Essays on Mankind and Political Arithmetic Part 9

Whence it may be observed that in 10,000 coexisting persons there are 71 or 72 marriages in the country, producing 343 children; 78 marriages in towns producing 351 children; 94 marriages in London, producing 376 children.

Whereby it follows -

1. That though each marriage in London produces fewer people than in the country, yet London in general having a greater proportion of breeders, is more prolific than the other great towns, and the great towns are more prolific than the country.

2. That if the people of London of all ages were as long-lived as those in the country, London would increase in people much faster pro rata than the country.

3. That the reasons why each marriage in London produces fewer children than the country marriages seem to be -

(1) From the more frequent fornications and adulteries.

(2) From a greater luxury and intemperance.

(3) From a greater intentness on business.

(4) From the unhealthfulness of the coal smoke.

(5) From a greater inequality of age between the husbands and wives.

(6) From the husbands and wives not living so long as in the country.

He further observes, accounting the people to be 5,500,000, that the said five millions and a half (including the transitory people and vagrants) appear by the a.s.sessments on marriages, births, and burials, to bear the following proportions in relation to males and females, and other distinctions of the people, viz.:-

SCHEMA A

People Annual Marriages Producing

children In all each

530,000 London and bills of mortality 1 in 106 5,000 4.0 870,000 The cities and market towns 1 in 128 6,800 4.5 4,100,000 The villages and hamlets 1 in 141 29,200 4.8 5,500,000 1 in 134 41,000 4.64

Annual Births Annual Burials In all In all London and bills of mortality 1 in 26.5 20,000 1 in 24.1 22,000 The cities and market towns 1 in 28.5 30,600 1 in 30.4 28,600 The villages and hamlets 1 in 29.4 29,200 1 in 34.4 119,400 1 in 28.95 190,000 1 in 32.35 170,000

Vide Scheme B.

So that the number of communicants is in all 3,260,000 souls; and the number of fighting men between sixteen and sixty is 1,308,000.

SCHEME B.

Males Females Males Females Both In London and 10 to 13 230,000 300,000 530,000 bills of mortality In the other cities 8 to 9 410,000 460,000 870,000 and market-towns In the villages and 100 to 99 2,060,000 2,040,000 4,100,000 hamlets 27 to 28 2,700,000 2,800,000 5,500,000

That as to other distinctions they appear by the said a.s.sessments to bear these proportions.

People. Males. Females.

Husbands and wives 1,900,000 950,000 950,000 at above, 34.5% Widowers at above 1.5% 90,000 90,000 Widows at about 4.5% 240,000 240,000 Children at above 45% 2,500,000 1,300,000 1,200,000 Servants at about 10.5% 560,000 260,000 300,000 Sojourners and single persons 4% 210,000 100,000 110,000 100% 5,500,000 2,700,000 2,800,000

And that the different proportions in each of the said articles between London, the great towns, and the villages, may the better appear, he has formed the following scheme:-

London and Bills The other Cities The Villages and of Mortality. and great Towns. Hamlets.

Souls. Souls. Souls.

Husbands and Wives 37% 196,100 36% 313,200 34% 1,394,000 Widowers 2% 10,600 2% 17,400 1.5% 61,500 Widows 7% 37,100 6% 52,200 4.5% 184,500 Children 33% 174,900 40% 348,000 47% 1,927,000 Servants 13% 68,900 11% 95,700 10% 410,000 Sojourners 8% 42,400 5% 43,500 3% 123,000 100% 530,000 100% 870,000 100% 4,100,000

SCHEME B (Continued)

He further observes, supposing the people to be 5,500,000, that the yearly births of the Kingdom may be 190,000, and that the several ages of the people may be as follows:

In all Males Females Those under 1 years old 170,000 88,500 81,500 Those under 5 years old 820,000 413,300 406,700 Those under 10 years old 1,520,000 762,900 757,100 Those above 16 years old 3,260,000 1,578,000 1,682,000 Those above 21 years old 2,700,000 1,300,000 1,400,000 Those above 25 years old 2,400,000 1,152,000 1,248,000 Those above 60 years old 600,000 270,000 330,000 Those under 16 years old 2,240,000 Those above 16 years old 3,260,000 Total of the people 5,500,000

That the bachelors are about 28 per cent. of the whole, whereof those under twenty-five years are 25.5 per cent., and those above twenty-five years are 2.5 per cent.

That the maidens are about 28.5 per cent. of the whole.

Whereof those under 25 years are 26.5 per cent.

And those above 25 years are 2 per cent.

That the males and females in the kingdom in general are aged, one with another, 27 years and a half.

That in the kingdom in general there is near as many people living under 20 years of age as there is above 20, whereof half of the males are under 19, and one half of the females are under 21 years.

That the ages of the people, according to their several distinctions, are as follows, viz.:-

Vide Scheme C.

Having thus stated the numbers of the people, he gives a scheme of the income and expense of the several families of England, calculated for the year 1688.

SCHEME C

The husbands are aged 43 years apiece, which, at 17.25% makes 742 years.

The wives 40 17.25% 690 The widowers 56 1.5% 84 The widows 60 4.5% 270 The children 12 45% 540 The servants 27 10.5% 284 The sojourners 35 4% 140 At a medium 27.5 100 2,750

Vide Scheme D.

Mr. King's modesty has been so far overruled as to suffer us to communicate these his excellent computations, which we can the more safely commend, having examined them very carefully, tried them by some little operations of our own upon the same subject, and compared them with the schemes of other persons, who take pleasure in the like studies.