354 POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. 



or chief Rajah of that clan. The dignity is not hereditary, as is the 

 case with the minor Rajahships, but is enjoyed by each Rajah of the 

 clan in rotation. 



So lias it been in Europe. Though by the early Greeks here 

 ditary right was in a considerable measure recognized, yet the 

 case of Telemachus implies &quot; that a practice, either approach 

 ing to election, or in some way involving a voluntary action 

 on the part of the subjects, or of a portion of them, had to be 

 gone through.&quot; The like is true of ancient Rome. That its 

 monarchy was elective &quot; is proved by the existence in later 

 times of an office of interrex, which implies that the kingly 

 power did not devolve naturally upon a hereditary successor.&quot; 

 Later on it was thus with Western peoples. Up to the begin 

 ning of the tenth century &quot; the formality of election sub 

 sisted ... in every European kingdom ; and the imper 

 fect right of birth required a ratification by public assent.&quot; 

 And it was once thus with ourselves. Among the early 

 English the Bretwaldship, or supreme headship over the 

 minor kingdoms, was at first elective ; and the form of elec 

 tion continued long traceable in our history. Moreover, it is 

 observable that the change to hereditary succession is by 

 nssent, as in France. &quot;The first six kings of this dynasty 

 [the Capetian] procured the co-optation of their sons, by 

 having them crowned during their own lives. And this was 

 not done without the consent of the chief vassals.&quot; 



The stability of the compound headship, made greater by 

 efficient leadership in war and by establishment of hereditary 

 succession, is further increased when there cooperates the 

 additional factor supposed supernatural origin or super 

 natural sanction. Everywhere, up from a New Zealand 

 king, who is strictly tapu, or sacred, we may trace this in- 

 lluence ; and occasionally, where divine descent or magical 

 powers are not claimed, there is a claim to origin that is 

 extraordinary. Asia yields an example in the Eodli dynasty, 

 which reigned 150 years in South Arabia a six-fingered 

 dynasty, regarded with awe by the people because of its con- 



