BOOK III PART II
persuaded, that to one, who considers im-
partially of the matter, it will appear, that
there concur some principles of the imagina-
tion, along with those views of interest. The
royal authority seems to be connected with the
young prince even in his father’s life-time, by
the natural transition of the thought; and still
more after his death: So that nothing is more
natural than to compleat this union by a new
relation, and by putting him actually in pos-
session of what seems so naturally to belong to
him.
To confirm this we may weigh the follow-
ing phaenomena, which are pretty curious in
their kind. In elective monarchies the right of
succession has no place by the laws and set-
tled custom; and yet its influence is so natural,
that it is impossible entirely to exclude it from