The Method of Teaching and Studying the Belles Lettres; Or, an Introduction to Languages, Poetry, Rhetoric, History, Moral Philosophy, Physics, and C...

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1804 edition. Excerpt: ... not the power, the arms, the invasion of nations, but their cries, their complaints and their reproaches. It is difficult, a says he in another place, to tell you how odious the unjust and violent conduct of the governors, whom we send into our provinces, have made us to all foreign nations. There is no temple which they have held sacred, no city which they have respected, no private house has been barred or inaccessible to their avarice. This was the state of the republic in late times; and if we enquire into the first cause and origin of all-these disorders, we shall find, what I cannot repeat too often, that they were the insatiable love Of riches and luxury. '1 ', i. immoderate ambition, A boundless desire of rule, attended with factions, seditions, murders, and the entire subversion of liberty. p Tully, after Plato, lays down two essential-rules to be observed by persons employed in government. The first is to have no other view than.the public good, without the least regard to their own private interest; the second, to extend their cares equally to the whole body of the state, without, favouring one part more than another. For, adds he, a governor is a kind of guardian, and under that character must consider the interest of the person committed to his care, and not his own. And he who should take care of one part of the citizens oidy, apd neglect the rest, would introduce discord and sedition, than which nothing can be more pernicious to states...... Tt These may properlv be said to be the fundamental laws, of every wise and