176 PUBLIC BOOK IV. CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH. OF HOMICIDE.
IN the ten preceding chapters we have conſidered, firſt, ſuch crimes and miſdemeſnors as are more immediately injurious to God and his holy religion; ſecondly, ſuch as violate or tranſgreſs the law of nations; thirdly, ſuch as more eſpecially affect the king, the father and repreſentative of his people; fourthly, ſuch as more directly infringe the rights of the public or commonwealth, taken in it's collective capacity; and are now, laſtly, to take into conſideration thoſe which in a more peculiar manner affect and injure individuals or private ſubjects.
WERE theſe injuries indeed confined to individuals only, and did they affect none but their immediate objects, they would fall abſolutely under the notion of private wrongs; for which a ſatisfaction would be due only to the party injured: the manner of obtaining which was the ſubject of our enquiries in the preceding volume. But the wrongs, which we are now to treat of, are of a much more extenſive conſequence; 1. Becauſe it is impoſſible they can be committed without a violation of the laws of nature; of the moral as well as political rules of right: 2. Becauſe they include in them almoſt always a breach of the public peace: 3. Becauſe by their example and evil tendency they threaten and endanger the ſubverſion of all civil ſo-
ciety.
