[ 97 ] 
the probabilities of life are higheft in the mofl 
hilly parts of the province, and loweft in the 
marfhy parifh juft mentioned. The difference is 
indeed remarkable, as will appear from the follow- 
ing particulars. One half, of all born in the moun- 
tains, live to the age of 47. In the marfhy parifh, 
one half live only to the age of 25. In the hills 
one in 20, of all that are born, live to 80. In the 
marfhy parifh, only one in 52 reaches this age. 
In the hills, a perfon aged 40 has a chance, of 80 
to 1, for living a year. In the marfhy parifh, his 
chance for living a year is not 30 to 1. — In the 
hills, perfons aged 20, 30, and 40, have an even 
chance for living 41, 33, and 25 years refpec- 
tively. In the fenny parifh, perfons, at thefe ages, 
have an even chance of living only 30, 23, and 
15 years. — In fhort, it appears, that, though the 
probabilities of life, in all this country except this 
one parifh, are much higher than in London ; 
yet here, after 30, they are much lower. Before 
the age of 30, they are indeed higher in this 
parifh ; the reafon of which muft be, that the 
London air and cuftoms are particularly noxious 
to children *. 
I am fenfible, that obfervations, for only 1 5 years, 
in one fmall parifh, do not afford as deciftve and 
ample an authority, in the prefent cafe, as there 
is reafon to wifh for ; and that, therefore, the per- 
fect exaftnefs, of the particulars I have recited, 
cannot be depended on. — They are, however, fuf- 
* In London, one half of all that are born, die under 3 
years of age. But this is not peculiar to London. In Berlin 
the fame proportion dies under three ; and at Vienna under two. 
Vol. LXIV. O ficiently 
