with a principle of increase sufficiently strong to admit of many being annually destroyed without the stock being diminished: were not this done, did not many die by violent means, they would soon be too numerous for the subsistence provided for them. The increase of the human race being slow, it was impossible every part of the globe should be occupied before the herbaceous animals would become too numerous; to prevent this, beasts of prey were created, and they range the forest, conscious of their power; but no sooner does man appear, and put in his claim as the rightful lord of the habitable globe, than these animals retire, or shelter themselves by concealment. Herbaceous animals place a sort of confidence in man, but beasts of prey shun him. Foxes still exist in this country, and were the land not inhabited, would be sufficiently public, but now they tremble at being Other animals, especially of the bird tribe, whose lives are equally as much sought after, court our society: a blackbird will build in a garden; a hare or a rabbit do not avoid. man as foxes do: these differences in disposition seem to imply the relation that animals stand

seen.

in to man.

Dr. Priestley supposes that the work of crea

tion continued through many ages, and did not cease till after the deluge; and that animals received existence as they became useful; and that in this way the stocking the different continents with animals suited to them may be accounted for. The idea struck me as extremely ingenious, and as removing many difficulties; but I would make this addition to it, that, as animals received their existence as their want was felt, so they will be continued no longer than their usefulness remains: consequently, beasts of prey must become extinct as soon as the world is occupied by the human race. Already this process of extinction is begun: bones are found in England, in Siberia, and in America, of a larger size than belong to any animal now living; what these animals were we have no information, but their usefulness was at an end, and they ceased to multiply: that this was the case may be inferred from the want of them not being felt. In a very short time Europe will be as free from all beasts of prey as it is from these larger animals; such as now live are protected for the diversion they afford, a slight effort would destroy them.---To say that beasts of prey are useful in a well-peopled country, is contrary to common observation ;

to deny their usefulness in an unpeopled country, implies as little reflection: they are a supplementary part of creation, and must either be domesticated like the dog, or be blotted from the catalogue of living animals.

OF THE

CHECKS TO THE INCREASE OF THE

HUMAN RACE.

SIR Wm. Petty calculated that it was possible, in the present state of the world, for the human race to double in number, by actual increase, in ten years; and the rapidity with which the Jews are known to have multiplied, gives sanction to this opinion: hence it appears, that the whole world might be fully peopled from a single province; and if the principle of increase was to continue in full force after this was completed, it might fairly be asked in what way the superabundant population could be disposed of. I have already said, that the constitution of man was sufficiently strong to carry him forward in the active exercise of his body and mind to the age of 70; and that vice, misery, and moral restraint, were neither natu ral or necessary to his existence, and would be

withdrawn. But if the principle of increase be too strong, this is impossible; for excess is always productive of evil. A beautiful fabric, carried up too high, is destroyed by its own. weight; and too many inhabitants on the globe must suffer from the same cause.

On this view of the subject, which accords with that Mr. Malthus gives, it is not, in the nature of things, that the condition of man should be ameliorated, or his hard lot softened: bene fited for a day, placed in the midst of plenty, his increase occasions scarcity. To prevent this evil Mr. M. has mentioned various means, but they are all of them afflictive, cruel, or corrupt, and therefore inapplicable. It is not possible, from the nature and attributes of God, that his creatures should be thus circumstanced by him; to choose between good and evil is honourable and dignified, but to be allowed only a choice of evils, of the most calamitous kind, as the companions and regulators of our lives, is the lowest point of degradation; and were it true, it would be impossible to entertain honorable sentiments of the Deity. But such notions do not require an answer; they are contradicted by experience; the world has received pledge after pledge that it was governed by wisdom and