Ch. viii. in England. 403 



Those, therefore, who live single, or marry late, 

 do not by such conduct contribute in any degree 

 to diminish the actual population ; but merely to 

 diminish the proportion of premature mortality, 

 which would otherwise be excessive ; and conse- 

 quently in this point of view do not seem to 

 deserve any very severe reprobation or punish- 

 ment. 



The returns of the births and deaths are sup- 

 posed, on good grounds, to be deficient ; and it 

 will therefore be difficult to estimate, with any 

 degree of accuracy, the proportion which they 

 bear to the whole population. 



If we divide the existing population of England 

 and Wales by the average of burials for the five 

 years ending in 1800, it would appear, that the 

 mortality was only 1 in 49 ; * but this is a pro- 

 portion so extraordinarily small, considering the 

 number of our great towns and manufactories, 

 that it cannot be considered as approaching to 

 the truth. 



Whatever may be the exact proportion of the 

 inhabitants of the towns to the inhabitants of the 

 country, the southern part of this island certainly 

 ranks in that class of states, where this proportion 

 is greater than 1 to 3 ; indeed there is ample rea- 

 son to believe, that it is greater than 1 to 2. Ac- 

 cording to the rule laid down by Crome, the mor- 

 tality ought consequently to be above 1 in 30 ;t 



* The population is taken at 9,168,000, and the annual deaths 

 at 186,000. (Obs. on the Results of Pop. Act. p. 6 and 9.) 

 f Ueber die Bevolkerung dei Europaischen Staaten, p. 127. 



DD 2 



