C 88 9 ] 
burials are about 22,000, and the baptifms be- 
tween 14,000 and 1 y,coo, taken at an average 
for ten years : And therefore thefe different num- 
bers, continued fo long, cannot come from the 
fame number of people ; but that as the burials 
and baptifms are both decreafed, the whole people 
mu ft be alfo diminilhed. This feems be fair rea- 
foning, if the Bills are true. The times were as 
healthy before the year 1743, as ever fince ; there 
were as many burials carried out into the country 
before that time as afterwards; and there were as 
many Diflenters to leflen the number of burials 
and baptifms before that time as ever after. What 
then is to be concluded, the circumftances being 
the fame, but that there muft be a diminution of 
the people ? And this may be imperceptibly made; 
either by the increafe of celibacy, or by fewer 
coming annually to refide in Town than formerly, 
and more retiring from it ; which laft cafe I con- 
fider rather as an advantage to the kingdom, as it 
may tend to the improvement of the country. 
It is true, we do not fee fo great an increafe 
of empty houfes, that may anfwer to the decreafe 
in the Bills ; but it may be eafily imagined, that 
fome hundreds of families may be diminilhed, and 
not one houfe left empty. The one half of our 
people confft of Lodgers, Inmates, and Children ; 
and therefore there may be a great decreafe of 
thefe, and yet not many more houfes empty; 
Though it is alfo to be conlidered, that there are 
much fewer houfes now within the Liberties of 
the city, than were before 1743 ; many being 
built in place of two or three, or more, and ware- 
houfes 
