Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol II).djvu/19

 Ch. 1. the ame principle was founded the right of migration, or ending colonies to find out new habitations, when the mother-country was overcharged with inhabitants; which was practied as well by the Phaenicians and Greeks, as the Germans, Scythians, and other northern people. And, o long as it was confined to the tocking and cultivation of desartdesert [sic] uninhabited countries, it kept trictly within the limits of the law of nature. But how far the eiing on countries already peopled, and driving out or maacring the innocent and defenceles natives, merely becaue they differed from their invaders in language, in religion, in cutoms, in government, or in colour; how far uch a conduct was cononant to nature, to reaon, or to chritianity, deerved well to be conidered by thoe, who have rendered their names immortal by thus civilizing mankind.

the world by degrees grew more populous, it daily became more difficult to find out new pots to inhabit, without encroaching upon former occupants; and, by contantly occupying the ame individual pot, the fruits of the earth were conumed, and it's pontaneous produce detroyed, without any proviion for a future upply or ucceion. It therefore became neceary to purue ome regular method of providing a conftant ubitence; and this neceity produced, or at leat promoted and encouraged, the art of agriculture. And the art of agriculture, by a regular connexion and conequence, introduced and etablihed the idea of a more permanent property in the oil, than had hitherto been received and adopted. It was clear that the earth would not produce her fruits in ufficient quantities, without the aitance of tillage: but who would be at the pains of tilling it, if another might watch an opportunity to eie upon and enjoy the product of his indutry, art, and labour? Had not therefore a eparate property in lands, as well as moveables, been veted in ome individuals, the world mut have continued a foret, and men have been mere animals of prey; which, according to ome philoophers, is the genuine tate of nature. Whereas now (o graciouly Rh