Fruits of Philosophy

mankind to be able to limit at WILL THE NUMBER OF THEIR OFFSPRING, WITHOUT SACR

pon the children of men, or by some moral restraint, the time will come when the earth cannot support its inhabitants. Population unrestrained will double three time

200 years, 6

0 " 51

seven hundred and sixty eight times as many inhabitants as at present. If the natural increase should go on without check for 1,500 years, one s

nd in case of a failure of crops in one part of the world, must the other parts withhold the means of supporting life that the far greater evil of excessive population throughout the world may be prevented? Can there be no effectual moral restraint, attended with far less human misery than such physical calamities as these? Most surely there can. But what is it? Malthus, an English writer on the subject of population, gives us none but celibacy to a late age. But how foolish it is to suppose that men and women will become as monks and nuns during the very holiday of their existence, and abjure during the fairest years of life the nearest and dearest of social relations, to avert a catastrophe which

vils, of which may be mentioned, ignorance and slavery. Where the mass of the people must toil ince

rt of Malthus' Doct

correctly given in

ow or generally hel

s, is that the incr

ecked in old countri

pply of food; that t

es are really at bo

ght about by the pr

he continual overs

rs; and hence that

from poverty, with

g restraint on the

t is not in the na

rmanent and genera

r can be effected wi

checks to pop

t the oar of incessant labor, toiling to live, and living to toil; when, if their offspring had been limited to two or three only, they might have enjoyed comfort and comparative affluence? How often is the health of the mother, giving birth every year to an infant-happy if it be not twins-and compelled to toil on, even at those times when nature imperiously calls for some rel

mit to their offspring grievous hereditary diseases, which render such offspring mere subjects of misery throughout their sickly existence. Yet such women will not lead a life of celibacy. They marry. They become parents, and the sum of human misery is increased by their doing so. But it is folly to expect that we ca

attention to the cas

d some object on which to bestow its affections. Thus, early marriage would be almost universal did not prudential consideration interfere. Th

ty first reduces to a dependence on the most miserable of mercenary trades, and then curses for being what she has made them. There his health and moral feelings are alike made shipwreck. The affections he had thought to treasure up for their first o

dew on the

foam on t

bbles on th

gone-and

morality which forbids a reputable connection until the period when provision has been made for a large expected family. Had he married the first object of his choice, and simply delayed becoming a father until his prospects seemed to warrant it, how different migh

before the best hours of his life are gone and its warmest feelings withered, he may return to claim the reward of his forbearance and his industry. But even in this comparatively happy case, shall we count for nothing the years of ascetic sacrifice at which after happiness is purchased? The days of youth are not too many, nor its affections too lasting. We may, indeed, i

t that they should be condemned to Shakerism. It is a violence done to the feelings and an injury to the character. A life of rigid celibacy, though infinitely preferable to a life of dissipation, is yet fraught with many evils. Peevishness, restlessness, vague longings and instability of character, are am

f the genital organs. It is truly astonishing to what a degree of mental anguish the disease gives rise in young men. They do not understand the nature, or rather, the cause of it. They think it depends on a weakness-indeed, the disease is often called a "seminal weakness"-and that the least gratification in a natural way would but serve to increase it. Their anxiety about it weakens the whole system. This weakness they erroneously attribute to the discharges

of things, save much unhappi-ness and prevent many crimes. Young persons sincerely attached to each other, and who might wish to marry, should marry early, merely resolving not to become parents until prudence permitted it. The young man, instead

ted are from Rober

iolo