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OBSERVATIONS

UPON THE

CITIES

OF

LONDON and ROME.

1.  THAT before the year 1630, the Christnings at London exceeded the Burials of the same[1], but about the year 1655 they were scarce half; and now about two thirds[2]. |2|

2. Before the Restauration of Monarchy in England, Anno 1660, the People of Paris were more than those of London and Dublin put together, whereas now, the People of London are more than those of Paris and Rome, or of Paris and Rouen[3].

  1. According to Graunt's table (pp. 407—8), which was probably Petty's source of information, this assertion is far from correct. In the twenty-five years from 1604 to 1630 the burials exceeded the christenings in sixteen instances, or including the plague burials in nineteen instances.
  2. Year. Burials. Christenings.
    1683 20,587 14,735  
    1684 23,202 14,702
    1685 23,222 14,730
  3. As late as 1672 Graunt thought Paris more than one-fifth, but less than one-fourth larger than London (pp. 424). Petty, however, includes parishes which Graunt excluded (pp. 423, 457), and this may account for his transference to 1660 of the time when Paris exceeded London.