A dissertation on the numbers of mankind in antient and modern times: in which the superior populousness of antiquity is maintained ... With an appendix, containing additional observations on the same subject, and some remarks on Mr. Hume's political discourse, of the populousness of antient nations / [Anon].

Date:
1753
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A dissertation on the numbers of mankind in antient and modern times: in which the superior populousness of antiquity is maintained ... With an appendix, containing additional observations on the same subject, and some remarks on Mr. Hume's political discourse, of the populousness of antient nations / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    In what length of time all the habitable parts of the earth might have been peopled, as fully as they ever were at any period, ’tis impofiible to determine with precifion. However, this may be calculated according to any fuppofitions which ihall be laid down % and as we comprehend all cir- cumftances more fully, and our fuppofitions are more juft, we ihall approach nearer to the truth. In attempting fuch a calculation from a Angle pair, let us fuppofe, that all marry who attain to maturity, and that every marriage produces fix children, three males, and as many females ; two of whom, viz. one male and one female die in the more early leafons of life, or before marriage: ac¬ cording to which, four will remain to marry, and repleniih the world : That, in 33* years from the time when this original pair began to propagate, they Ihall have produced their fix children ; and that within the fecond period of 331. years, each of the fucceeding couples Ihall have produced fix chil¬ dren; and this to take place continually. On thefe fuppofitions, at the beginning of the fcheme, the original pair are only in life ; at the end of the W firft period ot 331 years, there are fix perfons liv¬ ing, viz. the original pair, and four others ;: at the endof66| years, there will be 12; againft 100 years there will be 24 living ; and the number of perfons in the fucceeding periods of the fcheme, according to thefe fuppofitions, will be found as in the following table. A 2 Periods 1