484 On the Foundation of Civil Government. 



3. From parental authority: the head of a family 

 who firji Jettled in any country having the right of 

 governing his dejcendants. 



This is fomcwhat fimilar to the preceding fource 

 of political dominion : at any rate, however, it 

 can only extend over the progeny of the living 

 parent j a delegation to the eldeft brother for 

 inftance, or to any other perfon, not being of 

 this defcription. But granting for a moment 

 this right of delegation in the head of a family, 

 to how many fucceffive generations does it ex- 

 tend ? Or how can it apply to the prefent cir- 

 cumftances of political affairs in any nation 

 whatever? Moreover, as the chief if not the 

 only good reafons that can be afTigned for fub- 

 miflion in fuch a cafe to parental authority, is, 

 the greater experience of age, and the greater 

 incitement from parental affedion to a6l with 

 a fole view to the good of the family, this au- 

 thority muft ceafe with the life of the parent, 

 becaufe the reafons themfelves for the fubmiflion 

 will then ceafe : for without the gift of fuper- 

 natural forefight no man can tell what new cafes 

 will arife in the fucceeding generation, or what 

 kind of a governor his immediate fucceflbr will 

 prove : and every generation weakens almoft to 

 annihilation the mere tie of parental affeftion. 

 But farther, on what ground can a parent, even 

 during life, claim the abfolute diredlion of con- 

 dud 



