Thesavagewhohollowsatree，insertsasharpstoneintoawoodenhandle，orappliesastringtoanelasticbranch，becomesinastateofnaturethejustproprietorofthecanoe，thebow，orthehatchet。Thematerialswerecommontoall，thenewform，theproduceofhistimeandsimpleindustry，belongssolelytohimself。Hishungrybrethrencannot，withoutasenseoftheirowninjustice，extortfromthehunterthegameoftheforestovertakenorslainbyhispersonalstrengthanddexterity。Ifhisprovidentcarepreservesandmultipliesthetameanimals，whosenatureistractabletotheartsofeducation，heacquiresaperpetualtitletotheuseandserviceoftheirnumerousprogeny，whichderivesitsexistencefromhimalone。Ifheenclosesandcultivatesafieldfortheirsustenanceandhisown，abarrenwasteisconvertedintoafertilesoil；theseed，themanure，thelabor，createanewvalue，andtherewardsofharvestarepainfullyearnedbythefatiguesoftherevolvingyear。Inthesuccessivestatesofsociety，thehunter，theshepherd，thehusbandman，maydefendtheirpossessionsbytworeasonswhichforciblyappealtothefeelingsofthehumanmind:thatwhatevertheyenjoyisthefruitoftheirownindustry；andthateverymanwhoenviestheirfelicity，maypurchasesimilaracquisitionsbytheexerciseofsimilardiligence。Such，intruth，maybethefreedomandplentyofasmallcolonycastonafruitfulisland。
Butthecolonymultiplies，whilethespacestillcontinuesthesame；thecommonrights，theequalinheritanceofmankind。areengrossedbytheboldandcrafty；eachfieldandforestiscircumscribedbythelandmarksofajealousmaster；anditisthepeculiarpraiseoftheRomanjurisprudence，thatiassertstheclaimofthefirstoccupanttothewildanimalsoftheearth，theair，andthewaters。Intheprogressfromprimitiveequitytofinalinjustice，thestepsaresilent，theshadesarealmostimperceptible，andtheabsolutemonopolyisguardedbypositivelawsandartificialreason。Theactive，insatiateprincipleofself—lovecanalonesupplytheartsoflifeandthewagesofindustry；andassoonascivilgovernmentandexclusivepropertyhavebeenintroduced，theybecomenecessarytotheexistenceofthehumanrace。ExceptinthesingularinstitutionsofSparta，thewisestlegislatorshavedisapprovedanagrarianlawasafalseanddangerousinnovation。AmongtheRomans，theenormousdisproportionofwealthsurmountedtheidealrestraintsofadoubtfultradition，andanobsoletestatute；atraditionthatthepoorestfollowerofRomulushadbeenendowedwiththeperpetualinheritanceoftwojugera；^138astatutewhichconfinedtherichestcitizentothemeasureoffivehundredjugera，orthreehundredandtwelveacresofland。TheoriginalterritoryofRomeconsistedonlyofsomemilesofwoodandmeadowalongthebanksoftheTyber；anddomesticexchangecouldaddnothingtothenationalstock。Butthegoodsofanalienorenemywerelawfullyexposedtothefirsthostileoccupier；thecitywasenrichedbytheprofitabletradeofwar；andthebloodofhersonswastheonlypricethatwaspaidfortheVolsciansheep，theslavesofBriton，orthegemsandgoldofAsiatickingdoms。Inthelanguageofancientjurisprudence，whichwascorruptedandforgottenbeforetheageofJustinian，thesespoilsweredistinguishedbythenameofmancepsormanicipium，takenwiththehand；andwhenevertheyweresoldoremancipated，thepurchaserrequiredsomeassurancethattheyhadbeenthepropertyofanenemy，andnotofafellow—citizen。^139Acitizencouldonlyforfeithisrightsbyapparentdereliction，andsuchderelictionofavaluableinterestcouldnoteasilybepresumed。
Yet，accordingtotheTwelveTables，aprescriptionofoneyearformovables，andoftwoyearsforimmovables，abolishedtheclaimoftheancientmaster，iftheactualpossessorhadacquiredthembyafairtransactionfromthepersonwhomhebelievedtobethelawfulproprietor。^140Suchconscientiousinjustice，withoutanymixtureoffraudorforcecouldseldominjurethemembersofasmallrepublic；butthevariousperiodsofthree，often，oroftwentyyears，determinedbyJustinian，aremoresuitabletothelatitudeofagreatempire。Itisonlyinthetermofprescriptionthatthedistinctionofrealandpersonalfortunehasbeenremarkedbythecivilians；andtheirgeneralideaofpropertyisthatofsimple，uniform，andabsolutedominion。Thesubordinateexceptionsofuse，ofusufruct，^141ofservitude，^142imposedforthebenefitofaneighboronlandsandhouses，areabundantlyexplainedbytheprofessorsofjurisprudence。Theclaimsofproperty，asfarastheyarealteredbythemixture，thedivision，orthetransformationofsubstances，areinvestigatedwithmetaphysicalsubtiltybythesamecivilians。
[Footnote137:Institut。l。ii。titi。ii。ComparethepureandprecisereasoningofCaiusandHeinecciusl。ii。tit。i。p。69—
91withthelooseprolixityofTheophilus，p。207—265。TheopinionsofUlpianarepreservedinthePandects，l。i。tit。