second treatise of government-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


de　the　　parents　instruments　in　his　great　design　of　continuing　the　race　of　　mankind；　and　the　occasions　of　life　to　their　children；　as　he　hath　　laid　on　them　an　obligation　to　nourish；　preserve；　and　bring　up　　their　offspring；　so　he　has　laid　on　the　children　a　perpetual　　obligation　of　honouring　their　parents；　which　containing　in　it　　an　inward　esteem　and　reverence　to　be　shewn　by　all　outward　　expressions；　ties　up　the　child　from　any　thing　that　may　ever　　injure　or　affront；　disturb　or　endanger；　the　happiness　or　life　of　　those　from　whom　he　received　his；　and　engages　him　in　all　actions　　of　defence；　relief；　assistance　and　comfort　of　those；　by　whose　　means　he　entered　into　being；　and　has　been　made　capable　of　any　　enjoyments　of　life：　from　this　obligation　no　state；　no　freedom　can　　absolve　children。　　But　this　is　very　far　from　giving　parents　a　　power　of　command　over　their　children；　or　an　authority　to　make　　laws　and　dispose　as　they　please　of　their　lives　or　liberties。　　It　　is　one　thing　to　owe　honour；　respect；　gratitude　and　assistance；　　another　to　require　an　absolute　obedience　and　submission。　　The　　honour　due　to　parents；　a　monarch　in　his　throne　owes　his　mother；　　and　yet　this　lessens　not　his　authority；　nor　subjects　him　to　her　　government。　　　　　　Sec。　67。　　The　subjection　of　a　minor　places　in　the　father　a　　temporary　government；　which　terminates　with　the　minority　of　the　　child：　and　the　honour　due　from　a　child；　places　in　the　parents　a　　perpetual　right　to　respect；　reverence；　support　and　compliance　　too；　more　or　less；　as　the　father's　care；　cost；　and　kindness　in　　his　education；　has　been　more　or　less。　　This　ends　not　with　　minority；　but　holds　in　all　parts　and　conditions　of　a　man's　life。　　　The　want　of　distinguishing　these　two　powers；　viz。　that　which　　the　father　hath　in　the　right　of　tuition；　during　minority；　and　　the　right　of　honour　all　his　life；　may　perhaps　have　caused　a　　great　part　of　the　mistakes　about　this　matter：　for　to　speak　　properly　of　them；　the　first　of　these　is　rather　the　privilege　of　　children；　and　duty　of　parents；　than　any　prerogative　of　paternal　　power。　　The　nourishment　and　education　of　their　children　is　a　　charge　so　incumbent　on　parents　for　their　children's　good；　that　　nothing　can　absolve　them　from　taking　care　of　it：　and　though　the　　power　of　commanding　and　chastising　them　go　along　with　it；　yet　　God　hath　woven　into　the　principles　of　human　nature　such　a　　tenderness　for　their　off…spring；　that　there　is　little　fear　that　　parents　should　use　their　power　with　too　much　rigour；　the　excess　　is　seldom　on　the　severe　side；　the　strong　byass　of　nature　drawing　　the　other　way。　　And　therefore　God　almighty　when　he　would　express　　his　gentle　dealing　with　the　Israelites；　he　tells　them；　that　　though　he　chastened　them；　he　chastened　them　as　a　man　chastens　　his　son；　Deut。　viii。　5。　i。e。　with　tenderness　and　affection；　　and　kept　them　under　no　severer　discipline　than　what　was　　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。　　　　　　Sec。　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？　　　　　　Sec。　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　never　the　less　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　scepter　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。　　　　　　Sec。　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　to　any　one；　of　making　laws　　over　him　from　whom　they　are　owing。　　And　it　is　plain；　all　this　is　　due　not　only　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　expence；　which　is　often　employed　upon　one　child　more　　than　another。　　　　　　Sec。　71。　　This　shews　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；　are　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　their's；　and　can　therefore　contain　　not