of Ranke closes with some speculations relative to a new history of the council, which are plainly extravagant and not very discriminative.

"Remarks upon some of the historians of the Jesuits" occur at page 195, and onwards. Of Sacchini, the second of the regular historians, he observes, that he is "partial in the highest degree;" which, we presume, no one at all acquainted with the writer, or with Jesuitic morals, will controvert. We only wonder that, notwithstanding, Ranke has trusted him and his companions so much as he has. Certainly there are things to be learnt from the most consummate bigots, and fabricators likewise but our friend seems to have an affectionate feeling towards them; in fact, has attempted to extricate them from difficulties, where most writers have considered the case perfectly hopeless.* There is, however, some ingenious matter in the discussion. Charles Dodd, author of the Romish ecclesiastical history of this country, now in progress of re-publication, has, in a particular work answering a Jesuit assailant, treated the principal historians of the society, particularly More, with remarkable disrespect.

We will detain the reader with only one more criticism on the articles of Professor Ranke's Appendix: the article selected purports to be a M.S. of the instruction, in Italian, given to Leo Allatius, librarian of the Vatican, for conveying to Rome the library of Heidelberg, which was presented by the Duke of Bavaria to the Pope. A Latin translation of the document has long been known, and is to be found in Gerdes. Miscell., iv. 575, Gron. Nov., &c., who there refers to Baumgartner, Relatio. de Lib. mem. iii. 522. It seems that a friend of our historian, rather, we presume, in the new German fashion, had attempted to throw a doubt upon its authenticity. The Italian original, inspected by Ranke, has set that doubt at rest. The critic, however, duly attends to his calling, by picking as many holes in it as, we may suppose, he could; and certainly he has detected some minor inaccuracies. But the body of the document is left untouched, and a curiosity it is, of which the author gives his reader no notion whatever. That reader, however, may right himself by going to Gerdes, or elsewhere, and there learn how careful the faithful Allatius was instructed to be, to secure such books or writings as might be made use of by the heretics, particularly bulls, breves, letters, and all other documents, old and new, relating to the pontifical see. His dignity was to dissemble

The reader may just look back to the note, vol. i., p. 225.

the business upon which he came; and, while he scrupulously collected the more precious contents of the library, he was to forbear encumbering himself uselessly with the printed books. He was to pretend to be going to Munich instead of Rome; to disguise himself as a Venetian merchant; and to distribute sacred medals among the Austrian general's soldiers, to put them in good humour and prevent their being troublesome. These instructions and other means were so successful, that the literary treasures were at last securely lodged in the Roman prison-house, where they will be safe enough from doing any good.

We have now done, and have only to thank the historian for the pleasure and instruction which, however qualified, we have received from the perusal of a work of considerable erudition—a work which may be read with benefit by all who come to it with some ability to judge for themselves, and who will feel the necessity of regarding it simply as supplemental to more complete, fundamental, and, we may say, impartial history of the same events.*

It may not be without use to point out some errors of the press, which ought not to have been suffered to pass. In vol. i., page 144, Tolengo should be Folengo: it is right in the original. In the penultimate line of the note, page 196, internis should plainly be in terris: this mistake is in Ranke likewise. At page 207, near the bottom, we have Tano for Fano; belonging to the translator only. But the oddest oversight is in page 195 of the Appendix, where we read of "a priest after the order of Abimelec," &c. It must have required more than usual inacquaintance with Scripture, not to see at once that the proper name should be Melchisedec; and this inacquaintance unfortunately lies at the door of both original and translator.

We are sadly in want of a respectable history of the modern Popes, in English. That portion of Bower's work is miserably contracted and unsatisfactory. It would form a very complete subject to begin with the present pontifical succession, which originated with the appointment of the Council of Constance, in the person of Martin V.; the very title of the present Papacy being founded on the acknowledgment of the superiority of a general council. There are abundant materials for such a production, and not very inaccessible. The "Bullarium Magnum" should be amply used, and the facts founded as much as possible on Papal authority. But the voluminous and pompous trifling, which constitutes so large a portion of most Papal "Lives of the Popes," should be gretaly abridged, or altogether omitted.

322

ART. III.-The Principles of Population. By A. ALISON, F.R.S., &c. London: Blackwood and Cadell. 1841.

POLITICAL economy, that great idol of modern liberals, has branched out into two main divisions-the theory of free trade, and of redundant population. Both of these, it cannot be doubted, have obtained a great influence on the public mind, and have even powerfully affected, of late years, the course of our national legislation. There has been, indeed, a partial reaction, and suspicions of their unsoundness are plainly on the increase among thinking men, especially those who feel the need of establishing society on moral and Christian foundations. But still there are many, we fear, among the higher and intellectual classes, who practically ascribe a greater importance to these fancied discoveries than to the inspired oracles of God. We have seen, in fact, in the Government pamphlet on Education, that while the benefit of instruction in sound Christian doctrine is passed by in silence, or covertly assailed, the diffusion of these and kindred theories among the poor is viewed as the great remedy for the evils of our land. It is high time, then, to submit them to a full and searching enquiry, on Christian principles, and, if they are proved unsound, to expose the spreading and dangerous falsehood. Nor is it enough merely to detect the false maxims they contain. Our aim should be to replace them by a sound and solid philosophy of social happiness, guided by the light of enlarged experience, and based on the sure lessons of God's holy word. To contribute to this great and needful work is the purpose of the following remarks ; and the treatise of Mr. Alison on Population, itself devoted to the same object, will supply us with a rich and ample field for this interesting enquiry.

The first of the above theories-that of free trade, with its many corollaries, as held by Adam Smith and his disciplesdoes not come within the direct object of the present review. We shall content ourselves with summing it up in its one great maxim, always implied, though seldom expressed-that individual self-interest, unchecked by laws on the statute-book, or the Gospel in the heart, is the best and shortest road to national wealth and social prosperity. This, we are persuaded, is the true nature and demonstrable scope of the theory, when stripped of its external drapery. Where such is the conclusion, it is not hard to infer that some of the premises must be unsound; and, in fact, two of the ground pillars on which the system rests-the

definitions of value and of productive labour-are utterly empty and delusive.

Our present concern, however, is with the theory of population, as laid down by Mr. Malthus and his followers. This has obtained no less currency than the former, and not only ticians and legislators, but Christian divines, have lent it the sanction of their name. The economical works, for instance, of Dr. Chalmers are almost entirely based on the assumption of its truth. It has seemed, in short, to be in almost undisputed possession of the public mind; and though the feelings of many thoughtful and Christian minds have strongly reclaimed against its dogmas, little opposition has been offered in the way of direct

argument.

The main outlines of this theory are generally known, but it may be well, before discussing their merit, to present them shortly to the view of our readers. The grand principle which forms its basis, is the ceaseless pressure of population upon sub.. sistence. The numbers of a people, according to Mr. Malthus, tend to increase geometrically, by successive multiplication, the supply of food arithmetically, by successive addition. Hence the numbers to be fed perpetually tend to outstrip the supply of provisions, and penury and distress are the necessary consequence. This evil is inherent in the very constitution of things, and no expedient can fully remove it. Still, however, partial remedies may be found, in various checks to the redundance of population. These are of two classes, destructive and preventive. War, pestilence, famine, and disease, are checks of the former kind. They are a severe discipline to thin the numbers of an overgrown population, and to bring them within the limits of possible sustenance. Preventive checks are such as the abolition of poor laws, the discouragement of marriage among the poor, and other expedients of a similar nature. From the main theory, also, many secondary maxims are derived, which we cannot stay to enumerate-such as the uselessness of emigration, the comparative indifference to social happiness, of the mode of government, and the mischievous effect of general almsgiving.

Against this prevalent theory the work of Mr. Alison, now before us, is mainly directed. Its author is too well known to the public to need introducing to our readers; and the present volumes bear the stamp of the same vigorous thought, lively style, and patient research, which have secured him a place in the very first rank of modern historians. They are, indeed, as he intimates in his Preface, a kind of supplement to the "History of the Revolution," since they breathe the same spirit, and are directed to one common end. The refutation of the

Malthusian theory is, we think, full and conclusive, and is traced out, in the second volume, in a variety of important applications. But while we hail him gladly as an able pioneer in clearing away the rubbish of many popular delusions, we feel that very much remains to be done before the theory of population can be firmly established on a Christian basis, and stand forth to the eye in the simple majesty of eternal truth.

The general scope of Mr. Alison's work, and the objects which the author had in view, may be seen from the following striking paragraphs at the close of his Preface:

"In the annals of the French Revolution, and its consequences on the subsequent transactions of mankind, it was the object of the author to unfold the moral laws which regulate the political affairs of nations and illustrate the secret working of Supreme Intelligence, acting through the voluntary acts of free agents, on the mighty theatre of human events. He has endeavoured to trace through an infinite variety of details, military, political, and diplomatic, the provision made by Providence, both for the moral retribution of nations and the general advancement of the species; and to show that while signal wickedness or strenuous performance of duty, by communities or their rulers, seldom fail in the end, even in this scene of probation, to work out their appropriate reward or punishment, the Great Architect of the universe overrules both to the ultimate good of man, and builds up, alike from the wisdom and folly, the virtues and the vices of men, amidst the chastisement and reward, the elevation and destruction of nations-the mighty fabric of general and progressive improvement.

"It is the aim of the author, in the following pages, to show that the same invisible hand and irresistible agency directs and pervades the social destinies of the species; that in the progressive changes which occur in the desires and habits, the moving springs of mankind, are to be found the nicest adaptation of the ruling principle, at all periods, to the circumstances in which the race is placed, and their ultimate advancement; that there is no permanent or lasting cause of distress which presses on the human species in any changes of its progress; that the deviations from this order, which are everywhere conspicious arise from the errors, the sins, and the corruptions of men; that in the consequences of these iniquities, however, there is established an unseen agency, destined for their removal or punishment; and that the only means of avoiding the otherwise inevitable retribution, is to be found in the general adoption by man, in his social relations with man, not less than by nation in its political intercourse with nation, of those principles of justice and benevolence which are unfolded in the Christian dispensation. In both, the same provision is to be observed for the combination of justice to individual men, or separate nations, with the progressive advancement of the species; and the author will not deem his labour and reflection for thirty years thrown away, if they are instrumental in illustrating the intentions of God in the moral works of nature; and if they tend to deduce, from an infi