176 married couples had 0 children = 0 children 106 " " " 1 child = 106 " 88 " " " 2 children = 176 " 40 " " " 3 " = 120 " 19 " " " 4 " = 76 " 7 " " " 5 " = 35 " 4 " " " 6 " = 24 " 3 " " " 7 " = 21 " 1 " " " 9 " = 9 " 1 " " " 11 " = 11 " Total 445 with 578 That is, an average one and a third children per couple, while each single one of these families could much more easily have supported twenty children than a working-class family a single child." "Comment on the above is superfluous," adds Dr. C.V. Drysdale, and with that remark most people will cordially disagree. The obvious interpretation of the foregoing figures is that there has been a decline in natural fertility amongst highly educated and civilised people. But that interpretation does not suit Dr. Drysdale's book, and hence we have the disgraceful spectacle of a writer who, in order to bolster up an argument which is rotten from beginning to end, does not hesitate to launch without a particle of evidence a charge of gross hypocrisy against the Quakers of England, a body of men and women who in peace and in war have proved the sincerity of their faith, and against four hundred and seventy respected citizens of Paris. Further comment on _that_ is superfluous. At the same time it is obvious that, in so far as their pernicious propaganda spreads and is adopted, Malthusians may claim to contribute to the fall of the birth-rate, and towards the decline of the Empire. Section 2. DECLINE IN FERTILITY DUE TO SOME NATURAL LAW In the course of an inquiry on the fertility of women who had received a college education, the National Birth Rate Commission [63] attempted to discover to what extent birth control was practised amongst the middle and professional classes. Of those amongst whom the inquiry was made 477 gave definite answers, from which it was ascertained that 289, or 60 per cent., consciously limited their families, or attempted to do so; and that 188, or 40 per cent. made no attempt to limit their families. Amongst those who limited their families 183 stated the means employed, and of these, 105, or 57 per cent., practised continence, whilst 78, or 43 per cent., used artificial or unnatural methods.