Retrofpec? of Domeftic Literature.—Political Economy. 613 
taneoufly flow from thé quarter in 
which they abounded to the quarter 
in which they were deficient,’’ almolt 
every woman would be a mother, and 
every man a father. With fuch ex- 
traordinary encouragements to popu- 
Jation, the numbers would increafe 
fafter than in any fociety that has ever 
yet been known. The inhabitants of 
the back fettlements of America double 
their number in fifteen years : a not 
to take advantage of an extreme cafe, 
Mr. Malthus fuppofes that England 
would in fuch circumi{tances only dou- 
bie its population in twenty-five years, 
the ratio of increafe which prevails 
throughout the Northern States of 
America. Now bringing together the 
ratios of increafe of food. and popula- 
tion, Mr. Godwin’s myriads of cen- 
turies, which are to elapfe before the 
earth is fo fuperfaturated with men as 
to, afferd them infufficient fultenance, 
will be found to dwindle into thirty or 
torty years. In twenty-five years Eng- 
land is to have a population of twenty- 
two millions ; and according to hypo- 
thefis, by the careful cultivation of 
the foil, it is alfo to yield a double in- 
creafe of tood: take the next period, 
in fifty years we are to have forty-four 
millions of mouths: but where is the 
freth land to be turned up? if the 
grazing ground had in the firft period 
been Converted into corn-fields, whence 
to come the manure for improving the 
cultivation? To any man who reflegts 
upon the fubject, it is obvioufly 1m- 
poflible that the average produce of the 
country could be increafed during the 
fecond twenty-five years by a quantity 
equal to what it at prefent yields. Mr. 
Malthus, however, has already allowed 
it in his hypothefis, the exuberant 
itrength’ of his argument allowing of 
almoit any conceflion: grant it then— 
but atthe end of, the fecond period 
oaly, here are: eleven millions of peo- 
ple unprovided for! The whole popu- 
latron of England, as it itands at pre- 
fent! ‘ Alas, what becomes of the 
picture,” exclaims Mr. Malthus, in a 
burft of eloquence, ** where menlivedin 
the midft ot plenty, where no man was 
obliged to provide with anxiety and 
pain for his reftie{s wants ;- where the 
narrow principle of felfifhnefs did not 
exift; where the mind was delivered 
from her perpetual anxiety about cor- 
poral fupport, and free to expatiate in 
the field of thought which is congenial 
foher? This beautiful fabric of the 
imagination vanifhes at the fevere 
touch of truth. The fpirit of benevo- 
Jence, cherifhed and invigorated by 
plenty, is reprefled by the chilling 
breath of want. The hateful paflions 
that had vanifhed re-appear. The 
mighty law of felf-prefervation expels 
all the fofter and more exalted emo- 
tions of the foul. The temptations to 
evil are too ftrong for human nature to 
refit. The corn is plucked before it 
is ripe, or fecreted in unfair propor- 
tions; and the whole black train of 
vices that belong to falfehood are im- 
mediately generated. Provifions no 
longer flow in for the fupport of a mo- 
ther with a large family. The children 
are fickly from infufficient food. The 
rofy flufh of health gives place to the 
pallid cheek and hollow eye of mifery. 
Benevolence, ftill lingering in a few 
bofoms, makes fome faint expiring 
ftruggles, till at length felf-love re- 
fumes his wonted empire, and lords it 
triumphant over the world.” 
Mr. Godwin, in his ‘* Reply to the 
Attack of Dr. Parr, Mr. Mackintofh, 
the Author of an Effay on Population, 
and others,’ animadverted to thofe 
parts of that Effay which bear hardeft 
upon his fyftem. In the prefent re- 
publication, Mr. Malthus has made 
{ome obfervations on that reply. Mr. 
Godwin, with the provoking ingenuity 
of a practifed dialeétician, has inferred 
from the pofitions of Mr.Maithus, thar, 
as the evils of exceffive popuiation are 
fo formidable; as the ratio of its in- 
creafe, is fo rapid; and as vice and 
mifery are the only checks which keep . 
this mighty power within bounds ; that 
it is incumbent on the rulers of a coun- 
try to.promote vice and mifery as the 
guardians of human happinefs, and 
that no.evil is more to be dreaded than 
that we fhould have too little of them 
in the world! Mr. Malthus has cer- 
tainly fucceeded in proving that vice 
and mifery confines the principle of 
population within due bounds, and 
that without thefe checks exceffive po. 
pulation would lead to vice and mifery. 
The fole queftion then is refpecting the 
magnitude of the evil. A certain por- 
tion of vice, mifery, or moral refiraint,* 
* Mr. Malthus, in his former Eilay, had 
omitted moral reftraint, and refolved atl the | 
refiftances to fupcrabundant population into 
vice and mifery. ‘The addition of this third' 
check, indeed, feems unneceflary: if a 
young man and a young woman, attached to 
4K2 each 
