Chap. X, A N T I E N T M E T A P H Y S I C S. 209 



rior to others, both in mind and body; without which it does not ap- 

 pear to me that any government on earth was ever formed or could 

 have been formed. — But to return to the government of Egypt. 



There not only the counfellors of ftate, the cuftodiers of religion, 

 and the cultivators of arts and fciences, were fet apart and diftin- 

 guiflied from the reft of the people ; but there were, in like man- 

 ner, four other clafles, piofeffing different arts, who did not mingle 

 with one another, but kept their races pure and unmixed. The 

 firft of thefe four was the military clafs, who came very properly 

 next in order after the counfellors of the ftate, which, as it was go- 

 verned by their councils, fo it was proteded and guarded by the 

 arms of the military men. Thefe 1 hold to belong to the fecond 

 divifion of men uientioned by Hefiod, who, though they cannot 

 give good advice, are willing to take it ; for obedience to the or- 

 ders of his officer is eflential to the charader of a foldier. And 

 he ought to be convinced, that what he is ordered to do by his offi- 

 cers, is the beft thing he could do; for otherwife he will not obey 

 willingly, but will be governed, like the third clafs of men men- 

 tioned by Hefiod, by fear and dread of punifhment, in the manner 

 that fldves are governed; but which is unworthy of the noble 

 mind of a foldier. As to the General of an army, he ought to be, 

 with refped to military operations, of the lirft clafs of men men- 

 tioned by Hefiod, who know what is beft, and therefore can give 

 good advice. 



But the Egyptian legillators did not ftop here. And, indeed, it 

 was neceflary that men fliould be provided, who were to procure 

 for the reft of the people the neceflaries and conveniences of life. 

 For this purpofe, too, they thought that fome men were better qua- 

 lified than others, as well as for government and the profeffion of 

 arms. And, in general, it appears, they believed not only that all 

 Vol. IV. D d men 



