444 Of the Checks to Population Bk. ii. 



lation, as given in the enumeration of 1801, was 

 about 119,000 short of the truth; and if on this 

 ground we take the female population of the 

 census in 1801 as deficient 60,000, and suppose 

 that in 1811 it was deficient 30,000, the numbers 

 of females in England and Wales at the different 

 periods will stand thus : In 1801, 4,687,867 ; in 

 1811, 5,313,219; and in 1821, 6,144,709; giv- 

 ing an increase of 13.3 per cent, in the period 

 from 1800 to 1811, and of 15.6 per cent, in the 

 period from 1800 to 1821 ; making the rate of in- 

 crease in the former period such as, if continued, 

 would double the population in about 55 years, 

 and in the latter, such as would double it in 48 

 years. Taking the whole 20 years together, the 

 rate of increase would be such as, if continued, 

 would double the population in about 51 years. 



This is no doubt a most extraordinary rate of 

 increase, considering the actual population of the 

 country compared with its territory, and the 

 number of its great towns and manufactories. It 

 is less however than that which is stated in the 

 Preliminary Observations to the Population Ab- 

 stracts. Yet even according to this slower rate 

 of increase it is necessary to suppose that the 

 omissions in the parish registers, particularly in 

 regard to the births, have latterly rather increased 

 than diminished ; and this is rendered probable by 

 a statement of Mr. Rickman in the Preliminary 

 Observations. He says, " the question respecting 

 unentered baptisms and burials showed a diffe- 

 rence of nearly four to one in the degree of defici- 



