Page:A discourse upon the origin and foundation of the inequality among mankind (IA discourseuponori00rous).pdf/208

for during the Interval between the Eſtabliſhment of the Right of Property or prior Occupation, and that of political Government, the Meaning of theſe Terms is better expreſſed by the Words Poor and Rich, as before the Eſtabliſhment of Laws Men in reality had no other Means of reducing their Equals, but by invading the Property of theſe Equals, or by parting with ſome of their own Property to them. 3dly, Becauſe the Poor having nothing but their Liberty to loſe, it would have been the height of Madneſs in them to give up willingly the only Bleſſing they had left without obtaining ſome Conſideration for it: whereas the Rich being ſenſible, if I may ſay ſo, in every Part of their Poſſeſſions, it was much eaſier to do them Miſchief, and therefore more incumbent upon them to guard againſt it; and becauſe, in fine, it is but reaſonable to ſuppoſe, that a thing has been invented