APPENDIX. 497 



And as each individual has the power of avoiding the evil 

 consequences to himself and society resulting from the prin- 

 ciple of population by the practice of a virtue clearly dictated 

 to him by the light of nature, and sanctioned by revealed 

 religion, it must be allowed that the ways of God to man 

 with regard to this great law of nature are completely vindi- 

 cated. 



I have, therefore, certainly felt surprise as well as regret 

 that no inconsiderable part of the objections which have 

 been made to the principles and conclusions of the Essay 

 on Population has come from persons for whose moral and 

 religious character I have so high a respect, that it would 

 have been particularly gratifying to me to obtain their appro- 

 bation and sanction. This eft'ect has been attributed to 

 some expressions used in the course of the work which have 

 been thought too harsh, and not sufficiently indulgent to the 

 weaknesses of human nature, and the feelings of Christian 

 charity. 



It is probable, that having found the bow bent too much 

 one way, 1 was induced to bend it too much the other, in 

 order to make it straight. But I shall always be quite ready 

 to blot out any part of the work which is considered by a 

 competent tribunal as having a tendency to prevent the bow 

 from becoming finally straight, and to impede the progress 

 of truth. In deference to this tribunal I have already ex- 

 punged the passages which have been most objected to, 

 and I have made some few further corrections of the same 

 kind in the present edition. By these alterations I hope 

 and believe that the work has been improved without im- 

 pairing its principles. But I still trust that whether it is 

 read with or without these alterations, every reader of can- 

 dour must acknowledge that the practical design uppermost 

 in the mind of the writer, with whatever want of judgment 

 it may have been executed, is to improve the condition and 

 increase the happiness of the lower classes of society. 



VOL. It. K K 



