The Admirable Crichton. Ill 



of Adrasteia, but of that supreme and true God, Who ever 

 presides over the defence, the preservation, and the expansion of 

 this State, and is a present help in all times of stress and peril, 

 as you may remember with me, most distinguished citizens, not 

 without tears and the utmost detriment, when all things were in 

 danger of being thrown into confusion in your most intimate 

 affairs, and of breaking out into the fiercest hatreds and dissen- 

 sions; and, as the laws could avail nothing in an exhausted 

 Republic, the judicial system would be overthroAvn and old- 

 established custom would perish, should that most gracious man 

 in the transaction of affairs at any time be found wanting from 

 his own Genoa — the Republic, which, wounded by conspiracies 

 and shattered by the Avaves of passion, he restored to port after 

 it had encountered all but shipwreck. The same man, I say, 

 has brought you this most sacred ordinance concerning the pre- 

 ferment of magistrates, the important uses of which observe, 

 citizens, and carefully consider; for the men who are by common 

 consent the best and the most adapted for government having 

 been elected in this manner, after having been requisitioned by 

 you, there is in fact and from the casting of the lots, the cessa- 

 tion of any questions of prerogative which might spring up 

 amongst candidates from the division of the votes. Finally, 

 since, as the Philosophers maintain, the law becomes a kind of 

 prophecy, and those judge most justly who submit their opinioa 

 to the Divine will, they seem to be promoted to the Divine appro- 

 bation on whom the lot has fallen. Deprived of this assistance 

 a State totters and falls to the ground, Avhilst, if guarded by it, it 

 remains fast on the best and surest foundations ; and, indeed, if 

 it has appeared in any way to defend, to save, or protect this 

 Republic, it was, by Hercules, in the last degree, a great 

 example of the Divine niercv when it raised in the public 

 assemblies those citizens to the highest rank of the senatorial 

 dignity and honour, by whose administration the government of 

 every Republic is kept together, who so care for the welfare of 

 the citizens that whatever they do they direct towards that end, 

 with a total disregard of their own interests; and, lest there 

 should be any manifestation of impatience on the part of the 

 Republic, at the end of two vears the senators retire from the 

 magistracy. Alas ! for me from whom the so great tranquillity in 



