The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

1 84 gkr:^'0N3.for the Egyptians, had the Ethiopians tlien invadedthe country ?They might have flood neuter, or madetheir efcapc from mifery in the feufllc ; or poflibly aquick and pungent fenfe of opprefhon might haveprovoked them to join the invaders-, whofc feveritythey had never experienced.To be ihort, the high rate of land muft in the ifluepioduce depopulation. This is an efFeft vv^hich Pharaohforefaw muft, without a miracle, follow on theheels of oppreffion ;" And Pharaoh faid, Behold, thepeople of the land now are many, and you make themreft from their burdens. Come on, let us deal wifelywith them, left they multiply. Therefore did theyfet tnik-mafters over them to afflict them with theirburdens." Therefore, that they might not multiply,they fet tafk-mafters over them. They formed a politicalfcheme of oppreflion, and they clearly forefawits confeOjUence ; and that confequence, though notforefeen by our landed men, is, from the meafurestiiey purfue, as certain as if it were in fa 61; forefeen'And intended by them.. Wherever there is a placewhere two perfons can live commodioufly, there willbe a marriage *, which, I may fay, is the only methodof continuing or increafmg the numbers of a people;and by nature both parties are powerfully inclined toiij^arry, except they be hindered by the difliculty ofTubfiftence. But when a young man hath feen hisfather impoveriftied and driven from houfe and home,hath been pinched with hunger in his youth, and isvet but able to fupport himfelf, he will not be rafli todivide the means of his fubfiftence by entering.Into amarriage-conneCtion. It is indeed obfervable, thatmany of the upper or genteel people in this countryfcarce marry at all ; and fome are of opinion that thisis far from being a detriment to the- public, and thatilatefmen ftiould difcourage fuch marriages, becaufethey would but increafe the number of idle and ufeicfspeopkj an opinion which I think is impolitical