284 Of the only effectual Mode of Bk. iv 



receives very powerful confirmation. At the same 

 time I believe that few of my readers can be less 

 sanguine than I am in their expectations of any 

 sudden and great change in the general conduct 

 of men on this subject: and the chief reason why 

 in the last chapter I allowed myself to suppose the 

 universal prevalence of this virtue was, that I might 

 endeavour to remove any imputation on the good- 

 ness of the Deity, by shewing, that the evils arising 

 from the principle of population were exactly of 

 the same nature as the generality of other evils 

 which excite fewer complaints ; that they were 

 increased by human ignorance and indolence, and 

 diminished by human knowledge and virtue ; and 

 on the supposition that each individual strictly 

 fulfilled his duty, would be almost totally removed ; 

 and this without any general diminution of those 

 sources of pleasure, arising from the regulated in- 

 dulgence of the passions, which have been justly 

 considered as the principal ingredients of human 

 happiness. 



If it will answer any purpose of illustration, I 

 see no harm in drawing the picture of a society, 

 in which each individual is supposed strictly to 

 fulfil his duties ; nor does a writer appear to be 

 justly liable to the imputation of being visionary, 

 unless he make such universal or general obedience 

 necessary to the practical utility of his system, 

 and to that degree of moderate and partial im- 

 provement, which is all that can rationally be ex- 

 pected from the most complete knowledge of our 

 duties. 



