In Chapter XIII., he deals with the natural condition of Mankind, as concerning their Felicity and Misery.  All men, he says, are by nature equal.  Differences there are in the faculties of body and mind, but, when all is taken together, not great enough to establish a steady superiority of one over another.  Besides even more than in strength, men are equal in prudence, which is but experience that comes to all.  People indeed generally believe that others are not so wise as themselves, but ’there is not ordinarily a greater sign of equal distribution of anything than that every person is contented with his share.’

Of this equality of ability, the consequence is that two men desiring the exclusive possession of the same thing, whether for their own conservation or for delectation, will become enemies and seek to destroy each other.  In such a case, it will be natural for any man to seek to secure himself by anticipating others in the use of force or wiles; and, because some will not be content with merely securing themselves, others, who would be content, will be driven to take the offensive for mere self-conservation.  Moreover, men will be displeased at being valued by others less highly than by themselves, and will use force to extort respect.

Thus, he finds three principal causes of quarrel in the nature of man—­competition, diffidence (distrust), and glory, making men invade for gain, for safety, and for reputation.  Men will accordingly, in the absence of any power to keep them in awe, be in a constant state of war; by which is meant, not actual fighting, but the known disposition thereto, and no assurance to the contrary.

He proceeds to draw a very dismal picture of the results of this state of enmity of man against man—­no industry, no agriculture, no arts, no society, and so forth, but only fear and danger of violent death, and life solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.  To those that doubt the truth of such an ‘inference made from the passions,’ and desire the confirmation of experience, he cites the wearing of arms and locking of doors, &c., as actions that accuse mankind as much as any words of his.  Besides, it is not really to accuse man’s nature; for the desires and passions are in themselves no sin, nor the actions proceeding from them, until a law is made against them.  He seeks further evidence of an original condition of war, in the actual state of American savages, with no government at all, but only a concord of small families, depending on natural lust; also in the known horrors of a civil war, when there is no common power to fear:  and, finally, in the constant hostile attitude of different governments.