An Inquiry into the Present State of Population in England and Wales;: And the Proportion Which the present Number of Inhabitants bears to the Number at former Periods; [bound with] -- An Examination of Dr. Price's Essay on the Population of England and Wales; And the Doctrine of an Increased Population in this Kingdom, Esta

London: Printed by G. Bigg for C. Nourse; Maidstone: Printed for the Author by J. Blake; and sold by T. Payne and Son, London,, 1781. Two "outstanding" works in the 18th-century demographic controversy First editions of the authors's probing analyses of the national population in the late 18th century, "the two most outstanding replies" (Glass, p. 12) to Dr Richard Price's Essay on the Population of England and Wales (1780), which contended that the population of England and Wales had steadily declined over the previous centuries. In contrast, the works of William Wales (1734-1798) and John Howlett (1731-1804) challenge Price's methodology, data, and biases, to argue that the population had in fact doubled since 1688. Howlett's work, in particular, challenges the wider biases that Price demonstrated in his discussions of the socio-cultural aspects of populations. William Wales is perhaps most notable as the mathematician and astronomer on Cook's second voyage: in 1781, he was serving as master of the Royal Mathematical School at Christ's Hospital. The Examination was the first publication by John Howlett, who primarily worked as a minister in Essex. 2 works in 1 volume, octavo (211 x 128 mm). Contemporary half calf, rebacked with the original spine laid down, smooth spine with 6 compartments ruled and with floral ornaments in gilt, original red morocco labels to 2nd and 3rd, marbled paper sides, edges sprinkled red. Tables in the text of both volumes. Light rubbing and wear, slight toning and foxing to endpapers and outer leaves: a very good copy. Goldsmiths' 12140 & 12139; Kress B. 434 & B. 372. D. V. Glass, Numbering the people: the eighteenth-century population controversy and the development of census and vital statistics in Britain, 1973.