translating a part of the fpeech which a Citizen of Florence addreffed once to the Senate: the reader will find in it a kind of abridged ftory of all Republics; at least of those which, by the fhare allowed to the people in the Government, deferved that name; and which, befides, have attained a certain degree of extent and power.

"And that nothing human may be perpe"tual and stable, it is the will of Heaven, that " in all States whatsoever, there should arise "certain deftructive families, who are the bane " and ruin of them. Of this our Republic can "afford as many and more deplorable examples "than any other, as it owes its misfortunes "not only to one, but to feveral of fuch "families. We had at firft the Buondelmonti "and the Huberti. We had afterwards the "Donati and the Cerchi; and at present, "(shameful and ridiculous conduct!) we are waging war among ourselves for the Ricci " and the Albizzi.”

"When in former times the Ghibelins "were fuppreffed, every one expected that "the Guelfs, being then fatisfied, would have

"chofen to live in tranquillity; yet, but a "little time had elapfed, when they again "divided themselves into the factions of the "Whites and the Blacks. When the Whites "were fuppreffed, new parties arofe, and new "troubles followed. Sometimes, battles were "fought in favour of the Exiles; and at "others, quarrels broke out between the No"bility and the People. And, as if refolved "to give away to others what we ourselves "neither knew, nor would peaceably enjoy, "we committed the care of our liberty, "fometimes to King Robert, and at others "to his brother, and at length to the Duke " of Athens; never fettling nor refting in

any kind of Government, as not knowing "either how to enjoy liberty, or fupport " fervitude." (a)

The English Conftitution has prevented the poffibility of misfortunes of this kind. Not only, by diminishing the power, or rather the actual exercife of the power, of the peo

(a) See the History of Florence, by Machiavel, L. III.

ple, (a) and making them share in the Legislature only by their representatives, the irresistible violence has been avoided of those numerous and general Affemblies, which, on whatever fide they throw their weight, bear down every thing. Befides, as the power of the people, when they have any power and know how to use it, is at all times really formidable, the Constitution has set a counterpoife to it; and the Royal authority is this counterpoife.

In order to render it equal to such a task, the Constitution has, in the first place, conferred on the King, as we have feen before, the exclufive prerogative of calling and difmiffing the legislative Bodies, and of putting a negative on their refolutions.

Secondly, it has also placed on the fide of the King the whole Executive power in the Nation.

(a) We fhall fee in the fequel, that this diminution of the exercise of the power of the people, has been attended with a great increase of their liberty.

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Laftly, in order to effect ftill nearer an equilibrium, the Constitution has invested the Man whom it has made the fole Head of the State, with all the personal privileges, all the pomp, all the majefty, of which human dignities are capable. In the language of the law, the King is Sovereign Lord, and the people are his fubjects; he is univerfal proprietor of the whole Kingdom;-he bestows all the dignities and places-and he is not to be addreffed but with the expreffions and outward ceremony of almoft oriental humility. Besides, his perfon is facred and inviolable; and any attempt whatsoever against it, is, in the eye of the law, a crime equal to that of an attack against the whole State.

In a word, fince to have too exactly compleated the equilibrium between the power of the People, and that of the Crown, would have been to facrifice the end to the means, that is, to have endangered liberty with a view to strengthen the Government, the deficiency which ought to remain on the fide of the latter, has at leaft been in appearance made up, by conferring on the King all that

fort of strength that may refult from the opinion and reverence of the people; and amidst the agitations which are the unavoidable attendants of liberty, the Royal power, like an anchor which refifts both by its weight and the depth of its hold, insures a falutary steadiness to the veffel of the State.

The greatnefs of the prerogative of the King, by its thus procuring a great degree of stability to the State in general, has much leffened the poffibility of the evils we have described before; it has even totally prevented them, by rendering it impoffible for any Citizen ever to rife to any dangerous greatnefs.

And to begin with an advantage by which the people eafily fuffer themfelves to be influenced, I mean that of birth, it is impoffible for it ever to produce in England effects in any degree dangerous: for though there are Lords who, befides their wealth, may also boast of an illuftrious defcent, yet that advantage, being expofed to a continual comparifon with the fplendor of the Throne, dwindles almost to nothing; and in the gradation univerfally received of dignities and titles, that