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the commonwealth of oceana-第4章
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hy he may not hold one that is native in the like manner? To which I answer; because he can hold a foreign by a native territory; but not a native by a foreign; and as hitherto I have shown what is not the provincial balance; so by this answer it may appear what it is; namely; the overbalance of a native territory to a foreign; for as one country balances itself by the distribution of property according to the proportion of the same; so one country overbalances another by advantage of divers kinds。 For example; the Commonwealth of Rome overbalanced her provinces by the vigor of a more excellent government opposed to a crazier。 Or by a more exquisite militia opposed to one inferior in courage or discipline。 The like was that of the Mamelukes; being a hardy people; to the Egyptians; that were a soft one。 And the balance of situation is in this kind of wonderful effect; seeing the King of Denmark; being none of the most potent princes; is able at the Sound to take toll of the greatest; and as this King; by the advantage of the land; can make the sea tributary; so Venice; by the advantage of the sea; in whose arms she is impregnable; can make the land to feed her gulf。 For the colonies in the Indies; they are yet babes that cannot live without sucking the breasts of their mother cities; but such as I mistake if when they come of age they do not wean themselves; which causes me to wonder at princes that delight to be exhausted in that way。 And so much for the principles of power; whether national or provincial; domestic or foreign; being such as are external; and founded in the goods of fortune。 I come to the principles of authority; which are internal; and founded upon the goods of the mind。 These the legislator that can unite in his government with those of fortune; comes nearest to the work of God; whose government consists of heaven and earth; which was said by Plato; though in different words; as; when princes should be philosophers; or philosophers princes; the world would be happy。 And says Solomon: 〃There is an evil which I have seen under the sun; which proceeds from the ruler (enimvero neque nobilem; neque ingenuum; nec libertinum quidem armis praeponere; regia utilitas est)。 Folly is set in great dignity; and the rich (either in virtue and wisdom; in the goods of the mind; or those of fortune upon that balance which gives them a sense of the national interest) sit in low places。 I have seen servants upon horses; and princes walking as servants upon the earth。〃 Sad complaints; that the principles of power and of authority; the goods of the mind and of fortune; do not meet and twine in the wreath or crown of empire! Wherefore; if we have anything of piety or of prudence; let us raise ourselves out of the mire of private interest to the contemplation of virtue; and put a hand to the removal of 〃this evil from under the sun;〃 this evil against which no government that is not secured can be good; this evil from which the government that is secure must be perfect。 Solomon tells us that the cause of it is from the ruler; from those principles of power; which; balanced upon earthly trash; exclude the heavenly treasures of virtue; and that influence of it upon government which is authority。 We have wandered the earth to find out the balance of power; but to find out that of authority we must ascend; as I said; nearer heaven; or to the image of God; which is the soul of man。 The soul of man (whose life or motion is perpetual contemplation or thought) is the mistress of two potent rivals; the one reason; the other passion; that are in continual suit; and; according as she gives up her will to these or either of them; is the felicity or misery which man partakes in this mortal life。 For; as whatever was passion in the contemplation of a man; being brought forth by his will into action; is vice and the bondage of sin; so whatever was reason in the contemplation of a man; being brought forth by his will into action; is virtue and the freedom of soul。 Again; as those actions of a man that were sin acquire to himself repentance or shame; and affect others with scorn or pity; so those actions of a man that are virtue acquire to himself honor; and upon others authority。 Now government is no other than the soul of a nation or city: wherefore that which was reason in the debate of a commonwealth being brought forth by the result; must be virtue; and forasmuch as the soul of a city or nation is the sovereign power; her virtue must be law。 But the government whose law is virtue; and whose virtue is law; is the same whose empire is authority; and whose authority is empire。 Again; if the liberty of a man consists in the empire of his reason; the absence whereof would betray him to the bondage of his passions; then the liberty of a commonwealth consists in the empire of her laws; the absence whereof would betray her to the lust of tyrants。 And these I conceive to be the principles upon which Aristotle and Livy (injuriously accused by Leviathan for not writing out of nature) have grounded their assertion; 〃that a commonwealth is an empire of laws and not of men。〃 But they must not carry it so。 〃For;〃 says he; 〃the liberty whereof there is so frequent and honorable mention in the histories and philosophy of the ancient Greeks and Romans; and the writings and discourses of those that from them have received all their learning in the politics; is not the liberty of particular men; but the liberty of the commonwealth。〃 He might as well have said that the estates of particular men in a commonwealth are not the riches of particular men; but the riches of the commonwealth; for equality of estates causes equality of power; and equality of power is the liberty; not only of the commonwealth; but of every man。 But sure a man would never be thus irreverent with the greatest authors; and positive against all antiquity without some certain demonstration of truth and what is it? Why; 〃there is written on the turrets of the city of Lucca in great characters at this day the word LIBERTAS; yet no man can thence infer that a particular man has more liberty or immunity from the service of the commonwealth there than in Constantinople。 Whether a commonwealth be monarchical or popular the freedom is the same。〃 The mountain has brought forth; and we have a little equivocation! For to say that a Lucchese has no more liberty or immunIty from the laws of Lucca than a Turk has from those of Constantinople; and to say that a Lucchese has no more liberty or immunity by the laws of Lucca; than a Turk has by those of Constantinople; are pretty different speeches。 The first may be said of all governments alike; the second scarce of any two; much less of these; seeing it is known that; whereas the greatest Bashaw is a tenant; as well of his head as of his estate; at the will of his lord; the meanest Lucchese that has land is a freeholder of both; and not to be controlled but by the law; and that framed by every private man to no other end (or they may thank themselves) than to protect the liberty of every private man; which by that means comes to be the liberty of the commonwealth。 But seeing they that make the laws in commonwealths are but men; the
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