96 KEW, ST. PETEKSBUKG, AND MABOCCO 

 To T. H. Huxley 



August 31, 1871. 



My visit to the Moors has led me to think a good deal on 

 the real source of the wealth of a people, and I am disposed 

 to attribute it to the development of mere artificial wants 

 in the main and ' au fond.' Do you know any good book 

 on the subject — French more likely than English ? I have 

 read Adam Smith twice, years ago, and though much ad- 

 miring did not think that he went to the bottom of the thing, 

 and do not care to read him again now. Marocco is retro- 

 grading, though food is abundant and cheap, — because the 

 state of the people and their laws are hostile to the display 

 of any wealth but that of food, slaves and women. You see 

 there neither fine arms, jewels, horses or furniture — and from 

 highest to lowest, the food is materially the same and the 

 table services of the coarsest and commonest description 

 from the Sultan to the Slave. Grain, butter and honey are 

 hoarded and rotted by the Chiefs, money is buried by every 

 one. The population is stationary or dwindling — the natural 

 increase being checked by wars, climatic famines, the locust 

 and cholera. I doubt if there has been any material change 

 in the country since the Moors were driven back from Spain ; 

 the successes of the Biff Pirates and the Sallee Bovers cannot 

 have contributed materially to the wealth of the country, 

 except through boat building (for they then had fleets, 

 and now have none whatever). Give security to life and 

 property within a ten mile radius of any Port and wealth 

 would flow in and be utilized, not to supply nature's wants, 

 but artificial wants, and most of them imported. Of the 

 many hundred articles I call necessaries of life, very few 

 contribute to my health, sustenance, or daily labor, nine- 

 tenths are to make me more comfortable, luxurious or 

 happy. Corollary. — The more dense the population, the 

 easier it is to find something to do : so the means of obtain- 

 ing a livelihood increase with the population which has to 

 get a livelihood. So it is all bosh to say that it is every 

 year more difficult to find places for your sons. Q.E.D. by 

 J. D. H. 



It is interesting to note that the Marocco expedition cost 

 about £110. Though Kew was to benefit by his collections, 



