in Massachusetts, [pg 188] show a similar movement in the number of marriages. The crisis came in October, 1857. In the three months following that date there were 400 less marriages.
To produce permanent advantage, the temporary cause operating upon them must be sufficient to make a great change in their condition—a change such as will be felt for many years, notwithstanding any stimulus which it may give during one generation to the increase of people. When, indeed, the improvement is of this signal character, and a generation grows up which has always been used to an improved scale of comfort, the habits of this new generation in respect to population become formed upon a higher minimum, and the improvement in their condition becomes permanent.
§ 4. Certain rare Circumstances excepted, High Wages imply Restraints on Population.
Wages depend, then, on the proportion between the number of the laboring population and the capital or other funds devoted to the purchase of labor; we will say, for shortness, the capital. If wages are higher at