ters, that in our European Parts (f), and I believe the fame is throughout the World; that, I fay,) there is a certain Rate and Proportion in the Propagation of Mankind: Such a Number marry (g),

fo

(f) The Proportions which Marriages bear to Births, and Births to Burials, in divers Parts of Europe, may be seen at an eafy View in this Table:

Which Table I made from Major Graunt's Obfervations on the Bills of Mortality; Mr. King's Obfervations in the first of Dr. Davenant's Effays; and what I find put together by my ingenious Friend Mr. Lowthorp, in his Abridgment, Vol. 3. p. 668. and my own Register of Upminster. That from Aynho Register in Northamptonshire, I had from the prefent Rector, the learned and ingenious Mr. Waffe: And I was promised fome Accounts from the North, and divers others Parts of this Kingdom; but have not yet received them: Only thofe of Leeds and Harwood in Yorkshire, from my curious and ingenious Friend Mr. Thorefby.

(g) The preceding Table fhews, that Marriages, one with another, do each of them produce about four Births; not only in England, but in other Parts of Europe also.

And by Mr. King's Eftimate, (the beft Computations I imagine of any, being derived from the beft Accounts; fuch as

the

fo many are born, fuch a Number die; in Proportion to the Number of Perfons in every Nation, County, or Parish. And as to Births, two Things are very confiderable: One is the Proportion of Males and Females (b), not in a wide Proportion, not an uncertain, accidental Number at all Adventures; but nearly equal. Another Thing is, that a few more are born than appear to die, in any cer

tain

the Marriage, Birth, Burial-Act, the Poll Books, c. by his Eftimate, I fay,) about 1 in 104 marry. For he judgeth the Number of the People in England, to be about five Millions and a half; of which about 41000 annually marry. As to what might be farther remarked concerning Marriages, in regard of the Rights and Customs of feveral Nations, the Age to which divers Nations limited Marriage, c. it would be Endless, and too much out of the Way to mention them: I fhall only therefore, for the Reader's Diverfion, take Notice of the Jeer of Lactantius, Quare apud Poetas falaciffimus. Jupiter defiit liberos tollere? Utrum fexagenarius factus, & ei Lex Papia fibulam impofuit? Lactant. Inftit. 1. 1. c. 16. By which Lex Papia, Men were prohibited to marry after 60, and Women after 50 Years of Age.

(b) Major Graunt, (whofe Conclufions feem to be wellgrounded,) and Mr. King, difagree in the Proportions they affign to Males and Females. This latter makes in London, Io Males to be to 13 Females; in other Cities and MarketTowns, 8 to 9; and in the Villages and Hamlets, 100 Males to 99 Females. But Major Graunt, both from the London, and Country Bills, faith, there are 14 Males to 13 Females: From whence he justly infers, That Chriftian Religion, probibiting Polygamy, is more agreeable to the Law of Nature than Mahumetism, and others that allow it, Chap. 8.

This Proportion of 14 to 13, I imagine is nearly juft, it being agreeable to the Bills I have met with, as well as those in Mr. Graunt. In the 100 Years, for Example, of my own Parifh-Regifter, although the Burials of Males and Females. were nearly equal, being 636 Males, and 623 Females in all that Time; yet there were baptized 709 Males, and but 675 Females, which is 13 Females to 137 Males. Which Inequality fhews, not only, that one Man ought to have but one Wife; but also that every Woman may, without Polygamy, have an Hufband, if he doth not bar her felf by the want of Virtue, by Denial, c. Alfo this Surplufage of

Males

Book IV. tain Place (i). Which is an admirable Provifion for the extraordinary Emergencies and Occafions of the World; to fupply unheathful Places, where Death out-runs Life; to make up the Ravages of great Plagues, and Diseases, and the Depredations of War, and the Seas; and to afford a fufficient Number for Colonies in the unpeopled Parts of the Earth. Or on the other Hand, we may fay, that fometimes thofe extraordinary Expences of Mankind, may be not only a juft Punishment of the Sins of Men; but alfo a wife Means to keep the Balance of Mankind even; as one would be ready to conclude, by confidering the Afiatick, and other the more fertile Countries, where prodigious Multitudes are yearly fwept away with great Plagues, and fometimes War; and yet thofe Countries are fo far from being wafted, that they remain full of People.

And

Males is very useful for the Supplies of War, the Seas, and other fuch Expences of the Men above the Women.

That this is a Work of the Divine Providence, and not a Matter of Chance, is well made out by the very Laws of Chance, by a Perfon able to do it, the ingenious and learned Dr. Arbuthnot. He fuppofeth Thomas to lay against John, that for eighty two Years running, more Males shall be born than Females; and giving all Allowances in the Computation to Thomas's fide, he makes the Odds against Thomas, that it doth not happen fo, to be near five Millions of Millions, of Millions, of Millions to one; but for Ages of Ages (according to the World's Age) to be near an infinite Number to one against Thomas. Vid. Phil. Trans. No. 328.

(i) The foregoing Table fhews, that in England in general, fewer die than are born, there being but 1 Death to Births. But in London more die than are born. So by Dr. Davenant's Table, the Cities likewife and Market-Towns bury to one Birth. But in Paris they out-do London, their Deaths being 1 to one Birth: The Reason of which I conceive is, because their Houfes are more crowded than in London. But in the Villages of England, there are fewer die than are born, there being but I Death to Births. And yet Major Graunt, and Dr. Davenant, both obferve, that

there

And now upon the whole Matter, What is all this but admirable and plain Management? What can the maintaining throughout all Ages, and Places, thefe Proportions of Mankind, and all other Creatures; this Harmony in the Generations of Men be, but the Work of one that ruleth the World? Is it poffible that every Species of Animals fhould fo evenly be preferved, proportionate to the Occafions of the World? That they fhould be fo well balanced in all Ages and Places, without the Help of almighty Wisdom and Power? How is it poffible by the bare Rules, and blind Acts of Nature, that there fhould be any tolerable Proportion; for Inftance, between Males and Females, either of Mankind, or of any other Creature (k); especially fuch as are of a ferine, not of a domeftick Nature, and confequently out of the Command and Management of Man? How could Life and Death keep fuch an even Pace through all the animal World? If we should take it for granted, that, according to the Scripture Hiftory, the World had a Beginning, (as who can deny it (1);

or

there are more Breeders in London, and the Cities and Market-Towns, than are in the Country, notwithstanding the London-Births are fewer than the Country; the Reafon of which fee in Graunt, Chap. 7. and Davenant ubi fupr. p 21.

The laft Remark I fhall make from the foregoing Table, fhall be, that we may from thence judge of the Healthfulnefs of the Places there mentioned. If the Year 1698 was the mean Account of the three Marcks, thofe Places bid the faireft for being moft healthful; and next to them Aynho and Cranbrook for English Towns.

(k) Quid loquar, quanta ratio in beftiis ad perpetuam confervationem earum generis appareat? Nam primùm alia Mares, alia Femina funt, quod perpetuitatis caufà machinata natura eft. Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. 2. c. 51.

(1) Altho' Ariftotle held the Eternity of the World, yet he feems to have retracted that Opinion, or to have had a different Opinion when he wrote his Metaphyficks; for in his

Book IV. or if we should fuppofe the Deftruction thereof by Noah's Flood: How is it poffible, after the World was replenished,) that in a certain Number of Years, by the greater Incrcafes and Doublings of each Species of Animals; that, I fay, this Rate of Doubling (m) fhould ceafe; or that it should be compenfated by fome other Means? That the World fhould be as well, or better ftocked than now it is, in 1656 Years (the Time between the Creation and the Flood; this) we will fuppofe may be done by the natural Methods of each Species Doubling or Increase: But in double that Number of Years, or at this Distance from the Flood, of 4000 Years, that the World fhould not be over ftock'd, can never be made out, without allowing an infinite Providence. I con

firft Book he affirms, that God is the Caufe and Beginning of all Things; and in his Book de Mundo he faith, There is no doubt, but God is the Maker and Confervator of all Things in the World. And the Stoicks Opinion is well known, who ftrenuously contended that the Contrivance and Beauty of the Heavens and Earth, and all Creatures was owing to a wife, intelligent Agent. Of which Tully gives a large Account in his fecond Book de Nat. Deor. in the Perfon of Balbus.

(m) I have before in Note (g), obferved, that the ordinary rate of the Doubling or Increase of Mankind is, that every Marriage, one with another, produces about four Births; but fome have much exceeded that. Babo, Earl of Abensperg, had thirty two Sons and eight Daughters, and being invited to hunt with the Emperor Henry II. and bring but few Servants, brought only one Servant, and his thirty two Sons. To these many others might be added; but one of the most remarkable Inftances I have any where met with, is that of Mrs. Honywood, mentioned by Hakewill, Camden, and other Authors; but having now before me the Names, with fome Remarks (which I received from a pious neighbouring Defcendant of the fame Mrs. Honywood) I fhall give a more particular Account than they. Mrs. Mary Hony wood was Daughter, and one of the Co-Heireffes of Robert Atwaters, Efq; of Lenham in Kent. She was born in 1527, married in February 1543. at fixteen Years of Age, to her only Husband

Robert