[ 69 ] 
the whole. The number of cbriftenings, at' St.. 
Michael’s-, for the laft: ten years, are 147, or 14,7 
yearly $ the burials,, during the fame period, are 
127, or 1 2,7; yearly. Hence the proportion of 
annual births to inhabitants is nearly as 1 to 42; 
and burials nearly, as 1 to 48*. During 1772, 
only nine perfons- died in this parifli ; hence the 
proportion of deaths- to the living, this year,, 
is lefs than 1 in 68., Thefe fads muft appear 
mo ft aftonifhing to any one, who refleds, that 
in the largeft towns, fuch as London, 1 in 204 
dies annually; and,, that in towns of a mode- 
rate fize,. as Leeds, 1 in 214; that in Nor- 
thampton and Shrewlbury, either of them lefs 
than Chefter, 1 in 264 dies yearly.. Thefe 
fads,, relating to this pariih, are true, beyond 
a pofftbility of doubt ; and yet they, are fo very 
extraordinary, that one cannot, without farther 
enquiries, apply to the whole town, by ana- 
logy*- the- obfervations which were made upon 
only a fmall proportion of the inhabitants. How- 
ever no peculiarity of air, water, or any other ob- 
vious circumftance, can be fuppofed, to render this 
parifh more healthy than- the reft of the town. 
How far thefe fads have been accidental, the fol- 
lowing} and other collateral, enquiries, will dis- 
cover. 
For the laft eight years, preceding 1772, there 
have been 385 births, and 375 deaths annually in 
Chefter. The number of deaths this year, ex- 
cluding thofe who were, killed by the dreadful 
explofton of gunpowder, is 379; fo that, pro- 
bably,, the oonclufions drawn from the following 
Tables*, 
