12 



small * ; and as the population of a state is re- 

 gulated by its means of subsistence, a large 

 territory can only be populous in proportion to 

 the means of subsistence which it raises within 

 itself. It follows, that all other branches of in- 

 dustry, \vhich are carried on by that popula- 

 tion, must be regulated by the amount of the 

 land produce. From these plain premises I do 

 not infer (as some very able men have done) that 

 agriculture should receive any peculiar encou- 

 ragement from the law, beyond other branches 

 of industry ; because I think such encourage- 

 ment can do it no good. But I infer, that it 

 should suffer no positive restraint or discourage- 

 ment to the advantage of other branches of in- 

 dustry ; because, though some limited branch of 

 industry may profit by such preference, the in- 

 dustry and prosperity of the country in general 

 must suffer exactly in proportion as agriculture 

 suffers. 



Mr Malthus (whose profound and original 

 speculations have formed an aera in political 

 science) has, however, shewn, that it is not 

 merely the gross amount of land produce in a 

 state, in proportion to the extent of territory, 

 which is the cause of domestic prosperity, but 

 the relative amount of that produce, in propor- 

 tion to the numbers of the people. Thus, if 



* Smith's V.\Mlth of Nutioasj B. 4. c. 2. 



