405 
tho’ he affirm y‘ in all his collection he never mett w™ any, 
for in the 1* and 3™ year y* number of females y' dyed ex- 
ceeded y* of males, and the middle rate I found to be as 13 
to 13 and near 3 or 32; but in the christnings I found the pro- 
portion to be as 13 to 15 and near 2 or 3, soe y* I suppose 
the compound proportion will not be much different from 
y' of S' W™ Petty’s of 13. 
“«¢Quere, whether an argument may not be hence drawn 
to prove y‘ poligamy is contrary to the law of nature, since the 
stock of females is already slenderer y” y‘ of males, soe y* if 
one man ingrost 10 females for his own use, of necessity 9 
males would be unprovided for, and since marriage is insti- 
tuted for the propagation of mankind, it seems reasonable 
y‘ every man should beare his equal share in y‘ grand work. 
**« Jt will be replyed by some y* mankind has by y° law of 
nature an equall right to other of natures productions w™ are 
nevertheless by custom and y* law of nations monopolized into 
a few private hands; but to this it may be answered, y‘ y° pro- 
prietor can apply but a single share to his own use, & all y* 
right he can preserve in y° rest is only a power to dispense 
y™ among y* rest of mankind according to his own free will 
& discreédn. Soe y* they may be said to have a derivative 
right to those goods to w* they may make out their title by 
some sort of services paid y° proprietor, therefore such an im- 
propriation seems highly advantageous to mankind, since in- 
_ dustry is thereby incouraged, and none but the slothfull fall 
short of their shares; but women are not such a kind of pos- 
» session, for, not being fitt to be communicated as those other 
q goods may, an overplus of y™ cannot w“out great injustice be 
% impropriated by any single person. I know some will alleadge 
in favor of poligamy y* y® law of nature is better observed 
among creatures y* live by instinct y" such as act by reason, 
_ y‘noe species is multiplyed soe fast as the sheep & black cattle; 
_ but if all the other males were permitted as well as y* poliga- 
