upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot. Ye have not eaten bread, "neither have you drunk wine, or strong "drink: that ye might know that I am the "Lord your God."

These are the words of God himself. And what he then said to the children of Israel, he now says to all mankind: That he will command his blessing upon all those who fear him, and keep his commandments.

All those who believe the word of God must feel sensibly the vanity, absurdity, and impiety of this pretended philosopher, in this assertion which he makes respecting the increase of population and of food: and that he thereby endeavours to make God himself a liar.

The pretended proofs which he brings forward in support of his assertion, that the increase of mankind upon the earth proceeds in a duplicate ratio, is well calculated to deceive superficial thinkers; because it carries some semblance of truth; being taken from the reports and calculations of various authors. But his pretended ratio of the increase of food, is merely a creature of his own disordered imagination; and it has not even the shadow of truth. If men would exercise that reason, and those fa

culties which God has bestowed upon them, they need only to consult the general history of the world, or of this kingdom alone, to discover clearly that his pretended ratio of the increase of mankind is altogether unfounded in truth: and that the increase of the population of these kingdoms, for many centuries past, has been nothing like the ratio which he states. In that part of the continent of America, which was formerly under the British dominion, the popu lation has certainly increased with amazing rapidity; and probably fully equal to his ratio. But it must be observed, that it appears to be the intention of the Almighty to people that great continent with a new race of men: and the population increases in that proportion which his supreme wisdom sees to be most proper. The history of mankind also affords sufficient proof, that the Almighty has at all times provided abundant subsistence for all his creatures: and that this author's assertion, that mankind increases upon the earth beyond the nourishment prepared for them, is an impious falsehood.

This pretended philosopher conceiving, however, like Mr. Leslie, that he had established his own preconceived opinion by these manifest

perversions of the truth, he proceeds upon this false data which he has assumed to himself, to calculate the increase of mankind, and of food, to the end of the present century, Confining his calculation to this island, he says, "And at

"the conclusion of the first

century, the popu"lation would be one hundred and seventy six "minions, and the means of subsistence only

equal to the support of fifty-five millions; leaving a population of a hundred and twenty one "millions totally unprovided for." He says, "Taking the whole earth instead of this island, "in two centuries the population would be to "the means of subsistence as 256 to 9; and in "three centuries, as 4096 to 13. In this sup"position no limits whatever are placed to the "produce of the earth. It may increase for any assignable quantity; yet still the power of population being in every period so "much superior, the increase of the human "species can only be kept down to the level of "the means of subsistence by the constant ope"ration of the strong law of necessity, acting as upon the greater power." (See pages

st

ever in

a check

13, 14.)

1

The absurdity of this statement is so exceedingly glaring, that he himself seems to be sen

sible of it, and has found it necessary to assign some cause why this wonderful increase of mankind, and this dreadful want of the means of subsistence, with which he now wishes to alarm the inhabitants of this kingdom, in order to induce them to adopt his scheme for the perfectability of man, did not occur in Britain many centuries ago. The causes which he assigns, like Mr. Leslie's experiments, are a direct contradiction of his own speculative opinion; and contain the most direct proof that his assertion respecting the increase of population, is absolutely false. These reasons which he gives why the population of the earth has not hitherto proceeded in the ratio which he has stated, affords also incontrovertible evidence of the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, in keeping the population of the earth, and the means of subsistence, at all times, in an exact equality to each other.

In the passage before quoted, we still perceive the atheistical sentiments of this learned author. He calls the over-ruling providence of God, the strong law of necessity; and this law of necessity, he says, acts as a check upon the greater power. This greater power he afterwards terms, the principle of population.

he

In the beginning of the second chapter, this learned author states the different checks which his principle of necessity is continually opposing to the power of the principle of population, which, says, have been constantly operating since the very commencement of society in every quarter of the globe, and which have hitherto kept it down to the level of the means of subsistence. He says, "These checks to population, which are constantly operating with more or less "force in every society, and keep down the "number to the level of the means of subsist

ence, may be classed under two general heads, "the preventative and the positive checks.

"The preventative check," he says, "consists "in the abstinence from marriage in the early 66 part of life, from the fear of suffering want "and misery in the more advanced period of "it."

This abstinence from marriage being his great cardinal virtue, and the most indispensable moral duty incumbent upon man; he dignifies it with the title of moral restraint. He then goes on,

and says,

"The positive checks to population are extremely various, and include every cause, whether arising from vice or misery, which