154 Oh the ORIGIN and STRUCTURE of 



FROM all dais combined evidence, derived from the hiftory 

 of fo many countries, I think myfelf entitled to conclude, that 

 the European diets were, in their origin, national afTemblies of 

 the warriors of each country, in the fame manner as the pro- 

 vincial diets confided of the pofTe comitatus, or military force 

 of each diftrict. I am aware it may be objected, that many 

 of the facts I have founded on are extraordinary events, which, it 

 may be faid, ought not to be confidered as indicating the true 

 conftitution of a country. I think, however, there is a folid 

 anfwer to this objection. It will be obferved, that I am rea- 

 ibning from occurrences among nations practifing agriculture, 

 with a view to difcover what conftitution they pofTefTed on 

 their firft eftablifhment, when war and a paftoral migratory 

 life had formed their opinions and habits. I am, therefore, en- 

 titled to fuppofe, that their ancient and moft facred functions 

 would become unfuitable to their new fituation, and be ne- 

 glected, as inconvenient and burdenfome, except when great 

 occafions excited a general intereft, which overcame the natural 

 unwieldinefs of an agricultural nation, where the powers of 

 government are little felt or acknowledged. In this view, there- 

 fore, the examples above quoted, of immenfe numbers aflem- 

 bling in a military form in the German and Britifh diets, ought 

 not to be confidered as infulated events, but as inftances mark- 

 ing the genuine ftructure of the nation : For it will be remark- 

 ed, that they were not die confequences of revolutions, but 

 only of important occurrences, that muft naturally have in- 

 clined people to overlook private inconveniences, and, from a 

 regard to the public intereft, exert dieir ancient and known po- 

 litical rights. 



I SHALL make only one obfervation more in favour of my 

 opinion ; and it is this, That it fully explains a great variety of 

 circumftances in the hiftory of the middle ages, and, during the 

 reign of the feus, altogether adverfe to what was the fpirit of 

 thofe inftitutions, and the temper of diofe times. Such are 



the 



