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they cannot be left than this number and confe

quentE we are far from incmafing. And indeed it is
evident from the number of empty houfes thro' the
kingdom, mentioned abase, viz. one in feventeen,
or 58,000, and one in twelve of thole that are taxed
within the bills of mortality. For it is impolEble, if
we were increafing, that there cotdd be fo many empty ;
And therefore the appearance of fo much building is
only the effoft of our luxury, requiring larger, more
convenient, and more elegant houfes, end not ended
by our inueafe.
However, the Gentlemen objeas to all this, and
fays, that he has examined the Regaleet of fome
neighbouring parifhes, and particularly of three that
arc perfeet ; and he finds, that the burials are to the
baptifms as 83 to 549 r which may poffibly be the
cafe, as I myfelf have known it in one parifh in the
Ille of Wight, where the place is healthy, and people
generally marry. But does he imagine that this pro.
portion is general all over England I If fo, we fhould
increafe in a rapid manner indeed ! for then wc Ihould
double our people in 3 f ran, if it were not for
our loft. which no rmable man will venture
to fay. He donn not refl.% that in many country
places, from their bad fituation, there is nay little
increafe, and in forne towns none at all, and in others
a decreafe, continually fupplied from the neighbouring
country. Within the bills of mortality Mae are an-
nually f01:10 burials more than the births and con-
fequently, to maintain our numbers bete, than mull
be a yearly apply of goon ; which deft roys the Whole
inert-ale of fix or liven counties. And Dr. Derhara
found, from the accounts he had of country parifbes, .

that

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