Ch. xi. Condition of the Poor cons'ukred. 387 



I believe it is generally understood that they are 

 more liable to suffer damage during the winter 

 than grain. From the much greater quantity of 

 food yielded by a given piece of land when planted 

 with potatoes, than under any other kind of culti- 

 vation, it would naturally happen that, for some 

 time after the introduction of this root as the gene- 

 ral food of the labouring classes of people, a greater 

 quantity would be grown than was demanded, 

 and they would live in plenty. Mr. Young, in his 

 Travels through France, observes, that, " In dis- 

 *' tricts which contain immense quantities of waste 

 " land of a certain degree of fertility, as in the 

 " roots of the Pyrenees, belonging to commu- 

 " nities ready to sell them, economy and industry, 

 *' animated with the views of settling and marry- 

 ** ing, flourish greatly ; in such neighbourhoods 

 *' something like an American increase takes place, 

 " and if the land be cheap little distress is found. 

 *' But as procreation goes on rapidly under such 

 ** circumstances, the least check to subsistence is 

 " attended with great misery; as wastes becoming 

 " dearer, or the best portions being sold, or diffi- 

 " culties arising in the acquisition ; all which cir- 

 " cumstances I met with in those mountains. 

 " The moment that any impediment happens, the 

 *' distress of such a people will be proportioned 

 *' to the activity and vigour, which had animated 

 " population."* 



This description will apply exactly to what 



• Travels in Fiance, vol. i. c. xvii. ji. lOD. 



cc2' 



