COMMON THINGS MAN. 



56. A similar calculation applied to the population returns in 

 France during the 36 years ending with 1852, showed a progressive 

 increase of the mean duration of life. During the first eight years, 

 ending with 1824, the mean length of life was 31 - 8 years, and 

 during the last eight years, ending with 1852, it was 36-7. Its 

 mean value for the whole interval of 36 years being 34*2 years, 

 the same as in England. 



Now, it will not fail to strike every one that this term of life is 

 greatly below that which would result from general observation, 

 independently of all statistical results. A person dying at thirty- 

 four would be lamented by all as one taken away prematurely in 

 the prime of life. This discrepancy between the results of statis- 

 tics and common observation admits of easy explanation. The 

 estimate made by common observation is tacitly based upon a 

 rough average taken of the ages at which those die who have 

 already entered upon the scene of life, and have been recognised 

 by all as members of the human family. The more exact calcula- 

 tions of statistics include rigorously all that are born into the 

 world, of whom so large a proportion die in their first year ; and as 

 we have seen, not less than4-10ths in that term of infancy, during 

 which they can scarcely be said to be recognised by common obser- 

 vation as forming part of the population. To render the results 

 of the computation of the absolute duration of life applicable to 

 the 6-10ths which arrive at the adult state, it will only be 

 necessary to augment the computed duration of life in the 

 ratio of 6 to 10. If, therefore, as has been shown, the actual 

 mean duration of life in England and France be 34 years, 

 the mean length of life of those who survive their infancy will 

 be 56 years, which, it is evident, is in complete accordance with 

 common observation. 



57. How much the preservation of life during infancy is de- 

 pendent on parental care, is rendered conspicuously apparent by 

 the melancholy fact established by the statistical returns, that 80 

 per cent., or four in every five of the children abandoned in France 

 as foundlings, die in their first year. 



58. The number of children resulting from each marriage is 

 found by the simple method of comparing the total number of 

 annual legitimate births with the total number of annual mar- 

 riages. By this process, it appears that the mean number of 

 children to every two marriages in France is seven, and in England 

 eight, these mean results being subject to a very slight variation 

 from year to year. 



59. The human race, as is well known, consists of a considerable 

 number of varieties, differing one from another in personal 

 appearance, character, language, in their average degree of 



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