Page images
PDF
EPUB

OCCASIONAL PAPER.

VOL. II. NUM B. V.

O F

Political Friendship.

Ευχὴ Αθηναίων, σον, ὃσον, ὦ φίλε ζεῦ καὶ τῆς ἀρε ρας τῆς ̓Αθηναίων και Γ πεδίων, ἤτοι ο δεῖ ἔυχεθαι ἢ ἔτως ἁπλῶς καὶ ἐλευθέρως.

Marc. Anton. Lib iv. §. 7.

The Athenians us'd to be mighty clamorous to Jupiter for Rain upon their own Lands, but not a Word for other People. Now to my Mind, they bad e'en better have held their Tongues, or else pray'd with more of Extent and Generofity.

Collier's Ant.

LONDON:

Printed for J. KNAPTON, at the Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard; J. HARRISON, under the Royal Exchange, and A. DODD, without Temple-Bar. 1717. (Price 3 d.)

1

OF

Political Friendship.

HE Neceffities and Inclinations of Human Nature, render it apt for Society. The ftrongeft Bond of Society is mutual Love, especially that which is Generous, the Offspring of Good-will to others, and not the meer Refult of Regard to our felves. Where this Spirit is diffufed thro' all the Members of any larger Community, it renders their Union firm in any Common Danger, and employs every Hand for the Common Intereft. What generally disturbs and divides any Body of People, is the Clash of Interefts: Private Views are purfu'd with a Neglect of the Common Welfare; fingle Men or Parties of Men, have an Intereft of their own to promote, which can't be reconcil'd with the publick Safe

A 2

Safety and Intereft. And yet it would be manifeftly to the Prejudice of a Community in general, if there were no fuch Thing as private Intereft, or in other Words, Property. All Men are not equally turned for Bufinefs, and 'tis no way equitable, that the Lazy or Lavish fhould live upon the Industry and Diligence of others. If the Poffeffions of a Community were to lie common, they would quickly lie wafte. The Diligent would flack their Hands; the Parfimonious grow prodigal; ad the common Stock thus neglected on the one Hand, and expended on the other, would foon be confumed and reduced to nothing.

Property is therefore a great Convenience to Society, and fome Degree of Selfishness of vaft Use to enlarge Property: And there is all the Reason in the World, that Society fhould give its Affiftance to fecure that, from whence it is itself to receive fo great Advantage. A juft Regard to Property or private Intereft, whether it be of fingle Perfons, or leffer Communities, is of vast Use to those which are larger; and those on the other Hand fhould give all Encouragement to Induftry, and Security to Mens proper Rights, whenever it can be done without Hurt to the whole Body. Some View and Expectation of this Kind, 'tis very probable, first drew Men into Political Combinations, and made them mix private Interefts into a common One, as far as could be without deftroying Property. At least this is the manifeft. Intention both in Nature and by Divine Appointment

pointment (and thofe never cross or contradict each other) of all Political Agreements. It was to fecure Property and not to destroy it, or swallow it up, except in fuch Cafes wherein the manifeft Intereft of the Whole requires the Property of fingle Perfons fhould be given up. And whoever enters into any Body Politick, is always understood to do it with an exprefs or implied Demand of this Condition for himself.

In all Communities there is a Political Friendship, or ought to be, between the Body and all the particular Members. The Body is concern'd to look to the Safety and Security of its Members, and every Member to fhew a due Concern for the Welfare and Security of the Community; and without this mutual Concern there is a Breach upon the Laws of Friendship, and the Bonds of Union would be diffolved.

This is Political Friendship in the more famous Senfe: But as Mankind are diffused thro' the whole Earth; and various Incidents have actually divided them into a Multitude of Empires, Kingdoms, and CommonWealths; it becomes impoffible they should combine in one Community, or fubfift without mutual Help : This makes way for Political Friendship in another Notion, i. e. Leagues of Friendship and mutual Alliances between Sovereign and Independent States. A Concern for each others Welfare and Security draws them into mutual Engagements, and difpofes to afford proper Succours in all the Inftances ftipulated. And tho' their par

ticular

« PreviousContinue »