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CHAP. VI. 



Of the Checks to Population in France. 



As the parochial registers in France, before the 

 revolution, were not kept with particular care, 

 nor for any great length of time, and as the few 

 which have been produced exhibit no very extra- 

 ordinary results, I should not have made this 

 country the subject of a distinct chapter, but for 

 a circumstance attending the revolution, which 

 has excited considerable surprise. This is, the 

 undiminished state of the population in spite of 

 the losses sustained during so long and destruc- 

 tive a contest.* 



A great national work, founded on the reports 

 of the prefects in the different departments, is at 

 present in some state of forwardness at Paris, and 

 when completed may reasonably be expected to 

 form a very valuable accession to the materials of 

 statistical science in general. The returns of all 

 the prefects are not however yet complete; but [ 

 was positively assured by the person who has the 

 principal superintendence of them, that enough 

 is already known to be certain that the popula- 

 tion of the old territory of France has rather in- 

 creased than diminished during the revolution. 



* This chapter was written in 1802, and refers to the state of 

 France before the peace of Amiens. 



