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of his fubjects of their hereditary employments to bestow them arbitrarily upon others; and when he is fonder of being guided by fancy than judgment.

Again, it is deftroyed when the prince, directing every thing entirely to HIMSELF, calls the flate to his capital, the capital to his court, and the court to his own person.

It is deftroyed, in fine, when the prince mistakes his authority, his fituation, and the love of his people; and when he is not fully perfuaded that a monarch ought to think himself secure, as a defpotic prince ought to think himself in danger.

The principle of monarchy is corrupted, when the first dignities are marks of the firft fervitude, when the great men are deprived of public respect, and rendered the low tools of arbitrary power,

It is ftill more corrupted, when honor is set up in contradiction to honors, and when men are capable of being loaded at the very fame time with infamy and with dignities.

a Under the reign of Tiberius ftatues were erected to, and triumphal or naments conferred on, informers; which debased these honours to fuch a degree, that those who had really merited them difdained to accept of them. See in Tacitus in what manner Nero, on the discovery and punishment of a pretended confpiracy, bestowed trumphal ornaments on Petronius Terpilianus, Nerva, and Tigellinus.Annal. book 14.-See likewife how the generals refused to serve, because they contemned the military honors, pervulgatis triumpbi infignibus, Tacit. Annal. book 13.

It is corrupted when the prince changes his justice into Severity; when he puts, like the Roman emperors, a Medufa's head on his breaft; and when he affumes that menacing and terrible air which Commodus ordered to be given to his statues.

Again, IT IS CORRUPTED WHEN MEAN AND AB

JECT SOULS GROW VAIN OF THE POMP ATTENDING THEIR SERVITUDE; AND IMAGINE THAT THE MOTIVE WHICH INDUCES THEM TO BE ENTIRELY DEVOTED TO THEIR PRINCE EXEMPTS THEM FROM ALL DUTY TO THEIR COUNTRY.

a Montesquieu.

SECT.

SECT. XII.

OF THE CORRUPTION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF

A DESPOTIC GOVERNMENT,

The principle of A DESPOTIC GOVERNMENT is fubject to a continual corruption, because it is even in its nature corrupt. Other governments are deflroyed by particular accidents, which do violence to the principles of each conflitution; this is ruined by its own intrinsic imperfections.

-It maintains itself therefore only when circumstances drawn from the climate, religion, fiuation, or genius of the people, oblige it to conform to order, and to admit of fome rule. By these things its nature is forced without being changed; its ferocity remains; and it is made tame and tractable only for an interval.

a Montesquieu.

THE

THE DISTINCTIVE PROPERTIES

OF THE

THREE GOVERNMENTS.

SECT. XIII.

THE DISTINCTIVE PROPERTIES OF A REPUBLIC.

It is natural for a REPUBLIC to have only a SMALL TERRITORY; otherwise it cannot long fubfift.-In an extensive republic there are men of large fortunes, and confequently of lefs moderation; there are trufts too confiderable to be placed in any single subject; he has interefts of his own; he foon begins to think that he may be happy and glorious, by oppreffing his fellow citizens; and that he may raise himself to grandeur on the ruins of his country.

In an EXTENSIVE REPUBLIC the public good is facrificed to a thousand private views; it is fubordinate to exseptions, and depends on accidents. In a SMALL one, the intereft of the public is more obvious, better understood, and more within the reach of every citizen; abuses have lefs extent, and of courfe are less protected.

The long duration of the republic of SPARTA was

owing to her having continued in the fame extent of territory after all her wars.-The fole aim of Sparta was liberty; and the fole advantage of her liberty, glory.

It was the Spirit of the Greek republics to be as contented with their territories, as with their laws.-ATHENS was firft fired with ambition and gave it to LACEDÆMON; but it was an ambition rather of commanding a free people, than of governing flaves; rather of directing than of breaking the union.—All was lost upon the starting up of a monarchy, a government whose spirit is more turned to increase of dominiona.

a Montefquieu.

SECT.

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