§. 103. And I hope those who went away from Sparta, with Palantus, mentioned
by Justin, will be allowed to have been freemen independent one of another, and
to have set up a government over themselves by their own consent. Thus I have
given several examples out of history of people, free and in the state of
Nature, that, being met together, incorporated and began a commonwealth. And if
the want of such instances be an argument to prove that government were not nor
could not be so begun, I suppose the contenders for paternal empire were better
let it alone than urge it against natural liberty; for if they can give so many
instances out of history of governments begun upon paternal right, I think
(though at least an argument from what has been to what should of right be of
no great force) one might, without any great danger, yield them the cause. But
if I might advise them in the case, they would do well not to search too much
into the original of governments as they have begun de facto, lest they should
find at the foundation of most of them something very little favourable to the
design they promote, and such a power as they contend for.
