«1 rvNCTioN or propaoatiox. 



and frninlf in n wlnR«xl MnU', nn< pitHlurctl, hy the rongrrwt of which ova «* ffrtiUzfd : 

 Ihrv nrr pn-MTV***! thn>iiRh thr winUT. 



It w>'ulil *mu fn>ni Ihi.t, that ulth<>iig|i in tin- nrticiil«tr«l cIilm bucltUng is rwortr<! lo to 

 tuulti|>Iy thr miinlnTof imliviiliuih, yrt it h n<'t n«!r<jiiat«' t<> r<>ntintic Ihr rxl.»t«nr«- of the 

 •l><>ol(>4. CAlrulntion^ have lx-4-n nimli' nr tlu* niinil><-n« whirli an a|>hi<* may i>rrxi(irc in a 

 •In^lc va*in, pMvldi-el the ImliriduaN arr not <|pjttn>y«l l«y arcidrnt. ArctmlinK tht-n to 

 calculation, ImuvhI uiton oI>s<tvc<1 rart5, tlio wliole hnxnl in a sca«>n frutu a single aphia 

 will amount to the inc.nrelval.le nnml>er of l,000,000,00(t,ooo,rK)0,0(iO! Fn.m such an 

 ability to Inrn-a"**-, we should at flpit thought l>e dis|M>s4'<I to exju-ct a rr?*ull apjiroaching 

 the calnilatrd numlKTS ; hut it is gnttir\int; to o|.s«'rve, that where the i«>wers»f increase 

 art< extended and multiidiid as in the ras*- of the aphis, the destructive jxiwers are e<jually 

 multi[)lied ami active : there is therefor*' hut little reason to fear an excessively injurious 

 multiplication in the midst of so nmny enemie>i The aphis !•; extremely f«el«Ie : the touch 

 dpstrt>ys it ; the winds, rains, and cold sweep off its numlx-rs l>y hundreds of thousands. 

 The excessive multiplication of intlividitals is only a means of supplying an increased 

 number of consumers : hence instea<t of an appn>ach to the enormous numl>or indicated 

 hj calculation, their acttuil nimil>er8 will fall inflnitely short of It. The Imlance of nature 

 kalways pres«Tved ; and wherever danger s«'ems to j>f>int, there checlcs are pmvided, which 

 jmi an effectual restraint uj-m inordinate increase. We may conceive of what is posriblt; 

 hut th»- iirtiial ji^st snHires to ke«-p uji a suitable e«juilibrium : at must tlie threatening is 

 Inuksient, and r«KHirs only at wide intervals. 



