€hap,IV. AKTIENT METAPHYSICS. 263 



C H A P. I\^ 



Of the State of Man, with refpe5l to Population^ fince the coming of 

 Chrift, — Blfeafes much tncreafcd in numbers — of the Small-Pox, 

 Great-Pox, and Meafles, — Vices alfo much increafed^—infancc of 

 this in Spirit Drinking — a moft defructive Vice. — North America 

 almoji Depopulated by it and the Small-Pox, — Of the Depopulation 

 of Italy in later times, compared with Antient Italy, — the number of 

 Cities much fewer. — Many Cities dcjlroyed by the Romans — and 

 great Depopulation produced by their Conquefs. — T'he Depopula- 

 tion completed by the ravages of jhe Goths and other barbarous 

 Nations, — Of the Population of Antient Latium — many Colonies 

 fent out from Rome. — Greece much Depopulated fince the days of 

 Paufanias : — The Author informed of its prefent flat e by a late Tra^ 

 veller. — Afia very populous in antient times : — Its Wcfern King- 

 doms now but thinly peopled : — Great part of Tartary a defart 

 according to Mr Bell of Antermony : — Great deereaje of the num- 

 bers of men in India ; — this occaftoned by the conquefls of Gen- 

 chis Chan, Tamerlane, Kouli Chan, and the Britifj. — China tzvice 

 conquered by the Tartars ; — highly probable, therefore, that its 

 numbers are dimini/ljcd ; — and alfo thofe of Japan : — Prudence of 

 thofe Countries in avoiding much inter courfe with Europceans.-^^ 

 South America and the Wejl Indies dreadfully Depopulated by the 

 Spaniards ; — and North America by the Britiflj, 



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