234 FROM A NEW ENGLAND HILLSIDE. 



the part of the well-to-do, or those who 

 make similar demands upon life because 

 of the character of their education or for 

 certain social reasons, there is undoubtedly, 

 in the first place, less of the simply animal ; 

 then there are usually much later mar 

 riages ; and, in the third place, there is 

 a very considerable amount of deliberate 

 prudence. On the part of the poor and 

 uneducated on the other hand, there is 

 undoubtedly greater fecundity accompany 

 ing a closer acclimation, as it were, to the 

 conditions in which they are placed ; there 

 are much earlier marriages ; and there is 

 apparently no restraint at all upon their 

 numerous increase : with each one it is 

 &quot; Happy is the man that hath his quiver 

 full,&quot; Until he finds that in his case the 

 saying should read, &quot; Unhappy is the 

 man.&quot; 



Now the trouble is that as among the 

 thoughtless poor, only necessity restricts 

 the growth of population, as a rule, any 

 sudden development of prosperity unac 

 companied by a significant enlightenment, 

 is pretty sure to be followed by a more 

 rapid increase in population, and therefore 

 in the demands upon the physical resources. 

 The spasm of prosperity dies away ; the 



