reminded that at a medium for fifteen years nine thousand perfons have died in it annually, In Paris, for the like term of years, ber have defcended to the tomb. twice that num I fpeak of the time of the deaths of nature, ere the introduction of the dreadful guillotine-of whofe devaftations. I am foon to fpeak.... I understand that the bills of mortality in London for the like fpace, give in a calculation of twenty-four thousand. I should suspect twenty-six thousand would be nearer the truth, if we include the villages and detached houses. The prefent averaged number therefore of the inhabitants of thefe, three capitals of Europe, according to the ufual estimate by deaths, ftands thus: Amfterdam upwards of 230,000; Paris 500,000; and London about 700,000. At Rome no publick regifters of christenings or burials are kept; but in 1683, M. Augout computed the inhabitants at about 125,000. In 1714, Pope Clement II. caufed an exact account to be taken by S. Carraccioli, which he made to be 104,300 fouls, including ftrangers, who are generally supposed to be 20,000. It is afferted by Carter however, that the inhabitants of the two Provinces of Holland and Zea land, do not confift of more than one million and a half, that is little more than half an acre for every head. Upon the whole, Amfterdam has been justly called the modern Tyre, for beauty, opulence, and accommodation of every kind: and the government of the city is fo well regulated that in five years there are not five malefactors executed. In short, whatever is the particular bent of a travelier's difpofition, whether trade or pleasure be his object, he may find wherewithal to gratify himfelf in this city, to which we will bid adieu, as I wish now to conduct you to one of the greatest curiofities either in this or in any other country; I mean North Holland, where I have paffed fome of the most agreeable' days of my life, and where every thing one fees is fo appropriate and diftinct, that in a quick tranfition from Amsterdam, the contraft is almoft as great as if one were to be fuddenly tranfported into a new world. friend, 'farewell. My LP, S. I have just recollected a paffage of the great author of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, on the fubject of Roman population, which far exceeded the estimate I have just mentioned. The number of fubjects who acknow ledged ledged the laws of Rome, of citizens, provincials and flaves, cannot now be fixed with fuch a degree of accuracy as the importance of the object would deferve. We are informed that when the Emperor Claudius exercifed the office of Cenfor, he took an account of fix millious nine hundred and forty-five thousand citizens, who with the proportion of women and children must have amounted to about twenty millions of fouls. But after weighing with attention every circumftance which could influence the balance, it feems probable that there exifted in the time of Claudius about twice as many provincials as there were citizens of either fex, and of every age; and that the flaves were at least equal in number to the free inhabitants of the Roman world. The total amount then of this important calculation would rife to about one hundred and twenty millions of perfons: "a degree of population (fays Gibbon) which poffibly exceeds that of modern Europe, " and forms the moft numerous fociety that has ever been admitted or united under the fame fyftem of government." : LETTER LETTER LIII TO THE SAME. North Holland. BEYOND difpute, the little country from whence I date this letter is the most deferving to be infpected as a curiofity, of any, not only in the Seven but in the Seventeen Provinces; and yet like many other deferving objects in this perverfe world of our's, is the leaft vifited by those who have even no other motive of travel than to gratify curiofity. Satisfied with feeing the capital, which they run over as if that time which they throw away were really precious to them, they fhift the fcene with the rapidity of our ancient play-wrights, who in the course of a single act, which takes half an hour in the representation, carry us from one quarter of the globe to another, leaping the space between them, though "whole oceans roll" to ftop them, with as much ease as if they were stepping over a gutter. Infomuch that a thoroughpaced traveller will breakfast in Helvoetsluice, dine at Rotterdam, take fupper at Amfterdam, return the next morning to breakfast at the Hague; and write a tour through Holland of what he has not seen, in good time for the returning packet. But But more fedate perfons, as has been well observed by one who deplored it, rarely vifit the province of North Holland, but turn their backs on the country as foon as they have seen Amfterdam; thereby losing a view of one of the most beautiful romantick spots in the whole world. I will proceed my friend to juftify this affertion, by particularizing what, on comparing the given descriptions with the eye-witneffed facts, I find to be the most faithful. North Holland is another name for Weft Friezeland, paradoxical as that may found. Formerly it was a marsh composed of many great lakes separated from each other only by high roads or dikes: but now nothing remains of them except their names and dimensions in maps. With incredible toil they have been entirely drained, and changed into the delicious place I have just mentioned. Even Sir William Temple, who was not apt to speak too kindly of Holland, obferved that a once rotten marsh, the draining of which was the inceffant labour of four years; a fpace, including highways and dikes, of no more than ten thoufand acres, fo well planted with gardens, orchards, and majestick rows of trees, as to form the most pleasant landscape he ever faw. "It was "here |