THE MALTHUSIAN THEORY 137 



Tliis table will show how remarkable has been the 

 prolongation of the average life-span in so brief a 

 period ; when we take into consideration the fact that 

 between the central points of the two periods not 

 more than twenty years have elapsed, the result in 

 some cases would appear almost incredible, if it were 

 not beyond question attested. 



Let it, however, be borne in mind that the period 

 18761903 was one in which all the forces of 

 civilisation were acting with a higher degree of 

 energy than in the former part of the century ; for 

 these forces must be regarded as accumulating energy 

 in their onward march. But the social significance 

 of this table can scarcely be exaggerated ; for every 

 year added to the average life means improved 

 sanitation, greater comfort, and material well- 

 being. 



The difference between the average life-terms of 

 the different countries will be a surprising revelation 

 to many ; for not many, I presume, have made them- 

 selves acquainted with the fact that the average life 

 of one European people exceeds that of another by 

 more than a quarter of a century. I have arranged 

 the columns for the two periods side by side the 

 first column below each period showing the average 

 number of deaths annually in every 1000 persons, 

 and the second column showing the average length of 

 life calculated from the proportional mortality. The 

 last column shows the prolongation of life in the 

 period. 



