FOrasmuch as a long and serious perusal of all the Bills of Mortality, which this great City hath afforded for almost fourscore years, hath advanced but the few Observations comprised in the fore-going Treatise; I hope very little will be expected from the few scattered Papers that have come to my hands since the publishing thereof, especially from one that hath learned from the Royal Society, how many Observations go to the making up of one Theoreme, which (like Oaks and other Trees fit for durable Building) must be of many years growth.
The Accounts which follow, I reckon but as Timber and Stones; and the best Inferences I can make, are but as hewing them to a Square: as for composing a beautiful and |102| firm Structure out of them, I leave it to the Architecture of the said Society, under whom I think it honour enough to work as a Labourer.
My first Observation shall be, That at Dublin[2] the Number
- ↑ The Appendix first appears in the third edition, (1665).
- ↑ See p. 421. On the history of the Dublin bills, see Petty's Observations. It is not improbable that Graunt secured this Dublin bill from Petty. While Petty was in Ireland he corresponded with Graunt, and 4 February, 1662-3, he wrote to Lord Brouncker from Dublin, "when I first landed here some matter presented it selfe whereuppon to make observations uppon Ireland, not unlike those which Mr Graunt made uppon the London Bills of Mortality. I have done so much uppon it, as hath cost me some pounds, but not so much as is worth more than a bare mention." Royal Society's Letter Book, P i, f. 14.
