LIB. 1. 77. 65 



tiumerus longe maximus eorum, qui in Aristotelis phi- 

 losophiam consenserunt, ex pmejudicio et auctoritate 

 aliorum se illi mancipavit; ut sequacitas sit potius et 

 coitio, quam consensus. Quod si fuisset ille verus con 

 sensus et late patens, tantum abest ut consensus pro 

 vera et solida auctoritate haberi debeat, ut etiam vio- 

 lentam prsesumptionem inducat in contrarium. Pessi- 

 mum enim omnium est augurium, quod ex consensu 

 capitur in rebus intellectualibus : exceptis divinis et 

 politicis, in quibus sufFragiorum jus est 58 . Nihil enim 

 multis placet, nisi imaginationem feriat, aut intellec- 

 tum vulgarium notionum nodis astringat, ut supra 39 

 dictum est. Itaque optime traducitur illud Phocio- 

 nis 60 a moribus ad intellectualia : Ut statim se exami- 

 nare debeant homines, quid erraverint aut peccaverint, 



58 As to Politics, this is rather a ance of it. Bacon, however, doubt- 

 bold doctrine from one who sought less refers to the decisions of Coun- 

 the favour of King James I., and cils, in which questions of doctrine 

 was an advocate for &quot; Kingcraft.&quot; and discipline are decided by an 

 Yet it is not a solitary mention of appeal to the suffrages of those pre- 

 the &quot;jus sufFragii&quot; even in those sent; even as the Council of Nice 

 times. Hooker points out (Eccles. affirmed the true Faith against Ari- 

 Pol. I. x. 38) that Laws positive anism by a majority of votes, 

 and Municipal are binding only by 59 Supra cf. supr. I. 28. 

 consent of those subject to them. 60 Here we see Phocion s Character 

 And in our day we are well accus- /uio-dSq/Aoy. And what, after all, 

 tomed to the principle of ultimately is the worth of the verdict of Public 

 consulting the Ratepayer. But as Opinion ? Not much, perhaps, if we 

 to the &quot; jus sufFragii&quot; ruling in take Public Opinion of one period 

 things Divine, this would at first only : for man must be misguided 

 seem to strike at any thing like ab- by partial views, passions, &c. And 

 solute Truth, or Revelation : as a man who trusts to and courts it is 

 though the truth of God depended unfortunate, 

 for its existence on Man s accept- 



&quot; Cum quis te laudat, judex tuus esse memento : 

 Plus aliis de te, quam tu tibi credere noli.&quot; Dion. Cato. 



He who seeks the applause of Pub- are always being called in. Seneca 



lie Opinion will be the Vain man : agreed well with Phocion when he 



he who despises it, Proud. I may said, &quot; Argumentum pessimi turba 



add that it is always correcting it- est.&quot; Cf. Plutarch, vit. Phoc. 

 self: and that its hastier verdicts 



