140 Of the Checks to Population Bk. i. 



weakest part. If his legs be slender and feeble, 

 the strength of his body will be but of little con- 

 sequence ; or if he wants power in his back and 

 haunches, the strength which he may possess in 

 his limbs can never be called fully into action. 

 The same reasoning must be applied to the power 

 of the earth to support living creatures. The 

 profusion of nourishment which is poured forth 

 in the seasons of plenty cannot all be consumed 

 by the scanty numbers that were able to subsist 

 through the season of scarcity. When human 

 industry and foresight are directed in the best 

 manner, the population which the soil can sup- 

 port is regulated by the average produce through- 

 out the year; but among animals, and in the 

 uncivilized states of man, it will be much below 

 this average. The Tartar would find it extremely 

 difficult to collect and carry with him such a 

 quantity of hay as would feed all his cattle well 

 during the winter. It would impede his motions, 

 expose him to the attacks of his enemies, and an 

 unfortunate day might deprive him of the labours 

 of a whole summer ; as in the mutual invasions 

 which occur, it seems to be the universal practice 

 to burn and destroy all the forage and provisions 

 which cannot be carried away.* The Tartar 



* On mit le feu a toutes les meules de ble et de fourrage.**** 

 Cent cinquante villages egalement incendies. Memoires du Baron 

 de Tott, torn. i. p. 272. He gives a curious description of the 

 devastation of a Tartar army, and of its sufferings in a winter 

 campaign. Cette journee couta a i'armee plus de 3,000 hommes, 

 et 30,000 chevaux, qui perirent de froid, p. 267. 



