[ 474 ] 
they cannot be lefs than this number; and confe- 
quently we are far from increafing. And indeed it is 
evident from the number of empty houfes thro’ the 
kingdom, mentioned above, viz. one in feventeen, 
or 58,000, and one in twelve of thofe that are taxed 
within the bills of mortality. For it is impoflible, if 
we were increafing, that there could be fo many empty; 
And therefore the appearance of fo much building is 
only the effedt of our luxury, requiring larger, more 
convenient, and more elegant houfes, and not caufed 
by our increafe. 
However, the Gentleman objedls to all this, and 
fays, that he has examined the Regifters of fome 
neighbouring parifhes, and particularly of three that 
are perfedt ; and he finds, that the burials are to the 
baptifms as 83 to 14.9 ; which may pofiibly be the 
cafe, as I myfelf have known it in one parilh in the 
Me of Wight, where the place is healthy, and people 
generally marry. But does he imagine that this pro- 
portion is general all over England ? If fo, we fhould 
increafe in a rapid manner indeed ! for then we fhould 
double our people in 35 years, if it were not for 
our lodes ; which no reafonable man will venture 
to fay. He does not refled!, that in many country 
places, from their bad fituation, there is very little 
increafe, and in fome towns none at all, and in others 
a decreafe, continually fupplied from the neighbouring 
country. Within the bills of mortality there are an- 
nually 5000 burials more than the births ; and con- 
lequently, to maintain our numbers here, there mull 
be a yearly fupply of 5000 ; which defliroys the whole 
increafe of fix or feven counties. And Dr. Derham 
found, from the accounts he had of country parishes, 
that 
