—The expression “abundance” as describing the state in which the proletariat live, is a strange one. A man who is not indigent and has a few sous does not on that account live in abundance. The author adds a quotation from Garofalo to point out how the proletariat spend a great part of their “abundance” in the wine-shops. The reader is, however, referred to Part II of this work, where I have pointed out the social and economic causes of alcoholism.—
Dr. Meyer concludes his work by saying that he does not believe that an improvement of economic conditions will inevitably lead to an increase of crimes against persons, but that the causes of them are rather to be found in frivolity, grossness, and dissipation consequent upon an improvement of conditions.
PLATE III. (MEYER)
But—youth does not possess wisdom! It is only by advancing [[71]]in age that rash, rough youth becomes wise and gentle. Now, in the same way society will lose, one by one, the faults of its youth!
Plate IV. (MEYER)
CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS COMPARED WITH THE PRICE OF PROVISIONS, WITH THE NUMBER OF FAILURES, AND WITH THE VINTAGE.