Laws of Mortality in Europe in the last Half Century. 379 



S3. The fecundity would appear to have remained the same. 

 In the present century, as in the last, the numerical expression 

 which represents it is always four children for each marriage. 

 But this proportion is undoubtedly not the true one, since we 

 are obhged to include among the births that of the illegiti- 

 mate children, from the defect of proper distinctions in the ac- 

 counts of births, especially in foreign countries. In France, the 

 exact proportion of births to marriages is 3.9- , . . . 



24. The marriages, as well as births, have diminished in 

 Europe within these fifty years, and yet the population is seen 

 to increase. This apparent contradiction is explained by ano- 

 ther fact, the very great diminution of the proportion of deaths. 

 There was formerly one death in thirty-two individuals : there is 

 at present one in 40.3. This diminution of the mortality bears 

 chiefly upon the earlier stages of life. There are, on the one 

 hand, more newly-born individuals that survive, and on the 

 other more adults that grow old. 



25. The necessary result of this latter state of things, is the 

 prolongation of the middle period of life, which appears in fact 

 to extend beyond the limits within which it was formerly con- 

 fined. 



26. The simultaneous diminution of the marriages and deaths 

 in Europe at the present day, confirms Mr Malthus"* observation, 

 that whenever the deaths are numerovis, the marriages are so 

 also ; for then the vacuities must be filled up, and there is room 

 for every body ; and that, on the contrary, whenever there are 

 few deaths, there are also few marriages. The reason of this 

 in fact, is, that from the moment when the augmentation of in- 

 dividuals begins to fill all the paths of life, and to obstruct all 

 its courses, the means of existence become more and more scarce 

 and uncertain. People must then be much restrained from 

 gratifying the desire of marrying, and having a family, by the 

 difficulty which is foreseen of providing for them. Thus, al- 

 though it may appear paradoxical, it is not the less true, that 

 there comes a period when population forms an obstacle to po- 

 pulation, and industry arrests industry. 



27. From all that has been stated, it would appear that the 

 following conclusions may be drawn : 



