a8 Italian literature. June 2F~ 
few words I accept the above employment, Alphest- 
boeus. 
They then proceeded to the division and afsignation 
of the lands; which I fhall relate in their own words, as 
this solemn act was registered at that time. In this 
deed,may be seen not only the prudence and pene- 
tration, with which every thing was conducted, but 
likewise the keenefs with which they had entered 
into the spirit of the pastoral system, which they had 
conceived ; explaining every thing with words and 
phrases, accommodated to the condition of fhepherds, 
and to’those circumstances which were required by 
afsuming the name of Arcadia. 
«© When the above businefs was over, we pro- 
ceeded to the division of the lands of Arcadia, in order 
that each of the present fhepherds, as well as those 
who are to be received, may be guarded, not only 
from ambition, but likewise from poverty, both 
which are equally the destroyers of agreeable studies,, 
and of good morals. The affair was therefore com- 
mitted to Uranius, to Mirtillus, and to me, Al- 
phesiboeus ; and we, observing not only the rights of 
the afsembled fhepherds, but likewise the increase of 
their number, we first collected the names of the 
countries, mountains, and rivers, and any other con- 
siderable right belonging to our dominion ; it was 
then settled that these names, being all put in an urn, 
which was to be called the Urn of Chance, there 
fhould be extracted from it, to each fhepherd then 
present, one of those regions from which he was to 
take his denomination, and pofsefs fifty jugeras of 
the adjoining lands, (declaring that the territory, or 
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