PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

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BOOK IV .
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Duties to Ourselves4
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l"fHIS division of the subject is retained merefor
the sake of method, by which the writer and
the reader are equally assisted. To the subject itself
it imports nothing; for the obligation of all duties
being fundamentally the same, it matters little under
what class or title any of them are considered. In
strictness, there are few duties or crimes, which terminate
in a man's self; and, so far as others are affected
by their operation, they have been treated of
in &Owe article of the preceding book. We ha\'e
reserved, however, to this head, the right! of self-defence;
also the consideration of drunken:zess and suicide,
as offences against that care of our faculties, and
preservation of our pert-oD, which we account duties l
and call Duties to Ourle/ves.
CHAPTER I.
'fHE RIGHTS OF SELF.DEFENCE.
IT has been asserted, that in a state of nature
we might lawfully defend the most insignificant
right, provided it were a perfect, determinate tight,
by any extremities which the obstinat:y of the aggressor
rendered necessary. Of this I doubt; because I
doubt whether the general rule be ~rOl£h ::;uf;tainillg
at such.. :m expense, and because, apart from the general
consequence of yielding to the attempt, it c;tn·