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and to deflroy his native chearfulnefs of dif|X)fition. 
Tims* the age of gaiety (to ufe the words of the elegant 
writer before referred to) is fpent in the midfl of tears, 
punifliments, and ilavery ; and this to anfwer no other 
end, but to make a child a man, fome years before nature 
intended he diould be one. 
The reverend Mr. harrisox, of Chapel in le Frith, 
has made a furvey, at my requelf, of the inhabitants of 
Ghinley, Brov/nfide, and Bugfworth, three hamlets con- 
tiguous to each other, in the pariih of GlolTop and Peak 
of Derby ihire. They are four flatute miles in length, 
and three in breadth ; and contain 301 males, 3x0 fe- 
males; 200 married perfons, 15 widowers, 18 widows; 
2 34perfons under fifteen years of age, 121 above 50, 
and 9 who have attained the age of 80. This enumera- 
tion was finiflied in September 1773. 
I have been furniflied by the reverend Mr. asheton, 
re6lor of Middleton, near Manchefter, with an account 
of the births, deaths, and marriages, in his pariih, during 
ten correfponding years of the laft and the prefent cen- 
tury. From 1663 to 1672 inclulive, the deaths w'ere 
males 180, females 187; the births, males 200, females 
188; the marriages 121. The births, therefore, during 
ten years, only exceeded the deaths in number 2 1 . And 
the average number of births to each marriage was as 
3} to I. From 1763 to 1772 inclulive, the deaths 
were 499 males, 494 females; the chrillenings, 802 
males, 768 females; the marriages 330. Thebaptifms, 
therefore, during this period, exceeded the deaths 577; 
that 
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