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LX 11. A Letter to the Right Honourable 
George Lari of Macclesfield, P. R. S. 
concerning the M alue of an Annuity jor 
Life , and the Probability of Survivor flip. 
By Mr. James Dodfon. 
My Lord , 
Read Jan. i7,"\^T OUR Lordfhip’s approbation of my 
‘ 754 - Jp effay, concerning the method of 
forming the feries for making logarithms, and that 
for rectifying the circle, without the affiftance of 
fluxions, has emboldened me to lay before you the 
following investigations, concerning the value of an 
annuity for life (fecured by land), and the probability 
of furvivorfhip, between two perfons of given ages ; 
neither of which have (as I believe) been before at- 
tempted to be found, otherwife than by fluxions ; at 
leaf!:, no fuch attempt has appeared in public. 
I am fenfible that I ought to apologize for reciting 
the principles, upon which calculations of this kind 
are commonly founded, becaufe I know that your 
Lordfhip is perfectly well acquainted with them ; but 
I plead in excufe thereof, that I found a great diffi- 
culty would attend the rendring my argument intelli- 
gible and conclufive, if they were omitted. I am, 
with the greateft deference, my Lord, 
Your Lordfhip’s moll obliged, 
and moft humble fervant, 
J, Dodfom 
Bell -Dock, Wapping, 
Oft. 1 8, 1 7 53- 
