And this is that, and that
only, which did, or could give beginning to any lawful government
in the world.
Sec. 100. To this I find two objections made.
First, That there are no instances to be found in story, of
a company of men independent, and equal one amongst another, that
met together, and in this way began and set up a government.
Secondly, It is impossible of right, that men should do so,
because all men being born under government, they are to submit
to that, and are not at liberty to begin a new one.
Sec. 101. To the first there is this to answer, That it is
not at all to be wondered, that history gives us but a very
little account of men, that lived together in the state of
nature. The inconveniences of that condition, and the love and
want of society, no sooner brought any number of them together,
but they presently united and incorporated, if they designed to
continue together. And if we may not suppose men ever to have
been in the state of nature, because we hear not much of them in
such a state, we may as well suppose the armies of Salmanasser or
Xerxes were never children, because we hear little of them, till
they were men, and imbodied in armies. Government is every where
antecedent to records, and letters seldom come in amongst a
people till a long continuation of civil society has, by other
more necessary arts, provided for their safety, ease, and plenty:
and then they begin to look after the history of their founders,
and search into their original, when they have outlived the
memory of it: for it is with commonwealths as with particular
persons, they are commonly ignorant of their own births and
infancies: and if they know any thing of their original, they are
beholden for it, to the accidental records that others have kept
of it.
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