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which communicates to the fon a portion of the same respect which was wont to be paid to the virtues, or ftation of the father-the mutual jealoufy of other competitors-the greater envy, with which all behold the exaltation of an equal, than the continuance of an acknowledged fuperiority-a reigning prince leaving behind him many adherents, who can preserve their own importance, only by fupporting the fucceffion of his children-Add to these reafons, that elections to the fupreme power having upon trial produced deftructive contentions, many ftates would take refuge from a return of the fame calamities, in a rule of fucceffion; and no rule prefents itself fo obvious, certain, and intelligible, as confanguinity of birth.

The ancient state of fociety in most countries, and the modern condition of fome uncivilized parts of the world, exhibit that appearance, which this account of the original of civil government would lead us to expect. The earliest hiftories of Paleftine, Greece, Italy, Gaul, Britain, inform us, that these countries were occupied by many small independent nations, not much perhaps unlike those which are found at present amongst the favage inhabitants of North America,

and

and

upon the coaft of Africa. These nations, I confider, as the amplifications of fo many fingle families; or as derived from the junction of two or three families, whom fociety in war, or the approach of fome common danger had united. Suppofe a country to have been first peopled by shipwreck on its coasts, or by emigrants or exiles from a neighbouring country, the new settlers having no enemy to provide against, and occupied with the care of their perfonal fubfiftence, would think little of digefting a fyftem of laws, of contriving a form of government, or indeed of any political union whatever; but each settler would remain at the head of his own family, and each family would include all of every age and generation who were defcended from him. So many of these families as were holden together after the death of the original ancestor, by the reasons, and in the method above recited, would wax, as the individuals were multiplied, into tribes, clans, hords, or nations, fimilar to thofe into which the ancient inhabitants of many countries are known to have been divided, and which are still found, wherever the state of fociety and manners is iminature and uncultivated.

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Nor need we be furprized at the early exiftence in the world of fome vaft empires, or at the rapidity with which they advanced to their greatness, from comparatively small and obscure originals. Whilft the inhabitants of fo many countries were broken into numerous communities, unconnected, and oftentimes contending with each other; before experience had taught thefe little ftates to fee their own danger in their neighbour's ruin; or had inftructed them in the neceffity of refifting the aggrandizement of an afpiring power, by alliances and timely preparations; in this condition of civil policy, a particular tribe which by any means had got the ftart of the reft in ftrength, or difcipline, and happened to fall under the conduct of an ambitious chief, by directing their first attempts to the part where fuccefs was moft fecure, and by affuming, as they went along, those whom they conquered, into a share of their future enterprizes, might foon gather a force, which would infallibly overbear any oppofition, that the scattered power and unprovided ftate of fuch enemies could make to the progrefs of their victories,

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Laftly, our theory affords a prefumption, that the earliest governments were monarchies, because the government of families, and of armies, from which, according to our account, civil government derived its inftitution, and probably its form, is universally monarchical.

CHAP.

CHA P. II,

HOW SUBJECTION TO CIVIL GOVERNMENT

IS MAINTAINED.

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COULD

OULD we view our own fpecies from a distance, or regard mankind with the fame fort of obfervation, with which we read the natural history or remark the manners of any other animal, there is nothing in the human character which would more furprize us, than the almost univerfal fubjugation of ftrength to weaknessthan to see many millions of robust men, in the complete use and exercise of their personal faculties, and without defect of any

courage, waiting upon the will of a child, a woman, a driveller, or a lunatic. And although when we fuppofe a vast empire in abfolute subjection to one perfon, and that one depreffed beneath the level of his fpecies by infirmities, or vice, we suppose perhaps an extreme case, yet in all cases, even in the most popular forms of civil government, the phyfical firength refides in the governed.

In

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