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(Selection)

T. Doubleday True Law of Population. (1842)

[in margin:] The number of men of same name in same Parishes show increase confined to same Family.

p. says plants too richly manure will not flower or fruit — (also if too poor omits) — says well known to all graziers (p. 14) that their animals herd most freely which are lean.= overlooks successive generations of good food, for I presume pig — guinea-pig — rabbit. poultry breed more in domestication than in state of nature =

p. 28 says same known with respect to all women, by all doctors — old & modern. Dr. Cheyne &c &c

p. 32 gives case of decrease of Peers overlooks primogeniture & estates do old Romans: Venetians whose estates are probably primogenital, though title go to all children. — Rich Bourgeois of Switzerland = Perhaps out of 100 men of any rank only few wd have descendant 200 centuries hence; good illustration if true, of formation of genera — Malthus seems to consider force of life = health. Malthus vol I. p. 343. Mr Murray— says "the force of life is in inverse ratio with its fecundity"

In establishing his law of fertility varying inversely with amount of food, no where ascertains or alludes to check, from comfort, as in gentleman & servant in not marrying: if Malthus has erred it is on this side: Probably Chadwicks

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facts reduce themselves into the wretchedly poor marrying recklessly.— These facts show that starvation does not check marriage any more in man than in animals.— The end of his theory monstrous the well-fed will perish, & poor fed will increase:

His views wd only affect my theory so far, that until a change limiting the food of any species supervenes; ther will be no struggle, but when it does then a fortiori struggle — it wd be good for me.—

Who can explain why population has greatly increased lately.— His explanation of variations in amount of Pop: presuppose & lease unexplained variations in wealth— Makes times of Stuart Tudors too well fed! is vague. says Yeomen now (p. 260) do not increase nor decrease; were all England better fed in times of Stuarts, says distinctly yeomen not luxurious that yeomen now!?

p. 59. Slaves too well fed to increase.

Full of fallacies; takes absolute population in Agricultural & Pastoral districts as test of increase. —

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All his work true, if "marrying" inserted instead of fertility & inversely.—

p. 138. curious table from Sadler, Vol II. showing how concepcions,— increase marriages decreasing with increase of price of wheat!— & vice versa Most curious case in Book.— 3 Tables showing same result.—

p. 141. curious table from Dr. Granville showing fertility increases in women, as age advances — (total number of children overlooked): only includes women who have had some children /

Insists much on case of Ireland, China & India on numbers & increase of Population, where great poverty — anyhow this does for me to show that poverty does not stop population fertility which wd be fatal to my theory

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