1804. ] 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
ORE than enough has, I think, been 
faid in various periodical works 
concerning the merits of Mr. Malthus’s 
Effay on Population; I therefore do not 
mean to requeft your infertion of any ad- 
ditional remarks on that topic. But 
fome ideas have fuggetted themfelves to 
my mind, on reflecting upon the fubject of 
population, in a general way, which I 
. beg leave to lay before your readers, 
fhould they.appear entitled to that notice. 
One who beftows the leaft confidera- 
tion on the ftate of this country, menaced 
from without by a tmoft powerful and 
inveterate foe, and drawing the - chief 
refources for its immenfe expenditure 
from manufactures and a commerce ex- 
tended over the globe, cannot for a mo- 
ment doubt of the abfolute neceffity of a 
great population, not only for its retain- 
ing the rank it has acquired among na- 
tions, but for its exiftence as an independ- 
ent empire. In fact, all the hope of a 
greater ftability in the Britifh common- 
wealth, than has been attained by fo many 
other commercial ftates, ancient and mo- 
dern, relts upon the wider bafe of home 
territory and native population, upon 
which its greatnefs is founded. With- 
out that adyantage, its vaft branches of 
‘ foreign dominion would fuddenly, upon 
any change of fortune, be lopt off, as 
thofe of Athens, of Carthage, of Venice, 
of Genoa, of Portugal and Holland, have 
been ; while its domeftic wealth would 
only invite attempts for plunder and fub- 
jugation. I regard it, therefore, as im- 
poilible that any politician, in his fenfes, 
could be induced, by the theoretical fears 
of a tuiure over-peopling, to interpofe, at 
the prefent period, any obftacle to that na- 
tural increale which has accompanied, and 
mult fupport, the profperity of the coun- 
try. Great Britain muft fupply people 
not for herfelt alone, but for both Indies, 
for fome of the molt unhealthy climates on 
the face of the earth, and for the devour- 
ing ocean. She must find hands to pro- 
duce commodities for the four quarters 
of the world, to convey them and bring 
back the returns, and all the while to pro- 
teét her floating wealth from pillage and 
her coafts from invafion. 
Whence is this vaft ftock of popula- 
tion to proceed? what clafs of fociety is 
to be looked to for an{wering the demand ? 
Let us fuppofe our country advertifing a 
contract for a new generation, on the 
cheapeft terms. Propofals are made from 
Thoughts on Population. 
381 
the higher, from the middle, and from 
the lower ranks. The firft will be {9 in. 
adequate in their fupply, as well as ex- 
orbitant in their expectations, that we 
will exclude them from the competition. 
The middle -clafs, reckoning it to extend 
from thofe who enjoy the moderate com- 
forts, to thofe who participate in the 
luxuries, of life, includes a large number 
of individuals, probably, from morals and 
information the moft valuable part of the 
cammunity. But what are their offers ? 
“We will marry and rear a family, if 
we are aflured of not falling below our 
prefent condition, and of bringing up our 
children to one equal or fuperior.’” Take 
a country clergyman for the reprefenta- 
tave (a very re{pectable one) of this clafS. 
He is provided with a decent maintenance 
out of the. agricultural labours and pro- 
duéts of his parifh, and I by no means 
would infinuate that his fervices are not 
adequate to his emoluments. ‘He marries, 
and obtains the common profeffionai 
bleffing of a numerous progeny. As 
they grow up, his expences augment, and 
he prudently looks out for the aid of 
fome eleemofinary inftitution in the edu- 
cation of his boys. When the queftion 
of fettling them in the world is to be de- 
cided, his firft principle is that they are 
a gentleman’s children, and_ therefore 
nothing can be thought of but a genteel 
trade or profeffion. He is, perhaps, will- 
ing enough that they fhould be obliged 
to exercile induftry, but it muft be a well | 
paid and creditable induftry. Nor can 
he help cafting a longing eye towards 
fituations which are in great meafure 
erected at the public expence as a provi- 
fion for the fuperior claffes, and which 
therefore enlift them in the fupport of ex- 
ifting inititutions, how corrupt and abu- 
five foever. Now, what does a popula- 
tion of this kind fupply to the country? 
Ata great coft, it adds tothe fupernu- 
meraries in all trades and profeflions, to 
the expectants in all lucrative potts and 
places; it adds, likewife, it muft be al- 
lowed, to the capable Aeads in all ufeful 
arts and occupations ; but it fupplics no- 
thing to the laborious hands, vwuich are 
requifite in much greater proportion. 
Next comes the man who lives by his 
daily labour, and makes his offer: “I 
afk nothing (fays he) to feed and clothe 
a family but what thefe hands, if em- 
ployed, can procure, while at the fame - 
time their labour is a fruitful fource of 
emclument to others. If, however, I 
am thrown out of work by any accident, 
you muft take upon you to do for thera 
wha 
