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"As I often consider the Condition of Humane Nature, it is especially grievous to me to observe, that besides the Evils and Inconveniencies which attend our Natural Frailty, Mankind do pull upon themselves a vast Heap of Calamities more, by their own perverse Will and wicked Lusts; which it were easie to them to be free from, if they would follow the Conduct of right Reason. How many, for instance, might, in the Enjoyment of a long Health, reach to a good old Age, if they did not destroy their natural Strength by Intemperance, and procure to themselves Troops of Diseases, a hasty Decay, and untimely Death? How many have it in their Power, by Vertue of a large Patrimony, to spend their Days in Wealth and Plenty, if they did not overthrow their own good Fortune by extravagant Luxury, and ill-digested Accounts? How many are there who might live at Ease, a quiet, pleasant, Life, if they knew how to set Bounds to Avarice and Ambition, and could forbear to strive, that they might get more, and rise higher, than fair and favourable Opportunity, the certain Indication of the Divine good Pleasure in the Case, invites them to do? What a numberless Multitude of Evils does the Wickedness of some Men bring upon others? All which might be prevented, if Men would rather perform the common Duties which they owe to one another, than obey enormous Lusts. What else is it that destroys whole Nations by Wars, in which one Word a mighty Inundation of Woes is included, but an ungovern’d Desire of Rule, and of extending Empire without Bounds? When as on the other side, both Princes and People might be happy, if every Prince would live contented with his own, and not desire that which is another’s; and rather study and endeavour to govern his own Country and People well, than to disturb and encroach upon his Neighbours. And when in the present Disorder Rulers are involv’d in a Multitude of Anxieties, and are forced to live amidst the perpetual Jealousies and Designs of their Neighbours, and to support themselves by a Thousand Arts and Deceits: If they would treat one another mutually as good Men should do, they might enjoy a much more flourishing State, and undisturb’d Tranquility."

Samuel Pufendorf

Baron Samuel von Pufendorf  (1632-694) was a German jurist, political philosopher, economist, statesman, and historian. Born in Saxony in 1632, the son of a Lutheran clergyman, he studied at Leipzig and Jena and held the first modern professorship in natural law, at the University of Heidelberg. Pufendorf was successively professor of natural law at Lund in Sweden and Swedish historiographer royal. He ended his career as Prussian court historian and died in Berlin in 1694. In addition to fundamental works in Protestant natural law, much admired by Locke, Pufendorf contributed importantly to German constitutional theory and wrote major historical works.

Samuel Pufendorf was one of the most important figures in early-modern political thought. An exact contemporary of Locke and Spinoza, he transformed the natural law theories of Grotius and Hobbes, developed striking ideas of toleration and of the relationship between church and state, and wrote extensive political histories and analyses of the constitution of the German empire.