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Harrington, James, 1611-1677

"The Commonwealth of Oceana"


There is not any reason why your grandees, your wise men of this
age, that laugh out and openly at a commonwealth as the most
ridiculous thing, do not appear to be, as in this regard they
are, mere idiots, but that the people have not eyes."
There remains no more relating to the Senate and the people
than --
The twenty-fourth order, "Whereby it is lawful for the
province of Marpesia to have thirty knights of their own election
continually present in the Senate of Oceana, together with sixty
deputies of horse, and 120 of foot in the prerogative tribe,
endued with equal power (respect had to their quality and number)
in the debate and result of this commonwealth, provided that they
observe the course or rotation of the same by the annual return
of ten knights, twenty deputies of the horse, and forty of the
foot. The like in all respects is lawful for Panopea; and the
horse of both the provinces amounting to one troop, and the foot
to one company, one captain and one cornet of the horse shall be
annually chosen by Marpesia, and one captain and one ensign of
the foot shall be annually chosen by Panopea."
The orb of the prerogative being thus complete, is not
unnaturally compared to that of the moon, either in consideration
of the light borrowed from the Senate, as from the sun; or of the
ebbs and floods of the people, which are marked by the negative
or affirmative of this tribe.


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