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The population of the parish of Kilrenny is ftated in another manner by the Rev. Mr. William Beat.

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Souls

Families

Males

Females

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The inhabitants of Dalmeny are thus arranged by the Rev. Mr. Thomas Robertfon.

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Leffer heritors

3

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20 and 50

347

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Clergyman established
-Seceder

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70 and 100

43 Schoolmafter

1

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From these specimens it appears, that the fame object is here placed in a variety of points of view, that tend to give a very clear idea of the internal state of the country.

Births, deaths and marriages. By infpecting the table, it appears that the number of births and marriages have been pretty generally recorded, but that of death has been but little attended to. From the general tenor of these returns however it is evident, that the births greatly exceeded the burials upon the whole; fo that if we were to adopt the ufual mode of reafoning on this head, we should conclude that the population of this country was increafing in a very rapid progreffion. In the parish of Kilrenny above-mentioned, for example, the births for the last 20 years have exceeded the deaths in the proportion of 34 to 20. The po

pulation by this index therefore fhould be here on a rapid increafe. The actual number of the people in this parish has decreafed in the courfe of 40 years no less than 262. Again, In the parish of Jedburgh, the average births have been 90, and deaths 45 Yet the population has decreased no less than 3000 fouls in forty years, if the returns have been accurate, of which there is fome doubt, On the other hand, in the parish of Coylton, the deaths are 16, and the births only 15; but inftead of decreafing, this small parish has increased 140 in that period. And in the parish of Lauder, where the births and deaths are precifely equal, the increase of inhabitants has been no less than 300. These inftances, to mention no more, fufficiently prove, that no conclufion can be drawn as to the wholesomeness or unwholesomeness of a place, from the births and burials alone, unlefs when accompanied with an account of the migra tions that have taken effect either to or from a place.

In perusing this volume, many curious facts occur refpecting peculiarities in regard to births and deaths. The following is the only fingularity of this kind that our limits permit us to infert. In the parish of Dunnichan the following ftriking difparity between the deaths of males and females has been remarked for a number of years.

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This, I fhould think, tends to prove, that the parish is increafing in agricultural improvements, which give employment to the men, while the girls are in the practice of going elfewhere to iervice.

Increafe and decrease of population. The parish records have been hitherto fo inaccurately kept, that few articles in thefe columns could be filled up. It appears however from this index, that upon the whole the population has been increafing, though, on account of the conftant drains that are going on from this country for the army and navy, and leffer migrations into England and our external fettlements, not to mention thofe copious drains in large bodies which are emphatically called emigrations, the increased population is upon the whole much lefs than the state of the bills of mortality would indicate. This fact is afcertained in one inftance in the volume before us, by the Rev. Mr. Peter Barclay, as to the parish of Kettle, whofe account in this, and in many other refpects, deferves to be mentioned with applaufe. He states the population to have been

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Perfons who have come into or who have left the parish.. The uses that might be made of this article has been explained; but unfortunately no records for filling up these columns have been kept.

Poor, and the fums required for their fupport. This is a most important article in the civil polity of a country, becaufe, by comparing these two columns with the fecond, which contains the number of the people, many conclufions of great confequence refpecting induftry, manufactures, and economy, may be drawn.-Could a state of the parishes in England be made out in the fame form with that here exhibited, fo as to be compared with this, and were an historical view of the progrefs of the numbers of poor, and the fums neceffary for their fupport, to be made out, it would be one of the most interesting articles of ftatistics that ever was made public. This we cannot expect to fee while the prefent political economy of England fhall prevail.-In the mean time, we confider this article, as here ftated, to be of very great confequence to this country ;-and though far from complete, it is hoped it will be preferved as a fure beacon for our defcendants to look to as a directory for their conduct.

Many interefting remarks on this fubject occur in this volume, which our narrow limits prevent us from specifying. On the whole, it will appear, that, when compared with England and fome other countries, the number of poor, in proportion to the whole population, is very fmall,-and the funds for their fupport inconfiderable ;-yet, among all these parishes, we hear few complaints of a want as to this article; nor are beggars permitted in more than one, or two of them. -The following plain account is given of the poor's funds of the parish of Dunnichan, which may, with little variation, be applied to the greatest part of Scotland The population of the parish is 872. "There may be, fays the

account, about a dozen of poor and indigent perfons belonging to this parish, principally reduced to poverty by old age and distempers. A fufficient fund for their maintenance arifes from the contributions of the parishioners, collected on Sundays, and at the time of the facrament. It amounts, at present, to about 20 1. Sterling a year, and is yearly increafing; and from it, a reserve of 62 1. 1 s. 10 d. has been made as a provifion for bad feasons. Of these poor, fome receive a quarterly, and fome a weekly allowance, according as their neceflities require. The fund is managed by the clergyman and kirk feffion, who, being intimately acquainted with the circumstances of every poor perfon in the parish, are enabled thereby to proportion the fupply to their wants and exigencies.

"This parish affords one among perhaps many inftances in Scotland, how fafely the maintenance of the poor may be left to the humane and charitable difpofition of the people, and how unneceffary it is to call in pofitive laws to their affiftance; for, if fuch laws provide funds for maintaining the poor, they alfo provide poor for confuming the funds."

As the proper maintenance of the poor, without stinting them too much on the one hand, or introducing wasteful profufion on the other, is a fubject of infinite importance in civil fociety;—and as the system above alluded to is perhaps the best for these purposes that ever was devifed, it is propofed, in fome future numbers of this work, to explain it fully, fo that it may be made intelligible to ftrangers.-In the mean while, the Editor will be obliged to any of his readers, who will tranfmit to him a state of the parochial funds in any part of England in particular parishes; fo that the fums applied for that purpofe may be compared with the number of perfons in the parishes refpectively.

Number of Horfes, Cattle, Sheep.-The ufes that may be made of these lists, where completed, to mark the future changes that fhall take place in this country, &c. are obvious. We cannot help regretting that thefe lifts have been, in so many cafes, incomplete. The following is the moft particular fpecification of this article we have obferved, given by the Reverend Mr. Robertson of the parish of Dalmeny.

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