160 Of Systems of Agriculture Bk. iii, 



have begun increasing at a rale almost approaching 

 to that of new colonies. Russia and parts of Prus- 

 sia have afforded instances of this kind, and have 

 continued this rate of progress after the accumu- 

 lation of capital and the extension of cultivation 

 had been proceeding with great rapidity for many 

 years. 



From the operation of the same causes we have 

 seen similar variations in our own country. About 

 the middle of last century the interest of money 

 was at 3 per cent. ; and we may conclude that 

 the profits of stock were nearly in proportion. 

 At that time, as far as can be collected from the 

 births and marriages, the population was increas- 

 ing but slowly. From 1720 to 1750, a period of 

 30 years, the increase is calculated to have been 

 only about 900,000 on a population of 5,565,000.* 

 Since this period it cannot be doubted that the 

 capital of the country has been prodigiously en- 

 larged, and its cultivation very greatly extended; 

 yet, during the last twenty years, we have seen 

 the interest of money at above 5 per cent., with 

 profits in proportion ; and, from 1800 to 1811, an 

 increase of population equal to 1,200,000 on 

 9,287,000, a rate of increase about two and a half 

 times as great as at the former period. 



But, notwithstanding these causes of irregu- 

 larity in the progress of capital and population, 

 it is quite certain that they cannot reach their ne- 

 cessary practical limit but by a very gradual pro- 



* Population Abstracts, Preliminary Observations, table, p. xxv. 



