Page:A discourse upon the origin and foundation of the inequality among mankind (IA discourseuponori00rous).pdf/215

 it belongs not to Slaves to argue concerning Liberty.

As to paternal Authority, from which everal have derived abolute Government and every other mode of Society, it is ufficient, without having recoure to Locke and Sidney, to oberve that nothing in the World differs more from the cruel Spirit of Depotim than the Gentlenes of that Authority, which looks more to the Advantage of him who obeys than to the Utility of him who commands; that by the Law of Nature the Father continues Mater of his Child no longer than the Child tands in need of his Aitance; that after that Term they become equal, and that then the Son, entirely independent of the Father, owes him no Obedience, but only Repect. Gratitude is indeed a Duty which we are bound to pay, but which Benefactors cannot exact. Intead of aying that civil Society is derived from