Chap. XIV. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 273 



(things going on as they are doing,) very long in the ftate we are 

 in. And, though he cannot know, without that fupernatural af- 

 fulance which Hezekiah had, the particular tinie vs'hen the change 

 will happen, yet, as the univerfe is a iyftem, the moral as well as 

 th: natural world, and confequently governed by general rules, he 

 will know, with great certainty, that, fome time or another, 



Ven'it fumma dieSy et inelu^ahile tempus *. 



But that will not hinder him to do all he can to put the evil day 

 as far off as poflible, and to preferve peace at leaft in his own 

 time. 



Further, I fay, that it is a great advantage to a nation, or, at leaft, 

 to the rulers of it, to know its degenerate Hate, even though it can- 

 not be amended, that they may not engage in enterprifes above 

 their ftrength. It may be thought invidious to give examples of 

 this in our own times ; but 1 will quote one from antient hiftory, 

 which can give no offence. If the Athenians, when they engaged 

 in the war againft Philip, had been fuch men as thofe who fought 

 at Marathon, and fmgly, without any affiftance, except that of the 

 fmall city ofPlataeae, defeated the grea tell force that was then in the 

 world, or, had they been commanded by fuch a general as Miltia- 

 des, I think it would not have been imprudent in Demofthenes to 

 pcrfuade them to engage in that war : But, when they were fo 

 much degenerated as they then were, 1 think it was highly impru- 

 dent ; and Demofthenes, inltead of being the preferver of the liber- 

 ties of Greece, a& he propofed to have been, only haileneJ the lofs 

 of them : And it was ftill more imprudent, and, 1 cannot help fay- 

 ing, the next thing to madncfs, when, after the death of Philip, he 

 Vol. III. M m endeavoured 



* iEneid. ii. V. 324. 



