380 VHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1753. 



the liberties of the city, must of consequence be brought into the city bill of 

 mortality. 



The total number of burials for 10 years was 17317, which is on a medium 

 1731 in each year. 



Now the latest and most accurate observations demonstrate, that in great cities 

 a 23 th part of the people die yearly. Therefore, at this rate, 1731 X 25 = 

 43275, is the number of the inhabitants, computed on this principle. 



The number of houses rated to the land-tax, as appears by the rates in the 

 council-house, Michaelmas, 1751, is 4866. 



But as the rates are not always accurately made, and as it is the usual custom 

 not to rate houses, which are untenanted, nor hospitals, nor alms-houses, it will 

 be necessary to make a very large allowance for these deficiencies, especially as 

 many houses are rated in gross under the denomination of several tenements, 

 when they belong to the same landlord ; in all the several parishes, an allowance 

 of 25 percent, will be more than sufficient, which produces 121 6. 



Also the number of houses in the out-parishes is 1228. 



These 3 numbers collected, make the total number of houses 7282. Now 

 the usual number of souls allowed to each house is 6. Hence, 



7282 X 6 = 43692 number of inhabitants by the houses. 

 And 43275 number of inhabitants by the burials. 



XXXIIl. Of the Eclipse predicted by Thales. By the Rev. IVilliam 



Stukely, M.D. p. 221. 



The eclipse predicted by Thales the Milesian, happened in the 6o3d year be- 

 fore the Christian aera. At this time there was a sharp war between the Medes 

 and Lydians, of which Herodotus gives an account. Halyattes, father of the 

 famous Croesus, was then king of the Lydians. 



After the Medes had conquered all the upper or northern part of Asia, from 

 the old possessors the Scythians, they again extended their borders to the river 

 Halys in Lesser Asia, the boundary between Cappadocia and Armenia, or be- 

 tween the Lydians and Medes. It was not long before a war took place between 

 these nations, which continued for 5 years together, with various success. In 

 the 6th year they engaged each other, with the utmost of their strength ; in- 

 tending to make that battle decisive, but while the fortune of the day seemed to 

 hang in an equal balance, there happened a total eclipse of the sun, which over- 

 spread both armies with a horrible darkness ; so that being affrighted at such a 

 critical judgment of Heaven, as they thought it, both sides put up their swords, 

 and agreed to refer the controversy between them to two arbitrators. Halyattes, 

 king of Lydia, chose Siennesis, king of Cilicia ; Cyaxares, the Median monarch, 

 chose Nebuchadnezzar, now busy in leading the Jews into captivity. Nebu- 



