second treatise of government-第14部分

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rmies　of　Salmanasser　or　　Xerxes　were　never　children；　because　we　hear　little　of　them；　till　　they　were　men；　and　imbodied　in　armies。　　Government　is　every　where　　antecedent　to　records；　and　letters　seldom　come　in　amongst　a　　people　till　a　long　continuation　of　civil　society　has；　by　other　　more　necessary　arts；　provided　for　their　safety；　ease；　and　plenty：　　and　then　they　begin　to　look　after　the　history　of　their　founders；　　and　search　into　their　original；　when　they　have　outlived　the　　memory　of　it：　for　it　is　with　commonwealths　as　with　particular　　persons；　they　are　commonly　ignorant　of　their　own　births　and　　infancies：　and　if　they　know　any　thing　of　their　original；　they　are　　beholden　for　it；　to　the　accidental　records　that　others　have　kept　　of　it。　　And　those　that　we　have；　of　the　beginning　of　any　polities　　in　the　world；　excepting　that　of　the　Jews；　where　God　himself　　immediately　interposed；　and　which　favours　not　at　all　paternal　　dominion；　are　all　either　plain　instances　of　such　a　beginning　as　I　　have　mentioned；　or　at　least　have　manifest　footsteps　of　it。　　


　　　　　Sec。　102。　　He　must　shew　a　strange　inclination　to　deny　　evident　matter　of　fact；　when　it　agrees　not　with　his　hypothesis；　　who　will　not　allow；　that　shew　a　strange　inclination　to　deny　　evident　matter　of　fact；　when　it　agrees　not　with　his　hypothesis；　　who　will　not　allow；　that　the　beginning　of　Rome　and　Venice　were　by　　the　uniting　together　of　several　men　free　and　independent　one　of　　another；　amongst　whom　there　was　no　natural　superiority　or　　subjection。　　And　if　Josephus　Acosta's　word　may　be　taken；　he　tells　　us；　that　in　many　parts　of　America　there　was　no　government　at　all。　　　There　are　great　and　apparent　conjectures；　says　he；　that　these　　men；　speaking　of　those　of　Peru；　for　a　long　time　had　neither　kings　　nor　commonwealths；　but　lived　in　troops；　as　they　do　this　day　in　　Florida；　the　Cheriquanas；　those　of　Brazil；　and　many　other　　nations；　which　have　no　certain　kings；　but　as　occasion　is　offered；　　in　peace　or　war；　they　choose　their　captains　as　they　please；　1。　　　i。　　c。　　25。　　If　it　be　said；　that　every　man　there　was　born　subject　　to　his　father；　or　the　head　of　his　family；　that　the　subjection　due　　from　a　child　to　a　father　took　not　away　his　freedom　of　uniting　　into　what　political　society　he　thought　fit；　has　been　already　　proved。　　But　be　that　as　it　will；　these　men；　it　is　evident；　were　　actually　free；　and　whatever　superiority　some　politicians　now　　would　place　in　any　of　them；　they　themselves　claimed　it　not；　but　　by　consent　were　all　equal；　till　by　the　same　consent　they　set　　rulers　over　themselves。　　So　that　their　politic　societies　all　　began　from　a　voluntary　union；　and　the　mutual　agreement　of　men　　freely　acting　in　the　choice　of　their　governors；　and　forms　of　　government。　　　　　　　　Sec。　103。　　And　I　hope　those　who　went　away　from　Sparta　with　　Palantus；　mentioned　by　Justin；　1。　iii。　c。　4。　　will　be　allowed　to　　have　been　freemen　independent　one　of　another；　and　to　have　set　up　　a　government　over　themselves；　by　their　own　consent。　　Thus　I　have　　given　several　examples；　out　of　history；　of　people　free　and　in　the　　state　of　nature；　that　being　met　together　incorporated　and　began　a　　commonwealth。　　And　if　the　want　of　such　instances　be　an　argument　　to　prove　that　government　were　not；　nor　could　not　be　so　begun；　I　　suppose　the　contenders　for　paternal　empire　were　better　let　it　　alone；　than　urge　it　against　natural　liberty：　for　if　they　can　give　　so　many　instances；　out　of　history；　of　governments　begun　upon　　paternal　right；　I　think　（though　at　best　an　argument　from　what　has　　been；　to　what　should　of　right　be；　has　no　great　force）　one　might；　　without　any　great　danger；　yield　them　the　cause。　　But　if　I　might　　advise　them　in　the　case；　they　would　do　well　not　to　search　too　　much　into　the　original　of　governments；　as　they　have　begun　de　　facto；　lest　they　should　find；　at　the　foundation　of　most　of　them；　　something　very　little　favourable　to　the　design　they　promote；　and　　such　a　power　as　they　contend　for。　　　　　　　　Sec。　104。　　But　to　conclude；　reason　being　plain　on　our　side；　　that　men　are　naturally　free；　and　the　examples　of　history　shewing；　　that　the　governments　of　the　world；　that　were　begun　in　peace；　had　　their　beginning　laid　on　that　foundation；　and　were　made　by　the　　consent　of　the　people；　there　can　be　little　room　for　doubt；　either　　where　the　right　is；　or　what　has　been　the　opinion；　or　practice　of　　mankind；　about　the　first　erecting　of　governments。　　　　　　　　Sec。　105。　　I　will　not　deny；　that　if　we　look　back　as　far　as　　history　will　direct　us；　towards　the　original　of　commonwealths；　we　　shall　generally　find　them　under　the　government　and　administration　　of　one　man。　　And　I　am　also　apt　to　believe；　that　where　a　family　　was　numerous　enough　to　subsist　by　itself；　and　continued　entire　　together；　without　mixing　with　others；　as　it　often　happens；　where　　there　is　much　land；　and　few　people；　the　government　commonly　began　　in　the　father：　for　the　father　having；　by　the　law　of　nature；　the　　same　power　with　every　man　else　to　punish；　as　he　thought　fit；　any　　offences　against　that　law；　might　thereby　punish　his　transgressing　　children；　even　when　they　were　men；　and　out　of　their　pupilage；　and　　they　were　very　likely　to　submit　to　his　punishment；　and　all　join　　with　him　against　the　offender；　in　their　turns；　giving　him　thereby　

power　to　execute　his　sentence　against　any　transgression；　and　so　　in　effect　make　him　the　law…maker；　and　governor　over　all　that　　remained　in　conjunction　with　his　family。　　He　was　fittest　to　be　　trusted；　paternal　affection　secured　their　property　and　interest　　under　his　care；　and　the　custom　of　obeying　him；　in　their　　childhood；　made　it　easier　to　submit　to　him；　rather　than　to　any　　other。　　If　therefore　they　must　have　one　to　rule　them；　as　　government　is　hardly　to　be　avoided　amongst　men　that　live　　together；　who　so　likely　to　be　the　man　as　he　that　was　their　common　　father；　unless　negligence；　cruelty；　or　any　other　defect　of　mind　　or　body　made　him　unfit　for　it？　　But　when　either　the　father　died；　　and　left　his　next　heir；　for　want　of　age；　wisdom；　courage；　or　any　　other　qualities；　less　fit　for　rule；　or　where　several　families　　met；　and　consented　to　continue　together；　there；　it　is　not　to　be　　doubted；　but　they　used　their　natural　freedom；　to　set　up　him；　whom　　they　judged　the　ablest；　and　most　likely；　to　rule　well　over　them。　　　Conformable　hereunto　we　find　the　people　of　America；　who　（living　　out　of　the　reach　of　the　conquering　swords；　and　spreading　　domination　of　the　two　great　empires　of　Peru　and　Mexico）　enjoyed　　their　own　natural　freedom；　though；　caeteris　paribus；　they　　commonly　prefer　the　heir　of　their　deceased　king；　yet　if　they　find　　him　any　way　weak；　or　uncapable；　they　pass　him　by；　and　set　up　the　　stoutest　and　bravest　man　for　their　ruler。　　　　　　　　Sec。　106。　　Thus；　though　looking　back　as　far　as　records　give　　us　any　account　of　peopling　the　world；　and　the　history　of　nations；　　we　commonly　find　the　government　to　be　in　one　hand；　yet　it　　destroys　not　that　which　I　affirm；　viz。　that　the　beginning　of　　politic　society　depends　upon　the　consent　of　the　individuals；　to　　join　into；　and　make　one　society；　who；　when　they　are　thus　　incorporated；　might　set　up　what　form　of　government　they　thought　　fit。　　But　this　having　given　occasion　to　men　to　mistake；　and　　think；　that　by　nature　government　was　monarchical；　and　belonged　to　　the　father；　it　may　not　be　amiss　here　to　consider；　why　people　in　　the　beginning　generally　pitched　upon　this　form；　which　though　　perhaps　the　father's　pre…eminency　might；　in　the　first　institution　　of　some　commonwealths；　give　a　rise　to；　and　place　in　the　　beginning；　the　power　in　one　hand；　yet　it　is　plain　that　the　　reason；　that　continued　the　form　of　government　in　a　single　person；　　was　not　any　regard；　or　respect　to　paternal　authority；　since　all　　petty　monarchies；　that　is；　almost　all　monarchies；　near　their　　original；　have　been　commonly；　at　least　upon　occasion；　elective。　　　　　　　　Sec。　107。　　First　then；　in　the　beginning　of　things；　the　　father's　government　of　the　childhood　of　those　sprung　from　him；　　having　accustomed　them　to　the　rule　of　one　man；　and　taught　them　　that　where　it　was　exercised　with　care　and　skill；　with　affection　　and　love　to　those　under　it；　it　was　sufficient　to　procure　and　　preserve　to　men　all　the　political　happiness　they　sought　for　in　　society。　　It　was　no　wonder　that　they　should　pitch　upon；　and　　naturally　run　into　that　form　of　government；　which　from　their　　infancy　they　had　been　all　accustomed　to；　and　which；　by　　experience；　they　had　found　both　easy　and　safe。　　To　which；　if　we　　add；　that　monarchy　being　simple；　and　most　obvious　to　men；　whom　　neither　experience　had　instructed　in　forms　of　government；　nor　the　　ambition　or　insolence　of　empire　had　taught　to　beware　of　the　　encroachments　of　prerogative；　or　the　inconveniences　of　absolute　　power；　which　monarchy　in　succession　was　apt　to　lay　claim　to；　and　　bring　upon　them；　it　was　not　at　all　strange；　that　they　should　not　　much　trouble　themselves　to　think　of　methods　of　restraining　any　　exorbitances　of　those　to　whom　they　had　given　the　authority　over　　them；　and　of　balancing　the　power　of　government；　by　placing　　several　parts　of　it　in　different　hands。　　They　had　neither　felt　　the　oppression　of　tyrannical　dominion；　nor　did　the　fashion　of　the　　age；　nor　their　possessions；　or　way　of　living；　（which　afforded　　little　matter　for　covetousness　or　ambition）　give　them　any　reason　　to　apprehend　or　provide　against　it；　and　therefore　it　is　no　wonder　　they　put　themselves　into　such　a　frame　of　government；　as　was　not　

only；　as　I　said；　most　obvious　and　simple；　but　also　best　suited　to　　their　present　state　and　condition；　which　stood　more　in　need　of　　defence　against　foreign　invasions　and　injuries；　than　of　　multiplicity　of　laws。　　The　equality　of　a　simple　poor　way　of　　living；　confining　their　desires　within　the　narrow　bounds　of　each　　man's　small　property；　made　few　controversies；　and　so　no　need　of　　many　laws　to　decide　them；　or　variety　of　officers　to　superintend　　the　process；　or　look　after　the　execution　of　justice；　where　there　　were　but　few　trespasses；　and　few　offenders。　　Since　then　those；　　who　like　one　another　so　well　as　to　join　into　society；　cannot　but　　be　supposed　to　have　some　acquaintance　and　friendship　together；　　and　some　trust　one　in　another；　they　could　not　but　have　greater　　apprehensions　of　others；　than　of　one　another：　and　therefore　their　　first　care　and　thought　cannot　but　be　supposed　to　be；　how　to　　secure　thems