EXCURSION TO THE REALMS BELOW. 153 



fentiments cannot be the foundation of it, or it would 

 reft on a very weak and tottering foundation. We mull 

 not fuppofe human nature worfe, but likewife not better 

 than it really is. Thofe delicate and gentle bands of 

 fentiment are far too tender to efcape the being torn at 

 every moment by the animal fenfuality of a creature, 

 who is always living at random, and is irrefiftibly 

 fwayed by every propenlion. Allow, that thefe ties 

 are conftantly gaining in children new acceffions of 

 force, with increafing reafon, it is ftill undeniable 

 that they are not fufficiently ftrong in the years that 

 properly belong to childhood. In Ihort, my dear Me- 

 hippus, the government of parents is manifeftly founded 

 on no compact entered into between them and their 

 children, either formal or tacit, but on the neceffity of 

 being governed, and on a fentiment of this neceffity 

 which is awakened and fupported by the prepollent 

 ftrength of the parents. And this likewife is exactly 

 the -cafe with tribes of people, who, on account of their 

 grofs ignorance and untradtablenefs, muft be habituated 

 by neceffity and coercion to bear the yoke of govern- 

 ment. Children and nations muft be governed, becaufe 

 they are incapable of governing themfelves ; and muft 

 learn to obey, not becaufe they pleafe to do fo, but 

 becaufe, willing or unwilling, obey they muft. 



Menipp. Thy ftmile, mefhinks, does not run upon 

 all fours. I will not inlift upon the circumftance, that 

 the difference between children and parents is greater 

 and more manifeft than between a nation and its rulers. 

 Thou wouldft fay in reply, that the queftion at prefent 

 relates to the nations of remote antiquity, and their 



regents^ whole perfonal diftinctions muft have been 



very 



