C 477 ] 
our trade is' preferved and promoted. But notwitli- 
danding this, can it be laid, that war does not dimi- 
nifli our fencible men ! The. truth is, trade increafes 
riches, and gives more of the conveniencies of life, 
and brings luxury along with it ; but it does not ne- 
cefiarily breed people : For we fee in thofe countries 
where they have little trade, the people increafe 
much fader than they do with us, as appears from 
the Bills of mortality in Prufiia ; where the general 
proportion of the births to the burials is greater than 
it is here, viz. 4 to 3 j and by which the people 
might double in 84 years, if it were not for their 
lodes. (Vid. Phil . Pranf. vol. xxxvi.) Which great 
increafe, by the way, eafily accounts for thofe vaft 
fwarms of people that came from thence and the 
adjacent countries in former ages, and over run all 
Europe. And therefore it is not fo terrible a para- 
dox, as he imagines, that podibly where there is 
much lefs trade the people may increafe fader .; for 
luxury and other vices, that come with trade, do 
not promote an increafe. 
And now, as he has been fo good as to give me 
his advice, I will return the favour, and delire him 
to reconiider the method of reafoning by indudion ; 
which may podibly help him to efcape fome para- 
logifms, in arguing upon thefe fubjeds. And I 
would likewife recommend it to him to inquire dili- 
gently, whether the number of our houfes in Eng- 
land be increaled thefe lad fixty years ; which, ac- 
cording to his reafoning, ought at lead to be doub- 
led : For if there is no increafe of the houfes, there 
can be none of the people. 
To conclude : He adds, that my dodrine, from 
.. beginning 
