concerning civil government-第8章

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absolutely　best　for　them；　and　had　been　less　kindness；　to　have

slackened。　This　is　that　power　to　which　children　are　commanded

obedience；　that　the　pains　and　care　of　their　parents　may　not　be

increased　or　ill…rewarded。

　　68。　On　the　other　side；　honour　and　support　all　that　which　gratitude

requires　to　return；　for　the　benefits　received　by　and　from　them　is

the　indispensable　duty　of　the　child　and　the　proper　privilege　of　the

parents。　This　is　intended　for　the　parents'　advantage；　as　the　other

is　for　the　child's；　though　education；　the　parents'　duty；　seems　to　have

most　power；　because　the　ignorance　and　infirmities　of　childhood　stand

in　need　of　restraint　and　correction；　which　is　a　visible　exercise　of

rule　and　a　kind　of　dominion。　And　that　duty　which　is　comprehended　in

the　word　〃honour〃　requires　less　obedience；　though　the　obligation　be

stronger　on　grown　than　younger　children。　For　who　can　think　the

command；　〃Children；　obey　your　parents；〃　requires　in　a　man　that　has

children　of　his　own　the　same　submission　to　his　father　as　it　does　in

his　yet　young　children　to　him；　and　that　by　this　precept　he　were

bound　to　obey　all　his　father's　commands；　if；　out　of　a　conceit　of

authority；　he　should　have　the　indiscretion　to　treat　him　still　as　a

boy？

　　69。　The　first　part；　then；　of　paternal　power；　or　rather　duty；　which

is　education；　belongs　so　to　the　father　that　it　terminates　at　a　certain

season。　When　the　business　of　education　is　over　it　ceases　of　itself；

and　is　also　alienable　before。　For　a　man　may　put　the　tuition　of　his　son

in　other　hands；　and　he　that　has　made　his　son　an　apprentice　to

another　has　discharged　him；　during　that　time；　of　a　great　part　of　his

obedience；　both　to　himself　and　to　his　mother。　But　all　the　duty　of

honour；　the　other　part；　remains　nevertheless　entire　to　them；　nothing

can　cancel　that。　It　is　so　inseparable　from　them　both；　that　the

father's　authority　cannot　dispossess　the　mother　of　this　right；　nor　can

any　man　discharge　his　son　from　honouring　her　that　bore　him。　But　both

these　are　very　far　from　a　power　to　make　laws；　and　enforcing　them

with　penalties　that　may　reach　estate；　liberty；　limbs；　and　life。　The

power　of　commanding　ends　with　nonage；　and　though　after　that　honour　and

respect；　support　and　defence；　and　whatsoever　gratitude　can　oblige　a

man　to；　for　the　highest　benefits　he　is　naturally　capable　of　be

always　due　from　a　son　to　his　parents；　yet　all　this　puts　no　sceptre

into　the　father's　hand；　no　sovereign　power　of　commanding。　He　has　no

dominion　over　his　son's　property　or　actions；　nor　any　right　that　his

will　should　prescribe　to　his　son's　in　all　things；　however；　it　may

become　his　son　in　many　things；　not　very　inconvenient　to　him　and　his

family；　to　pay　a　deference　to　it。

　　70。　A　man　may　owe　honour　and　respect　to　an　ancient　or　wise　man；

defence　to　his　child　or　friend；　relief　and　support　to　the

distressed；　and　gratitude　to　a　benefactor；　to　such　a　degree　that　all

he　has；　all　he　can　do；　cannot　sufficiently　pay　it。　But　all　these

give　no　authority；　no　right　of　making　laws　to　any　one　over　him　from

whom　they　are　owing。　And　it　is　plain　all　this　is　due；　not　to　the

bare　title　of　father；　not　only　because　as　has　been　said；　it　is　owing

to　the　mother　too；　but　because　these　obligations　to　parents；　and　the

degrees　of　what　is　required　of　children；　may　be　varied　by　the

different　care　and　kindness　trouble　and　expense；　is　often　employed

upon　one　child　more　than　another。

　　71。　This　shows　the　reason　how　it　comes　to　pass　that　parents　in

societies；　where　they　themselves　are　subjects；　retain　a　power　over

their　children　and　have　as　much　right　to　their　subjection　as　those　who

are　in　the　state　of　Nature；　which　could　not　possibly　be　if　all

political　power　were　only　paternal；　and　that；　in　truth；　they　were

one　and　the　same　thing；　for　then；　all　paternal　power　being　in　the

prince；　the　subject　could　naturally　have　none　of　it。　But　these　two

powers；　political　and　paternal；　are　so　perfectly　distinct　and

separate；　and　built　upon　so　different　foundations；　and　given　to　so

different　ends；　that　every　subject　that　is　a　father　has　as　much　a

paternal　power　over　his　children　as　the　prince　has　over　his。　And　every

prince　that　has　parents　owes　them　as　much　filial　duty　and　obedience　as

the　meanest　of　his　subjects　do　to　theirs；　and　can　therefore　contain

not　any　part　or　degree　of　that　kind　of　dominion　which　a　prince　or

magistrate　has　over　his　subject。

　　72。　Though　the　obligation　on　the　parents　to　bring　up　their　children；

and　the　obligation　on　children　to　honour　their　parents；　contain　all

the　power；　on　the　one　hand；　and　submission　on　the　other；　which　are

proper　to　this　relation；　yet　there　is　another　power　ordinarily　in

the　father；　whereby　he　has　a　tie　on　the　obedience　of　his　children；

which；　though　it　be　common　to　him　with　other　men；　yet　the　occasions　of

showing　it；　almost　constantly　happening　to　fathers　in　their　private

families　and　in　instances　of　it　elsewhere　being　rare；　and　less　taken

notice　of；　it　passes　in　the　world　for　a　part　of　〃paternal

jurisdiction。〃　And　this　is　the　power　men　generally　have　to　bestow

their　estates　on　those　who　please　them　best。　The　possession　of　the

father　being　the　expectation　and　inheritance　of　the　children

ordinarily；　in　certain　proportions；　according　to　the　law　and　custom　of

each　country；　yet　it　is　commonly　in　the　father's　power　to　bestow　it

with　a　more　sparing　or　liberal　hand；　according　as　the　behaviour　of

this　or　that　child　hath　comported　with　his　will　and　humour。

　　73。　This　is　no　small　tie　to　the　obedience　of　children；　and　there

being　always　annexed　to　the　enjoyment　of　land　a　submission　to　the

government　of　the　country　of　which　that　land　is　a　part；　it　has　been

commonly　supposed　that　a　father　could　oblige　his　posterity　to　that

government　of　which　he　himself　was　a　subject；　that　his　compact　held

them；　whereas；　it　being　only　a　necessary　condition　annexed　to　the　land

which　is　under　that　government；　reaches　only　those　who　will　take　it　on

that　condition；　and　so　is　no　natural　tie　or　engagement；　but　a

voluntary　submission；　for　every　man's　children　being；　by　Nature；　as

free　as　himself　or　any　of　his　ancestors　ever　were；　may；　whilst　they

are　in　that　freedom；　choose　what　society　they　will　join　themselves　to；

what　commonwealth　they　will　put　themselves　under。　But　if　they　will

enjoy　the　inheritance　of　their　ancestors；　they　must　take　it　on　the

same　terms　their　ancestors　had　it；　and　submit　to　all　the　conditions

annexed　to　such　a　possession。　By　this　power；　indeed；　fathers　oblige

their　children　to　obedience　to　themselves　even　when　they　are　past

minority；　and　most　commonly；　too；　subject　them　to　this　or　that

political　power。　But　neither　of　these　by　any　peculiar　right　of

fatherhood；　but　by　the　reward　they　have　in　their　hands　to　enforce

and　recompense　such　a　compliance；　and　is　no　more　power　than　what　a

Frenchman　has　over　an　Englishman；　who；　by　the　hopes　of　an　estate　he

will　leave　him；　will　certainly　have　a　strong　tie　on　his　obedience；　and

if　when　it　is　left　him；　he　will　enjoy　it；　he　must　certainly　take　it

upon　the　conditions　annexed　to　the　possession　of　land　in　that

country　where　it　lies；　whether　it　be　France　or　England。

　　74。　To　conclude；　then；　though　the　father's　power　of　commanding

extends　no　farther　than　the　minority　of　his　children；　and　to　a

degree　only　fit　for　the　discipline　and　government　of　that　age；　and

though　that　honour　and　respect；　and　all　that　which　the　Latins　called

piety；　which　they　indispensably　owe　to　their　parents　all　their

lifetime；　and　in　all　estates；　with　all　that　support　and　defence；　is

due　to　them；　gives　the　father　no　power　of　governing…　i。e。；　making　laws

and　exacting　penalties　on　his　children；　though　by　this　he　has　no

dominion　over　the　property　or　actions　of　his　son；　yet　it　is　obvious　to

conceive　how　easy　it　was；　in　the　first　ages　of　the　world；　and　in

places　still　where　the　thinness　of　people　gives　families　leave　to

separate　into　unpossessed　quarters；　and　they　have　room　to　remove　and

plant　themselves　in　yet　vacant　habitations；　for　the　father　of　the

family　to　become　the　prince　of　it；*　he　had　been　a　ruler　from　the

beginning　of　the　infancy　of　his　children；　and　when　they　were　grown　up；

since　without　some　government　it　would　be　hard　for　them　to　live

together；　it　was　likeliest　it　should；　by　the　express　or　tacit

consent　of　the　children；　be　in　the　father；　where　it　seemed；　without

any　change；　barely　to　continue。　And　when；　indeed；　nothing　more　was

required　to　it　than　the　permitting　the　father　to　exercise　alone　in　his

family　that　executive　power　of　the　law　of　Nature　which　every　free

man　naturally　hath；　and　by　that　permission　resigning　up　to　him　a

monarchical　power　whilst　they　remained　in　it。　But　that　this　was　not　by

any　paternal　right；　but　only　by　the　consent　of　his　children；　is

evident　from　hence；　that　nobody　doubts　but　if　a　stranger；　whom

chance　or　business　had　brought　to　his　family；　had　there　killed　any

of　his　children；　or　committed　any　other　act；　he　might　condemn　and

put　him　to　death；　or　otherwise　have　punished　him　as　well　as　any　of　his

children。　which　was　impossible　he　should　do　by　virtue　of　any

paternal　authority　over　one　who　was　not　his　child；　but　by　virtue　of

that　executive　power　of　the　law　of　Nature　which；　as　a　man；　he　had　a

right　to；　and　he　alone　could　punish　him　in　his　family　where　the

respect　of　his　children　had　laid　by　the　exercise　of　such　a　power；　to

give　way　to　the　dignity　and　authority　they　were　willing　should

remain　in　him　above　the　rest　of　his　family。



　　*　〃It　is　no　improbable　opinion；　therefore；　which　the

arch…philosopher　was　of；　That　the　chief　person　in　every　household

was　always；　as　it　were；　a　king；　so　when　numbers　of　households　joined

themselves　in　civil　societies　together；　kings　were　the　first　kind　of

governors　among　them；　which　is　also；　as　it　seemeth；　the　reason　why　the

name　of　fathers　continued　still　in　them；　who　of　fathers　were　made

rulers；　as　also　the　ancient　custom　of　governors　to　do　as

Melchizedec；　and　being　kings；　to　exercise　the　office　of　priests；　which

fathers　did；　at　the　first；　grew；　perhaps；　by　the　same　occasion。

Howbeit；　this　is　not　the　only　kind　of　regimen　that　has　been　received

in　the　world。　The　inconveniencies　of　one　kind　have　caused　sundry

others　to　be　devised；　so　that；　in　a　word；　all　public　regimen；　of

what　kind　soever；　seemeth　evidently　to　have　risen　from　the

deliberate　advice；　consultation　and　composition　between　men；　judging

it　convenient　and　behoveful；　there　being　no　impossibility　in　Nature；

considered　by　itself；　but　that　man　might　have　lived　without　any　public

regimen。〃　Hooker；　Eccl。　Pol。；　i。　10。



　　75。　Thus　it　was　easy　and　almost　natural　for　children；　by　a　tacit　and

almost　natural　consent；　to　make　way　for　the　father's　authority　and

government。　They　had　been　accustomed　in　their　childhood　to　follow

his　direction；　and　to　refer　their　little　differences　to　him；　and

when　they　were　men；　who　was　fitter　to　rule　them？　Their　little

properties　and　less　covetousness　seldom　afforded　greater

controversies；　and　when　any　should　arise；　where　could　they　have　a

fitter　umpire　than　he；　by　whose　care　they　had　every　one　been　sustained

and　brought　up。　and　who