gate the sorrowful apprehensions, which some men are willing to entertain, upon the account of an increase of population, that it will restrain the presumption of attributing this imaginary evil exclusively to the vices and the follies of the people, for I suppose that it will hardly be contended, that if much has been wisely and justly said, nothing has been vainly and unfeel ingly, and unnaturally spoken and conceived upon the subject of improvident marriages. If the preceding calculations should excite any grateful aspirations to the Author of health and strength, both to nations and to individuals, their force will not be weakened by the following observations:

"The whole number of baptisms collected for the purposes of the population Acts of 1801 and 1811, appears to be 9,315,016; of these 4,753,865 males; 4,561,151 females. So that the baptisms of males are 10,423 to 10,000 females. The whole number of burials appears to be 7,116,033; of these 3,557,401 males; 3,558,632 females; a remarkable equality in so large a number, and from hence it may be inferred, that the larger proportion of the males born, which may be taken at 4 per cent. very exactly balances the

number of those who die abroad in the employments of war and commerce." P. 23.

This equality is such a proof of the Divine superintendance of the affairs of men, even in matters of population, as should put an end to the prevailing panic concerning its increase and excess, and make men to blush at the unnatural restrictions and remedies which have been from time to time proposed, and at the unreasonable, not to say the impious fears which have been entertained. The evil, if it be an evil, is beyond the controul of man, and whether in its alleged extent, it be or be not exaggerated, it is unquestionably designed in infinite wisdom, to accomplish the great purposes of the Divine providence. From the begin. ning to the end of time, men have

been, and they will continue to be, increasing and multiplying; and if we would turn our attention from unnatural speculations to the true philosophy of nature, every bee-hive may teach us, that colonization is the necessary and natural effect, and the only efficient remedy of a local excess of population. The history of the peopling of the earth is ́ a history of successive colonies and emigrations from the first family, and from the territory which was unable to support the numerous and increasing descendants of that family. I cannot bring myself to believe, that the earth will ever be incapable of affording sufficient sustenance to all its families, however they may be multiplied; and when I hear of the disproportion between the increase of food, and the increase of the consumers of food, I remember, that the disproportion cannot increase indefinitely, since neither man nor the earth which he inhabits has been made for an everlasting duration.

Political speculations may be more subtle, but they are not more satisfactory than the moral argument, which is hastily drawn from the increase of population, which in the judgment of a plain man, is neither sufficient to justify the existence of present, or the apprehension of future evil. The great danger of all these views, as is observed with equal wisdom and piety in his Assize Sermon, by Mr. Miller, is, "that they do not seem to recognize or seek for any apparent WILL OF GOD in the constitution of society, but to regard it only as a political machine, and fabric of man's own contrivance."

Deeply impressed with the very opposite principle, I believe that the laws of population are under the controul of infinite goodness, wisdom, and power, and though I maybe suspected, as I have heard Bishop Watson accused of illiberality and prejudice, and precipitation,

for his judgment of a work which he refused to read, I will not suffer my faith to be disturbed by any reason ings of political economists, though I have neither, the historical know Edge to disprove the facts which they allege, nor sagacity to refute and expose their philosophical subtlety. While I know that there is One who indeed knoweth the number and the wants of all the inhabitants of the earth, I shall not participate in the alarm which may be excited by any theories, be they more or less correct: I shall look upon an increasing population, as the appointed means of peopling the earth, and rejoice in every project of colonization; and I shall have unmixed consolation in the assurance, that possible local, and temporary evil will terminate in certain and universal good. With these sentiments in my heart, I feel no besitation in subscribing myself

ONE OF THE INCREASED
POPULATION.

An Argument to prove that the abolishing of Christianity in England may, as Things now stand, be attended with some Inconveniences, and perhaps not produce those many good Effects proposed thereby. Originally written in 1708, and adapted to the Circumstances of 1820.

I AM very sensible what a weakness and presumption it is to reason against the humour of the majority; and to argue with certain persons against the abolition of Christianity, at a juncture when they appear determined upon the point, may perhaps be neither safe nor prudent. However, I know not how, whether from the affectation of despising popularity, or the perverseness of human nature, but so it unhappily falls out, that I cannot be entirely of this opinion. Nay, though I were

sure, that the societies in Manchester, Birmingham, and Glasgow, had resolved upon my immediate assassination, I should still confess that in the present posture of our affairs, at home and abroad, I do not see the absolute necessity of extirpating Christianity from among us.

This perhaps may appear too bold a declaration, even for our liberal age to endure; therefore I shall handle it with all tenderness, and with due deference to that enlightened and powerful body, which is of another sentiment.

And yet the curious may please to observe, how much the genius of a nation is liable to alter in the course of half an age: I have heard it affirmed for certain, by some very old people, that the contrary opinion, whatever might be thought of it by a Peer or a Nabob, was even within these 50 years, as much in vogue among the poor, as the other is now. And that a project for the abolishing of Christianity, by the assistance of the lower orders, would then have appeared as singular, and been thought as absurd, as it would be at this time to expect that they would exert themselves in its defence.

Therefore I freely own, that all appearances are against me. The system of the Gospel, after the fate of other systems, is generally exploded: the spirited and active portion of the common people, among whom it seems to have had its latest credit, are now grown as much ashamed of it as their betters; opinions like fashions always descending from those of quality to the middle sort, and thence to the vulgar, where at length they are dropped and vanish.

But here I would not be mistaken; and therefore must use a well-known distinction. I hope no reader imagines me so weak as to stand up in defence of real Christianity, such as used in primitive times (if we may believe the authors of those ages) to have an influence at least upon the many. To attempt the restor

men to the belief of things too difficult for free-thinkers. To which I answer that men should be cautious how they raise objections which reflect upon the wisdom of the nation. Is not every body freely allowed to believe whatever he pleases ?Would any indifferent foreigner who should read the periodical trumpery of Cobbett and Hunt, imagine the Gospel to be our rule of faith, and confirmed by Parliaments? Do the infidels either believe or say they believe, or desire to have it thought that they say they believe one syllable of the matter? What if there be an old dormant statute or two against them, they are now obsolete to a degree which renders the execution of them impossible.

It is likewise urged, that there are in this kingdom above ten thousand parsons, whose revenues added to those of the bishops, and other ecclesiastical persons would suffice to maintain a large proportion of our manufacturers; and thus not only relieve the whole of our present distress, but exonerate a large class of the community from the necessity of manual labour for the future, and leave them at leisure to train their troops, and to cultivate their understandings, and thus to pave the way for a genuine Age of Reason. This indeed appears to be a consideration of some weight. But then on the other side several things deserve to be considered likewise. As first, whether it may not be thought necessary, that in certain tracts of country, like what we call parishes, there shall be a person appointed to register births, marriages, and burials, and whether it may not be expedient that such person should be duly qualified, and moderately paid? Then it seems a wrong computation that the reve ues of the Church throughout this island would be large enough to maintain any considerable proportion of our manufacturers in the manner to which they are accustomed and entitled. We must reREMEMBRANCER, No. 13.

member also that ten thousand able bodied parsons might furnish a formidable reinforcement to the Borough-mongers army. And to some such means of support the Clergy would probably have recourse; being unfit for labour, either on the farm or in the work-shop; the former requiring more toil than they will be willing to undergo, and the latter more skill than they can be expected to possess. But still there is in this project a greater evil behind: and we ought to beware of the woman's folly who killed the hen that every morning laid her a golden egg. For pray what would become of the race of infidels in the next age, if the present generation were all snugly provided for out of the revenues of the Church. Your fat contented radical would not be of the slightest service. The ejected and half.starved parsons would be the only recruits to the cause of Deism; and whether they could be trusted on any critical emergency, or would not desert their colours on a favourable opportunity, is what I would submit to the consideration of those who are acquainted with their characters.

Another advantage proposed by the abolition of Christianity, is the clear gain of one day in seven, which is now entirely lost; beside the loss to the public of many convenient buildings which might be converted into club-rooms, debating houses, and other public edifices.

I hope I shall be forgiven a hard word if I call this a perfect cavil. I readily own there has been an old custom, time out of mind, for people to assemble in the Churches every sunday; and that shops are still frequently shut, in order as it is conceived, to preserve the memory of that antient practice. But how this can prove a hindrance to the growth of infidelity, it is hard to imagine. The trades which contribute most directly to enlighten the people are carried on with peculiar success on the day of rest.

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