On Party-Prejudice. 24 
for all the dreadful factions that ravaged Greece 
during the Peloponesian war. ‘ The source of 
all these evils,” he remarks, “ is a thirst of power,’ 
in consequence of either rapacious or ambitious 
passions. The mind, when thus actuated, is ready 
to engage in party-feuds. For the men of large in- 
fluence in Communities, avowing on both sides a 
specious cause ;—some standing up for the just 
equality of the popular;—others for the fair de. 
corum of the aristocratical government ;—by artful 
sounds embarrassed those communities for their 
own private ends.” 
In proportion, however, to the pure democracy,* 
which prevailed in any state, did the spirit of party 
arise to a dangerous height. Lycurgus had given 
to Sparta a mixed form of government. Its tran- 
quillity therefore was better preserved, and its du- 
ration extended to a longer period than that of any 
of the pure democratical states. It is the observa- 
tion of Aristotle, t that in mixed governments, 
like Sparta, party prevailed less (i. e. in comparison 
with the other Grecian states), though the power of 
the state was divided into separate branches. For 
* * Dans les états extrémement libres, ils trahissent la 
liberté 4 cause de leur liberté méme, qui produissent tou- 
jours des divisions ;—chacun deviendroit aussi esclave des 
préjugés de sa faction, qu’il le seroit d’un despote,”— 
MonrTeEsQuiev. 
+ Aristot, Polit. lib. v. cap. 9. 
