242 Of the Checks to Population, fyc. Bk. i. 



least, in Athens ; and Plato supposes the case of 

 his republic being greatly reduced by disease.* 

 Their wars were not only almost constant, but 

 extremely bloody. In a small army, the whole of 

 which would probably be engaged in close fight, 

 a much greater number in proportion would be 

 slain than in the large modern armies, a consider- 

 able part of which often remains untouched;'}" and 

 as all the free citizens of these republics were 

 generally employed as soldiers in every war, losses 

 would be felt very severely, and would not ap- 

 pear to be very easily repaired. 



* De Legibus, lib. v. 



•f Hume's Essay, c. xi. p. 451. 



