20 



REMARKS ON " THE DESERTED VILLAGE " 



the demand for all sorts of agricultural produce ; and conse- 

 quently, the less chance of commerce being the cause of the 

 decay of men, even among that part of the population which 

 may be termed strictly agricultural. The people in rural 

 districts soon increase to such a degree, as not all to be able 

 to find subsistence, and then migration must take place either 

 to some other spot in their own country, or to other lands. 

 Such, however, is the elasticity of population, that many may 

 emigrate before the country can sensibly feel their loss, so 

 soon do others arise to take their place. The fact of emi- 

 gration going forward is sometimes adduced as an evidence of 

 the country approaching to a state of decadence, while, if 

 rightly \ievved, it conveys the idea of a people increasing 

 from prosperity, and compelled to seek new channels for the 

 exertion of their industry. Commerce, instead of contri- 

 buting to the downfal of a country, is a powerful assistance 

 in mitigating the evils which naturally arise from a rapid 

 increase of population, as it aifords to many occupation both 

 at home and abroad, — binds colonies to the native country, 

 and, preserving alive the patriotic feeling, assuages the pain 

 which emigrants may feel upon leaving their homes and 

 setting forth for the purpose of pitching their habitation in a 

 far distant land. 



But this forsaking of the country for the town, or of one 

 country for another, is not a depopulating process to be 

 lamented and mourned over, as if ruin were to be the 

 inevitable consequence. We have only to look around us to 

 see the effects of a population gathered from other districts of 

 the country, employed in actively accumulating wealth, 

 without any decay of men ; being, besides, the consumers of 

 agricultural produce to such an extent, as to render the rural 

 districts more populous and pi'osperous than ever they were 

 known to be before. The " bold peasantry," in spite of the 

 predictions of orators, have not yet been destroyed. They 

 live on in spite of the lamentations which are periodically 



