On the Foundation of Civil Government. 491 



to the individuals who compofe the people. If 

 any other rights be afcribed to the people, whence 

 are they derived ? Excepting therefore fuch 

 cafes as thefe, viz. the right of parental dominion 

 until rriiinhoodj the right of bodily coercion to 

 prevent an injury being offered ; the right of 

 repellinrf rai injury attempted ; and the right of 

 compelling rtftitution for an injury committed, 

 it will follow from this and the firft propofition, 

 that no power, authority, or dominion can juftly 

 be exercifed over any individual which has not 

 been precedently derived from his own confent. 

 Cafes of infancy, idiocy, lunacy, coverture, and 

 others fimilar, are evidently included in the 

 preceding exception : fuch perfons alfo being 

 either naturally or by compafl, fui incompotes, 

 incapable of felf-direftion. With refped how- 

 ever to unmarried women at years of difcretion, 

 the common praftice of nations appears to be 

 inequitable, and perhaps indeed to the married. 

 III. The authority of the governors, is derived 

 from the confent of the governed. But no man 

 can reafonably be prefumed, voluntarily to have 

 delegated to another any dominion over himfelf, 

 but for his own good j and in expeftation of 

 fomething in return at leaft equivalent to the 

 concefiion. Nor can any man be fuppofed to 

 prefer the ftate of civil fociety, but with a prof- 

 pedt of living more happily upon the whole by 

 becoming a member of fuch a ftate, than other- 

 wife. 



