Chap. Vlir. ANTIENTMETAPHYSICS. 1S5 



pure, and unmixed with the Plebeians : Betwixt whom and the Pa- 

 tricians, Intermarriages were prohibited by the laws of the XIT. 

 Tables; and the repealing of that law, and admitting the Plebeians to 

 the great offices of State, fuch as that of Conful or Dikflator, was, 

 in my opinion, one of the chief caufes of the ruin of their State. 

 The firfl Plebeian Conful was taken prifoner, he and his army, by 

 the enemy ; and another Plebeian Conful, Terentius Varro, loft 

 the battle of Canne^ which brought the Romans to the brink of 



ruin*. 



In modern times, birth was alfo much refpeded, particularly la 

 the military orders of knighthood, fuch as the order of Malta, into 

 which no man at this day can be admitted, who cannot prove his 

 noble defcent for fix generations on both fides. And the pradice 

 of any mean trade, or money making art, does ever, in thefe day?, 

 degrade a man of the highefl; birth fo much, that he cannot be a 

 Knight of'TVlalta, though ever fo nobly born. 



But I do not think that, in the degenerate (late of man In modern 

 times, there ever was fuch nobility, even among our Kings, as that 

 of thofe antient heroic Kings, or of the Kings of Sparta in later 

 times, who were defcended of Hercules. They were truly jure 

 Divino Kings, deftined by God and nature to govern their fellow 

 creatures, fuch as Homer has mentioned in the paflage above quoted. 

 But the beft blood may be corrupted by Impure mixtures, which 

 mufl: happen very frequently. In countries where money is fo much 

 valued as it is at prefent in all the nations of Europe f; or it may 

 be debafed by the education of tlie youih in vicious pleafures, or 

 Vol. IV. A a in 



• See upon this fubjecl, Vol. V. of the Orig of Lang. p. 199. and following. 



t There is an old Greek poet who fay:, 'hat ttAsvtoj ful- '/m; : Which fhows that 

 even in antient tin:es tLofe impure miitures, for the fake of money, were kncwji. 



