said to hold also in other places) is an argument (and the strongest
that can be produced) against polygamy, and the increase of mankind
which some think might be from thence expected; for if Nature had
intended to one man a plurality of wives, she would have ordered a
great many more female births than male, her designments being
always right and wise.

The securing the parish for bastard children is become so small a
punishment and so easily compounded, that it very much hinders
marriage. The Dutch compel men of all ranks to marry the woman whom
they have got with child, and perhaps it would tend to the further
peopling of England if the common people here, under such a certain
degree, were condemned by some new law to suffer the same penalty.

A country that makes provision to increase in inhabitants, whose
situation is good, and whose people have a genius adapted to trade,
will never fail to be gainers in the balance, provided the labour
and industry of their people be well managed and carefully directed.

The more any man contemplates these matters the more he will come to
be of opinion, that England is capable of being rendered one of the
strongest nations, and the richest spot of ground in Europe.

It is not extent of territory that makes a country powerful, but
numbers of men well employed, convenient ports, a good navy, and a
soil producing all sort of commodities. The materials for all this
we have, and so improvable, that if we did but second the gifts of
Nature with our own industry we should soon arrive to a pitch of
greatness that would put us at least upon an equal footing with any
of our neighbours.