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This enumeration is long, but it is more important than may at first appear; it is important because it tells the reader at once what he can find by a reference to the volumes in question-it is more important because it shows the vast extent of those subjects, on which, by a little order and arrangement, it is possible to give the most interesting information;-here it will appear that there is hardly any subject which can interest the inhabitants of Paris and the department of the Seine, which may be curious to the traveller, or interesting to the statesman, that the government has not found it possible to procure and to give, not with perfect accuracy, perhaps, but still with sufficient accuracy to enable one, on a long series of years, to come to certain conclusions. That we are to receive all statistical documents with a certain hesitation, I have already said in the course of this work is my belief; and I should be very cautious in building up, or in placing confidence in any improbable theory which rested upon such foundations. There are many subjects, however, in these reports-some the most interesting-which the system "of administration in France affords every facility for ascertaining. The tables in question, then, place the vast number of suicides,* and the number of natural children, in Paris and its environs, beyond dispute. These tables allow you to form some opinion as to the physical and moral effect of the different seasons, their effect on births, deaths, and marriages. These tables give you the general climate of the French metropolis, and they detail to you all the circumstances connected with the industry, with the charity, with the wealth, with the distress, with some of the most interesting maladies, such as madness, that are to be found in the department. It is with regret that I confine myself to extracting a few among the facts relating to these subjects.

POPULATION in 1822. †-Paris: births,' 26,880; born in marriage at home, 16,341; in hospitals, 288; total in marriage, 17,129. Out of marriage at home, 4,896; in hospitals, 4,765; total illegitimate, 9,751. Illegitimate children recognized at their birth, 2,270; not recognized, 7,481. Recognized after birth by celebration of marriage, 700; otherwise recognized. 172. Add (recognized at birth) 2,270; total recognized, 3,142, out of 9,751.

Violent deaths.-Females, 181; males, 427; total, 608. By capital punish-ments, 5. Asphyxiés, 14; by charcoal, 38; by suffocation, 14; by drowning, 169; by fire-arms, 24; by strangulation, 20; by poison, 8; by suicide, the means being unknown, 11: assassinated, 3; falls, 84; burns, 52; wounds by sharp instruments, 49; fractions, contusions, &c. 96; run over, 20. It is to be observed, that in all the easy modes of death, asphyxiés by charcoal, suffocation, and poison, there are as many feinale as male deaths. In accidents by fire, 38 women perish, and but 14 men.

Suicides dans le Département de la Seine, année 1822.-Male, 206; females, 111; total, 317. Followed by death, 215. Effected or tried not followed by death, 102. By unmarried individuals, 161; married, 156; total, 317.

The average amount of the population of Paris (taken from different tables) in the years 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, and 1821, is as follows: - Births-males, 12,337; females, 11,877; total, 24,214. Marriages, 6,316. Deathsmales, 10,906; females, 11,410; total, 22,316. Births at home, of both sexes, 24,214, of which 15,472 are legitimate. Proportions of legitimate children to marriages will be: marriages, 6,316; number of births to one

*The calculation is, as I have said, under the mark. The part on population is the best.

Détails concernant les Suicides dans le Département de la Seine, Année 1822.

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Maladies, dégoût de la vie, faiblesse et aliénation d'esprit, querelles et chagrins domestiques.

Mauvaise conduite, jeu, loterie, débauche, etc.

Indigence, perte de places, d'emplois, dérangement d'affaires.

Crainte de reproches et de punitions.

74 Motifs inconnus.

Chutes graves volontaires.

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317

Nota. Les suicides commis extra muros, provenant pour la plupart de la population de Paris, il n'en a été fait aucune distinction dans le tableau,

marriage, 2, 4 (1.) Natural children, born at home, males, 2,320; females, 2,234; born at the lying-in hospital, males, 2,143; females, 4,463; total, 8,760; of which 2,056 are recognized.

Marriages between bachelors and maids, 5,128; with widows, 314. Marriages contracted by bachelors, 5,442; by widowers, 874. Between widowers and maids, 652; widowers and widows, 222. Total by maids, 5,780; total by widows, 536.

According to the table of the married and unmarried population, for the year 1817, published under No. 4, in 1821, we have,

1. The number of married men to that of married women in the report is as 128 to 129.

2. The number of bachelors of all ages to widowers is as 11,78 to 1. 3. The number of maids of all ages to widows is as 3,71 to 1.

4. The number of maids of all ages to bachelors of all ages is as 1,075 to 1. 5. The number of widows to widowers is as 3,41 to 1.

Number of Deaths.-At home : males, 6,259; females, 7,058; total, 13,317.. In hospitals and charitable institutions: males, 3,634; females, 4,082; total, 7,716.

Deaths on 10,000 inhabitants during these five years: 145 males to 163 females. Total number of deaths in each year, 21,033 females, 11,140; males, 9,893. Died at home, 13,317; in hospitals and benevolent institutions, 7,716.

By a calculation taken from the year 1670 to the year 1787, it would appear that there are the most births in February, the fewest in December, and the boys seem to be five per cent. above the number of girls born in the different months. So in respect to marriages, taking the same period, there seem to be the most marriages in February, the fewest in December.

COMMERCE. Before the Tribunal of Commerce, in 1822 and 1823, there were 13,707 cases decided, and 280 bankruptcies, and 692 arrests for debt; out of the number of persons thus arrested, 463 were imprisoned, and 223 discharged by making some arrangement.

CHARITY.City of Paris.*—In 1786, the population in the different hospitals and charitable institutions of Paris was 28,855; i. e. children, 17,672; persons in the charitable institutions, 8,162; in hospitals, 3,021. In 1822, total number 35,630; i. e. children, 20,545; charitable institutions, 9,990; hospitals, 5,095; increase, from 1786 to 1822, 6,775 persons.

fr. C. Revenues of hospitals and charitable institutions in 1822, 9,819,652 94 Expenses.

9,795,689 26

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The number of persons who received assistance at home from the bureaux of charity in 1822, was 54,371; i. e. 7,753 girls; 7,657 boys; 25,127 women ; 13,834 men; expense, 1,182,483 francs. Nature of relief-561,773 loaves of two kilos. each loaf;t of meat 134,939% kilos.; flour to the 'mères nourrices,' 130 sacks; tickets for soup, 5,500; bundles of wood, 52,891; in money distributed, 40,979 francs. The rest in shoes, stockings, petticoats, shirts, mattresses, &c. &c.

There is much valuable information on this subject in a book, entitled, “Le Visiteur du Pauvre," 1 vol. in 8vo.

+ The kilogramme is equal to 2lb. 3oz. avoir.

Articles.

Tableau des Engagemens et Dégagemens faits au Mont-de-Piété pendant l'année 1822.

ENGAGEMENS.

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PROVISIONS.

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The average price of white bread is 0,61 centimes for the loaf of two kilogrammes.

The average price of cattle at the various markets, in 1823,-for oxen, first quality, 1 fr. 3 c. per kilogramme; cows, first quality, 0,88 c.; calves, first quality, 1 fr. 27 c.; sheep, first quality, 1 fr. 9 c.

There are two or three tables of which I more particularly regret the omission; one, which gives in detail all the expenses of building a house, the materials and the work necessary for each part, the revenue to be derived from the building, and each part of the building, when constructed; the number of persons employed in the different departments of housé building, and the increase of houses in Paris.

Another, which gives the number of persons insane, their professions, the causes of their insanity, the length of time they stay in the establishment of Bicêtre, &c.*

To these I should have wished to add one at least of the tables, in which the different manufactures of Paris are analyzed—their number, the value of their machinery and utensils, the designation of the persons they employ, the number and the wages of those persons, the articles they use, their general expenses, and their general returns, all clearly and systematically given.

These tables I certainly omit with great regret, but the only two which I think myself, upon the whole, justified in inserting, are the two that follow, and which give the double movement of the human mind in the French metropolis.

* Since writing this, I have found in Dr. Bowring's report many of these tables given.

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