BOOK III PART II
which case the distinction of property is en-
tirely lost, and every thing remains in common.
This we may observe with regard to air and wa-
ter, though the most valuable of all external ob-
jects; and may easily conclude, that if men were
supplied with every thing in the same abun-
dance, or if every one had the same affection
and tender regard for every one as for him-
self; justice and injustice would be equally un-
known among mankind.
Here then is a proposition, which, I think,
may be regarded as certain, that it is only
from the selfishness and confined generosity of
men, along with the scanty provision nature
has made for his wants, that justice derives its
origin. If we look backward we shall find, that
this proposition bestows an additional force on
some of those observations, which we have al-