The Population of Britain is Growing
Enquiry into the Influence which Enclosures have had upon the Population of this Kingdom…Second Edition. To which is added an Appendix, containing a Letter from the Rev. J. Chappel Woodhouse, Rector of Donington, in Shropshire; which strongly illustrates the necessary Increase of People from an improved Agriculture in general, and from Enclosures in particular.
One folding printed table. 1 p.l., 50 pp. 8vo, attractive antique calf-backed marbled boards, spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. London: W. Richardson, 1786.
Second edition, enlarged by the addition of Woodhouse’s letter. Rev. Howlett (1731-1804), economist and writer on the poor, took his BA at St John’s College, Oxford. Most of his writings concentrated on the well-being of the poor, an issue for which he was well equipped as an able statistician and demographer.
It was widely felt in the 18th century that England and Wales were experiencing depopulation. Howlett argued the opposite: that the population of these two countries “had doubled since 1688 and was expanding at a quickening pace to the benefit of the rural poor. One of the principal factors was the changing pattern of land usage, especially through the intensification of commercial agriculture, enclosures, the progressive loss of common rights, and the engrossing of small farms.”–ODNB. Howlett set forth his ideas on population growth in a series of pamphlets.
Woodhouse’s letter supported Howlett with a series of statistics regarding the population of his parish over the centuries.
Fine copy and quite rare. The first edition appeared earlier in the same year.
Price: $2,500.00
Item ID: 6460
