^^ ^"^^Vn the probable Duration of Human Life, -^bi^ 



^ 13|^^**taslflar'tifeats' pretty fully on the influence of pursuits 

 Md occupations on the duration of human life ; and from his 

 inquiries it appears that clergymen are, on the whole, the long- 

 est, and medical men arc the shortest livers. The different 

 classes may be arranged, in respect to longevity, as follows : — 



Clergymen, .... 

 Merchants, .... 



Clerks, .... 



Farmers, .... 



Military Men, 



Lawyers, .... 



Artists, .... 



Medical Men, .... 



Another important agent or influence on the probable dura- 

 tion of life is mari'iage. It is proved by the researches of our 

 author that the married state is favourable to longevity, and 

 especially in reference to the male sex. 



The influence of poverty and destitution in shortening the 

 medium duration of life is well known. Dr Caspar gives some 

 tables of mortality which prove the sad contrast in this respect 

 between the poor and the affluent. From these it would seem 

 that the medium age of the nobility in Germany may be stated 

 at about 50 years, whereas that of the paupers is as low as 32 

 years. 



The last chapter of the work treats of the influence of the 

 fecundity of a population upon its mortality. Dr Caspar shews, 

 by a vast number of documents, that " the mortality in any po- 

 pidation is always in exact ratio to its fecundity,'''' or, in other 

 words, " the more prolific the people is, the greater usually is the 

 mortality among them.'''' 



He alludes to the diff'erence, in this respect, in the different 

 districts in England ; and maintains that wherever the number 

 of births is highest, there the mortality is greatest at the same 

 time. 



The same result is derivable from statistical investigations 

 in Belgium, France, and other countries. 



Dr Caspar concludes his work by embodying the general 

 principles of his researches in the following conclusions : — 



