PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

~·i.\r:cr,ltl(rt, ail j CI)Jl11}lerc~:. 441
~\iiirm~d, I thin!;., with certainty, that the quantity of
ha~)pinc s proJuc~d in any gh-en district, so far dei)~~fiJS
U· ~(;Il tIle nunlbpr of inhabitants, that in compari!1~
adj~ining; p.:rinds in th~ same country, the
c(jl~ccti\r~) Ilappi!~es, ,viII be nearly in the exact pro.
pt1rtiojl ()f t h~J rllltlll)2r~, that j" t\vice the nUlnb(~r of
illhabit~lYlt~ \l:iII pr(H.1l1Ct? {!oubfe the quantity of h?_ppinlJ~s;
i!l Jistt~nt peric;i!:', a;ld di!I·~reill countries,
u!lder great Cha!l-!e'- (lr grt~at Ji ,~inlilitude of civil
cOllJirj~1!,
ahh"tigh th·· p!"')portio"l of enjoyment
m~y l:i!i ~~~1JCll hort "f (h~it of th~~ IjUn1bers, .yet still
a-,:/ C·--':l~· -"1 rat, !.' XC:_l,,-, ... ·11 II
()t IjUflljl:r-· \\!i! u~~ua y carry
\\"!:h it ~. !···;_·:~{'!JJ,:r~~t~ 'n f"~f h"~)pi"les~; that, at least,
it n1a:~-~ a!"!J t.lU .:.!-~t r{) b~ :i'· un} .. d in Cill political de-
1-' 11~),:·ratl· • 'Il'~ i •:14!r a I (lr Jer D t
:'riIO · f h··
J l 0 apOlne .. s I, en-
., - I
~~)j"ed ain~)r'g't [{II rerSO!l~., !)l)s~eS~illg the mean~ of
b{:a:th)· :~ub~i·-tl·r.Ce., thaT1 car; be prf)(iuced by jive perscn~
.. uT.kr enT; auv,image of power, affiuence, and
~
flL1"-11~"'~
£ ., '- • • •
• -- J
1.. r\~m r h··
~ese prl~1Clp
1 .. e~ It • f
';jl10\'-~~
1 ~
t~
h' at t h·'
e quantity,
....... r ~n ~ '.~~ • ..::"" ;n -1 (-:\r'~n 0'; "r:ct althol 1
'....: lj(4 o· ._d~~~~ £1J
0"h l~t -IS nos'"-!ble
#.. • 1 . .::~ .:.:t j ~, '-->-0., A ;J _~1
J ~ ..., "oJ I
:r ~~;:)' !)C i!lCr~~ci~eJ~ the f:urnber of illhabitants re-
.. h - 1· (. d }1 f.
~jl:':l!:~ t (~~;!Ill\.'., lS Ctil(· .. iy an rrlost natura. y a_-
f.:ctcd b,T a!ter~ti~)n of tIle nUlllbers: that, conse·
\TJ'~'ml;-, ~ the d~cay of population j, the greatest evil
filar a S!3!:; C:!Tl :--.u~!·; aIld the iIllprovement of it the
O·l)j·::~~t \vhich Gt1:.~I1r, in all COuIltries, to be aimed at in
pr,_'f:. rt'11ce to evrcry otllcr pt)litical purpose \vhatsoever./
r. '~';H-' importance (;f population, and the superio:ity /
or ;i tel f:\"ery o!l:ct n3.tl~lIlal ad\"antage, are pOInts.
fltCes::ary tCl be ir~culcated, al1d t() be ullder~tooJ; in­
~iS'11 !.!cll ,1 ... fal "C (;~ti D1:!.ttS, or fantastic notions of national
grandc·ur, are pprpttually dra\\'ing the attention
or siatesnlcn al1d legislat()rs from tIle care of this,
,-,'lilch is, at all tim.es, the trlle and absolute interest of
a country: for which reason, we have stated t~ese
pCliIlts ,vith tlllusual formality. 'Ve will confess,
ho\vev"?r, tllat a cotnpetition can seltionl arise between
the :.tdvancemcnt of population and any measure of
s~)I)('r utility; bt'c3use, in the ordinary progress of
human afE:.irs:, whatever, in ~ny wa)" contributes to