Ch. v. in Switzerland. 353 



geoisie was given to 80 families. In 1623, the 

 sovereign council united the members of 112 dif- 

 ferent families, of which 58 onlv remain.* 



The proportion of unmarried persons in Berne, 

 including widows and widowers, is considerably 

 above the half of the adults; and the proportion 

 of those below sixteen to those above, is not far 

 from 1 to 3. | These are strong proofs of the 

 powerful operation of the preventive check. 



The peasants in the canton of Berne have al- 

 ways had the reputation of being rich, and with- 

 out doubt it is greatly to be attributed to this 

 cause. A law has for some time prevailed, which 

 makes it necessary for every peasant to prove 

 himself in possession of the arms and accoutre- 

 ments necessary for the militia, before he can 

 obtain permission to marry. This at once ex- 

 cludes the very poorest from marriage ; and a 

 very favourable turn may be given to the habits 

 of many others, from a knowledge that they can- 

 not accomplish the object of their wishes, without 

 a certain portion of industry and economy. A 

 young man who, with this end in view, had en- 

 gaged in service either at home or in a foreign 

 country, when he had gained the necessary sum, 

 might feel his pride rather raised, and not be 

 contented merely with what would obtain him 



* Statistiquc dc la Suisse, Durand, torn. iv. p. 405, 8vo. 4 vols. 

 Lausanne, 1796. 



t Beschreibung von Bern, vol. ii. tab. i. p. 35, 2 vols. 8vo. 

 Bern. 1796. 



VOL. I. A A 



