490 APPENDIX. 



the state of human society, as it is known to us in the 

 countries with which we are acquainted. The last of these 

 four propositions is the following : — "This tendency" (mean- 

 ing the natural tendency of population to keep within the 

 powers of the soil to afford it subsistence) " will have its 

 " complete operation so as constantly to maintain the peo- 

 " pie in comfort and plenty in proportion as religion, mo- 

 " rality, rational liberty and security of person and property 

 " approach the attainment of a perfect influence."* 



In the morality here noticed, moral or prudential restraint 

 from marriage is not included : and so understood, 1 have 

 no hesitation in saying that this proposition appears to me 

 ~!inore directly to contradict the observed laws of nature, than 

 to assert that Norway might easily grow food for a thousand 

 millions of inhabitants. I trust that I am disposed to at- 

 tach as much importance to the effects of morality and reli- 

 gion on the happiness of society, even as Mr. Weyland ; 

 but among the moral duties, I certainly include a restraint 

 upon the inclination to an early marriage when there is no 

 reasonable prospect of maintenance for a family; and unless 

 this species of virtuous self-denial be included in morality, 

 I am quite at issue with Mr. Weyland ; and so distinctly 

 deny his proposition as to say that no degree of religion and 

 morality, no degree of rational liberty and security of person 

 and property, can, under the existing laws of nature, place 

 the lower classes of society in a state of comfort and 

 plenty. 



With regard to Mr. Weyland's fifth and last proposition,t 

 I have already answered it in a note which I have added, in 

 the present edition, to the last chapter of the third book,;}; 

 and -will only observe here that an illustration to shew the 

 precedence of population to food, which I believe was first 

 brought forward by an anonymous writer, and appears so to 

 have pleased Mr. Grahame as to induce him to repeat it 

 twice, is one which I would willingly take to prove the very 

 opposite doctrine to that which it was meant to support. 

 ■The apprehension that an increasing population would 

 starve§ unless a previous increase of food were procured for 



»C.iii. p. 21. 

 ■ t Id. 22. 



i Vo]. iii. p. 46, et scq. 



^ This 1 have never said ; 1 liavc onl^' said that their condition would be de- 

 teriorated, Tvhich is strictly true. - 



