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diminished, the more corrupt are those who enter into that state : the fewer married men, the less fidelity is there in marriage." The same results follow from an undue postponement as from a total abstinence from marriage; nay, sometimes worse, as the afflicting consequences are then often visited upon guiltless sufferers. Notwithstanding the common remark respecting the exemplary conduct, as husbands, of reformed libertines, the contrary is the fact. Such are more likely to pollute and degrade the married state than to be reformed by it. The human passions have all their appointed and proper gratification, through which they conduce to personal gratification, and the general advantage. The married state is that condition in which the passion of the sexes in human beings has its appointed gratification, and in which alone, from their nature and constitution, it can be indulged without producing suffering. If this world present a state of moral discipline, it must be of the utmost consequence to preserve purity of thought and action by means of that conservative of morals, marriage, rather than to hazard their loss by its undue postponement. Nor let it be feared, that without the trial which it removes, the world will not offer other sufficient trials and temptations to cause it still to be a state of probation. But enough has been said to show, that the preventive check is utterly incompatible with the morals, the happiness, or well-being of a community.

The observation of the sequence of events, and the results of actions affecting the happiness or suffering of human beings, afford sufficient proof of the desirableness of promoting marriage whenever that state can be entered into with propriety. But, if these were insufficient to direct our course in this matter, the express declaration of revelation affords to all who believe its truth, still further confirmation to the same effect, in the first command to man, "to increase and multiply." The religion of revelation is not only that of truth, but is the religion of philosophy and of nature; and all who receive it must conclude that no course of action commanded by Divine authority can be prejudicial to man; but, on the contrary, must be that which, on the whole, and comprising its ultimate as well as present results, is most conducive to human happiness. We ought

not, however, to pass by with less attention the concluding part of this command,-" to replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over it ;"-that is, to fill it with things required for the sustenance and suited to the wants of mankind. To multiply the species without providing the means of its support, could only end in the destruction of the new-born offspring.

The institutions and customs of the Jews led to early and universal marriage, and encouraged population in the highest degree, while their laws interdicted by penalties of unexampled severity its increase other than through its appointed way. Judea, under these institutions, became one of the most populous regions that ever existed, though its surface, which was narrowly limited, was in many parts irretrievably barren. Yet in no part of the sacred records is there the slightest allusion to any inconvenience resulting from excessive numbers, or any recognition of the necessity of checking their increase. But, on the contrary, the opposite conduct is prescribed and enforced by sacred command; while human increase is regarded as the first of blessings, and an especial mark of the Divine favour. Neither does Christianity sanction the principle of human super-fecundity, but declares marriage to be "honourable in all," and denounces "the forbidding to marry as the doctrine of devils." If revealed religion justify its claims to a Divine origin, it has left no room for new discoveries in the science of morals. He who supplements Christianity by new or more rigid observances than it enjoins, may call them virtues, but in their nature and effects they will be found to be vices. Marriage not only multiplies mankind, but it lengthens out the span of human existence. It may be justly said of her, " Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left, riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." But the permanent union of one man with one woman, is not more the institution of religion, than of nature. It is the natural state of man when arrived at mature age, and is necessary to the preservation of the species. When, therefore, peculiar preventive circumstances do not interpose, religion, nature, and the interests of humanity, alike demand that it should be entered into, and its duties fulfilled.

If the law of human increase were, as our opponents contend, one of continually accelerating velocity, instead of being, as it is, one of constantly diminishing speed as population becomes more dense, we might then be certain that a continually augmenting population, whatever be the rate of its progression, must, if it proceed on uninterruptedly, fill the earth to overflowing with human beings, until at last no further addition could be made from the absolute want of space in which to crowd them. We believe, in conformity with Scripture, that the world is destined eventually to come to an end; and it is possible that the present condition of things might be terminated from this cause. But if the progress of population must stop, and the existence of our race be put an end to, at some distant period, this affords no reason why in the present day, when the world is almost an uncultivated wilderness, and the powers of industry still progressive, mankind should be debarred the enjoyment of the blessings which Providence has placed within their reach, and of making those enlargements of population for which yet there is room. Hitherto the interests of humanity have been retarded, not by a redundancy, but by the deficiency of human beings. That in every previous age God has provided for all his animated offspring, and that he still does so, is manifestly shown by history and experience. While such past and present provision assures our trust in his promise, that he will never desert, but will continue still to provide for them to the end of time. Christianity reprehends that anxiety about the continued supply of the necessaries of existence, which has never yet been withheld from all creatures, rational or irrational, and which distrusts God's care or his power. Still worse would it be to burthen ourselves with anxieties about the condition of humanity in a far distant futurity. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." But economists, not content with burthening themselves with the evil of the day, or the generation, concern themselves with the evils and difficulties which may encompass humanity in unnumbered generations to come. In the present day, we are more fortunately circumstanced than our forefathers

were.

We possess in a more abundant measure than at any

* Genesis viii. 22.

previous time all the essentials of happiness. Could we, in addition to these essentials already in our possession, conform our actions more strictly to the rules of duty, and acquire more of contentment, with less ambitious cravings after higher pecuniary advantages, there is no necessary impediment in the way of the great mass of the population enjoying that full share of happiness which is allotted to man in his present state of existence. We ought, then, with gratitude to enjoy the good which is in our power, and cultivate with zeal the present field of labours, though it should be only a temporary exemption from the evils which may beset humanity in a far distant futurity, persuaded that our posterity will not be destitute of the power to enlarge that field still further, should it become too straitened for them, and of cultivating and fertilizing it with more success than we, possessed, as they must be, of greater resources than ourselves.

The source of the happiness of man consists chiefly in virtuous action,-in the performance of the duties which God and nature have enjoined upon him, in the particular sphere which he occupies. It is not any given density of population that affords the richest materials of human enjoyment,-not any definite number of inhabitants for a country that is to be desired, and at which, the object being gained, further increase should stop; but it is a state of steady and progressive increase. Whatever be the amount of population, the object to be aimed at is, by enlargements in the wealth and resources of the people, to give room for a still further addition to their number. From the constitutional structure and feelings of man, it is indispensable to the satisfaction of his wishes, that his circumstances admit of an increase of the species. Hence the problem is, to place society in that position which is favourable to the most rapid enlargement of its resources; in other words, in the quickest advancement of science, morality, and opulence; by which human enjoyment may be elevated to its highest point, and extended to the greatest number of individuals. A multiplication of human beings placed in circumstances of moderate affluence, is favourable to such advancement, by increasing the number of those who are engaged in the studies, the labours, and pursuits by

which it is promoted. On the other hand, the multiplication of beings subjected to penury and distress is adverse to this advancement; first, in that such beings are wholly incompetent to the task of helping to urge it forward; and next, that they burthen and impede the progress of those who are. Such are the circumstances under which the increase of mankind seems favourable or unfavourable to human happiness.

In what has been hitherto said, while we deny the existence of a law of population inherent in man, rendering it his destiny to wage an eternal and unsuccessful struggle against want, yet it is not meant to deny that, in certain classes of society, there is a redundancy of population; or that want and famine have been constantly thinning the ranks of the great human family. This is an exception to the general rule, and not the rule itself. Such redundancy, however, is not absolute, but relative; it is partial, confined to particular classes, and not extending to the whole. Taking society in the aggregate, its interests are promoted by an increase of population. But taking it in its separate parts, the interest of each part is advanced by a diminution of its own numbers, and an addition to the numbers of the rest. Every man wishes to contract the competition existing in his own occupation, and to heighten it amongst those whose products he has to purchase. In the commerce of life, to sell dear and to buy cheap are the great objects of solicitude. But when the numbers of any class are in excess with relation to the numbers of the other classes, its interest more imperiously calls for a remedy for this disproportion. Such is the case with all those classes in society the remuneration for whose labour is depressed below the level of others. The proper remedy, however, lies, not in debarring young persons from entering into the most sacred and endearing relationships of life of husband or wife, and of becoming parents, relationships from which flow the most of happiness which human life affords, but in transferring some of its superfluous members to other classes which are not in excess. But if this transfer cannot be made, through vicious laws and customs, or other circumstances, the only other remedy that remains to raise the condition of the

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