§. 107. First, then, in the beginning of things, the father's government of
the childhood of those sprung from him having accustomed them to the rule of
one man, and taught them that where it was exercised with care and skill, with
affection and love to those under it, it was sufficient to procure and preserve
men (all the political happiness they sought for in society), it was no wonder
that they should pitch upon and naturally run into that form of government
which, from their infancy, they had been all accustomed to, and which, by
experience, they had found both easy and safe. To which if we add, that
monarchy being simple and most obvious to men, whom neither experience had
instructed in forms of government, nor the ambition or insolence of empire had
taught to beware of the encroachments of prerogative or the inconveniencies of
absolute power, which monarchy, in succession, was apt to lay claim to and
bring upon them; it was not at all strange that they should not much trouble
themselves to think of methods of restraining any exorbitances of those to whom
they had given the authority over them, and of balancing the power of
government by placing several parts of it in different hands. They had neither
felt the oppression of tyrannical dominion, nor did the fashion of the age, nor
their possessions or way of living, which afforded little matter for
covetousness or ambition, give them any reason to apprehend or provide against
it; and, therefore, it is no wonder they put themselves into such a frame of
government as was not only, as I said, most obvious and simple, but also best
suited to their present state and condition, which stood more in need of
defence against foreign invasions and injuries than of multiplicity of laws
where there was but very little property, and wanted not variety of rulers and
abundance of officers to direct and look after their execution where there were
but few trespassers and few offenders. Since, then, those who liked one another
so well as to join into society cannot but be supposed to have some
acquaintance and friendship together, and some trust one in another, they could
not but have greater apprehensions of others than of one another; and,
therefore, their first care and thought cannot but be supposed to be, how to
secure themselves against foreign force. It was natural for them to put
themselves under a frame of government which might best serve to that end, and
choose the wisest and bravest man to conduct them in their wars and lead them
out against their enemies, and in this chiefly be their ruler.
