of the United States , and Territories of North America. 45 
ened and philosophic divisions employed in Sweden, some com- 
parison might with safety have been made, between the increase 
of the inhabitants of the New World, and the authentic returns 
of a country, which has for so long a period nursed and foster- 
ed its population. 
Great advantages result to mankind from inquiries of this 
kind. They admit of a practical application to many of their 
wants ; and to the philosopher they afford the only perfect means 
of tracing with accuracy and precision, the important questions 
connected with the doctrine of population. It is pleasing to wit- 
ness the growing intelligence which now pervades even the low- 
est classes of the community, with respect to this interesting sub- 
ject * *. A spirit of inquiry has been awakened, and the clouds 
of prejudice and error, which formerly enveloped amost every 
step of its course, begin to disappear. Not only for the inte- 
rests of science, but for the benefit of mankind in general, it is 
to be hoped, that the elements of a perfect system of statistics 
will be gradually introduced, not only into the United States, 
but also throughout Europe; that more just and enlightened 
notions may be entertained respecting the laws which influence 
population; that the inhabitants, the arts, manufactures and 
commerce, of different countries, may be more readily compared 
* Of the interest felt by all classes in the populous district of our island in 
which I reside, I had numerous opportunities of observing, during the time the 
• census of 1821 was taking. The district to which I here allude is Plymouth. A 
few days prior to the time fixed for ascertaining the population, a number of gentle- 
men who were likely to feel an interest in the subject, were invited by the Mayor, 
at my suggestion, to attend a meeting, for the purpose of considering the propriety 
of assisting the overseers in ascertaining the population. The proposition was ac- 
ceded to, and the town was divided into a number of small districts, and two gentle- 
men appointed to each. The public attention was called to the subject by a notice, 
explaining, in a cleat and familiar manner, the nature of the measure, and pointing 
out the advantages that would particularly result to the lower classes, by enumera- 
tions of this kind, from their practical application to Benefit Societies, &c. The 
consequence of this appeal was, that the utmost readiness was displayed by all 
ranks , in furnishing the ages, the number of each sex, their employments, and 
such other particulars as the conditions of the census required. In a great many 
instances, these particulars were left on slips of paper by the heads of families with 
their servants, to prevent delay. The returns were most accurate and satisfactory, 
and proved the interest the people felt in the measure, when its nature was pro- 
perly explained to them. I mention the circumstance here, because, at a future 
time, other towns may be induced to follow the example. 
