Nevertheless, that
government is not perfect which is not provided at all points;
and in this (ad triarios res rediit) the elders being such as in
a martial state must be veterans, the commonwealth invaded
gathers strength like Antaeus by her fall, while the whole number
of the elders, consisting of 500,000, and the youth of as many,
being brought up according to the order, give twelve successive
battles, each battle consisting of 80,000 men, half elders and
half youth. And the commonwealth, whose constitution can be no
stranger to any of those virtues which are to be acquired in
human life, grows familiar with death ere she dies. If the hand
of God be upon her for her transgressions, she shall mourn for
her sins, and lie in the dust for her iniquities, without losing
her manhood.
"'Si fractus illabatur orbis,
Impavidam ferient ruinoe.'"
The remaining part, being the constitution of the provincial
orb, is partly civil, or consisting of the elders; and partly
military, or consisting of the youth. The civil part of the
provincial orb is directed by --
The twenty-eighth order, "Whereby the council of a province
being constituted of twelve knights, divided by four into three
regions (for their term and revolution conformable to the
Parliament), is perpetuated by the annual election at the tropic
of four knights (being triennial magistrates) out of the region
of the Senate whose term expires; and of one knight out of the
same region to be strategus or general of the province, which
magistracy is annual.
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