Ch.'vi. in France. 371 



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at any rate of the gross produce, which is the prin- 

 cipal point with regard to mere population. 



These considerations make it appear probable 

 that the means of subsistence have at least re- 

 mained unimpaired, if they have not increased, 

 during the revolution ; and a view of the cultiva- 

 tion of France in its present state certainly rather 

 tends to confirm this supposition. 



We shall not therefore be inclined to agree with 

 Sir Francis d'lvernois in his conjecture that the 

 annual births in France have diminished by one- 

 seventh during the revolution.* On the contrary, 

 it is more probable that they have increased by 

 this number. The average proportion of births 

 to the population in all France, before the revo- 

 lution, was, according to Necker, as 1 to 25-J.f 

 It has appeared in the reports of some of the 

 prefects which have been returned, that the pro- 

 portion in many country places was raised to 1 to 

 21, 22, 224-, and 23 ;% and though these proportions 

 might, in some degree, be caused by the absence 

 of a part of the population in the armies, yet I 

 have little doubt that they are principally to be 

 attributed to the birth of a greater number of 

 children than usual. If, when the reports of all the 

 prefects are put together, it should appear, that 

 the number of births has not increased in propor- 

 tion to the population, and yet that the population 



* Tableau des Pertes, &c. c. ii. p. 14. 



f De rAdministiation des Finances, torn. i. c. ix. p. 254. 

 \ Essui <lc Peuchet, p. 28. 



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