39^ ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



*' in thofe places where inoculation has moft 

 " prevailed, particularly in and about T)uni- 

 ^' frieSy there are as many that die in child- 

 *' hood, and before they arrive at the age of 

 " twenty, as formerly, even including thofe 

 " who are cut off by the fmall-pox. If this 

 " is the cafe, then inoculation is to no pur- 

 " pofe." I fliall not trouble you with what 

 occurred to me in anfwer to this objection. 

 I greatly fufpedt the foundnefs of the prin- 

 ciple on which it is built, and have ventured 

 to deny the truth of the facft. How trifling 

 foever you may think the objedion, yet, as 

 there is great ftrefs laid upon it, and by per- 

 fons of rank, I thought it might not be im- 

 proper to apprife you of it. Thus far my 

 friend. 



An objeftion fo plaufibly formed, and with 

 fuch particular application, feems to affed:, 

 more than any thing I have feen advanced, 

 at once inoculation itfelf, and indircdly all, 

 who, from a ferious perfuaiion of its ufeful- 

 nefs, have fhewn themfelves induftrious to 

 promote it. To encourage and recomm.end 

 a pradice more hurtful in its confequenceSj 

 than the immediate good of it can be of fer- 

 vicc, which could not efcape the obfervation 



of 



