682 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1775. 



in many country situations, the greater part live to marry : and in the parish of 

 Ackworth particularly, it appears with undeniable evidence from the register, 

 that one half of all born there live to the age of 46. It appears also, with equal 

 evidence, from M. Muret's tables in the Bern Memoirs for 1766, that in 43 

 parishes in the district of Vaud, one half of all born there live beyond the age 

 of 41. In truth, did all mankind lead natural and virtuous lives, that waste of 

 the species which happens in infancy and childhood would not take place, and 

 few would die except in old age. 



But to return to Dr. Percival's account of the town and parish of Manchester. 

 It appears from this account, that the number of children under 15, compared 

 with the number of inhabitants between 14 and 51, is greater in the country 

 than in the town of Manchester, in the proportion of no less than 5 to 4. It 

 follows therefore, that though, in consequence of a constant influx of people to 

 the town, it is more filled than the country with inhabitants in the most vigorous 

 periods of life ; yet 1 child in 4 less is born in the town than in the country. 

 This is a remarkable circumstance, and the reasons of it must be the two follow- 

 ing. First, the town inhabitants, being less healthy, and dying faster, have not 

 the same strength of constitution with the country inhabitants. 2dly, in the 

 town a smaller proportion of the adult inhabitants marry ; and they marry later 

 than in the country. The survey fully proves this ; for it appears, that though 

 the number of inhabitants at the most common marrying ages, cotnpared with 

 the whole number of the living above the age of 14, is smaller in the country 

 than the town ; yet the proportion of the married to the living above 14, is very 

 nearly the same in both situations. And there are more widows and widowers 

 in the town than in the country in the proportion of near 16 to 11. Hence we 

 learn clearly in what manner towns operate in checking population, and prevent- 

 ing the increase of mankind. 



Dr. Percival informs us, that the reverend and learned Dr. Tucker has been 

 led, by some observations he has made at Bristol, to doubt whether the common 

 opinion is right, with respect to the disproportion between the number of male 

 and female births ; and that he therefore wishes a further inquiry may be made 

 into this subject. This has induced Dr. P. to collect the following facts, which 

 he thinks will abundantly settle this point. 



Born Males, Females. Proportion. 



In London for the last llOyears, orfrom 166+ to 1773 862293 . . 817072 . . 20 to 19 



Paris, for 8 years 79693 . . 7648 1 . . 25 . . 24 



Leyden, for 50 years , 46773 . . 44933 . . 26 . . 25 



Vienna, for 27 years, ending 1746 67060 . , 64893 . . 31 . . 30 



Berlin, for 40 years, ending 1761 7 1 188 . . 67431 . . iO . . 19 



Kurmark of Brandenburgh, for 9 years, ending 1759 102425 . . 9652 1 . . 18 . . 17 



Dukedom of Magdeburgh, for 38 years, ending 1759 153227 . . 145985 . . 21 . . 20 



All the Prussian towns, for a course of years 691 826 . . 659072 . . 2 1 . . 20 



In a great number of country parishes, for a course of years 59067 . . o6282 . . 21 ^ 20 



