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Harrington, James, 1611-1677

"The Commonwealth of Oceana"


"The services performed by the youth, or by the elders, in
case of invasion, and according to this order, shall be at their
proper cost and charges that are any ways able to endure it; but
if there be such as are known in their parishes to be so indigent
that they cannot march out of their tribes, nor undergo the
burden in this case incumbent, then the congregations of their
parishes shall furnish them with sufficient sums of money to be
repaid upon the certificate of the same by the Parliament when
the action shall be over. And of that which is respectively
enjoined by this order, any tribe, parish, magistrate, or person
that shall fail, is to answer for it, at the Council of War, as a
deserter of his country."
The Archon, being the greatest captain of his own, if not of
any age, added much to the glory of this commonwealth, by
interweaving the militia with more art and lustre than any
legislator from or before the time of Servius Tullius, who
constituted the Roman militia. But as the bones or skeleton of a
man, though the greatest part of his beauty be contained in their
proportion or symmetry, yet shown without flesh are a spectacle
that is rather horrid than entertaining, so without discourses
are the orders of a commonwealth; which, if she goes forth in
that manner, may complain of her friends that they stand mute and
staring upon her.


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