390 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



as the lowest of this kind are no way inferior to the yeo 

 manry for foot service. And it is certain that the hospi 

 table magnificence and splendor, the attendance and large 

 train, in use among the nobility and gentry of England, 

 add much to our military strength; as, on the other hand, a 

 close retired life among the nobility causes a want of forces. 

 It must be earnestly endeavored, that the tree of mon 

 archy, like the tree of Nebuchadnezzar, have its trunk suffi 

 ciently large and strong, to support its branches and leaves; 

 or that the natives be sufficient to keep the foreign subjects 

 under: whence those states best consult their greatness, 

 which are liberal of naturalization. For it were vain to 

 think a handful of men, how excellent soever in spirit and 

 counsel, should hold large and spacious countries under the 

 yoke of empire. This, indeed, might perhaps be done for a 

 season, but it cannot be lasting. The Spartans were re 

 served and difficult in receiving foreigners among them; 

 and, therefore, so long as they ruled within their own nar 

 row bounds, their affairs stood firm and strong; but soon 

 after they began to widen their borders, and extend their 

 dominion further than the Spartan race could well command 

 the foreign crowd, their power sunk of a sudden. Never 

 did commonwealth receive new citizens so profusely as the 

 Eoman; whence its fortune was equal to so prudent a con 

 duct: and thus the Romans acquired the most extensive 

 empire on the globe. It was their custom to give a speedy 

 denization, and in the highest degree; that is, not only a 

 right of commerce, of marriage and inheritance, but also the 

 right of suffrage, and of candidature for places and honors. 10 

 And this not only to particular persons ; but they conferred 

 it upon entire families, cities, and sometimes whole nations 

 at once. Add to this their custom of settling colonies, 

 whereby Eoman roots were transplanted in foreign soil. 

 And to consider these two practices together, it might be 

 said, that the Romans did not spread themselves over the 

 globe, but that the globe spread itself over the Romans: 



10 Cic. pro L. C. Bal. 



