- The Eighth Objection, That notwithstanding all the Fallacies and Sophistries abovementioned, this Transplantation of People is an uncouth, wild, monstrous, and Chymerical Notion, yea a very Notion.
Answer
And so were not long since the Assertions following, vizt.
1. That tho' the World thought there had been near twice as many Females as Males in Mankind; yet it has been well proved that there are at London 14 Males to 13 Females, and at Rome 7 to 5[1]: And because Males are prolific 40 Years and Females but 25, there are in Effect at London 560 Males for 325 Females, or 112 for 65.
2. That the City of London is now about quadruple to what it was 80 Years ago, and containes about the 10th Part of the People of the whole Kingdom.
3. That in the famous hospital at Paris called L'hostel Dieu there dye above 3000 per Ann. unnecessarily, to the Damage of France of above 200 Thousand Pounds Sterl. per Ann.
4. That London has more People than Paris, Rome, and Roven.
5. And as many as the whole Province of Holland.
To all which no great Matter has been yet Objected.
I further answer That this Essay is not a Chymerical Conceit, spun out of Fables, Dreams, Visions, Mysteries, insignificant Words and supercilious Sayings; but a real Notion grounded upon Matter of Sense, and Fact, and intelligibly thus express'd (vizt)
1. That this Transplantation will increase the Gain of England from Foreign Parts from 1 to 2.
2. The Value of Ireland from 2 to 3; as also lessen Irelands Present Decays, which are from 3 to 2.
3. Will raise the Value of Lands in England from 3 to 4.
4. And the King's Revenue from 4 to 5, but make the same as easie, as if it had contrariwise fallen from 5 to 4.
5. The Value of Transplanted People from 7 to 10.
- ↑ Proof of this assertion does not occur in Petty's printed works.
