622 Dr. Perdval's Notes and Illujlrations, 



aflerts an exclufive right to lus den, and to the provifions he has 

 ftored for himfelf, or for his offspring. The cock drives every 

 invader from his dunghil. And the rooks punifti with feverity 

 the marauders, that come to pilfer their nefts. But to enter into 

 a difcuflion of the origin of property would exceed the limits of a 

 note. Suffice it to obferve, that we can clearly deduce it from 

 the neceffities, the defires, the affeftions, and other aftive ener- 

 gies of man. Of thefe energies, ci\'il fociety is the con/equence and 

 not the caufe ; and its office is to regulate them, to augment their 

 vigour, and to affisrd more complete fecurity in whatever is 

 acquired by them. If, therefore, the powers of his nature be 

 man's exclufive right, every thing refulting from them muft be 

 equally appropriate. And the juft claim of government extends 

 only to an equivalent to the benefits enjoyed under it. 



II. Juftice, fidelity, and veracity imply, in their exercife, the 

 focial ftate : But their obligation is independent of, and pre- 

 fuppofed by the political union ; and conftitutes its only rational 

 and legitimate bond. Is property, more than thofe moral virtues, 

 the creature of civil fociety ? All of them may fubiift without 

 government : For if only two men dwelt together on a defart 

 ifland in a ftate of perfeft equality, each would have his appro- 

 priate rights of pofTeffion ; and the claim to juftice, fidelity, and 

 veracity would be reciprocal. 



III. The focial union is a combination of numbers, for mutual 

 affiftance, comfort, improvement, and proteftion. If every in- 

 dividual concur in the public aiSls of fuch a community, at the firft 

 view, there might feem to be no violation of private rights. It 

 (hould be remembered, however, that the circumftances and 

 opinions of thofe individuals may vary in the lapfe of time ; and 

 that the rights of pofterity, alfo, are involved in their decifions. 

 The prefent inhabitants of Denmark are now enflaved by the rafti 

 furrender of their liberties, which was made in 1660. Befides, 

 the public afts of a community, if large, mult neceflarily be 

 ads only of the majority : And a majority may, indeed fre- 

 quently does, as the hiftory of all nations evinces, commit vio- 

 lence on the rights of the minority, 



Fanaticifin 



