[307]: Locke, Addison, Swift, Johnson, Richardson.
[308]: Paupertina philosophia (Leibnitz).
[309]: After the constant conjunction of two objects, heat and flame for instance, weight and solidity, we are determined by custom alone to expect the one from the appearance of the other. All inferences from experience are effects of custom not of reasoning.... Upon the whole, there appears not, throughout all nature, any one instance of connexion which is conceivable by us. All events seem entirely loose and separate; one event follows another; but we can never observe any tie between them. They seem conjoined, but never connected.
[310]: Il faut lire dans sir Robert Filmer la théorie régnante, pour voir de quel bourbier de sottises on sortait. Sir Robert Filmer disait qu'Adam avait reçu en naissant un pouvoir absolu et royal sur tout l'univers; que dans toute réunion d'hommes il y en avait un qui était roi légitime, comme plus proche héritier d'Adam. "Some say it was by lot, and others that Noah sailed round the Mediterranean in ten years, and divided the world into Asia, Afric, and Europa, portions for his three sons."—Comparez Bossuet, Politique fondée sur l'Écriture. Les sciences morales se dégagent en ce moment de la théologie.
[311]: Those who are united in one body and have a common established law and judicature to appeal to, with authority to punish offenders, are in civil society one with another.
Every one quits his executive power of nature, and resigns it to the public.
As for the ruler, (it is said) he ought to be absolute, because he has power to do more hurt and wrong; it is right when he does it.—This is to think that men are so foolish, that they take care to avoid what mischiefs may be done them by polecats or foxes; but are content, may think it safety, to be devoured by lions.
The only way whereby any one divests himself of his natural liberty, and puts on the bonds of civil society is by agreeing with other men to join and unite into a community, for their comfortable, safe and peaceable living one amongst another, in secure enjoyment of their properties and a greater security against any that are not of it.
Nothing can make a man subject or member of a commonwealth but his actually entering into it by positive engagement and express promise and compact.
The great and chief end of men uniting into commonwealths and putting themselves under government is the preservation of their property. (Locke, of Civil Government.)