rated by the
pretty frequent occurrence of scurvy in many places, where it had
been unknown for more than a century, since the beginning of the
winter 1846-7,--that is, since the use of the potato has been
necessarily nearly abandoned.

"But it is only in certain districts that the people have been
absolutely dependent on the potato, and been reduced to absolute
destitution by its failure; and the reason obviously is, that the
potato, although much less desirable, as the chief article of
diet, than many others, is that by which the greatest number of
persons may be fed from a given quantity of land in this climate.
When we find a population, therefore, living chiefly on potatoes,
and reduced to absolute destitution, unable to purchase other
food, when the potato crop fails,--we have at once disclosed to
us the undeniable fact, that that population is redundant. It is
greater than can be maintained in that district, otherwise than on
the poorest diet by which life can be supported, and greater than
the labour usually done in that district demands. Now I formerly
stated, that such a redundant population, living, as a foreign
author expresses it, 'en parasite,' on the working people of the
country, exists most remarkably in Scotland, in districts where no
poor-law is enforced; and I have now only to show how amply that
statement is confirmed by the facts which the present famine in
some parts of Scotland has brought to light."

Whatever be its merits, the argument for a comprehensive Poor Law is
placed on its true basis in the following passages:--

"If it be still said, that there is a difficulty in perceiving how
the natural increase of population should be restrained,--implying
that marriages should in general be rendered later and less
productive,--by laws which give protection against destitution, I
can only repeat what I formerly stated, that in order to
understand this, it is only necessary to suppose, what is quite in
accordance with individual observation, that human conduct, and
particularly the conduct of young persons, is more generally
influenced by hope than by fear,--that more are deterred from
early and imprudent marriages by the hope and prospect of
maintaining and bettering their condition in life, than by the
fear of absolute destitution. The examples of the Highl