Population of Great Britain. 



207 



siderably. Of the agricultural population it may also be observed, 

 that Wales has undergone a greater diminution than either those 

 of England or Scotland ; and the classes of its unproductive la- 

 bourers has likewise received the greatest augmentation. The 

 feeble diminution also of the last-mentioned class for England, is 

 worthy of particular remark ; and from the manufacturing popula- 

 tion having received an increase somewhat analogous to the de- 

 pression of the class of agriculturists, it may be inferred, that during 

 the ten years from 1811 to 1821, the class of artisans derived its 

 increments from that of agriculture ; the demand for labour having 

 been more active in the former division than in the latter. The in- 

 crements also, which the manufacturers of Wales and Scotland 

 have received, may be properly attributed to the same source. 

 The most important feature of the table of general results, and that 

 indeed which deserves the most serious attention, is the great 

 diminution of the agricultural population. 



Of the individual counties it may be observed, that for agricul- 

 ture, the maximum increase is in Rutland ; for trade and manu- 

 factures in Stafford ; and for the third, or unproductive class, in 

 Durham. The latter county also presents the maximum decre- 

 ment for agriculture ; Northampton for manufactures ; and West- 

 moreland for the unproductive class. The counties of Wilts and 

 Leicester approach the nearest to the actual state of the aggregate 

 agricultural population ; and Gloucester, for the two succeeding 

 classes. The county distinguished by the least change in its agri- 

 cultural population is Southampton; and for the minimum change 

 in its manufacturers, Bedford ; and for its third, or unproductive 

 class, Gloucester. The forty English counties, having each of the 

 three classes divided into the general denominations of increments 

 and decrements, are respectively, in point of numbers as follows : 



