Thedistinctionofbirth，beingsubsequenttotheinequalityoffortune，canhavenoplaceinnationsofhunters，amongwhomallmen，beingequalinfortune，mustlikewisebeverynearlyequalinbirth。Thesonofawiseandbravemanmay，indeed，evenamongthem，besomewhatmorerespectedthanamanofequalmeritwhohasthemisfortunetobethesonofafooloracoward。Thedifference，however，willnotbeverygreat;andthereneverwas，Ibelieve，agreatfamilyintheworldwhoseillustrationwasentirelyderivedfromtheinheritanceofwisdomandvirtue。
Thedistinctionofbirthnotonlymay，butalwaysdoestakeplaceamongnationsofshepherds。Suchnationsarealwaysstrangerstoeverysortofluxury，andgreatwealthcanscarceeverbedissipatedamongthembyimprovidentprofusion。Therearenonationsaccordinglywhoaboundmoreinfamiliesreveredandhonouredonaccountoftheirdescentfromalongraceofgreatandillustriousancestors，becausetherearenonationsamongwhomwealthislikelytocontinuelongerinthesamefamilies。
Birthandfortuneareevidentlythetwocircumstanceswhichprincipallysetonemanaboveanother。Theyarethetwogreatsourcesofpersonaldistinction，andarethereforetheprincipalcauseswhichnaturallyestablishauthorityandsubordinationamongmen。Amongnationsofshepherdsboththosecausesoperatewiththeirfullforce。Thegreatshepherdorherdsman，respectedonaccountofhisgreatwealth，andofthegreatnumberofthosewhodependuponhimforsubsistence，andreveredonaccountofthenoblenessofhisbirth，andoftheimmemorialantiquityofhisillustriousfamily，hasanaturalauthorityoveralltheinferiorshepherdsorherdsmenofhishordeorclan。Hecancommandtheunitedforceofagreaternumberofpeoplethananyofthem。Hismilitarypowerisgreaterthanthatofanyofthem。
Intimeofwartheyareallofthemnaturallydisposedtomusterthemselvesunderhisbanner，ratherthanunderthatofanyotherperson，andhisbirthandfortunethusnaturallyprocuretohimsomesortofexecutivepower。Bycommanding，too，theunitedforceofagreaternumberofpeoplethananyofthem，heisbestabletocompelanyoneofthemwhomayhaveinjuredanothertocompensatethewrong。Heistheperson，therefore，towhomallthosewhoaretooweaktodefendthemselvesnaturallylookupforprotection。Itistohimthattheynaturallycomplainoftheinjurieswhichtheyimaginehavebeendonetothem，andhisinterpositioninsuchcasesismoreeasilysubmittedto，evenbythepersoncomplainedof，thanthatofanyotherpersonwouldbe。
Hisbirthandfortunethusnaturallyprocurehimsomesortofjudicialauthority。