BOOK II.

OF THE THEORY OF HUMAN SUPERFECUNDITY: ITS PRINCIPLE AS FOUNDED UPON THE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND OF CHINA, STATED AND DISPROVED.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

(1) THE preceding book of this treatise has been devoted to the refutation of the first principles of the geometric theory of human increase, and to the detection of the fallacies in the proofs and illustrations derived principally from ancient history, on which it is founded. The present section will be exclusively appropriated to the consideration of the facts relating to two existing countries of the world, which, it is supposed, afford the demonstration of the same principle, and constitute far the most important part of the argument. Both these countries are immense in territorial extent, and sufficiently fortunate in their soil and climate. The one, however, is the newest considerable nation existing, the other, perhaps, the most ancient. In the former, the geometric ratio of increase is represented as in full operation', indeed, the very existence of the theory is professedly thence deduced: in the latter, the ultimate effect of the principle is stated to have been produced; in a surcharge of inhabitants, excessive in reference to their means of subsistence, and restrained from further increase by that universal misery and that execrable vice, which are asserted to prevail throughout, and triumphantly appealed to in proof of what is called 1 Malthus, Essay on Population, pp. 4, 338, 339, &c.

Malthus, Letter to Godwin, p. 122.

"the principle of population'." The countries in question are America and China, and thus is it that the system I am opposing, placing one foot on the old, and the other on the new world, lifts up its hateful front to Heaven, whose mercies it underrates, and whose laws it contemns, and tramples on the dearest feelings, and most valuable rights, of human beings, or rather upon those of the poor and the wretched: a system which, investing itself with pretended proofs and demonstrations, assumes the attitude and semblance of substantial truth, and delivers forth those pretended axioms which have been more injurious to the cause of humanity, than any ever propounded, whether in the heathen or Christian age of the world. Frightful, however, as it appears, we shall proceed to prove it but a phantom, and that its pretended foundations are rottenness and delusion.

(2) In the enunciation of any new theory, more especially such as wound the feelings, and contradict the settled opinions of mankind, great care ought undoubtedly to be taken, that the facts upon which they are founded should be fully known and authenticated, and fairly given to the public. Such, however, has not been the case respecting the present argument. Information regarding the early population of America, of an official nature, is in existence; and recent censuses of China have been several times taken and made known, utterly subversive of the pretended proofs of the principle of population; and yet not the slightest notice has been taken of documents of so authoritative and decisive a character; an omission, I fear, fatal to the pretensions of those, who, without the knowledge of such facts, or otherwise while suppressing them, have so confidently arraigned the laws Malthus, Essay on Population, b. i., chap. xii., on China, passim.

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of Nature, and built their pretended demonstrations upon the progress and condition of the population in these very countries. These omissions I shall proceed to supply, and shall accompany, in each case, the direct proofs which will thus be given of the entire fallacy of the system in question, with corresponding evidence to the same effect, drawn from more general sources of information.

(3) The necessity of examining this part of the subject at considerable length, and with the utmost attention, is manifest, from the importance attached to it by those who found upon it those conclusions which it is the purport of this work to overturn. Thus, regarding America, the principal advocate of the geometric theory asserts it to be "proved the moment American increase is related'," as he says the arithmetical one was as "soon as it was enunciated." Assertions like these, which, to use an expression of one of our poets, "throw conclusions at us in the lump,” are, it is true, far more easily made than refuted, as it always takes ten times the pains to detect the most obvious fallacy as it does to declare it; nevertheless, in the cause of truth and humanity, I shall attempt to shew, and I hope, satisfactorily, that the stronghold of the system opposed, "is a refuge of lies."

(4) Regarding America, in the first place, let us attend to the facts which it will be requisite to advance and substantiate, before the geometric theory of human increase, which it is so confidently asserted that country exemplifies and proves, can be ascertained or contradicted. They are these: First, it will be necessary to obtain, at some early period of its history, the actual amount of the population. Second, it will Malthus, Essay on Population.