The question Whether one generation of men has a right to bind another, seems never to have been started either on this or our side of the water. I set out on this ground, which I suppose to be self evident, that the earth belongs in usufruct to the living: that the dead have neither powers nor rights over it.

Summary

This quote reflects the idea that one generation does not have the authority to impose limitations on the succeeding generation. It points out that the concept of intergenerational rights and obligations has not been thoroughly explored or debated. The author bases their argument on the belief that the Earth is meant to be used and enjoyed by the living, while emphasizing that the deceased do not possess any control or entitlement over it.