[ 4°6 ] 



immenfe demands. Surely thefe fads ought 

 to have taught them a better fyftem of po- 

 litics, and convinced them of the utter im- 

 poflibility of a nation's declining in popula- 

 tion, that made fuch immenfe efforts, with- 

 out her domeftic ceconcmy receiving the 

 moil transient wound. 



But to our amazement be it fpoken, other 

 writers, who have feen all this, or might 

 have {ten it, have fince repeated the fame 

 tale, and gravely inform us of the millions 

 we have loft ; learnedly preaching upon the 

 fad confequences of depopulation. It is in 

 vain to talk of tables of births, and lifts of 

 houfes and windows, as proofs of our lofs of 

 people ; the flourifhing ftate of our agricul- 

 ture, our manufactures, and commerce, with 

 our general wealth, prove the contrary be- 

 yond the power of any fjch vouchers to in- 

 validate their teftimony. 



During the courfe of the laft war, and 

 fince, not a feffions of parliament has palled 

 without numerous ads for inclofures, turn- 

 pikes, and navigations. We have, in every 

 county of the kingdom, i^cn thefe works 

 carried on with unabated fpirit, at the fame 

 time that all other demands for men are fully 

 fatisfied. It has been, however, complained, 

 that a want of hands has been felt in agri- 

 culture, in feveral parts of the kingdom : 

 This information I received more than once 



during 



