Ch. ii. in Sweden. 283 



1760 were to the whole population as 1 to 39, in 

 1757 as 1 to 32, and in 1758 as 1 to 31. 



In some observations on the Swedish registers, 

 M. Wargentin says that in the unhealthy years 

 about 1 in 29 have died annually, and in the 

 healthy years one in 39 ; and that taking a middle 

 term the average mortality might be considered 

 at 1 in 36.* But this inference does not appear 

 to be just, as a mean between 29 and 39 would 

 give 34; and indeed the tables, which he has 

 himself brought forward, contradict an average 

 mortality of 1 in 36, and prove that it is about 1 

 in 34^. 



The proportion of yearly marriages to the 

 whole population appears to be on an average 

 nearly as 1 to 112, and to vary between the ex- 

 tremes of 1 to 101, and 1 to 124, according to the 

 temporary prospect of a support for a family. 

 Probably indeed it varies between much greater 

 extremes, as the period from which these calcula- 

 tions are made is merely for nine years. 



In another paper which M. Wargentin pub- 

 lished in the same collection, he again remarks 

 that in Sweden the years, which are the most 

 fruitful in produce, are the most fruitful in chil- 

 dren.! 



If accurate observations were made in other 

 countries, it is highly probable that differences of 

 the same kind would appear, though not to the 



* Memoirea Abivgcs tie 1' Academic cle Stockholm, p. 29. 

 t Id. p. 31, 



