^72 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IV. 



CHAP. VL 



Of the Population of Britain, — Population one of the three great Ar- 

 ticles of the Political SyJIem. — ift, The Population of England con- 

 fid ere d ; — not fo great now as when "Julius C^far was in the 

 Jfand : — According to him England was very Populous^ and even 

 more Populous than Gaul. — Our great towns ^ no proof of great 

 Population : — They, on the contrary, confume great numbers of 

 people. — Little knowledge of the fate of Population during the 

 Saxon government. -~ Reafons for concluding, that after the Norman 

 eouquef, the Population was greater than at prefcnt : — The feudal 

 fyfem introduced by it ^favourable to Population. — Our wars, trade ^ 

 midmni failures, attended with great wqfie of men. — An inquiry^ 

 therefore, into the Population of England at prefent, and whether 

 it be increaftng or decreafing, a quefion of the great ef political 

 importance : — Oppofite opinions on this point maintained by Mr 

 Howlet and Dr Price. — Mr Howlet contends, that ive have doub- 

 led our numbers fine e \n\o ', — arguments again/l this opinion: — 

 Dr Price holds, that ever fince the revolution in 1688, we have 

 been decreafing in numbers : — Probable ■ that the DoElor is in the 

 ■right, from the caufes he afigtis, — Enumeration ofthefe. 



In 



