Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/63

 according to their Wills: And at this Day in divers Places Women are veted With the principal Authority, neither do their Hubands dipoe of their Children but themelves; which in Truth they do by the Right of Nature, foramuch as they who have the upreme Power are not tied at all (as has been hewed) to the Civil Law. Add alo, that in a State of Nature it cannot be known who is the Father, but by the Tetimony of the Mother; the Child therefore is his, whoe the Mother will have it, and therefore hers; wherefore original Dominion over Children belongs to the Mother."

And this Author allows of no other original Dominion.

I have a great Abhorrence of the whole Scope and Deign of this Author in his Writings, and think it not only wicked but aburd to write to us as in a State of Nature, when we can prove from better Authorities than his, that we never were in a State of Nature, or can be o, o long as we have a Poibility of conulting the Bible. Yet uppoing we were in a State of Nature, this, and many other things which he ays, are (I believe) incontetably true.

Secondly, There is a very learned and ingenious Author, with whom I am o happy as