59© ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IF. 



nuife people^ Is by the nature of things impoffible, unlefs we are to 

 rejed that divifion of men made by Kefiod, and maintain that all 

 men are fit to give good council, or at lead to take it when given 

 by others. I, therefore, hold that what government is carried on 

 by the whole people, without diflindion of birth, rank, education, 

 or fortune, whether it be carried on by every individual in perfon, 

 or by deputies or delegates chofen by them, is of neceffity a bad 

 government, and the worft of all governments, in which their can be 

 neither virtue nor wifdom. A propofition which is not only fup- 

 ported by theory, but by fads, and the experience of all ages. 



The Athenians were certainly a moft ingenious people : Nor do 

 I believe that there ever exifted a people more acute, and of better 

 natural parts, and thefe too improved by the culture of arts and 

 fciences. They were alfo a noble, high minded people : Nor was 

 there ever a nation which a£ted fo genc-ous, and fo difmterefted a 

 part as they did, when Xerxes invaded Greece with the greatefl 

 force, both by fea and land, that, I believe, was ever coHeded to- 

 gether ; By which they not only faved Greece, but all thofe arts 

 and fciences which we have got from the Greeks, and which are 

 all that we now have *. But even they could not govern them- 

 felves. While they were contented with the conftitution which 

 Solon had given them, who had been in Egypt, and had no doubt 

 ftudied government there, as well as other arts and fciences, they 

 went on well enough ; though the government he gave them, he 

 faid, was not the heft he could have given them, but the beft they 

 would receive. And even after they had made their government 

 quite popular, while their councils were direded by a Themiftocles, 

 a Peiicles, or an Alcibiades, their affairs were profperous, and they 

 were the leading people in Greece. But when their counfellors 



were 



• See what I have further faid, at confiderable length, in pralfe of the Athenians. 

 Vol. Yl. of Orig. of Lang. Book V. Chap. 2. p. 344. and following. 



