APPENDIX. 4G'J 



following. It is against the application of its principles, 

 not the principles themselves, and has not, that 1 know of, 

 been yet advanced in its present form. It may be said that, 

 according to my own reasonings and the facts stated in my 

 work, it appears that the diminished proportion of births, 

 which I consider as absolutely necessary to the permanent 

 improvement of the condition of the poor, invariably fol- 

 lows an improved government, and the greater degree of 

 personal respectability w hich it gives to the lower classes of 

 society. Consequently allowing the desirableness of the 

 end, it is not necessary, in order to obtain it, to risk the pro- 

 mulgation of any new opinions which may alarm the pre- 

 judices of the poor, and the effect of which we cannot with 

 certainty foresee; but we have only to proceed in improving 

 our civil polity, conferring the benetits of education upon 

 all, and removing every obstacle to the general extension of 

 all those privileges and advantages which may be enjoyed 

 in common ; and we may be quite sure that the effect, to 

 which I look forward, and which can alone render these 

 advantages permanent, will follow. 



I acknowledge the truth and force of this argument, and 

 have only to observe, in answer to it, that it is difficult to 

 conceive, that we should not proceed with more celerity 

 and certainty towards the end in view, if the principal 

 causes, which tend to promote or retard it, were generally 

 known. In particular, I cannot help looking forward to a 

 very decided improvement in the habits and temper of the 

 lower classes, when their real situation lias been clearly ex- 

 plained to them ; and if this were done gradually and cau- 

 tiously, and accompanied with proper moral and religious 

 instructions, I should not expect any danger from it. I am 

 always unwilling to believe, that the general dissemination 

 of truth is prejudicial. Cases of this kind are undoubtedly 

 conceivable; but they should be admitted with very great 

 caution. If the general presumption in favour of the ad- 

 vantage of truth were once essentially sljaken, all ardour in 

 its cause would share the same fate; and the interests of 

 knowledge and virtue most decidedly suffer. It is, besides, 

 a species of arrogance not lightly to be encouraged, for any 

 man to suppose that he has penetrated further into the laws 

 of nature than the great Author of them intended, further 

 than is consistent with the good of mankind. 



Under these impressions I have freely given my opinions 



