APPENDIX. 479 



mitigation of the evil."* This is an assertion entirely with- 

 out foiuulation. I have never adverted to the check sug- 

 gested by Condorcet without the most marked disapproba- 

 tion. Indeed I should always particularly reprobate any 

 artificial and unnatural modes of checking population, both 

 on account of their immorality and their tendency to remove 

 a necessary stimulus to industry. If it were possible for 

 each married couple to limit by a wish the number of their 

 children, there is certainly reason to fear that the indolence 

 of the human race would be very greatly increased ; and 

 that neither the population of individual countries, nor of 

 the whole earth, would ever reach its natural and proper 

 extent. But the restraints which I have recommended are 

 quite of a different character. They are not only pointed 

 out by reason and sanctioned by religion, but tend in the 

 most marked manner to stimulate industry. It is not easy 

 to conceive a more powerful encouragement to exertion 

 and good conduct than the looking forward to marriage as 

 a state peculiarly desirable : but only to be enjoyed in com- 

 fort, by the acquisition of habits of industry, economy, and 

 prudence. And it is in this light that I have always wished 

 to place it.f 



In speaking of the poor-laws in this country, and of their 

 tendency (particularly as they have been lately administered) 

 to eradicate all remaining spirit of independence among our 

 peasantry, I observe that, " hard as it may appear in indivi- 

 " dual instances, dependent poverty ought to be held dis- 

 " graceful ;" by which of course lonly mean that such a pro- 

 per degree of pride as will induce a labouring man to make 

 great exertions as in Scotland, in order to prevent himself 

 or his nearest relations from falling upon the parish, is very 

 desirable, with a view to the happiness of the lower classes 

 of society. The interpretation which Mr. Grahame gives 

 to this passage is, that the rich " are so to inibitter the 

 " pressure of indigence by the stings of contumely, that 

 " men may be driven by their pride to prefer even the refuge 

 " of despair to the condition of dependence ! !"* — a curious 

 specimen of misrepresentation and exaggeration. 



•P. 18. 



+ Sec vol. ii. p. 241, of 4lh edit. ; p. 493 of the quarto tdit. ; vol. iii. p. C2 

 of the 3tli edit, and vol. ii. p. '262. of this edition. 

 i P. 230". 



