Ch. ii. and the Mode of their Operation. 21 



and happiness, at different times during a certain 

 period; and very accurate registers of births, 

 deaths, and marriages, which are of the utmost im- 

 portance in this subject. 



A faithful history, including such particulars, 

 would tend greatly to elucidate the manner in 

 which the constant check upon population acts; 

 and would probable prove the existence of the 

 retrograde and progressive movements that have 

 been mentioned; though the times of their vibra- 

 tion must necessarily be rendered irregular from 

 the operation of many interrupting causes; such 

 as, the introduction or failure of certain manufac- 

 tures; a greater or less prevalent spirit of agri- 

 cultural enterprise; years of plenty, or years of 

 scarcity; wars, sickly seasons, poor-laws, emi- 

 grations and other causes of a similar nature. 



A circumstance which has, perhaps, more than 

 any other, contributed to conceal this oscillation, 

 from common view, is the difference between the 

 nominal and real price of labour. It very rarely 

 happens that the nominal price of labour univer- 

 sally falls; but we well know that it frequently 

 remains the same, while the nominal price of pro- 

 visions has been gradually rising. This, indeed, 

 will generally be the case, if the increase of ma- 

 nufactures and commerce be sufficient to employ 

 the new labourers that are thrown into the mar- 

 ket, and to prevent the increased supply from 

 lowering the money-price.* But an increased 



* If the new labourers thrown yearly into the market should 



