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It is but within a few Days that I have seen Examples of this kind, in Families within the reach of a little enquiry. One has four Children left out of twenty-four; another two out of eighteen, another three out of twenty-two; and so of many more; whereas T——— C———, a Man of Virtue and Temperance, within the reach of my own Acquaintance, has had thirteen Children, and never buried one, but at ninety Years of Age sees them all grown Men and Women, healthy, strong, fruitful, and full of Children of their own.
G——— D———, another antient, grave, and religious Gentleman, had but four Children, his Wife dying young, and himself living single afterwards to a great Age, saw those four, being all Daughters, bring forth just eighty Children, and had at one time One hundred and thirteen of his Children, Grand-Children and Great Grand-Children, dining with him at his Table.
These are some of the Examples of Temperance and Modesty, which assist to a strong Constitution, whose Vigour extended in the Course of Nature, multiplies much more than the Heats of an outrageous Flame, and leaves a Tincture of Health and vigorous Spirits upon their Posterity; whereas a tainted Soul, corrupting the Mass of Blood with Vice and Lewdness, brings a Generation of diseased and distempered Animals, fit to be sent to an Hospital, Cradle and all, and calling for Physicians, and the help of Art, even before they can be fairly said to live.
It is true, I do not place this all to the Account of the two particular Branches of Intemperance and Excess only, which are mentionedin
