OF THE TRUE GREATNESS OF BRITAIN. 317 



immediate successors, and much more in the times 

 succeeding, the Roman empire, notwithstanding the 

 magnitude thereof, became no better than a carcase, 

 whereupon all the vultures and birds of prey of the 

 world did seize and ravine for many ages, for a per 

 petual monument of the essential difference between 

 the scale of miles, and the scale of forces. And 

 therefore, upon these reasons and examples, we may 

 safely conclude, that largeness of territory is so far 

 from being a thing inseparable from greatness of 

 power, as it is many times contrariant and incom 

 patible with the same. But to make a reduction of 

 that error to a truth, it will stand thus, that then 

 greatness of territory addeth strength, when it hath 

 these four conditions : 



First, That the territories be compacted, and not 



dispersed. 



Secondly, That the region which is the heart 

 and seat of the state, be sufficient to support 

 those parts, which are but provinces and ad 

 ditions. 



Thirdly, That the arms or martial virtue of the 

 state be in some degree answerable to the 

 greatness of dominion. 



And lastly, That no part or province of the state 

 be utterly unprofitable, but do confer some 

 use or service to the state. 



The first of these is manifestly true, and scarcely 

 needeth any explication. For if there be a state that 

 consisteth of scattered points instead of lines, and 

 slender lines instead of latitudes, it can never be 



