date

1821. April 7th. First Lines.
1821. April 7th.

First Lines.

Explanations.

Civil Law

Subsistence, abundance, security and equality: by these then will be presented to view the several subordinate or particular ends most immediately in contact with, and branching out from, the only legitimate and universal end of Government - the greatest happiness of the greatest number.

By subsistence, understand the means of subsistence: by abundance the elements of subsistence and all other external and /tangible/ transferable instruments of gratification, and thence objects of desire, in quantity exceeding by an indefinite amount the quantity necessary to subsistence.

Neither subsistence nor abundance neither in /by/ the import of the word subsistence, nor in the import of the word abundance is any relation to futurity necessarily involved. In the import of the word security, that relation is constantly and necessarily involved: the present being at all times but a point, the word security can never present itself without presenting to view one point at least which is neither the present nor the past.

Security may be considered with reference to the objects which ae secured, and with reference to the objects against which they are secured.

Taking human beings individually considered, these are the only real entities considered as being secured. But when a particular and practical application comes to be made of the word security, certain names of fictitious entities in common use must be employed to designate so many objects to and for which the security is afforded. By the words person, reputation, property, condition in life - by these four names of fictitious entities all the objects to which, in the case of an individual, the security afforded by Government can apply itself may be designated. Reputation, property, condition in life - these are obviously names of fictitious entities: person as here employed ministers to the same purpose. For, to the present purpose, person means an object divisible into body and mind. For, security is against injury, and the body being exposed to one set of injuries, the mind is exposed to another, and an altogether different set
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