[ 48 ] 
year in Dr. Halley’s table ; bat ftill can by no means 
admit the inference (and am furprized it fhould ever 
be imagined, that of icoo children born at Breflau, 
201 only die under 2 years of age), for very good 
reafons, to be found in the book of nature, and in 
Dr. Halley’s diftertation too, as I floall make appear 
by and by. 
In the mean time, let me obferve how much it 
were to be wifhed, that all, who write upon this 
lubjeCt, would begin from the birth, or o year, 
and give a true annual regifter of the growing, the 
moft confirmed, and the declining, ftate of life, by 
fome method deviled to make it vilible at once, as I 
fhall lhew hereafter, without leaving the reader to 
try the numbers iingly upon every occalion. For 
while fome account from the quick conceptions (3), 
as in the London bills; others from the living births, 
as is your way, and I think the belt ; others from 6 
or p months, or a full year after the birth, as Dr. Hal- 
ley and Mr. Kerfeboom have done, (and great is the 
tranlition from o year, or the birth, to thofe of 
1 year old), there mull arile confufion at firft fetting 
out, and apparent, if not real contradictions, in com- 
paring one account with another. And it Ibould 
Jikewife be well remembered, that if a lefs number 
are taken for the deaths in the firft flage of life than 
there ought to be, the more in courfe are thrown (4.) 
back upon the enfuing decads of years ; and thus a 
whole table may be effected by the fir ft year only 
(3) Graunt’s Obfervations on the Bills of Mortality, 5th edit. 
1676, p. 22. 84, 85. and from hence abortives and itilborn are 
included in the burials. 
(4) See at the end of this Letter, p. 69. (c), (</), (e), and (f). 
unfairly 
