APPENDIX. 



In the preface to the second edition of this Essay, I ex- 

 pressed a hope that the detailed manner in which I had 

 treated the subject and pursued it to its consequences, 

 though it might open the door to many objections, and ex- 

 pose me to much severity of criticism, might be subservient 

 to the important end of bringing a subject so nearly con- 

 nected with the happiness of society into more general no- 

 tice. Conformably to the same views I should always have 

 felt willing to enter into the discussion of any serious ob- 

 jections that were made to my principles or conclusions, to 

 abandon those which appeared to be false, and to throw fur- 

 ther lights, if 1 could, on those which appeared 4o be true. 

 But though the work has excited a degree of public atten- 

 tion much greater than I should have presumed to expect, 

 yet very little has been written to controvert it ; and of that 

 little, the greatest part is so full of illiberal declamation, and 

 so entirely destitute of argument, as to be evidently be- 

 neath notice. What I have to say therefore at present, will 

 be directed rather more to the objections which have been 

 urged in conversation, than to those which have appeared 

 in print. My object is to correct some of the misrepresen- 

 tations which have gone abroad respecting two or three of 

 tlie most important points of the Essay ; and 1 should feel 

 greatly obliged to those who have not had leisure to read 

 the whole work, if they would cast their eyes over the few 

 following pages, that they may not, from the partial and 

 incorrect statements which they have heard, mistake the 

 import of some of my opinions, and attribute to me others 

 which I have never hold. 



The first grand objection that has been made to my prin- 

 ciples is, that they contradict the original connnand of the 

 Creator, to increase and multiply and replenish the earth. 



