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any man but one universal monarch should have any 〃property〃 upon a
supposition that God gave the world to Adam and his heirs in
succession； exclusive of all the rest of his posterity； but I shall
endeavour to show how men might come to have a property in several
parts of that which God gave to mankind in common； and that without
any express compact of all the commoners。
25。 God； who hath given the world to men in common； hath also
given them reason to make use of it to the best advantage of life
and convenience。 The earth and all that is therein is given to men for
the support and comfort of their being。 And though all the fruits it
naturally produces； and beasts it feeds； belong to mankind in
common； as they are produced by the spontaneous hand of Nature； and
nobody has originally a private dominion exclusive of the rest of
mankind in any of them； as they are thus in their natural state； yet
being given for the use of men； there must of necessity be a means
to appropriate them some way or other before they can be of any use；
or at all beneficial； to any particular men。 The fruit or venison
which nourishes the wild Indian； who knows no enclosure； and is
still a tenant in common； must be his； and so his… i。e。； a part of
him； that another can no longer have any right to it before it can
do him any good for the support of his life。
26。 Though the earth and all inferior creatures be common to all
men； yet every man has a 〃property〃 in his own 〃person。〃 This nobody
has any right to but himself。 The 〃labour〃 of his body and the
〃work〃 of his hands； we may say； are properly his。 Whatsoever； then；
he removes out of the state that Nature hath provided and left it
in； he hath mixed his labour with it； and joined to it something
that is his own； and thereby makes it his property。 It being by him
removed from the common state Nature placed it in； it hath by this
labour something annexed to it that excludes the common right of other
men。 For this 〃labour〃 being the unquestionable property of the
labourer； no man but he can have a right to what that is once joined
to； at least where there is enough； and as good left in common for
others。
27。 He that is nourished by the acorns he picked up under an oak； or
the apples he gathered from the trees in the wood； has certainly
appropriated them to himself。 Nobody can deny but the nourishment is
his。 I ask； then； when did they begin to be his？ when he digested？
or when he ate？ or when he boiled？ or when he brought them home？ or
when he picked them up？ And it is plain； if the first gathering made
them not his； nothing else could。 That labour put a distinction
between them and common。 That added something to them more than
Nature； the common mother of all； had done； and so they became his
private right。 And will any one say he had no right to those acorns or
apples he thus appropriated because he had not the consent of all
mankind to make them his？ Was it a robbery thus to assume to himself
what belonged to all in common？ If such a consent as that was
necessary； man had starved； notwithstanding the plenty God had given
him。 We see in commons； which remain so by compact； that it is the
taking any part of what is common； and removing it out of the state
Nature leaves it in； which begins the property； without which the
common is of no use。 And the taking of this or that part does not
depend on the express consent of all the commoners。 Thus； the grass my
horse has bit； the turfs my servant has cut； and the ore I have digged
in any place； where I have a right to them in common with others；
become my property without the assignation or consent of anybody。
The labour that was mine； removing them out of that common state
they were in； hath fixed my property in them。
28。 By making an explicit consent of every commoner necessary to any
one's appropriating to himself any part of what is given in common。
Children or servants could not cut the meat which their father or
master had provided for them in common without assigning to every
one his peculiar part。 Though the water running in the fountain be
every one's； yet who can doubt but that in the pitcher is his only who
drew it out？ His labour hath taken it out of the hands of Nature where
it was common； and belonged equally to all her children； and hath
thereby appropriated it to himself。
29。 Thus this law of reason makes the deer that Indian's who hath
killed it； it is allowed to be his goods who hath bestowed his
labour upon it； though； before； it was the common right of every
one。 And amongst those who are counted the civilised part of
mankind； who have made and multiplied positive laws to determine
property； this original law of Nature for the beginning of property；
in what was before common； still takes place； and by virtue thereof；
what fish any one catches in the ocean； that great and still remaining
common of mankind； or what amber…gris any one takes up here is by
the labour that removes it out of that common state Nature left it in；
made his property who takes that pains about it。 And even amongst
us； the hare that any one is hunting is thought his who pursues her
during the chase。 For being a beast that is still looked upon as
common； and no man's private possession； whoever has employed so
much labour about any of that kind as to find and pursue her has
thereby removed her from the state of Nature wherein she was common；
and hath begun a property。
30。 It will； perhaps； be objected to this； that if gathering the
acorns or other fruits of the earth； etc。； makes a right to them； then
any one may engross as much as he will。 To which I answer； Not so。 The
same law of Nature that does by this means give us property； does also
bound that property too。 〃God has given us all things richly。〃 Is
the voice of reason confirmed by inspiration？ But how far has He given
it us… 〃to enjoy〃？ As much as any one can make use of to any advantage
of life before it spoils； so much he may by his labour fix a
property in。 Whatever is beyond this is more than his share； and
belongs to others。 Nothing was made by God for man to spoil or
destroy。 And thus considering the plenty of natural provisions there
was a long time in the world； and the few spenders； and to how small a
part of that provision the industry of one man could extend itself and
engross it to the prejudice of others； especially keeping within the
bounds set by reason of what might serve for his use； there could be
then little room for quarrels or contentions about property so
established。
31。 But the chief matter of property being now not the fruits of the
earth and the beasts that subsist on it； but the earth itself； as that
which takes in and carries with it all the rest； I think it is plain
that property in that too is acquired as the former。 As much land as a
man tills； plants； improves； cultivates； and can use the product of；
so much is his property。 He by his labour does； as it were； enclose it
from the common。 Nor will it invalidate his right to say everybody
else has an equal title to