340 ADVANCEMfiKT Of LEi.KKlNa [200K VlJl. 



1 lie number of inhabitants may be known by valuation or 

 tax, and the number and extent ol cities and towns, by sur- 

 vey and maps ; yet in all civil affairs there is not a thing 

 more liable to error than the making a true and intrinsic 

 estimate of the strength and riches of a state. The kingdom 

 ot heaven is compared, not to an acorn, or any large nut, but 

 to a grain of mustard-seed ; which, though one of the least 

 grains, has in it a certain quick property, and native spirit, 

 whereby it rises soon, and spreads itself wide : so some stated 

 of very large compass are little suited to extend their limits, 

 or procure a wider command, whilst others of small dimen- 

 sion prove the foundations of the greatest monarchies. 



Fortified towns, well-stored arsenals, noble breeds of war- 

 horses, armed chariots, elephants, engines, all kinds of artillery, 

 arms, and the like, are nothing more than a sheep in a lion's 

 skin, unless the nation itself be. from its origin and temper, 

 stout and warlike. Nor is number of troops itself of any 

 great service, where the soldiers are weak and enervate : for, 

 as Virgil well observes, " The wolf cares not how large the 

 flock is."*' The Persian army in the plains of Arbela, ap- 

 peared to the eyes ol the Macedonians as an immense ocean 

 of people ; insomuch that Alexander's leaders, being struck 

 at the sight, counselled their general to fall upon them by 

 night ; but he replied, " I will not steal the victory :"<^ and 

 it was found an easier conqu(jst than he expected. Tigranes, 

 encamped upon a hill, with an army of four hundred thou- 

 sand men, seeing the Roman army, consisting but of fourteen 

 thousand, making up to him, he jested at it, and said, " Those 

 men are too many for an embassy, but much too few for a 

 battle :" *^ yeo before sunset he found them enough to give him 

 chase, with infinite slaughter. And we have abundant exam- 

 ples of the great inequality betwixt number and strength. 

 This, therefore, may be first set down as a sure and certain 

 maxim, and the capital of all the rest, with regard to the 

 greatness of a st^xte, that the people be of a military race,' 

 or both by origin and disposition warlike. The sinews of 

 war are not money, if the sinews of men's arms be wanting, 

 •i* they are in a soft and effeminate nation. It was a just 

 ittiswer of Solon to Croesus, who showed him all his treasure : 



« Eclog. vii. 52, •* Quintns Curtius, iv. 15, and Plutarch. 



LucuL ' Machi- Discorso sopra Livi >, lib. is. 



