[763] “While a man who is intemperate in drink, is discountenanced and despised by all who profess to be moral people, it is one of the chief grounds made use of in appeals to the benevolent that the applicant has a large family and is unable to maintain them.” (Ibid., Book II, chap. 13, § 1.) “Little improvement can be expected in morality, until the producing large families is regarded with the same feelings as drunkenness or any other physical excess. But while the aristocracy and clergy are foremost to set the example of this kind of incontinence what can be expected of the poor?” (Ibid., Ashley’s ed., p. 375, note.)
He complains that the Christian religion inculcates the belief that God in His wisdom and care blesses a numerous family.
[764] “The laws which in many countries on the Continent forbid marriage unless the parties can show that they have the means of supporting a family, do not exceed the legitimate powers of the State. They are not objectionable as violations of liberty.” (Liberty, chap. 5.)
On the other hand he thought that a law which limited the number of public-houses involved a violation of liberty because it meant treating the workers as children. (Ibid., chap. 5.)
[765] “The rise or the fall continues until the demand and supply are again equal to one another: and the value which a commodity will bring in any market is no other than the value which in that market gives a demand just sufficient to carry off the existing or expected supply.” (Principles, Book III, chap. 2, § 4.)
Cournot in his criticisms of the law of demand and supply had anticipated Mill. But it is very probable that Mill was not acquainted with the Recherches.
[766] Principles, Book III, chap. 3, § 1.
[767] Ibid., Book III, chap. 1, § 1.
[768] “Wages depend, then, on the proportion between the number of the labouring population and the capital or other funds devoted to the purchase of labour, and cannot under the rule of competition be affected by anything else.” (Ibid., Book II, chap. 11, parts 1 and 3.)
[769] Saving with a view to augmenting the wages fund is only possible for the rich, and Mill is as insistent upon their doing it as he is upon the workers refraining from marriage. He also tries to impress upon the workers the importance of saving, but his way of showing its advantages is often laborious and obscure.