BOOK III PART II
It is evident, then, that their first difficulty, in
this situation, after the general convention for
the establishment of society, and for the con-
stancy of possession, is, how to separate their
possessions, and assign to each his particular
portion, which he must for the future inalter-
ably enjoy. This difficulty will not detain them
long; but it must immediately occur to them,
as the most natural expedient, that every one
continue to enjoy what he is at present master
of, and that property or constant possession be
conjoined to the immediate possession. Such
is the effect of custom, that it not only recon-
ciles us to any thing we have long enjoyed, but
even gives us an affection for it, and makes us
prefer it to other objects, which may be more
valuable, but are less known to us. What has
long lain under our eye, and has often been em-
ployed to our advantage, that we are always