ght of self-preservation.

The transferring of right, if not mutual, is free gift; if mutual, it is
contract. When this is not simultaneous there is a covenant or pact. The
covenant can become void only through some new fact arising after it was
made. A covenant not to defend oneself against force by force is void
_per se_.

The third law is: "That men perform their covenants made," without
which covenants are vain, and the state of war continues. The definition
of injustice is "the not-performance of a covenant." No covenant is
valid until there exists some power that can enforce the performance of
it by penalties; that is, until there is a commonwealth. What is done to
a man conformable to his own will signified to the doer is no injury to
him.

The fourth law is that of "gratitude"; that a man receiving a free gift
endeavour that the giver may not suffer thereby. A fifth is
"complaisance"--that every man strive to accommodate himself to the
rest. Others are pardon on repentance, and non-vindictiveness of
punishment; and the common enjoyment--or, failing that, distribution by
lot--of what cannot be equally divided. Observance of these laws is
virtue.

Persons are either natural and actual, or fictitious and artificial,
_i.e._, representing someone else, or even something else: as a church,
a hospital, a bridge. When the representative has authority from the
represented, we call the former the "actor," and the latter the
"author." One person may artificially represent a multitude.

Now, men being in the state of nature may agree together; but there is
no security, unless there be a power to enforce the covenant. Such a
power can be created only if they agree together to confer all their own
power on one man or one assembly; so that all the acts of such person or
assembly have authority as from each one of them, and each one of them
submits his individual will to that of such person or assembly. The
multitude so united in one person is a commonwealth. This is the
generation of that leviathan or mortal god to which, under the Immortal
God, we owe our peace and defence.

He that carrieth this person is called "sovereign," and everyone beside
is his "subject." This sovereign power may be attained either by natural
force, "acquisition," or by voluntary transference, "institution." And
first of a commonwealth by institution.

They that have instituted a commonwealth by covenant cannot make a new
covenant contrary th