188 Of the Checks to Population in Bk. i. 



latter species of merit; and in this instance* as 

 in numberless others, the private interest of the 

 individual corrects the errors of the legislator. 

 Sir John Chardin says, that matrimony in Persia 

 is very expensive, and that only men of estates 

 will venture upon it, lest it prove their ruin.* 

 The Russian travellers seem to confirm this ac- 

 count, and observe that the lower classes of peo- 

 ple are obliged to defer marriage till late; and 

 that it is only among the rich that this union takes 

 place early.t 



The dreadful convulsions to which Persia has 

 been continually subject for many hundred years 

 must have been fatal to her agriculture. The 

 periods of repose from external wars and internal 

 commotions have been short and few ; and even 

 during the times of profound peace, the frontier 

 provinces have been constantly subject to the 

 ravages of the Tartars. 



The effect of this state of things is such as 

 might be expected. The proportion of uncul- 

 tivated to cultivated land in Persia, Sir John 

 Chardin states to be ten to one ; X and the mode 

 in which the officers of the Shah and private 

 owners let out their lands to husbandmen is not 

 that which is best calculated to reanimate in- 

 dustry. The grain in Persia is also very subject 

 to be destroyed by hail, drought, locusts, and 

 other insects,§ which probably tends rather to 



* Sir John Chardin's Travels, Harris's Collect, b. iii. e. ii. p. 870. 



f Decouv. Russ. torn. ii. p. 293. 



% Chardin's Travels, Harris's Collect, b. iii. c. ii. p. 902. 



§ Id- 



