OF THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT.

find that it leads to paradoxes which are repugnant to the common sentiments of mankind and to general practice and opinion. The doctrine which founds all lawful government on an original contract, or consent of {p192} the people, is plainly of this kind; nor has the ablest of its partisans in prosecution of it scrupled to affirm that absolute monarchy is inconsistent with civil society, and so can be no form of civil government at all,​¹⁰⁶ and that the supreme power in a state cannot take from any man by taxes and impositions any part of his property without his own consent or that of his representatives.​¹⁰⁷ What authority any moral reasoning can have which leads to opinions so wide of the general practice of mankind in every place but this single kingdom it is easy to determine.​¹⁰⁸