6 On the ORIGIN and STRUCTURE of 



the advantage of fuggefting an object for the labours of the 

 fociety, highly interefting to us as citizens, as well as lovers of 

 fcience. 



WHEN we confider, with impartiality, the controverfy about 

 the ancient European conftitutions, the firft reflection that fug- 

 gefts itfelf is, that there muft be fome foundation in truth for 

 the different opinions that have been adopted with regard to 

 them. The partizans of each of the three fyftems produce evi- 

 dence which goes a certain length in fupporting it. There is, 

 therefore, reafon to fuppofe, that all the fyftems are chiefly erro- 

 neous, in fo far as they are exclusive of each other ; and that 

 there muft be an hypothefis, which, if difcovered, would folve 

 every difficulty, and involve in itfelf the doctrines of all the 

 fyftems, to a certain extent. 



PROCEEDING on this idea, and reflecting what this hypothe- 

 fis may be, we are foon fatisfied that it muft be fome very fim- 

 ple one. It is agreed on all hands, that the conquerors of the em- 

 pire were in a very rude ftate of fociety at the aera of their fettle- 

 ments. Their difpolition to emigrate as nations is alone fufEcient 

 to demonftrate, that hufbandry was very imperfectly practifed 

 among them, and that their principal dependence was on their 

 flocks and herds. In fuch circumftances, we may be aflured, 

 that the practice taken notice of by C^SAR and TACITUS, arva 

 per annos mutant et fupere/l ager, ftill prevailed ; and, of courfe, 

 that as yet exclufive and permanent property in land had not 

 been generally introduced, and that a feparation of profefllons 

 was unknown. Their fituation, therefore, created no call for 

 an improved jurifprudence, or for much exertion of legiflative 

 wifdom j and without this call, laws cannot be numerous, nor 

 government complicated *. 



BUT 



* EVEN fo late as the period fince which the Swedifh lavrs have been preferved, there 

 are traces of .the fame migratory ftate of fociety having prevailed. " Coluerunt difcreti 

 " et diverfi," faysSaERKHOOK, " sedificiis tranfitoriis, et in annum aut menfem pofitis :" 



Wherefore, 



