Note 243-8 — Chapter I

Godwin, Inquiry concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers of Mankind, III, 1821; III, ch. IV. Compare the same socialistic writer's essay: Inquiry concerning public Justice (II, 1793), which in part provoked Malthus' book. David Booth (in Godwin's first book) had the misfortune to ridicule Malthus by comparing his law with the law of gravitation, which he said did not freely operate in nature and was undemonstrable in space void of air! From a better point of view, Bastiat says of Malthus' traducers, that they might as well blame Newton when they were injured by a fall.