Recherches Sur la Population, et Sur la Facultae d'accroissement de l'espaece Humaine: Contenant une Raefutation des Doctrines de M. Malthus Sur Cette Matiaere (2 volumes)

William Godwin; Francisco Solano Constancio

Paris : J.-P. Aillaud, 1821

2 volume set. 1st French ed. "Of Population: An Enquiry Concerning the Power of Increase in the Numbers of Mankind," translated by Constancio.  Bound in contemporary leather.  Mixed set, with similar, but not matching bindings.  Rubbing, with loss to vol 1. Marbled end pages. Final signature of Vol. 1 misbound, but complete. In this work, Godwin rebutted Malthus's argument in "Essay on the principle of population," that population would increase exponentially.  Godwin argued that moral restraint (delayed marriage, pre-nuptial celibacy), new technologies, and lower labor demands would allow for greater personal intellectual and moral development, thus adverting a Malthusian catastrophe.  For the record, Godwin was right, consider the population growth rates of developed nations.  Refs: Brunet 4073. Goldsmiths'-Kress no. 23169.  Einaudi, 2635. Sabin 27676.