city appears to have advanced one 
 fourth even fince the year 1729. 
 
 But the augmentation of inhabitants is not the 
 moft pleafing intelligence conveyed by thefe bills. 
 The degree of its mortality is greatly diminimed. 
 In the year 1729 the baptifms were but 3~4ths 
 of the burials ; whereas on an average of five years 
 ending with the year 1780, they -were very nearly 
 equal. Confequently the aclual living population 
 muft be augmented much more than I have juft now 
 faid. This advantageous change in point of heaU 
 thinefs my correfpondent, in fome meafure,afcribes 
 three, and with great plaufibility, to two caufes. 
 
 I 4 The
 
 ( "6 ) 
 
 The firft is, the amazing increafe of vegetation 
 within the walls of the city during the courfe of 
 the laft thirty or forty years ; infomuch, he fup- 
 pofes, that it now contains more garden ground 
 thrm any city in the kingdom. The fecond caufe 
 of increafed healthinefs is the building many Imali 
 houfes on the out-fide of the city for poor people, 
 vho ufed to be cooped up in fome confined holes 
 wit kin. Should improvements for this purpofe be 
 carried dill further in the city of Norwich, and par- 
 ticularly fhould it adopt the humane regulations 
 fefpecling the infant poor of the cities of London 
 and Weftminfter, it would .become, perhaps, in 
 point of falubrity, little if at all inferior to the 
 healthieft of country parifhes. It feerns indeed 
 fcarcely lefs fo even at prefent. In the year 1752 
 a furvey was taken of the city, when the inhabitants 
 amounted to upwards of 36000, which, I am affured, 
 was far below the truth. The annual burials were 
 about 11000 which fhews the average of deaths to 
 be about one in thirty-three. Its healthinefs is 
 greatly increafed fmce that time; what would it be, 
 ^ then,, were every remaining unfavourable circuin- 
 ftance removed ? 
 
 It appears then to be the joint refult of the 
 above remarks, that the population of this county 
 at large, muft like its neighbours have increafed 
 more than one fourth fmce the revolution. 
 
 I lhall now juft take a flight view of the mid- 
 land counties and then. proceed to the north.
 
 MIDDLESEX. 
 
 Firfl Period. Second Period. 
 
 Parifncs. 
 
 Fulham 
 Chelfea 
 
 Chifwick 
 Kenfington 
 Highgate 
 Iflefworth 
 Twickenham 
 Kentifh Town 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 1434 
 
 1640 
 
 *793 
 
 253 1 
 
 1109 
 
 1347 
 
 2720 
 
 4746 
 
 9 6 7 
 
 1286 
 
 *7 1 5 
 
 2 354 
 
 *734 
 
 2514 
 
 2419 
 
 357* 
 
 591 
 
 219 
 
 768 
 
 34 
 
 1213 
 
 1342 
 
 1960 
 
 2198 
 
 97 1 
 
 93 
 
 1406 
 
 1521 
 
 539 
 
 1281 
 
 809 
 
 6263 
 
 10 559 
 
 NORTHAMPTON. 
 
 St. John, Peterborou. 
 Northampton 
 
 , All Saints 
 
 St. Sepulchre 
 
 St. Giles 
 
 St. Peter 
 
 Orlingbury 
 
 Willingborough 
 
 EBon 
 
 Finedon 
 
 Kingfthorpe 
 
 Kiflingbury 
 
 5628 5095 6174 6742 
 
 HUNT-
 
 ( "8 ) 
 HUNTINGDON. 
 
 Firfl Period. Second Period. 
 
 Parifhes. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Huntingdon - 
 
 88l 
 
 805 
 
 937 
 
 908 
 
 Whittlefca - 
 
 2488 
 
 2044 
 
 2847 
 
 2526 
 
 Conington 
 
 - 76 
 
 54 
 
 81 
 
 64 
 
 Stilton 
 
 270 
 
 2 34 
 
 3*3 
 
 2 37 
 
 Glatton 
 
 228 
 
 180 
 
 261 
 
 246 
 
 3943 33*7 4439 
 CAMBRIDGE. 
 
 Ely, St. Trinity *744 1800 1757 1 59 1 
 
 - Mary 800 608 840 695 
 Cam. St. Mary 315 401 302 295 
 
 - Harfton 173 135 243 188 
 
 3032 2944 314* 2959 
 
 HERTFORD. 
 
 Bifhops Stortford 1068 741 1085 1034 
 
 Sav/bridgeworth 643 530 790 703 
 
 Tring - 541 619 v 894 1016 
 
 Hempftead 751 768 1326 1436 
 
 Berkhampftead 479 529 893 967 
 
 Watford 1291 1292 1901 1736 
 
 4773 4479 5 88 9 5 8 9 2 
 LEI-
 
 LEICESTER. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period. 
 
 Parifhes 
 
 Leiceft. St. Martin's 
 
 Mary's 
 
 Nicholas 
 
 Wegftone 
 
 S T A 
 
 Abbot's Bromley 
 Cheadle 
 
 Womborne 
 
 Hanbury 
 
 S A 
 
 Drayton 
 
 Audlem 
 Shrewfbury,St. Mary's 
 Wellington 
 Bcrrington - 
 
 B E 
 
 Newbury 
 Spccn 
 
 Bapt. Bur. Bapt. Bur. 
 
 1052 963 1452 1538 
 
 5 8 3 49 8 *93 2 l8 47 
 
 282 355 
 
 43 610 
 
 2320 1461 4349 3385 
 F F O R D. 
 
 745 
 
 6 55 
 
 85* 
 
 646 
 
 425 
 
 394 
 
 681 
 
 665 
 
 34 * 
 
 *79 
 
 586 
 
 383 
 
 433 
 
 47 2 
 
 485 
 
 476 
 
 1944 1700 2604 2170 
 
 LOP. 
 
 1239 1223 1691 1:1 3 O 
 
 804 643 1101 618 
 
 781 740 1134 1312 
 
 1474 291 2983 1841 
 
 no , no 252 167 
 
 4408 3007 7161 5068 
 
 R K S. 
 
 2237 2119 2384 2230 
 
 614 445 795 
 
 2851 2564 3179 2971 
 DERBY
 
 ( 120 ) 
 BUCKS, DERBY, AND OXFORD. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period. 
 
 Pari flies. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Bapt. 
 
 Bur. 
 
 Bucks. Amerfham 
 
 784 
 
 740 
 
 1222 
 
 1084 
 
 Chefham 
 
 9 6 4 
 
 *394 
 
 1730 
 
 195 1 
 
 Oxford. St. Mary 
 
 318 
 
 345 
 
 176 
 
 179, 
 
 St. Thomas 
 
 702 
 
 602 
 
 642 
 
 623 
 
 
 93- 
 
 39 
 
 129 
 
 64 
 
 
 Derby. Eggerton 
 
 134 
 
 129 
 
 168 
 
 103 
 
 Etwall 
 
 180 
 
 iS 1 
 
 1 9 1 
 
 149 
 
 Mickleover 
 
 178 
 
 130 
 
 2 37 
 
 *53 
 
 Little-over Chapelry 
 
 86 
 
 66 
 
 J 73 
 
 87 
 
 Fendern ditto 
 
 85 
 
 83 
 
 109 
 
 10 5 
 
 Sutton on the Hill 
 
 166 
 
 *59 
 
 229 
 
 144 
 
 Norbury 
 
 127 
 
 112 
 
 187 
 
 "5 
 
 3817 
 
 393 
 
 5196 
 
 4767 
 
 Judging from thefe extrafts, the midland coun- 
 ties, like thofe of the eaft, weft, and fouth, are in- 
 creafed about one fourthr 
 
 PARISH
 
 PARISHES IN WALES FOR TWO PERIODS or 
 
 TWELVE YEARS EACH. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period. 
 
 Parifhes. 
 
 Llanfhaidden 428 412 538 422 
 
 Geffillios 262 214 285 176 
 
 Llanbedn 137 82 138 72 
 
 Llanfwroy - 300 295 416 235 
 
 Henlan 275 231 431 323 
 
 Thefe Welch parifhes, cflimating by the bap- 
 tifms, are increafed almoft one third, by the burials 
 fcarcely at all. Neither, perhaps, is the exa6t truth. 
 The great excefs of the former over the latter, 
 cannot be owing intirely to their healthinefs, but 
 probably, in a great meafure, to their emigrations 
 into England; while the remaining population is 
 doubtlefs coniiderably increafed. 
 
 Let us now travel to the north, and we fhall there 
 find population, advanced ftill fafter than any thing 
 we have'yet met with. 
 
 YORK
 
 ( 122 ) 
 
 O R K. 
 
 Firft Period Second Period. 
 
 I I 
 
 Parifhes. Bapt. Bur. Bapt. Bur. 
 
 Leeds 5392 6334 7312 7983 
 
 Bingley 1153 973 2178 1724. 
 
 Wjnnfiddcum j ^ 238 ^ ^ 
 
 Whitchurch 797 660 1079 557 
 
 Thorparch 132 138 164 98 
 
 Berwick in Elmet 481 397 610 388 
 
 Dewfbury near ) /- 
 
 Wakefield \ *S7 J 34 455 
 
 Marfton 173 143 343 189 
 
 Kighly 906 723 2888 2026 
 
 Tadcafter 585 414 1028 728 
 
 Hinckley 1841 658 1132 1564 
 
 Knarefborough 1225 1190 2263 1958 
 
 Wycliffe 21 25 41 49 
 
 Middleton Tyas 216 183 485 299 
 
 Total 13755 13380 24191 20293 
 
 LANCASTER
 
 ( 123 ) 
 
 LANCASTER. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period. 
 
 Parifties. Bapt. Bur. Bapt. Bur. 
 
 Walton 475 1121 788 1699 
 
 Stalmin 528 560 633 462 
 
 Bolton in the Moors 2773 2891 6411 5357 
 
 Prefect 1367 1276 3124 3225 
 
 Rochdale 4377 3849 8960 7730 
 
 Leigh 1960 1666 4235 . 2591 
 
 Sephton 564 958 655 850 
 
 Preftwich 979 817 2440 2223 
 
 Middlemen 1052 906 3233 2065 
 
 Hayton ' 732 498 1082 756 
 
 RatclifFe 481 360 1459 947 
 
 Buiy 1693 1 793 9339 4 8 33 
 
 Dean 1560 1316 2862 2316 
 
 Flixton 776 450 1097 768 
 
 Farnworth ~ 957 1039 1387 1122 
 
 Ecclefton 126 83 164 145 
 
 CUMBERLAND
 
 CUMBERLAND. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period. 
 
 Parifhes Bapt. Bur. Bapt. Bur. 
 
 Deftington 177 138 349 235 
 
 Dean 300 254 384 270 
 
 Workington 461 341 2113 1586 
 
 Egremont 320 283 599 388 
 
 Arlerdon 293 138 222 105 
 
 Bees 873 518 1255 338 
 
 Total 2^24 1672 5921 2922 
 
 CHESTER. 
 
 Hale Chapel 399 339 620 342 
 
 Childwall 680 722 1094 1276 
 
 A fli ton upon Me r fey 316 276 803 545 
 
 Burton 183 198 311 284 
 
 Prelbury 6194 5456 13019 7075 
 
 Waverham 544 501 1032 727 
 
 St. Michael, Chefter 316 317 326 245 
 
 Knutsford - 476 656 1072 1008 
 
 Ravenfworth - 366 382 540 353 
 
 Total 9474 8847 ^317 11875 
 
 As far as the regifter extracts of thefe'45 places 
 will enable us to judge the population of the nor- 
 thern counties, whether we compute by baptifms 
 or burials, or by a union of both ; whether we 
 
 view
 
 ( i2 5 J 
 
 view them feparately or collectively, their popu- 
 lation feems to be even more than doubled. And 
 this eftimation is ftrongly confirmed by the re- 
 gifter returns of the diocefc of Chefter, com- 
 prehending near four hundred parifhes, in the year 
 17] 7 and 1779. I will not trouble the reader 
 with a detail of the feveral pari flies in them al- 
 though I have fcen the numbers of each, but only 
 prefent him with the return and increafe of each 
 feparate deanry. 
 
 REGISTER RETURNS for the Diocefe of 
 C^IE^TER, in the Years 1777 and 1779; toiih 
 the INCREASE of each DEANRY. 
 
 ARCHDEACONRY OF CHESTER. 
 
 1717. *779- Increafe. 
 
 Deanries. Bapt. Bur. Bapf. Bur. Bapt. Bur. 
 
 Bangor 88 76 148 112 60 36 
 
 Blackburn 719 645 1604 1019 885 374 
 
 Chelter 608 446 838 711 230 265 
 
 Frodlham 649 501 1124 741 47,5 240 
 
 Leylancl 3,5,5 285 586 397 231 112 
 
 Macclesfield 564 661 961 799 397 138 
 
 Mjlpas 144 08 263 146 119 48 
 
 Mancliefler 1875 1492 ,5816 3916 3941 2424 
 
 Middlcwich 404 325 713 ,500 309 i;j 
 
 Nantwich 376 320 618 447 242 127 
 
 Warrington, cad part 709 521 1518 1267 809 746 
 
 -vvcflpart 933 849 2217 2242 1284 1393 
 
 Wirral 279 161 38,5 276 100 115 
 
 Total 7703-6380-1679 1-12573-9080-6193 
 K ARCH-
 
 (126 ) 
 
 ARCHDEACONRY of RICHMOND. 
 
 1717. *779' Increafe. 
 
 . ^Deanries Bapt. Bur. Bapt. Bur. iiapt. Bur. 
 
 Amoundernefs 6,57 653 1091 945 435 292 
 
 Furnefs 284 203 372 265 78 62 
 
 Copeland 409 310 836 680 427 270 
 
 Kendal 226 253 ,591 419 365 166 
 
 Londfdale 301 265 498 276 197 11 
 
 Richmond 435 321 644 346 209 7,5 
 
 Catterick 405 348 36,5 361 100 13 
 
 Borough Bridge 184 122 275 215 91 93 
 
 Total 2901 2375 4672 3507 1902 982 
 
 
 
 In the whole > e ,- 
 
 diocefe $ lo6 4-8755 21463 16030-10990-7175 
 
 Dr. PRICE fays, p. 15 of his cffay on the po- 
 pulation of England and Wales, that 35 is by no 
 means too great a multiplier of the annual deaths 
 in France to (hew its population. If he allows me 
 the fame multiplier for England, as I hope he will, 
 the above deanries in the courfe of about 60 years, 
 are increafed 251125 fouls. If he grants me 26 
 only as a multiplier of the laptifm, which is lefs 
 than he allows for France, the increafe is 285740. 
 Let the Doftor produce a parallel inftance in any 
 province of France, Spain, Italy, or in any king- 
 dom in Europe. The generality of Auvergne in 
 France feems the moft increafed of any part of 
 that nation ; but what does that amount to ? In 
 
 the
 
 ( 127 ) 
 
 the fame comnaTj of time it was advanced in its 
 annual baptifms from 5681 to 6893 ; at moft about 
 i-^t-h whereas :he above Britijh provinces, have 
 been more tru.n doubled. 
 
 But even this, great as ,it is, is not the only 
 agreeable dedudion from thefe returns. Dr. PRICI 
 obferves, page 31 of his efTay, " That from Mr. 
 " Moheau's Rccherches 3* Conjulerations'fur la Popu- 
 " latwn de la France it appears that on an average of 
 "jive years ending in 1774 the births of that king- 
 " dom exceeded the deaths zfevenih ; and that this 
 " is probably an excefs which in France more than 
 " counter balances the deftruc\ion occafioned by 
 ".emigration, war, and the fea-fervice." How does 
 this matter ftand with us ? From the above re- 
 turns it appears that the births exceed the burials 
 more than &Jfih, even exclufive of the diffenters ; 
 whom one of themfelves, Mr. Robinfon, (if I re- 
 member rightj eftimates at zjifth of the whole in- 
 habitants of the kingdom. However as this efti-> 
 mate is not to be depended upon, it being found- 
 ed on principles extremely fallacious, I will only 
 fuppofe them to be one twentieth, which will make 
 the excefs of our births over our burials, near a. 
 fourth ; and this is probably an excefs, \vhicrj in 
 England more than counter balances the deftruc- 
 tion occafioned by emigration, war, and the fta- 
 fervice, however great they may be above thofe 
 of France. 
 
 K 2 SECT.
 
 SECT. 
 
 II. 
 
 Collc&wt View of the Regifler Evidence. 
 
 HAVING travelled over the greater part 
 ' of the kingdom, and icen population in- 
 creafed wherever we went, with the ex- 
 ception of not one place in twenty; let us take a 
 furvey of the whole in one collective view, ac- 
 cording to their annual average of births and bu- 
 rials, as exhibited in the following table, together 
 with thofe from Mr. WALES. 
 
 TABLE. 
 
 Firft Period. 
 
 Second Period. 
 
 Counties. Parishes. Births. 
 
 Burials. 
 
 Births. Burials. 
 
 Kent 64 1729,70 
 
 1730,50 
 
 2285,60 2166,90 
 
 Eflex 43 877,90 
 
 942,30 
 
 1068,85 1125,95 
 
 SufTex 18 185,45 
 
 l6 >>45 
 
 281,35 176,45 
 
 Surrey 17 385,45 
 
 382,05 
 
 593,00 690,05 
 
 5 S. Counties 16 388,30 
 
 3 6 7.3 
 
 739' X 5 69-5,80 
 
 Suffolk 29 698,45 
 
 681,15 
 
 632,95 729,70 
 
 Cy of Norwich 877,00 
 
 1136,00 
 
 1157,00 1176,00 
 
 Norfolk 17 229,25 
 
 177.45 
 
 272,40 200,50 
 
 i2Mid.Coun. 61 2063,70 
 
 1952,80 
 
 2841,00 3111,01 
 
 D.ofChefter 10604,00 
 
 8755,00 
 
 2 1463,00 l6o8o,OO 
 
 In Wales 5 116,80 
 
 102,60 
 
 150,60 102,00 
 
 Mr. Wales's 38 1807,24 
 
 1518,24 
 
 5384. 6 8 3537.62 
 
 D.of St.David 1228,90 
 
 1077,70 
 
 2029,60 1663,60 
 
 Total 21 192,14-19090,54-38899,18-31455,58 
 
 If
 
 ( 129 ) 
 
 If we eftimate the mean number of inhabitants 
 at the two periods by the baptifms, thole of the 
 latter will be to the former as 38899 to 21192 or 
 as nearly as i s to i. If the deaths be confidercd 
 
 J f f 
 
 as the ftandard, the proportion will be as 31455 
 to 19090, or fomething more than 3 to 2. Should 
 we calculate by an arithmetical mean arifing from 
 a combination of both, it will be nearly as 35177 to 
 20141, or about 7 to 4. But perhaps this is much 
 too low to reprefent the proportion which our 
 inhabitants bear to thofe at the revolution. The 
 firft period for the diocefe of Chefter does not be- 
 gin till about thirty years after, and that for the 
 diocefe of St. David not till twelve. Taking all 
 this into confideration, together with the diminifh- 
 ed degree of mortality which has certainly taken 
 place, there carmot a tloubt remain that our peo- 
 ple are almoft doubled fmce that celebrated aera. 
 
 Even granting that we have taken too great a 
 {hare of our regifter evidence from the north, 
 xhat moil growing and populous part of our com- 
 munity ; the deduction to be made on that account, 
 will hardly, it is prefumed, reduce, the increafe to 
 one third. It has, I think, been pretty clearly 
 proved that our metropolis itfelf is augmented in 
 that ratio ; and Mr. RUDDER, by a minute detail 
 of its feveral parimes, has fliewn that the whole 
 county of GJoucefter has raifed its numbers, even 
 K 3
 
 iince the commencement of the prefent century, 
 from about 105,000 to almoft 150,000. But how- 
 ever rich and floiu-ifhing that county may be, 
 there is not the leafl ground of probability to fup- 
 pofe that it has increafed fader than the kingdom 
 at large, even exclufive of thofe prodigious mul- 
 titudes in the northern provinces. Upon every 
 view, therefore, we may fafely venture to con- 
 clude that our population, frnce the diftinguifhed 
 a^ra we have occafion fo often to mention, is, up- 
 on the wKole, and comprehending every part of 
 
 our jftaridj ; irkeafed full one third* 
 : T.^ JKMJ bn*Ai , '-, >'! t 
 
 I have omitted to infert the regjfters before given for the 
 northern counties, becaufe the greater part of them are in the 
 diocefe of Chefter; and thofe in the environs of Londofi,. be- 
 
 caufe comprehended in Eflex, Middlefex, Surrey, and Kent. 
 
 ,<),) " iiiiuj .... Z' . : 
 
 ,- -UK, JL.f] Jj:..n...i .. 
 .^a^g E c T< m 
 
 Increafe of Population during the loft twenty 
 Years. 
 
 THE great advance population has : rri r a<le a- 
 mongft us fince the revolution, being, as I ap- 
 prehend, fufficiently proved, I (hall endea- 
 vour to afcertain which way it has gone during 
 the laft twenty years.- Dr. PRICE fays it has more 
 rapidly declined than ever. How little foundation 
 he has for this opinion the following table will 
 pretty clearly mew. It contains the number of 
 baptifms and burials in about 161 of the above 
 
 parifhes
 
 parifhes and thofe of the city of Norwich, for two 
 periods of five years each, the firft beginning with 
 the year 1758, 60 or 61, the fecond with rhe year 
 1773, 5 or 6. Theie two periods feem as pro- 
 per and unexceptionable for our purpofe as any 
 that can be thought of. In each of them the 
 kingdom was deep in a war very expensive in 
 human blood, and the degree of mortality, in 
 other refpeft, has not been greatly altered. 
 
 TABLE. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Per. 
 
 Counties Parifhes, Bap. Bur. Bap. Bur. 
 
 Kent 22 3844 3784 4589 3778 
 
 Effex 24 3630 4068 4503 4385 
 
 Suflex - 4 384 374 425 2,57 
 
 Surrey - 9 1834 2139 2296 2094 
 
 Suffolk - 3 272 297 280 216 
 
 Norfolk - 16 5836 6800 6762 6465 
 
 4 S. Weft Counties 7 3145 32-26 3613 3,597 
 
 12 Middle Counties 40 12133 16662 14216 1726^ 
 
 4 Northern Counties 37 16560 12204 22883 
 
 Total 162 47638 49554 50567 53030 
 
 Here then, in the fliort interval of ten years, 
 is an additional population computing by the bap- 
 tifms of i-5'th, by the burials of i-nth, and by a 
 union of both of more than i-8th. Confequenily 
 inftead of having more rapidly declined during 
 the laft twenty years it has advanced much fader 
 than before. 
 
 K 4 While
 
 C 132 ) 
 
 While there has been this rapid advance in the 
 kingdom at large, that of particular places has 
 been altogether aflonifhing, andafibids a pleafmg 
 exception to the general remark fo often made 
 in the courfe of thefe papers that country pariflies 
 have incrcafed more than great towns, Liverpool in 
 the year 1700 had not 6000 inhabitants, in 1760 
 it had more than 25000. in 1770 upwards of 
 34000, and, what is more dircftly to our point, it 
 now contains above 40000. Birmingham has rifen 
 in the courfe of the prefent century from little 
 more than a mere manufacturing village, to a 
 town of prodigious magnitude; and, what is par- 
 ticiuiarly furprizing, it has added 10000 to its 
 numbers within the laft ten years. Sheffield judg- 
 ing from regifter extracts alone, which for rea- 
 fons already adduced doubtlefs reprefent the mat- 
 ter inferior to the fal, has multiplied its people 
 fix times fince the year 1734. Halifax, Bradford, 
 Wakefield, Huddersfield, Rotherham, Manchef- 
 ter, Middleton, Rochdale, Warrington, White- 
 Jiaven, Workington, and innumerable others, have 
 grown nearly in the fame proportion. But a town 
 called Mary Port, in Cumberland has, methinks, 
 outftript them all. Within thirty years it has 
 fprung as it were from nothing. In the year 17 49 it 
 Had only a fingle houfe; and it did not even receive 
 its 'name till the year 1756; and now, by an aQual e- 
 nurrieration very lately finimed. its numbers exceed 
 2000, exclufivc of thole employed upon the fea. 
 
 Perfea
 
 Perfectly fimilar to the above detail is the account 
 I have juft received from the city of Carlifle. In 
 1763, the inhabitants were numbered, with great 
 care and attention, and they were found to be only 
 4158. In January 1780, a very careful and ac- 
 curate furvey was again made and they amounted 
 to 6299. " This aftonifhing increafe of 2141 in- 
 " habitants, which is above half of the original num- 
 " ber, in the fmall fpace of feventeen years, fays 
 " the ingenious writer of the account, has taken 
 " place during that very period in which Dr. PRICE 
 " afferts the depopulation of Great-Britain to have 
 " been rapid and progreffive. And what makes 
 " this increafe more remarkable, Carlifle has, 
 " during the whole period alluded to, been con- 
 " ftantly fupplying the army, the navy, the me- 
 <; tropolis, and even the diftant regions of India 
 "with her hardy, active, and enterprizing fons."* 
 I leave thefe remarks with the reader. They are 
 decifive and require no comment. 
 
 SECT. 
 
 * Obfervations on the bills of mortality of the city of 
 Garlifle, 1780,
 
 ( 134 ) 
 SECT. IV. 
 
 Comparative View of the Advance of Popu- 
 lation in ENGLAND and FRANCE. 
 
 DR. PRICE obfervcs p. 30, " That our de- 
 " population is the more mortifying, be- 
 " caufe it Teems, in fome degree, peculiar 
 tl to this nation." Leaving thofe who chufe to be- 
 lieve the gloomy fuggeftions of groundless appre- 
 henfion to mortify as much, and as long as they 
 think proper, I mail, for my own part, freely 
 indulge the luxury,. a& it. is prefumed every Eng- 
 lilhman will permit me to call it, of contem- 
 plating the,y<z#5 reprefented in the following tables. 
 They exhibit the growth of population in Eng- 
 land and France during the fpace of fixty years 
 fince.the commencement, of the prefent century. 
 
 
 FRANCE
 
 ( 135 ) 
 
 FRANCE. 
 
 In fever al PROVINCES and GENERALITIES accord- 
 ing to the REGISTERS O 
 
 Par. iftP. 2 dP. 
 
 Auvergne 162 increafed from i to 1,211 
 
 Rouen 541 i to 1,011 
 
 Lyon 133 i to 1,167 
 
 Vaifon 38 . i to 1,156 
 
 Burgundy 1278 l to 1.081 
 
 o / / 
 
 PRINCIPAL TOWNS and CITIES. 
 
 Paris i to 1,131 
 
 Lyon i to ^093 
 
 Rouen , - i to 0927 
 
 Marseilles i to 0.929 
 
 Vitry i to o : 6oo 
 
 Toulon - i to 0,750 
 
 Aix - i to 0,831 
 
 Montaban i to 0.991 
 
 CarcafTonne i to 1,056 
 
 ENGLAND. 
 
 In different DIOCESES and COUNTIES. 
 
 Cheftcr, archdeaconry, from i to 4,177 
 
 Richmond ditto i to 1,672 
 
 St. David's diocefe, in Wales i to 1,660 
 
 Thirty-eight parimes from Mr. Wales l to 2,924 
 
 Suffex. Surrey, Kent and the middle) 4 
 
 counties > 
 
 P R I N-
 
 ( '36 ) 
 
 PRINCIPAL TOWNS and CITIES. 
 
 London, according to its bunais, from i to 1,500 
 
 Norwich, its births i to 1.391 
 
 Liverpool, a&ual furveys i to 6,000 
 
 Manchcfter, from its births i to 3.709 
 
 Sheffield, births i to 6.307 
 
 Whitehaven, from furveys i to -.000 
 
 Workington, births i to 4.583 
 
 Walfall i to 3,247 
 
 MidcHeton r 5^-*;, . i to 4,090 
 
 Rochdale i to 3,061 
 
 Warrington i to 2.406 
 
 From thefe tables it is obvious, on the very 
 flighteft infpeBion, that the provinces and gene- 
 ralities of France are increafcd only a tenth ; 
 whereas the counties and diocefes of England and 
 Wales are almoft doubled ; that- the metropolis ol 
 the former is enlarged fomething more than an 
 eighth, that of-the latter above a third ; that the 
 cities and towns of inferior rank in the former are 
 rather dimini/he'd, virile thofe or Britain are mul- 
 tiplied almoft/our times* 
 
 2 briDin 
 
 
 
 
 
 , 
 
 SECT.
 
 SECT. V. 
 
 The prefent amount of our Population 
 computed. 
 
 HAVING as I hope pretty clearly eftablifhed 
 the doftrine of an increafed and increafing 
 population, I fhall now try what can be 
 done towards afcertaining its prefent aftual amount. 
 Two modes feem to me tolerably fatisfa&ory for 
 that purpofe. 
 
 ift. The average proportion which the houfes 
 returned by the window furveyors to the tax-office 
 bear to thofe that are not returned there : and the 
 
 3d, The average proportion which the number 
 of men ballotted into the triennial fervice of the 
 national militia in a great number of places of all 
 kinds and defcriptions taken at random bears to 
 to the whole number of inhabitants in thofe places 
 collectively. 
 
 From
 
 ( '38 ) 
 
 ^ rom the Returns of Houfes at the Tax- 
 Office. 
 
 \\ 
 
 J7ITH regard to the returns, it has been fully 
 proved that all the houfes are not returned 
 there; that for great towns it is impoflible, 
 and that for country parifhes it is commonly gurj-'fd 
 at; ourbufinefs then, is to determine the deficiencies 
 arifing from all thefe fcveral quarters. This may 
 be done, if not with perfect accuracy, -with at lead 
 a high degree of probability, by taking indifcrimi- 
 nately the furveyors' returns of a great number of 
 peaces of all forts, fizes, and defections, and com- 
 pa? ing them with the total number of houfes, deter- 
 mined by aclual enumeration, in fuch places v f- 
 peclively, and collecting from thence their joint 
 average ratio. In order to fee how this matter 
 really (lands, I muft beg the reader to confult the 
 following table. 
 
 
 
 TABLE.
 
 139 
 
 TABLE Jhe wing the Number of Houfes returned by iht 
 Surveyors of the Window Lights, in different Towns 
 and Pari/hes in different Parts of the Kingdom taken 
 indifcriminately ; together with the total Number of 
 Houfes taken from attual Enumeration, infuch Towns 
 and Panjhes refpeftwdy. 
 
 B 
 
 E. 
 
 Counties. 
 Berks 
 
 Parities. Hoi 
 Speen 
 
 afes returned. Total. 
 187 240 
 
 739 79 2 
 1366 2066 
 
 4i 95 
 1*27 2883 
 116 13 
 
 155 4i8 
 
 77 9 
 204 304 
 
 44 104 
 
 H4 155 
 18 65 
 
 35 7 2 
 
 72 201 
 244 4OO 
 
 25 85 
 50 60 
 
 25 73 
 AI 6s 
 
 Chefter 
 
 Preftbury 
 
 Riii*fnn 
 
 
 Thfftpr 
 
 
 Faftham 
 
 Cornwall 
 Cambridge 
 Devon 
 
 St. Kevern 
 Little St. Mary's 
 Torrington 
 
 
 1~T nl fwo rt \\ v 
 
 Dorfet 
 
 Derwefton 
 
 ^lTillincrftr>n 
 
 Effex 
 
 Stebbing 
 
 \VitViam 
 
 
 R pHcrWpll 
 
 
 T-TiorV> f^nomr* 
 
 
 Gosfield 
 
 
 Hiorh Rnrlincr 
 
 Counties
 
 Counties. 
 
 Parifh"s. Houics 
 
 returned Total. 
 
 95 445 
 1540 1940 
 
 200 226 
 
 1O2 221 
 
 2889 4268 
 
 6 27 
 
 '9 54 
 
 19 4 
 29 88 
 46 123 
 
 2 7 57 
 
 20 30 
 11 2O 
 
 3 6 55 
 
 8 12 
 
 23 63 
 768 1086 
 967 1884 
 
 55 79 
 260 338 
 
 12 23 
 
 169 465 
 56 146 
 
 37 49 
 86 90 
 
 33 6 
 355 537 
 54 9 1 
 38 8o 
 
 Catsficld 
 
 Hants 
 Hertford 
 Lancafter 
 
 Portfea 
 Bifhops Stortford 
 Rainford 
 
 \^i r\r nPiT/^r 
 
 Norfolk 
 
 Helfden 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 f* o ftrvn 
 
 
 -Thorpe 
 
 
 
 
 
 Minfhull 
 
 
 nvf3itfi 
 
 
 
 N nthampton 
 Salop 
 
 Northampton 
 Shrewfbury 
 
 Suffolk 
 
 Eungay 
 -Wrftnn 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 T^ a r f\ u; ^11 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SufTex 
 
 Hertfmonceux 
 

 
 Counties. Pariflies. Houfes returned. Total. 
 
 -Catsfield 23 50 
 
 Surrey Epfom 215 345 
 
 Albury 48 75 
 
 Stafford Abbots Bromley 161 246 
 
 Worcefter Old Swinford 414 1579 
 
 York Thorpiirch 41 58 
 -Middleton Tyas 
 
 Kent Maidftone 623 1106 
 
 Marden 186 225 
 
 Boughton 57 87 
 
 . Tudely 56 83 
 
 Sutton nearDartford 103 104 
 
 Tenterden 96 198 
 
 Crayford 170 190 
 
 Lenham 153 *94 
 
 Wouldham 9 38 
 
 Burham 15 24 
 
 Teflon 26 26 
 
 Eaft Mailing 175 175 
 
 5 2 9 
 
 Derby Sutton on the Hill 17 102 
 
 Wellington 20 49 
 
 Etwall 30 99 
 
 . Eggtngton 28 54 
 
 , Mickleover - . 42 76 
 
 Little-over 33 44 
 
 , Findern *8 45 
 
 Effex Great Saling 21 54 
 
 , Bardfield Saling ** 43 
 
 L Herts
 
 Counties. Parifhcs. Houfes returned. Total. 
 
 Herts Berkhamftead 166 22 
 
 Tring 107 157 
 
 Middlefex Fulham 355 537 
 
 Hammerfmith 384 567 
 
 Norfolk Rednall with Harlfton 89 157 
 
 Brome 19 31 
 
 Loddon 69 139 
 
 Brooke 34 78 
 
 ! Ditchingham 29 44 
 
 Northampton E6hm 20 95 
 
 Kiflingbury 32 107 
 
 Kingfthorpe 63 151 
 
 Fincdon 85 177 
 
 Leicefter Scrap toft 14 28 
 
 Suffolk Ship Meadow 7 13 
 
 Mettingham 21 22 
 
 St. Andrew, Ilkfhall 45 56 
 
 Eliingham 25 39 
 
 Ilomersfield - 21 34 
 
 St. Peter's 12 14 
 
 Total 17225 
 
 By this table it appears that the number of 
 houfes returned for thefc towns and parifhes are 
 17225, but that the total number is 29261, and 
 mcthinks here is a. fufficient number and variety 
 of each kiud to form an average proportion for 
 
 the
 
 ( '43 ) 
 
 the whole kingdom. This allowed, the number of 
 houfes returned to the tax-office is to the total 
 number of houfes in the kingdom, and as 17225 
 to 29261. 
 
 But this, it mud be granted, holds good only for 
 the year 1780; whereas the laft return Dr. Paicfi 
 gives us is for 1777. The returns in 1780, fup- 
 pofing them made, muft have been fomething lefs, 
 for reafons fufficiently apparent in the courfe of 
 this work. This difference muft be made out by 
 a comparifon of fucceflive returns at the tax-office, 
 in different years, at a given interval from each 
 other. Now the houfes returned in the year 1777 
 were 27958 lefs than in the year 1761 ; which 
 fhews the average annual decreafe in the returns 
 during thefe 16 years was 1747. This multiplied 
 by 3 the number of years from 1777 to 1780 (the 
 latter inclufive) gives 5241 the further decreafe to 
 the laft period, which fubftrafted from 952734 the 
 number of houfes returned in 1777 leaves 947493, 
 the true return for 1780. Refume then the num- 
 ber of houfes in the abovementioned towns and 
 parimes, both total and returned and fay as 
 the number of houfes returned for all thefe 17225 
 places is to their total number 29261 
 fo is the number of houfes returned at) 
 
 the tax-office in 1780 $ 947493 
 
 to the total num. of houfes in the kingdom 1,609,555 
 
 La We
 
 ( 144 ) 
 
 We have nothing further to do than to afcertain 
 the average allowance of perfons to a houfe. and 
 we fee our prefent aftual population. What this 
 average is may be fatisfa&orily collected from the 
 following table* 
 
 TABLE SHEWING THE NUMBER OF PERSONS 
 
 TO A HOUSE. 
 
 CounUes 
 
 Chefter 
 
 Lancafler 
 
 Norfolk 
 
 Pariflies. 
 
 Burton 
 -Eaftham 
 
 Cornwall 
 
 Devon 
 
 Effex 
 
 Kent 
 
 Chefter 
 St. Keverne 
 Newton Ferrers 
 Toppesfield 
 
 L. Baddow 
 Maidftone 
 
 Mardcn 
 
 Farningham 
 
 Nottingham 
 
 -Boughton 
 -Tefton 
 -Tunftall 
 
 Manchefter 
 -Liverpool 
 -Rainford 
 
 Norwich 
 -Brooke 
 -Thorpe 
 
 Nottingham 
 
 Houfes. 
 
 Inhabit.To a Ho. 
 
 95 
 
 448 
 
 4! 
 
 212 
 
 1084 
 
 Si 
 
 2883 
 
 ^7^ 
 
 5,'. 
 
 4l8 
 
 1688 
 
 4'. 
 
 104 
 
 464 
 
 42 
 
 105 
 
 624 
 
 6 
 
 64 
 
 35 2 
 
 5i 
 
 1J06 
 
 5650 
 
 59 
 
 22.5 
 
 J1 73 
 
 53 
 
 56. 
 
 280 
 
 5 
 
 87 
 
 495 
 
 K 
 
 26 
 
 14* 
 
 Ai 
 
 4268 
 6340 
 
 221 
 
 7*39 
 7 8 
 
 57 
 
 320; 
 
 ^5 
 
 27246 
 
 3 6l6 9 5? 
 489 6$ 
 272 4^ 
 
 1 74i7 5s 
 Suffolk
 
 ( 145 ) 
 
 Counties 
 
 Suffolk 
 
 Parifhes. 
 
 Hawfted 
 *Rradfield ) 
 
 Houfes. 
 
 5 
 
 22 
 
 34 
 
 445 
 146 
 
 5 
 49 
 80 
 
 10 
 
 6025 
 
 891 
 16 
 
 9 
 3 
 *$ 
 
 3 2 
 
 21 
 20 
 
 63 
 
 22 
 107 
 
 Inliabit.To a Ho* 
 
 386 7 | 
 
 263 ; 
 
 2231 5 
 1076 74 
 
 290 5-* 
 3 8 73 
 448 5^ 
 
 74 7r- 
 
 30804 5 | 
 62 99 71 
 
 no c ^ 
 
 
 Combuft ) 
 *Great Wald ) 
 
 
 ingfield $ 
 *Lowftoff 
 
 
 Havprhill 
 
 Suflex 
 
 Catsfield 
 TTooe 
 
 
 Rricrhtlirnr 
 
 
 Penhurft 
 
 Warwick 
 Cumberland 
 
 Birmingham ) 
 in 1770 ) 
 tCarlifle 
 
 ^"J\I pwtown 
 
 
 4*T4 arraHv 
 
 9^ O4- 
 
 72 S 
 
 
 'f'f^arlptnn 
 
 
 4 > \\^rpTv 
 
 1 33 4i 
 
 114 6| 
 
 1 92 6 
 
 98-41 
 89 4t 
 
 354 5'5 
 
 no 5 
 
 124 4i- 
 473 4l 
 
 
 fRrifrn 
 
 
 'f'Rotrliar^riTr 
 
 
 4 1 ! Tr r i rrVi t KTT 
 
 
 +Rlprkliill 
 
 
 
 
 4 w \/r/-v-i-^- T_r^ ^ 
 
 & Newby $ 
 Northampton Kiflingbury 
 
 Tot al 34934 ^88419 5; 
 
 L 3 From 
 
 Thofe places mark'd * are from Mr. ARTHUR YOUNG; 
 tftofe mark'd t from obfervations on the Cariiiie bills of 
 mortality.
 
 ( 146 ) 
 
 From this table then it appears that the average 
 number of perfons to a houfe is about 5 . But 
 in the city of London it is allowed on all hands 
 that it muft be confiderably more. Mr. WALES 
 makes it 65, and even Dr. PRICE feems not very 
 unwilling to allow 6. This laft number then we 
 may fafely venture to take. The city of London 
 is nearly i-ioth of the whole kingdom; confe- 
 quently the average arifing from the combination 
 of town, and country, is very little lefs than 5*. 
 But left the above table mould not comprehend a 
 fufficient number and variety of places to form a 
 fatisfaciory average upon, and becaufe I would 
 chufe to reprefent our population as rather below 
 the truth than above it. I will affume only 5*. 
 
 Multiply then the number of houfes 1,609,555 
 found above by 5?- the average of perfons toahoufe 
 and the producl is 8,691,597. If we confider the 
 feveral deductions and abatements above made, 
 and likewife bring to account the prodigious num- 
 bers hitherto unnoticed; fuch as our foldiers and 
 failors, the multitudes contained in our dock yards, 
 in our hofpitals, in our county work-houfes, or 
 places for the general reception and employment 
 of the poor, it will pretty evidently appear that 
 from this mode of computation the prefent inha- 
 bitants of England and Wales can be very little 
 Jefs than nine millions. 
 
 The
 
 ( '47 ) 
 
 The Population of the Kingdom computed 
 jrom the average Proportion which the 
 number of Men ballottedfor into the trien- 
 nial Service of the national Militia, from 
 a great number of Places, of every Size and 
 Defcriplion, bears to the whole number of 
 the People in thofe Places collectively. 
 
 TT T muft here be previoufly obferved that the pro- 
 JL portion which the men ballotted for into the 
 militia bears to the whole number of inhabit- 
 ants will vary according as the exemptions from 
 that fervice are more or lefs numerous and accord-, 
 ing as the returns of thofe liable to ferve are made 
 with more or lefs accuracy. From both thefe 
 caufes it will be much greater in country pariihes 
 than in large populous towns. Clerks, apprenti- 
 ces, feamen, &c. are exempted, and thefe are 
 chiefly refident in large towns. The returns of thofe 
 liable to ferve too muft there be very deficient, on 
 account of the many lodgers and temporary inha- 
 bitants, who though in the place to day will perhaps 
 be abfent to-morrow, nor can the officers appoint- 
 ed to make the returns fo minutely diret their 
 inquiries with refpeft to each individual as may be 
 done in a thin and fcattered neighbourhood. Here 
 are fcarcely any clerks, apprentices, feamen, itiner- 
 ant temporary lodgers, &c, each man too is known 
 to each, and every one is interefted that none be 
 excufed who are really fubjed to be returrred. 
 L 4 Hence
 
 ( 148 ) 
 
 Henqe the proportion of the men returned as liable 
 to ferve, or thofe bailotted into actual fervice for 
 places of fuch different descriptions to the whole 
 number of people in fuch places refpeftively muft 
 be extremely different. The firft thing therefore 
 to be afcertained is this different proportion. 
 
 How this matter ftands in country parifhes may 
 be collected with fome degree of probability from 
 the following fhort table. 
 
 Counties 
 Kent !>wfl 
 
 Effex 
 
 Suffex 
 
 Suffolk 
 
 Devon 
 
 York 
 
 Hants 
 
 Kent 
 
 TABLE. 
 
 Parifhes 
 
 Boughton 
 
 Hunton - 
 
 Wouldham 
 
 Burham - - 
 
 Tefton - 
 
 Toppesfield 
 
 Stebbing 
 
 Brightling 
 
 Hawftead 
 
 Newton Ferrers 
 Marfton 
 
 Lawton 
 
 E. Mailing 
 
 Addington 
 
 Inhab. 
 
 Militia 
 
 497 
 
 2 
 
 43* 
 
 2 
 
 1X 9 
 
 1 
 
 107 
 
 1 
 
 M5 
 
 If 
 
 624 
 
 3 
 
 95 
 
 4f 
 
 448 
 
 3 
 
 386 
 
 2 . 
 
 464 
 
 3 
 
 526 
 
 2 
 
 380 
 
 If 
 
 953 
 
 5 
 
 182 
 
 i 
 
 6213 32 
 
 From this table it appears that the average pro- 
 portion of the men bailotted into the national mi- 
 litia
 
 ( 149 ) 
 
 litia in country parifhes to their whole number of 
 inhabitants is nearly as i to 194. What the pro- 
 portion is in large populous towns of various de- 
 nominations, the following lifts will (hew. 
 
 Leeds 
 
 Maidftone 
 
 Birmingham 
 
 Chefter 
 
 Prefbury 
 
 Norwich 
 
 Manchefter 
 
 Liverpool 
 
 Bolton 
 
 No. of Inhab. Militia 
 
 
 
 17121 45 
 
 5650 26 
 
 40000 109 
 
 14713 40 
 
 16000 52 
 
 40000 151 
 
 41030 80 
 
 40000 42 
 
 7000 9 
 
 221514 554 
 
 The average proportion of militia in thefe 
 towns to the whole number of inhabitants is as i 
 to 399. The medium of this, and that of country 
 parilhes would mew the. average for the whole 
 kingdom, provided there were juft as many inha- 
 bitants in towns as in the country. But this, per- 
 haps, is not the cafe. Dr. PRICE, page 198, 2d; 
 edit, of Obfervations on Revtrfionary Payments, in- 
 forms us from Sufmilch that the number of country 
 to town inhabitants, in Pomerania, Brandenburgh 
 and fome other kingdoms, is nearly as 3! to i. 
 But this proportion is by no means applicable to 
 fo rich, manufacturing, and commercial a nation 
 as England. Upon looking over a return of houfes 
 
 made
 
 made by the clergy of the archdeaconry of Chefler 
 in the year 1779, I find there are more than two- 
 thirds of them from towns containing above 400 
 houfes each ; which may properly he called rather 
 large \.\i&nfmall towns, as their inhabitants are pro- 
 bably between two and three thoufand. In the 
 county of Gloucefler alfo. comprehending the ci- 
 ty and county of Briflol, the inhabitants of large 
 towns are almoft twice as many as thofe of the 
 country. Our capital too contains as many peo- 
 ple as the country inhabitants of five or fix coun- 
 ties. Although therefore in fome of our counties 
 the country may be four times as many as the town 
 inhabitants, I think I may fafely venture to fay 
 that, on an average applied to the whole kingdom 
 at large, the latter are at lead half the number of 
 the former. Confequently agreeable to the ratio 
 of their refpeftive quotas to the militia above af- 
 ccrtained, the towns furnifh one quarter as many 
 men as the country. How many then is the fum 
 total furniflied by both ; or rather that would be 
 furnifhed if the militia laws uniformly extended 
 to every place ? The number at prefent required 
 to be raifed is 30840. Hut the Tower Hamlets and 
 all that part of the city of London which retain 
 the p/'vilcge of raifing the train-bands, and the 
 tinners of the counties of Devon and Cornwall, 
 arc exempted from this fervice. How many ihefe 
 exempted perfons amount to and how many men 
 they would furnifh to the militia if thefe exemp- 
 tions were removed, it is impofliblc to fay with 
 
 any
 
 ( '5' ) 
 
 any degree of precifion. I will fuppofe, however, 
 and I think it will be allowed no extravagant fup- 
 pofition, that the latter would not be lefs than 2 1 60. 
 This would make the whole body of militia 33000. 
 One fifth of thefe, or 6600, the above reafoning 
 requires to be furnifhed by the towns ; and the 
 ratio of their militia, to their whole inhabitants is 
 as i to 399, confequently 6600 multiplied by 399 
 gives 2,633400, the number of our inhabitants 
 refident in large towns. This multiplied by 2 pro- 
 duces 5,266,800 the number of inhabitants in the 
 country, which added to thofe in the towns makes 
 7.900,200 for the whole population of the king- 
 dom. 
 
 That this calculation from the militia, like 
 the former one from the houfes, is rather below 
 the truth is extremely probable. The county of 
 Gloucefter and the city and county of Briftol con- 
 tain, as appears partly from aclual furveys and 
 partly from general eftimates, little tefs than 
 300000 inhabitants. But they altogether furnilh 
 only 960 men to the militia. This would give 
 more than 300 as a multiplier ; which, aflumed 
 for the whole kingdom, would make our popu- 
 lation amount to almoft ten millions. But confi- 
 dering the vaft fize of Briftol, fo much beyond 
 that of any other city in the nation, except the 
 capital, I dare not take fo large an average. And 
 yet when I reflect on the amazing increafe, and 
 prefent populoufnefs of all the northern counties, 
 
 I am
 
 ( 152 ) 
 
 I am inclined to think it is not much too great, 
 and that we may fafely admit the above eftimates 
 to be below rather than above our prefent numbers. 
 This is ftrongly confirmed too by the lift of regi- 
 fter extracts before produced. If, as Dr. PRICE 
 contends, the inhabitants of the kingdom at the 
 revolution were fix millions, they muft at prefent, 
 on the clear teftimony of regifter evidence, even 
 exclufive of the confideration of a diminifhed mor- 
 tality, be fully equal to what is deduced from the 
 foregoing computations. 
 
 -V'~. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 TH E refult of the whole enquiry does, I 
 apprehend, afford the faireft grounds for 
 concluding that upon every mode of in- 
 vefligation, and according to the mod moderate 
 eftimate, the inhabitants of this kingdom muft 
 have been increafed one third lince the revolution, 
 about one fixth" during the laft twenty years, and 
 that their prefent amount cannot be lefs than be- 
 tween eight and nine millions. 
 
 A variety of collateral circumftances incline 
 me to believe that all thefe computations are below 
 the truth. Dr. PRICE himfelf acknowledges that 
 10,000 houfes in and about London have been 
 built within the laft twenty years ; to thefe I may 
 add near 40,000 that have rifen up in only about 
 two thirds of the archdeaconry of Chefter, fince 
 
 [the
 
 ( J53 ) 
 
 the year 1720. With regard to the vicinity of the 
 to;vn of Manchefter, I can, on the authority of a 
 clergyman of diftinguifhed ingenuity and uncom- 
 mon accuracy of remark in that quarter, venture 
 to aflert that the people there are multiplied twenty 
 fold within thefe laft thirty years. Wonderful as 
 this may feem I can eafily credit it after being in- 
 formed, that in feveral parifhes of that neighbour- 
 hood three or four new chapels of eafe to the mo- 
 ther church have been creeled within little more 
 than that compafs of time. In perfecl agreement 
 with this are the prodigious numbers which were 
 a few years ago confirmed in that part of the 
 kingdom. At the general confirmation for the 
 diocere of Chefter in 1778, the number of young 
 perfons confirmed amoumed to above 37.000, and 
 in the laft for that of York to upwards of 75,000; 
 And it is to be remembered that almoft all thefe 
 were between the ages of fourteen and eighteen ; 
 which defcription I have feldom found to compre- 
 hend above a twentieth, or even a twenty-fifth of 
 the whole inhabitants in any place. If to thefe 
 you add the papifts and diffenters, which abound 
 there more than in any other quarter, you will find 
 in thefe two diocefes alone, nearly two thirds as 
 many people as our celebrated calculator could 
 difcover in the whole kingdom. After viewing 
 this unparalleled growth of population in thefe 
 counties and a very confiderable one in all the 
 reft, "ve need not wonder that in the courfe of the 
 lail lix or feven years, we have recruited our ar- 
 my
 
 ( '54 ) 
 
 my and fupplied our navy with more than two 
 hundred and fifty thoufand effective men. Had 
 \ve been the poor depopulated nation that we have 
 been taught to believe ourfelves, thefe aftonifh- 
 ing drains would have left us no hands to till the 
 earth, to make our clothes and prepare our food. 
 We muft have been our own labourers, millers, 
 and bakers, taylors and fhoemakers, or have been 
 naked and ftarved. But in facl this amazing mul- 
 titude is fcarcely miffed from amongft us. The 
 plough ftill goes brifkly forward, our fields (land 
 thick with corn, our workfhops and manufactures 
 are as yet but little thinned, and all ranks and or- 
 ders are as well clothed and fed as ever. 
 
 All thefe circumftances taken together form a 
 ftrong prefumptive teftimony in favour of a greatly 
 increafed population, and tend to corroborate 
 the pojitive proofs of it, which have been adduced 
 in the courfe of this eifay, and on which the me- 
 rits of the queftion mull principally and ultimately 
 reft. Thefe proofs are (as the reader will recollect) 
 the deficiencies in the London bills of mortality ; 
 the deficiencies in the returns of the furveyors of 
 the houfe and window tax ; the numbers ferving in 
 the militia compared with the whole number of 
 inhabitants in the refpe&ive places and diftrifts 
 by which they are furnifhed, and the feveral ta- 
 bles of baptifms and burials in the two requi- 
 fite periods, extracted from the regifiers of eight 
 r nine hundred parimes. If thefe evidences and 
 
 the
 
 ( 155 ) 
 
 t ' e arguments founded on them are admitted, they 
 muft effectually overthrow Dr. PRICE'S fyftem, 
 and eftaM fh a very different, and, to every fin- 
 cere lover of his country, a much more comfor- 
 tab ] e do&rine. And it is not, I hope, affuming 
 too much, or tranfgreffing the bounds of candour 
 to mggeft, that as the ingenious author has un- 
 doubtedly fuffered the weaknefs of his fpirits, or 
 the ftrcngth of his prejudices to miflead his judg- 
 ment, in estimating one mo/l important branch of 
 our national force, they may have given the fame 
 gloomy tinge to his reprefentation of our other 
 r -arces alfo ; and that he may have been almpft 
 as much miftaken in the ftate of our finances as in 
 the ftate of our population. At lealt, this confi- 
 deration furnifhes the flrongeft reafon againft ad- 
 mitt 1 ng any of the principles, of what may be 
 called his political arithmetic, without a thorough 
 e *minaticn, or adopting any of his difcouraging 
 cjnclufions. without great caution and confider- 
 able deductions. 
 
 ^ hat this kingdom is at prefent in very critical 
 circumftances ; that our enemies are powerful and 
 nrjierous; that our taxes are heavy, and our 
 public debts and incumbrances -great, it is im- 
 poffible to deny. But whoever will allow himfelf 
 to review with coolncfs, deliberation, and impar- 
 tiility the whole of our fituation 1 oth abfolute and 
 relative, will, I conceive, find realon to think that 
 the pidure which has been drawn of us, as an en- 
 feebled.
 
 f 155 ) 
 
 feebled, impoverimed, and utierly ruined and de- 
 voted people, is overcharged and exaggerated be- 
 yond all bounds of credibility and truth. We have 
 in former times fhewn ourfelves greatly fuperior 
 to France and Spain united. Since thofe times it 
 appears that the population of England has ad- 
 vanced more than twice as faft as theirs. Scotland 
 and Ireland, judging from the lateft and beft wri- 
 ters on the fubjeft, have probably multiplied with 
 almoft the fame rapidity. This addition of inter- 
 nal ftrength will, I truft, be more than a balance 
 for the increafed number of our external enemies. 
 We have already made fuch efforts againft them 
 as have aftonifhed all Europe ; and there is little 
 reafon to doubt, but that with the blcfling of pro- 
 vidence upon our councils and our arms ; with 
 firmnefs in our governors, with intrepidity in our 
 commanders by fea and land, and unanimity a- 
 mong ourfelves, we mall be able to refift effectually 
 the formidable confederacy that has been perfi- 
 dioufly formed againft us ; and that we mall nei- 
 ther want men, money, fpirit, nor perfeverancc 
 to continue the war into which we have been moft 
 unhappily and unwillingly drawn, till we can clofe 
 it by that moft defirable of all events, a fafe and 
 honourable peace. 
 
 The END.
 
 ADDENDA. 
 
 TH E following Articles, which are much 
 too important to be omitted, came not 
 time enough to be arranged in their pro- 
 per places. 
 
 REGISTER EXTRACTS. 
 
 Firft Period. Second Period. 
 
 Counties. 
 Berks. 
 
 Pari flies. 
 Read.St.Giles 
 
 i St TV^^rv 
 
 Bapt. 
 1301 
 
 1440 
 
 1261 
 878 
 277 
 809 
 
 73 2 
 1488 
 
 69 
 
 1189 
 2302 
 700 
 
 112 
 
 2036 
 
 Bur. 
 1130 
 1213 
 
 J 33 
 23 
 
 660 
 
 *395 
 803 
 
 207 
 686 
 906 
 1189 
 
 49 
 
 8<59 
 2195 
 609 
 87 
 1733 
 
 Bap. 
 1649 
 
 1320 
 
 68 
 781 
 1764 
 
 9 J 3 
 
 574 
 1615 
 
 1312 
 2361 
 
 86 
 
 1129 
 2625 
 
 879 
 
 *57 
 6,575 
 
 Bur. 
 1896 
 1676 
 l6 99 
 2 9 
 
 1626 
 908 
 498 
 1946 
 1617 
 1920 
 
 77 
 827 
 
 2573 
 676 
 60 
 5408 
 
 
 St. Laurence 
 -Milton loyvs. 
 Wendover 
 Avlefbury 
 Towcefter 
 Crick 
 St. Nicholas 
 St. Peter's 
 Witney 
 
 Drayton ~) 
 Par flow 10 > 
 years ) 
 Bampton 
 
 Shrewfbu- ? 
 ry,St.Chad ) 
 
 
 Bucks. 
 
 Northampton. 
 
 Nottingham 
 
 Oxford. 
 
 
 
 Salop. 
 
 
 Rodington 
 Wai fall 
 
 Stafford. 
 
 Total 16441 1,5074 2,5238 24150
 
 ADDENDA 
 
 Baptifms Burials. 
 
 Firft Period 16432 15074 
 
 Second Period 2 5 2 38 24150 
 
 Increafe 8806 9076 
 
 Thefe feventcen parifiies are increafed by more 
 than half of their original number; and on the 
 moft moderate eftimate. have added near 15,000 
 to their inhabitants fince the revolution. But the 
 town and parifh of Sheffield, as feems extremely 
 probable from information I have juft received 
 from thence, has acquired an addition of almoft 
 15,000 people during the laft 13 years; and it alfo 
 appears from the regifter extracts with which an 
 ingenious and very obliging clergyman of that 
 place has favoured me, that its annual average of 
 baptifms 200 years ago was lefs than 100, whereas 
 now it exceeds 1000. 
 
 HOUSES. 
 
 Counties. Parishes. Houfcs returned. Total. 
 
 Northampton Towcefter 157 395 
 
 Berks Reading, St. Giles 189 653 
 
 St. Mary 210 304 
 
 Bucks Aylefbury 425 653 
 
 - Wcndover 152 230 
 
 Stafford Walfall 667 1600 
 
 1800 3835 
 Here
 
 ADDENDA. 
 
 Here, upon an average, not half the houfes in 
 thefe feveral places are reMirned. If I have mif- 
 underftood the information of any of my corre- 
 fpondents they will be kind enough to correft me.
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 * "'HE following paper, with the commu- 
 -* nication of which I have been favoured 
 by a perfon of high rank and the moft dif- 
 tinguifhed abilities, having come too late 
 to be inferted in its proper place, I have 
 given it intire to the reader, who will im- 
 mediately fee that it was drawn up by the 
 hand of a mafter.
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 TO THE 
 
 EXAMINATION 
 
 O F 
 
 DR. PRICE'S ESSAY 
 
 O N 
 
 POPULATION. 
 
 A a
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Examination of Dr. PRICED Argument for 
 a decreafe of People, deduced from a de- 
 creafe of the hereditary and temporary 
 Excife. 
 
 DR. PRICE has referred to the account of 
 the produce of the hereditary and tempo- 
 rary excife as affording a ftrong evidence 
 of his propofition, that the number of the people 
 in England is confiderably diminimed fmce the 
 revolution. 
 
 If an accurate account is taken of the amount 
 of a tax upon an article of general confumption 
 at two different periods, the comparifon will af- 
 ford a fair ground to judge of the relative numbers 
 of the confumers; but, in ftating fuch account it is 
 neceflary ift, to take periods fufficiently long to 
 exclude the operation of temporary or accidental 
 caufes. 2dly, to enquire whether all the circum- 
 ftances attending the perception of the tax are the 
 fame in both periods. 
 
 Dr. PRICE has chofen to compare the average 
 amount of the duties payable under the name of 
 hereditary and temporary excife for three years end- 
 ing in 1689, with the average amount of four 
 A 3 years
 
 years ending in 1768; the refult of which com- 
 parifon he finds to be a diminution of at leafl 
 100,000 1. per annum. 
 
 It has been already fliewn in the appendix to 
 Mr. EDEN'S letters to Lord Carlifle, that a very 
 different conclufion would follow from a compa- 
 rifon of the average amount of other years during 
 the fame aera; but it may alfo be fhewn with as 
 much certainty as belongs to arguments of this 
 nature, that upon a full and fair ftate of the evi- 
 dence which the excife accounts afford, there ari- 
 fes a clear proof of an increafing population from 
 the revolution to the year 1778, and it is believed 
 that the two laft years would confirm this inference. 
 
 A period of 18 years is fufiiciently long to pre- 
 vent any variation from feafons, or other tempo- 
 rary caufes, that may affeft confumption. and in 
 order to avoid any errors that may arife from 
 ftating the amount of the fums paid upon this tax 
 (which includes other articles befides malt liquor) 
 it will be proper to ftate the quantity charged 
 
 with the duty. 
 
 StrongBeer. Small ditto 
 For 18 years ending at 
 Midfummer 1701, the quan- 
 tity of beer charged was on 
 an average 3,958,233-2,422,928 
 
 For 18 years ending at 
 
 Midfummer 1778 4 J 1 3 2 J 8 57" 1 8l 5: 2 75 
 
 The
 
 . ( vii ) 
 
 The heer thus charged is not the whole quantity 
 confumed, for that which is brewed for private 
 ufe is not liable to the duty. No juft comparifon 
 can therefore be made without fome eftimate of 
 the extent of the private brewery in each of the 
 two periods compared, for if it has been greater 
 in the one period than in the other, the comparifon 
 would evidently lead to an erroneous conckifion 
 as to the numbers of the confumers. 
 
 In the firft period the duty faved by brewing 
 at home was only 2s. 6d. per barrel of ftrong, and 
 6d. per barrel of fmall beer. In the latter period 
 the duty amounts to 8s. upon the barrel of ftrong 
 and is. 4d. upon the barrel of fmall beer; it feems 
 therefore reafonable to fuppofe that the quantity 
 made in the private brewery mould have increafed 
 in the latter period, becaufe the faving is a much 
 more confiderable inducement to undertake the 
 trouble and rifk of it. If this fuppofition is juft 
 we mall find the proof of it in an increafe of the 
 duties upon malt and hops, to which beer made 
 for private confumption is equally liable with that 
 made for fale. 
 
 A duty of 6d. per bufhel upon malt was firft 
 impofed in the year 1697 anc ^ excepting the years 
 1700 and 1701 has been continued to the prefent 
 time. In 1760 an additional duty of 3d. per bu- 
 fhel was impofed, of which an account is kept dif- 
 tincl: from the old duty. A comparifon of the 
 
 amount
 
 amount of the old duty in the firft 18 years and 
 in the laft 18 years is, in one refpeft, difadvanta- 
 geous to the latter period, for an increafe of duty 
 has a tendency to diminifh confumption, and it is 
 fuppofed that the additional malt duty had occa- 
 fioned the common brewer to make a larger ufe of 
 other materials for increafing the ftrength of their 
 beer. 
 
 
 The average produce of the 6d. per 
 
 bufhel on malt for the firft 18 years is 584.206 
 Jn the laft 18 years it is 653,190 
 
 The increafe is 68,984 
 
 . . > .",'.. j d 
 
 The duty on hops commenced in the 
 year 1711, the average of the firft 18 
 years is 54^229 
 
 Of the laft 18 years it is 76,025 
 
 The increafe is -*- 21,796 
 
 The increafe upon the malt is more than the i -91)1 
 part, that upon the hops' is above i-3d. But the 
 latter period of this duty has a confiderable advan- 
 tage over the former, as it includes the duty on 
 hops exported to Ireland; though the quantity of 
 hops exported will by no means account for the 
 difference between the increafe of hops and malt, 
 and fomething ought to be allowed for the facility 
 pf finding a cheap fubflitute for the malt, yet I 
 
 fhali
 
 fhall take the increafe of the private brewery, to 
 be no greater than what the malt duty proves it, 
 viz. i-gth fince the beginning of this century. 
 
 But there arc other circumftances to be taken 
 into confideration before a fair comparifon can be 
 formed between the two periods for the purpofe 
 of afcertaining their relative population. The 
 confumption of beer may be leflened by the intro- 
 duction of Ionic other beverage. Without affording 
 any argument that the number of the containers 
 is diminished, and it becomes neceffary to inquire 
 whether any other liquors are ufed in greater quan- 
 tities in the one period than in the other ? 
 
 Wine, cyder, fpirits and tea, may each of them 
 in fomc degree fupply the place of beer. 
 
 Wine, being an high priced commodity, and 
 the duty upon cyder not having been impofed up- 
 on the maker, except from 1763 to 1767, during 
 which period the amount was very considerable, 
 no cftimate of thefe articles can be formed that 
 would apply to this argument. We only know in 
 general that the ufe of both is not leffened of late. 
 
 The quantity of fpirituous liquors diftilled and 
 imported is very greatly increafed. 
 
 In 1685 duty was paid for ,593.645 gallons diftilled 
 
 -------- 1,414,614 ditto imported 
 
 In 1778 duty was paid for 2,954,000 gallons diftilled. 
 
 ------- 2,102,000 ditto imported 
 
 Tea
 
 ( * ) 
 
 Tea is now more generally confumed than even 
 fpirits among the lower ranks of people ; and there 
 can be no doubt that it muft interfere with the 
 confumption of malt liquor, it fupplies the place 
 of the morning draught at leaft, and it is only in 
 the ufe of the perfons whofe circumftances are 
 very eafy that it can be rated as a fuperfluity. 
 The quantity confumed about the beginning of 
 this century was very moderate. If we only take 
 an account of what pays duty, the quantity con- 
 fumed is now about fix millions of pounds, but 
 it is very well known that a large proportion both 
 of the fpirits and tea confumed pays no duty. 
 
 The account of the number of barrels charged 
 with the excife duty in the two periods compared 
 prefentsus with an increafe upon the ftrong beer of 
 174,624, and a decreafe upon the fmall of 607,653 
 That is upon the whole quantity ftrong and fmall 
 433.029, which is nearly a i-i5th. The increafe 
 of the ftrong beer certainly fhews an increafe of 
 confumption, 'but the decreafe of the fmall beer 
 does not in like manner prove that the quantity 
 confumed is diminifhed. DAVENANT has obferv- 
 ed pag. 192, and the fat is certain, that the in- 
 creafe of the excife duty had given rife to a prac- 
 tice of brewing the liquor of an extraordinary 
 ftrength to avoid the duty, and that liquor being 
 afterwards reduced, the quantity is much greater 
 than it appears from the charge. On this confi- 
 
 deration
 
 deration, it might fairly be argued that the quan- 
 tity confumed is greater upon the whole by an 
 increafe of 174,624 barrels ftrong, notwithftand- 
 ing the apparent decreafe of the fmail beer charged. 
 But in the above account there is a great fallacy, 
 for an alteration took place in the collection duty, 
 which greatly diminifhed the nominal quantity 
 charged. 
 
 By an aft of the jft of King William c. 24. 
 the brewers are entitled to an allowance of i-ioth 
 upon every gage made upon the warm worts, and 
 34 gallons are allowed for the barrel of ftrong 
 beer which before was rated only at 32 gallons, 
 the barrel of fmall beer was at the fame time re- 
 duced from 36 gallons, its former rate, to 34, 
 the regulations as to the meafure affected only the 
 country brewery, the London brewery being al- 
 ready upon the fame footing, but the allowance 
 of i-ioth affected the whole. 
 
 The commiffioners of excife in a memorial pre- 
 fented to the treafury on the 291!! of March, 1690, 
 while this meafure was under consideration, com- 
 pute the diminution of the duty that would take 
 place upon account of the i-ioth allowance at 
 52,655!. and upon the .alteration of the meafure 
 29,675!. 
 
 DAVENANT indeed, in his EJTay on the Manage- 
 ment of the King's Revenues, vol. i. 185, difputes 
 
 the
 
 the accuracy of this calculation, and allows the 
 difference to be only 30.000!. but, one objeft of 
 that eflay being to decry the conduct of the com- 
 miflioners of excife, his obfervations muft be re- 
 ceived with fome caution, and it is remarkable 
 that he proves the accuracy of their calculation, 
 in one refpeft, though he is not aware of the in- 
 ference ; for he fays in p. 186, " The duty in 
 "London has decreafed 17001!. on a medium 
 " of 7 years ; in the country on a like medium 
 "155 592!. why mould the fall in London be but 
 cj i-ioth of the general decreafe and yet the duty 
 " in London be about i-4th part of the whole 
 " excife." He proceeds then to account for this 
 from mifmanagement, whereas it is evident that 
 the whole London brewery, being only affecled 
 by the i-ioth allowance, the decreafe there ought 
 to be no more than he flates it. He likcwife ftates, 
 that the duty fell in the firft year after this regu- 
 lation 60,653!. But in truth upon a medium of 
 feveral years the calculation of the commifnoners 
 is fully proved to be very moderate. 
 
 In order to form a fair comparifonof the quan- 
 tity of beer confumed during the two periods com- 
 pared, the number of barrels charged before the 
 year 1690 ought to be reduced to the prefent 
 flandard of allowance and meafure. 
 
 The morteft method of finding the proportion 
 that ought to be dedu&ed on this account, will 
 
 be,
 
 be, to take the amount of the duty in thefe 
 years, and deduct from it the amount of the di- 
 minution which took place in confequence of the 
 alteration of the allowance. 
 
 DAVENANT p. 175 has given an account of the 
 produce of the duty on beer and ale in each year 
 from the year 1683 to the year 1696. 
 
 The average of fix years from 1685 to 1689 
 both inclufive, omitting the fractions of a pound 
 13644,994!. 
 
 If we fuppofe the commiflioners to be right in 
 their calculation, which rates the probable diminu- 
 tion at 82,331!. the amount is nearly i-gth, but 
 taking it only at 60,653!. the decreafe of the firft 
 year after the alteration took place it is more than 
 i -nth, or taking it even at 30,000!. the difference 
 would greatly exceed the nominal decreafe of 
 433,029 barrels, the duty on which at 6d. would 
 only be 10825!. The real quantity of beer 
 brewed for fale in the laft period of 18 years muft 
 then exceed that which was brewed "in the firft 
 period. If we take into confideration the increafe of 
 the private brewery, proved by the increafe of the 
 duties on malt and hops, and the great additional 
 confumption of fpirituous liquors and tea, there 
 can remain no doubt, that as far as an increafed 
 confumption of articles of general and almoft ne- 
 ceffary ufe proves an increafe of confumers, the 
 
 number
 
 C 
 
 number of the people of England muft be much 
 greater no\v than at the time of the revolution. 
 
 It may be faid however that an increafe of con- 
 fumption proves only that a greater degree of wafle 
 or intemperance prevails at one period than at 
 another, and though the proceeding obfervations 
 may be fufficient to refute Dr. PRICE'S argument, 
 they do not eftablifh the contrary doftrine. An 
 inquiry into other articles that are not the obje&s 
 of any appetite, nor afford the means of intemper- 
 ance will mew what weight there is in this ob- 
 jedion. 
 
 The duty on leather took place in 1712. The 
 amount of the firft full year was 149,967!. By 
 a gradual increafe, except whilft the diftemper 
 amongft the horned cattle prevailed, the duty has 
 rifen to 229,656!. the amount of the year ending 
 at Midfummer 1778. 
 
 The duty on candles took place in 1711, the 
 firft full year it produced 118,925!. By a gra- 
 dual rife that duty came to be in 1778, 205,776!. 
 
 It was unneceffary to take any average of dif- 
 ferent periods for thefe duties, becaufe they have 
 been regularly advancing. One might add to this 
 another, circumftance, that the number of victual- 
 lers has decreafed from 47,343 the average for 
 the years 1687, 1688, and 1689, to 31,814 The 
 number of common brewers has at the fame time 
 
 increafed
 
 increafed, though not in fo great a proportion, 
 but the quantity of beer now brewed by the com- 
 mon brewers is about 3-4ths of the whole, whereas 
 the victuallers formerly brewed 3-5ths of the whole. 
 The brewer cannot by law retail the beer in fmall 
 quantities; the victualler does, and if there are 
 fewer retailers, the inference feems pretty fair that 
 the beer confirmed at the publick houfe, bears a lefs 
 proportion to that which is bought for domettick ufe 
 than it did formerly. This is not offered as a very 
 conclufive argument, nor would it have afforded 
 matter of obfcrvation, if Dr. PRICE had not taken 
 notice of the decreafe of victuallers as arguing a 
 decreafe of confumption. The greater part of the 
 confumption of leather and of candles is a matter 
 of mere neceffity ; the increafe upon thefe duties 
 mews, that it would be unjuft to afcribe to excefs 
 in living, the great increafe of the quantity of li- 
 quors confumed; it may probably be true that 
 more is confumed by an equal number of people 
 now than at the time of the revolution, becaufe 
 they can better afford it, but the increafe upon the 
 various articles which are become matters of ne- 
 ceffary ufe, is too confiderable to be accounted 
 for folely upon that reafon. 
 
 FINIS.
 
 
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