Received April lo. 
XVI. Ohfervations on the Expedlations of 
Lives ^ the Increafe of Mankind ^ the In^ 
fluence oj great Lowns on Population^ and 
particularly the State of London with 
refpeSl to Healthfulnefs and Number of 
Inhabitants. In a Letter from Mr, 
Richard Price, F. R. S. to Benjamin 
Franklin, Efq\ LL.D. and F. R. S, 
Dear Sir, 
Read April 27 and 
May 4, 1769. 
'BEG leave to fubmit to your pe- 
rufal the following obfervations. If 
you think them of any importance, I iliall be 
obliged to you for communicating them to the 
Royal Society. You will find that the chief fubjed; 
of them is the prefent Rate of the city of London, 
with refped to healthfulnefs and number of inha- 
bitants, as far as it can be colleded from the bills 
of mortality. This is a fubjed that has been con- 
fidered by others j but the proper method of calcu- 
lating from the bills has not, I think, been fuffici- 
ently explained. 
✓ 
No competent judgment can be formed of the 
following obfervations, without a clear notion of what 
V^OL. LIX. N the 
