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tality, from which I computed dur numbers in 
London and Weftminfter, in my fird Letter ; That 
they are too uncertain to found any calculations 
upon; that fometimes in the weekly Bills there are 
omiffions of fome of the large!! Pariffies, and per- 
haps in the yearly Bills. To which it is anfwered. 
If there are omiffions fometimes in the weekly 
Bills, thefe are afterwards fupplied in the fubfe- 
quentw^eeks, and at the end of the year the whole 
account to each pariffi is made up, as accurately 
as the circumftances will allow; fo that upon the 
whole it is prefumed, the yearly Bills are done in 
fuch manner, that they may be depended upon ; 
for otherwife they would be a vile impofition up- 
on the Publick. And if they are properly taken 
care of, they may be confidered as the index of 
the health and numbers of the people, as they are 
in other cities in Europe ; in which view they 
have always had fome credit, for a century paffi, 
and been attended to as of fome importance j and 
many ingenious men have deduced ufeful fpecu- 
lations from them. But if it fhould be allowed, 
that there are inaccuracies in them, it cannot 
reafonabiy be fuppofed, that there are more now 
than ever have been ; for there is as much care 
taken of them lately as ever. 
The argument then from which I inferred, that 
thefe is a decreafe of the inhabitants within the 
Bills is this; That, before the year 174,3, f° r 
twenty years, the burials in them were at an 
average above 27,000, and the baptifms between 
15,000 and 17,000; but fince that time they 
arc both gradually decreafed; fo that now the 
burials 
