16。TheConcernoftheLegislatorinthePropagationoftheSpecies。
Regulationsonthenumberofcitizensdependgreatlyoncircumstances。
Therearecountriesinwhichnaturedoesall；thelegislatorthenhasnothingtodo。Whatneedisthereofinducingmenbylawstopropagationwhenafruitfulclimateyieldsasufficientnumberofinhabitants？
Sometimestheclimateismorefavourablethanthesoil；thepeoplemultiply，andaredestroyedbyfamine：thisisthecaseofChina。Henceafathersellshisdaughtersandexposeshischildren。InTonquin，[19]
thesamecausesproducethesameeffects；soweneednot，liketheArabiantravellersmentionedbyRenaudot，searchfortheoriginofthisintheirsentimentsonthemetempsychosis。[20]