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LVII. A Letter to the Rev . Thomas Birch, 
D. D, Seer. R. S. concerning the Number* 
of the People of England ; by the Rev . 
Mr. Richard Forfter, Reffor of Great 
Shefford in Berkfhire. 
Rev d Sir, Shefford, Nov. 9. 1757. 
Read Dec. 22. ^<INCE I did myfelf the honour of 
^ writing to you in July-f-, my book- 
feller has fent me part ii. of vol. xlix. of the Tranf- 
adions ; in which * 1 find another medium advanced 
to determine the amount of the people in England : 
and this is the number of houfes, which pay the 
window-tax, and which “ amount to about 690,000, 
<c befides cottages, that pay nothing.” To this is 
added, that “ tho’ the number of cottages be not ac- 
“ curately known, it appears from the accounts given 
<l in, that they cannot amount to above aoo,ooo.” 
Here I cannot but exprefs my concern, that this 
very ingenious gentleman has not been a little more 
explicit, by informing us, what thefe accounts are, 
upon which he builds fo pofitive a conclufion. The 
law requires no fuch accounts to be delivered in ; and 
parifh-officers cannot be accufed of works of fuperero- 
gation : befides (which is more to the purpofe) 1 am 
very certain no l'uch accounts have been given in from 
this part of the world. On the other hand, in all 
parts of England, which I have feen (and that is, 
I think, almofi: the whole) the number of cottages 
greatly exceeds that of' all other houfes, except in 
the middle of towns, and fome villages about Lon- 
f See above, 9*356. * Page 887. 
Vo l. 50. N n n 
don. 
