第6章

类别:其他 作者:Baron Charles De Secondat Mont字数:10546更新时间:19/01/07 15:06:43
Indespoticstates,eachhouseisaseparategovernment。Aseducation,therefore,consistschieflvinsocialconverse,itmustbehereverymuchlimited;allitdoesistostriketheheartwithfear,andtoimprintontheunderstandingaverysimplenotionofafewprinciplesofreligion。Learninghereprovesdangerous,emulationfatal;andastovirtue,Aristotle[3]cannotthinkthatthereisanyonevirtuebelongingtoslaves;ifso,educationindespoticcountriesisconfinedwithinaverynarrowcompass。 Here,therefore,educationisinsomemeasureneedless:togivesomething,onemusttakeawayeverything,andbeginwithmakingabadsubjectinordertomakeagoodslave。 Forwhyshouldeducationtakepainsinformingagoodcitizen,onlytomakehimshareinthepublicmisery?Ifheloveshiscountry,hewillstrivetorelaxthespringsofgovernment;ifhemiscarrieshewillbeundone;ifhesucceeds,hemustexposehimself,theprince,andhiscountrytoruin。 4。DifferencebetweentheEffectsofAncientandModernEducation。Mostoftheancientslivedundergovernmentsthathadvirtuefortheirprinciple;andwhenthiswasinfullvigourtheyperformedactionsunusualinourtimes,andatwhichournarrowmindsareastonished。 Anotheradvantagetheireducationpossessedoverourswasthatitnevercouldbeeffacedbycontraryimpressions。Epaminondas,thelastyearofhislife,said,heard,beheld,andperformedtheverysamethingsasattheageinwhichhereceivedthefirstprinciplesofhiseducation。 Inourdayswereceivethreedifferentorcontraryeducations,namely,ofourparents,ofourmasters,andoftheworld。Whatwelearninthelattereffacesalltheideasoftheformer。This,insomemeasure,arisesfromthecontrastweexperiencebetweenourreligiousandworldlyengagements,athingunknowntotheancients。 5。OfEducationinaRepublicanGovernment。Itisinarepublicangovernmentthatthewholepowerofeducationisrequired。Thefearofdespoticgovernmentsnaturallyarisesofitselfamidstthreatsandpunishments;thehonourofmonarchiesisfavouredbythepassions,andfavourstheminitsturn;butvirtueisaself—renunciation,whichiseverarduousandpainful。 Thisvirtuemaybedefinedastheloveofthelawsandofourcountry。 Assuchloverequiresaconstantpreferenceofpublictoprivateinterest,itisthesourceofallprivatevirtues;fortheyarenothingmorethanthisverypreferenceitself。 Thisloveispeculiartodemocracies。Inthesealonethegovernmentisentrustedtoprivatecitizens。Nowagovernmentislikeeverythingelse: topreserveitwemustloveit。 Hasiteverbeenknownthatkingswerenotfondofmonarchy,orthatdespoticprinceshatedarbitrarypower? Everythingthereforedependsonestablishingthisloveinarepublic; andtoinspireitoughttobetheprincipalbusinessofeducation:butthesurestwayofinstillingitintochildrenisforparentstosetthemanexample。 Peoplehaveitgenerallyintheirpowertocommunicatetheirideastotheirchildren;buttheyarestillbetterabletotransfusetheirpassions。 Ifithappensotherwise,itisbecausetheimpressionsmadeathomeareeffacedbythosetheyhavereceivedabroad。 Itisnottheyoungpeoplethatdegenerate;theyarenotspoiledtillthoseofmatureragearealreadysunkintocorruption。 6。OfsomeInstitutionsamongtheGreeks。TheancientGreeks,convincedofthenecessitythatpeoplewholiveunderapopulargovernmentshouldbetraineduptovirtue,madeverysingularinstitutionsinordertoinspireit。UponseeinginthelifeofLycurgusthelawsthatlegislatorgavetotheLaced?monians,IimagineIamreadingthehistoryoftheSevarambes。ThelawsofCretewerethemodelofthoseofSparta;andthoseofPlatoreformedthem。 Letusreflectherealittleontheextensivegeniuswithwhichthoselegislatorsmusthavebeenendowed,toperceivethatbystrikingatreceivedcustoms,andbyconfoundingallmannerofvirtues,theyshoulddisplaytheirwisdomtotheuniverse。Lycurgus,byblendingtheftwiththespiritofjustice,thehardestservitudewithexcessofliberty,themostrigidsentimentswiththegreatestmoderation,gavestabilitytohiscity。Heseemedtodepriveherofallresources,suchasarts,commerce,money,andwalls;ambitionprevailedamongthecitizenswithouthopesofimprovingtheirfortune;theyhadnaturalsentimentswithoutthetieofason,husband,orfather;andchastitywasstrippedevenofmodestyandshame。ThiswastheroadthatledSpartatograndeurandglory;andsoinfallibleweretheseinstitutions,thatitsignifiednothingtogainavictoryoverthatrepublicwithoutsubvertingherpolity。[4] BytheselawsCreteandLaconiaweregoverned。SpartawasthelastthatfellapreytotheMacedonians,andCretetotheRomans。[5] TheSamniteshadthesameinstitutions,whichfurnishedthoseveryRomanswiththesubjectoffour—and—twentytriumphs。[6] AcharactersoextraordinaryintheinstitutionsofGreecehasshownitselflatelyinthedregsandcorruptionsofmoderntimes。[7]AveryhonestlegislatorhasformedapeopletowhomprobityseemsasnaturalasbraverytotheSpartans。Mr。PennisarealLycurgus:andthoughtheformermadepeacehisprincipalaim,asthelatterdidwar,yettheyresembleoneanotherinthesingularwayoflivingtowhichtheyreducedtheirpeople,intheascendanttheyhadoverfreemen,intheprejudicestheyovercame,andinthepassionswhichtheysubdued。 AnotherexamplewehavefromParaguay。Thishasbeenthesubjectofaninvidiouschargeagainstasocietythatconsidersthepleasureofcommandingastheonlyhappinessinlife:butitwillbeeveragloriousundertakingtorenderagovernmentsubservienttohumanhappiness。[8] Itisgloriousindeedforthissocietytohavebeenthefirstinpointingouttothosecountriestheideaofreligionjoinedwiththatofhumanity。ByrepairingthedevastationsoftheSpaniards,shehasbeguntohealoneofthemostdangerouswoundsthatthehumanspecieseverreceived。 Anexquisitesensibilitytowhatevershedistinguishesbythenameofhonour,joinedtoherzealforareligionwhichisfarmorehumblinginrespecttothosewhoreceivethantothosewhopreachitsdoctrines,hassetheruponvastundertakings,whichshehasaccomplishedwithsuccess。 Shehasdrawnwildpeoplefromtheirwoods,securedthemamaintenance,andclothedtheirnakedness;andhadsheonlybythisstepimprovedtheindustryofmankind,itwouldhavebeensufficienttoeterniseherfame。 TheywhoshallattempthereaftertointroducelikeinstitutionsmustestablishthecommunityofgoodsasprescribedinPlato’srepublic;thathighrespectherequiredforthegods;thatseparationfromstrangers,forthepreservationofmorals;andanextensivecommercecarriedonbythecommunity,andnotbyprivatecitizens:theymustgiveourartswithoutourluxury,andourwantswithoutourdesires。 Theymustproscribemoney,theeffectsofwhicharetoswellpeople’sfortunesbeyondtheboundsprescribedbynature;tolearntopreservefornopurposewhathasbeenidlyhoardedup;tomultiplywithoutendourdesires;andtosupplythesterilityofnature,fromwhomwehavereceivedveryscantymeansofinflamingourpassions,andofcorruptingeachother。 \"TheEpidamnians,[9]perceivingtheirmoralsdepravedbyconversingwithbarbarians,choseamagistrateformakingallcontractsandsalesinthenameandbehalfofthecity。\"Commercethendoesnotcorrupttheconstitution,andtheconstitutiondoesnotdeprivesocietyoftheadvantagesofcommerce。 7。InwhatCasesthesesingularInstitutionsmaybeofService。 Institutionsofthiskindmaybeproperinrepublics,becausetheyhavevirtuefortheirprinciple;buttoexcitementohonourinmonarchies,ortoinspirefearindespoticgovernments,lesstroubleisnecessary。 Besides,theycantakeplacebutinasmallstate,[10]inwhichthereisapossibilityofgeneraleducation,andoftrainingupthebodyofthepeoplelikeasinglefamily。 ThelawsofMinos,ofLycurgus,andofPlatosupposeaparticularattentionandcare,whichthecitizensoughttohaveoveroneanother’sconduct。Butanattentionofthiskindcannotbeexpectedintheconfusionandmultitudeofaffairsinwhichalargenationisentangled。 Ininstitutionsofthiskind,money,aswehaveaboveobserved,mustbebanished。Butingreatsocieties,themultiplicity,variety,embarrassment,andimportanceofaffairs,aswellasthefacilityofpurchasing,andtheslownessofexchange,requireacommonmeasure。Inordertosupportorextendourpower,wemustbepossessedofthemeanstowhich,bytheunanimousconsentofmankind,thispowerisannexed。 8。ExplanationofaParadoxoftheAncientsinrespecttoManners。Thatjudiciouswriter,Polybius,informsusthatmusicwasnecessarytosoftenthemannersoftheArcadians,wholivedinacold,gloomycountry;thattheinhabitantsofCynete,whoslightedmusic,werethecruellestofalltheGreeks,andthatnoothertownwassoimmersedinluxuryanddebauchery。Plato[11]isnotafraidtoaffirmthatthereisnopossibilityofmakingachangeinmusicwithoutalteringtheframeofgovernment。Aristotle,whoseemstohavewrittenhisPoliticsonlyinordertocontradictPlato,agreeswithhim,notwithstanding,inregardtothepowerandinfluenceofmusicoverthemannersofthepeople。[12] ThiswasalsotheopinionofTheophrastus,ofPlutarch[13]andofalltheancients——anopiniongroundedonmaturereflection;beingoneoftheprinciplesoftheirpolity。[14]Thusitwastheyenactedlaws,andthustheyrequiredthatcitiesshouldbegoverned。 ThisIfancymustbeexplainedinthefollowingmanner。ItisobservablethatinthecitiesofGreece,especiallythosewhose。principalobjectwaswar,alllucrativeartsandprofessionswereconsideredunworthyofafreeman。\"Mostarts,\"saysXenophon,[15]\"corruptandenervatethebodiesofthosethatexercisethem;theyobligethemtositintheshade,ornearthefire。Theycanfindnoleisure,eitherfortheirfriendsorfortherepublic。\"Itwasonlybythecorruptionofsomedemocraciesthatartisansbecamefreemen。ThiswelearnfromAristotle,[16]whomaintainsthatawell—regulatedrepublicwillnevergivethemtherightandfreedomofthecity。[17] Agriculturewaslikewiseaservileprofession,andgenerallypractisedbytheinhabitantsofconqueredcountries,suchastheHelotesamongtheLaced?monians,thePerieciansamongtheCretans,thePenestesamongtheThessalians,andotherconquered[18]peopleinotherrepublics。 Infine,everykindoflowcommerce[19]wasinfamousamongtheGreeks; asitobligedacitizentoserveandwaitonaslave,onalodger,orastranger。ThiswasanotionthatclashedwiththespiritofGreekliberty;hencePlato[20]inhisLawsordersacitizentobepunishedifheattemptstoconcernhimselfwithtrade。 ThusintheGreekrepublicsthemagistrateswereextremelyembarrassed。 Theywouldnothavethecitizensapplythemselvestotrade,toagriculture,ortothearts,andyettheywouldnothavethemidle。[21] Theyfound,therefore,employmentforthemingymnicandmilitaryexercises;andnoneelsewereallowedbytheirinstitution。[22]HencetheGreeksmustbeconsideredasasocietyofwrestlersandboxers。Now,theseexerciseshavinganaturaltendencytorenderpeoplehardyandfierce,therewasanecessityfortemperingthemwithothersthatmightsoftentheirmanners。[23]Forthispurpose,music,whichinfluencesthemindbymeansofthecorporealorgans,wasextremelyproper。Itisakindofmediumbetweenmanlyexercises,whichhardenthebody,andspeculativesciences,whichareapttorenderusunsociableandsour。Itcannotbesaidthatmusicinspiredvirtue,forthiswouldbeinconceivable:butitpreventedtheeffectsofasavageinstitution,andenabledthesoultohavesuchashareintheeducationasitcouldneverhavehadwithouttheassistanceofharmony。 Letussupposeamongourselvesasocietyofmensopassionatelyfondofhuntingastomakeittheirsoleemployment;theywoulddoubtlesscontracttherebyakindofrusticityandfierceness。Butiftheyhappentoimbibeatasteformusic,weshouldquicklyperceiveasensibledifferenceintheircustomsandmanners。Inshort,theexercisesusedbytheGreekscouldraisebutonekindofpassions,viz。,fierceness,indignation,andcruelty。Butmusicexcitesallthese;andislikewiseabletoinspirethesoulwithasenseofpity,lenity,tenderness,andlove。Ourmoralwriters,whodeclaimsovehementlyagainstthestage,sufficientlydemonstratethepowerofmusicoverthemind。 Ifthesocietyabovementionedweretohavenoothermusicthanthatofdrums,andthesoundofthetrumpet,woulditnotbemoredifficulttoaccomplishthisendthanbythemoremeltingtonesofsofterharmony? Theancientswerethereforeintherightwhen,underparticularcircumstances,theypreferredonemodetoanotherinregardtomanners。 Butsomewillask,whyshouldmusicbepitcheduponaspreferabletoanyotherentertainment?Itisbecauseofallsensiblepleasuresthereisnonethatlesscorruptsthesoul。WeblushtoreadinPlutarch[24]thattheThebans,inordertosoftenthemannersoftheiryouth,authorisedbylawapassionwhichoughttobeproscribedbyallnations。 ______ 1。Seed’Aubigny’sHistory。 2。Wementionherewhatactuallyis,andnotwhatoughttobe;honourisaprejudice,whichreligionsometimesendeavourstoremove,andatothertimestoregulate。 3。Politics,i。13。 4。PhilopoemenobligedtheLaced?monianstochangetheirmannerofeducatingtheirchildren,beingconvincedthatifhedidnottakethismeasuretheywouldalwaysbenotedfortheirmagnanimity。——Plutarch,Philopoemen。SeeLivy,xxxviii。 5。Shedefendedherlawsandlibertyforthespaceofthreeyears。Seethe98th,99th,and100thbookofLivy,inFlorus’sepitome。Shemadeabraverresistancethanthegreatestkings。 6。Florus,i。16。 7。InfeceRomuli。——Cicero,LetterstoAtticus,ii。1。 8。TheIndiansofParaguaydonotdependonanyparticularlord;theypayonlyafifthofthetaxes,andareallowedtheuseoffirearmstodefendthemselves。 9。PlutarchinhisQuestionsConcerningtheGreekAffairs,xxix。 10。SuchaswereformerlythecitiesofGreece。 11。Republic,iv。 12。Politics,viii。5。 13。Pelopidas。 14。Plato,inhisseventhbookofLaws,saysthatthepr?fecturesofmusicandgymnicexercisesarethemostimportantemploymentsinthecity;and,inhisRepublic,iii,Damonwilltellyou,sayshe,whatsoundsarecapableofcorruptingthemindwithbasesentiments,orofinspiringthecontraryvirtues。 15。Memorabilia,v。 16。Politics,iii。4。 17。Diophantes,saysAristotle,Politics,ii。7,madealawformerlyatAthens,thatartisansshouldbeslavestotherepublic。 18。Plato,likewise,andAristotlerequireslavestotilltheland,Laws,viii。Politics,vii。10。Trueitisthatagriculturewasnoteverywhereexercisedbyslaves:onthecontrary,Aristotleobservesthebestrepublicswerethoseinwhichthecitizensthemselvestilledtheland:butthiswasbroughtaboutbythecorruptionoftheancientgovernments,whichhadbecomedemocratic:forinearliertimesthecitiesofGreeceweresubjecttoanaristocraticgovernment。 19。Cauponatio。 20。Bookv。 21。Aristotle,Politics,vii—viii。 22。Ibid。,viii。3。 23。AristotleobservesthatthechildrenoftheLaced?monians,whobegantheseexercisesataverytenderage,contractedthencetoogreataferocityandrudenessofbehaviour。——Ibid。,viii。4。 24。Pelopidas。 BookV。ThattheLawsGivenbytheLegislatorOughttoBeinRelationtothePrincipleofGovernment1。IdeaofthisBook。Thatthelawsofeducationshouldrelatetotheprincipleofeachgovernmenthasbeenshownintheprecedingbook。Nowthesamemaybesaidofthosewhichthelegislatorgivestothewholesociety。Therelationoflawstothisprinciplestrengthenstheseveralspringsofgovernment;andthisprinciplederivesthence,initsturn,anewdegreeofvigour。Andthusitisinmechanics,thatactionisalwaysfollowedbyreaction。 Ourdesignis,toexaminethisrelationineachgovernment,beginningwiththerepublicanstate,theprincipleofwhichisvirtue。 2。WhatismeantbyVirtueinapoliticalState。Virtueinarepublicisamostsimplething:itisaloveoftherepublic;itisasensation,andnotaconsequenceofacquiredknowledge:asensationthatmaybefeltbythemeanestaswellasbythehighestpersoninthestate。Whenthecommonpeopleadoptgoodmaxims,theyadheretothemmoresteadilythanthosewhomwecallgentlemen。Itisveryrarelythatcorruptioncommenceswiththeformer:nay,theyfrequentlyderivefromtheirimperfectlightastrongerattachmenttotheestablishedlawsandcustoms。 Theloveofourcountryisconducivetoapurityofmorals,andthelatterisagainconducivetotheformer。Thelessweareabletosatisfyourprivatepassions,themoreweabandonourselvestothoseofageneralnature。Howcomesitthatmonksaresofondoftheirorder?Itisowingtotheverycausethatrenderstheorderinsupportable。Theirruledebarsthemfromallthosethingsbywhichtheordinarypassionsarefed;thereremainsthereforeonlythispassionfortheveryrulethattormentsthem。Themoreaustereitis,thatis,themoreitcurbstheirinclinations,themoreforceitgivfestotheonlypassionleftthem。 3。WhatismeantbyaLoveoftheRepublicinaDemocracy。Aloveoftherepublicinademocracyisaloveofthedemocracy;asthelatteristhatofequality。 Aloveofthedemocracyislikewisethatoffrugality。Sinceeveryindividualoughtheretoenjoythesamehappinessandthesameadvantages,theyshouldconsequentlytastethesamepleasuresandformthesamehopes,whichcannotbeexpectedbutfromageneralfrugality。 Theloveofequalityinademocracylimitsambitiontothesoledesire,tothesolehappiness,ofdoinggreaterservicestoourcountrythantherestofourfellow—citizens。Theycannotallrenderherequalservices,buttheyalloughttoserveherwithequalalacrity。Atourcomingintotheworld,wecontractanimmensedebttoourcountry,whichwecanneverdischarge。 Hencedistinctionsherearisefromtheprincipleofequality,evenwhenitseemstoberemovedbysignalservicesorsuperiorabilities。 Theloveoffrugalitylimitsthedesireofhavingtothestudyofprocuringnecessariestoourfamily,andsuperfluitiestoourcountry。 Richesgiveapowerwhichacitizencannotuseforhimself,forthenhewouldbenolongerequal。Theylikewiseprocurepleasureswhichheoughtnottoenjoy,becausethesewouldbealsorepugnanttotheequality。 Thuswell—regulateddemocracies,byestablishingdomesticfrugality,madewayatthesametimeforpublicexpenses,aswasthecaseatRomeandAthens,whenmagnificenceandprofusionarosefromtheveryfundoffrugality。Andasreligioncommandsustohavepureandunspottedhandswhenwemakeourofferingstothegods,thelawsrequiredafrugalityoflifetoenablethemtobeliberaltoourcountry。 Thegoodsenseandhappinessofindividualsdependgreatlyuponthemediocrityoftheirabilitiesandfortunes。Therefore,asarepublic,wherethelawshaveplacedmanyinamiddlingstation,iscomposedofwisemen,itwillbewiselygoverned;asitiscomposedofhappymen,itwillbeextremelyhappy。 4。InwhatMannertheLoveofEqualityandFrugalityisinspired。Theloveofequalityandofafrugaleconomyisgreatlyexcitedbyequalityandfrugalitythemselves,insocietieswhereboththesevirtuesareestablishedbylaw。 Inmonarchiesanddespoticgovernments,nobodyaimsatequality;thisdoesnotsomuchasentertheirthoughts;theyallaspiretosuperiority。Peopleoftheverylowestconditiondesiretoemergefromtheirobscurity,onlytolorditovertheirfellow—subjects。 Itisthesamewithrespecttofrugality。Toloveit,wemustpractiseandenjoyit。Itisnotthosewhoareenervatedbypleasurethatarefondofafrugallife;werethisnaturalandcommon,Alcibiadeswouldneverhavebeentheadmirationoftheuniverse。Neitherisitthosewhoenvyoradmiretheluxuryofthegreat;peoplethathavepresenttotheirviewnonebutrichmen,ormenmiserablelikethemselves,detesttheirwretchedcondition,withoutlovingorknowingtherealtermorpointofmisery。 Atruemaximitis,therefore,thatinordertoloveequalityandfrugalityinarepublic,thesevirtuesmusthavebeenpreviouslyestablishedbylaw。 5。InwhatMannertheLawsestablishEqualityinaDemocracy。Someancientlegislators,asLycurgusandRomulus,madeanequaldivisionoflands。Asettlementofthiskindcannevertakeplaceexceptuponthefoundationofanewrepublic;orwhentheoldoneissocorrupt,andthemindsofthepeoplearesodisposed,thatthepoorthinkthemselvesobligedtodemand,andtherichobligedtoconsenttoaremedyofthisnature。 Ifthelegislator,inmakingadivisionofthiskind,doesnotenactlawsatthesametimetosupportit,heformsonlyatemporaryconstitution;inequalitywillbreakinwherethelawshavenotprecludedit,andtherepublicwillbeutterlyundone。 Henceforthepreservationofthisequalityitisabsolutelynecessarythereshouldbesomeregulationinrespecttowomen’sdowries,donations,successions,testamentarysettlements,andallotherformsofcontracting。Forwereweonceallowedtodisposeofourpropertytowhomandhowwepleased,thewillofeachindividualwoulddisturbtheorderofthefundamentallaw。 Solon,bypermittingtheAthenians,uponfailureofissue[1]toleavetheirestatestowhomtheypleased,actedcontrarytotheancientlaws,bywhichtheestateswereorderedtocontinueinthefamilyofthetestator;[2]andevencontrarytohisownlaws,forbyabolishingdebtshehadaimedatequality。 Thelawwhichprohibitedpeoplehavingtwoinheritances[3]wasextremelywelladaptedforademocracy。Itderiveditsoriginfromtheequaldistributionoflandsandportionsmadetoeachcitizen。Thelawwouldnotpermitasinglemantopossessmorethanasingleportion。 Fromthesamesourcearosethoselawsbywhichthenextrelativewasorderedtomarrytheheiress。ThislawwasgiventotheJewsafterthelikedistribution。Plato,[4]whogroundshislawsonthisdivision,madethesameregulationwhichhadbeenreceivedasalawbytheAthenians。 AtAthenstherewasalawwhosespirit,inmyopinion,hasnotbeenhithertorightlyunderstood。Itwaslawfultomarryasisteronlybythefather’sside,butitwasnotpermittedtoespouseasisterbythesameventer。[5]Thiscustomwasoriginallyowingtorepublics,whosespiritwouldnotpermitthattwoportionsofland,andconsequentlytwoinheritances,shoulddevolveonthesameperson。Amanwhomarriedhissisteronlybythefather’ssidecouldinheritbutoneestate,namely,thatofhisfather;butbyespousinghissisterbythesameventer,itmighthappenthatthissister’sfather,havingnomaleissue,mightleaveherhisestate,andconsequentlythebrotherwhomarriedhermightbepossessedoftwo。 LittlewillitavailtoobjecttowhatPhilosays,[6]thatalthoughtheAthenianswereallowedtomarryasisterbythefather’sside,andnotbythemother’s,yetthecontrarypracticeprevailedamongtheLaced?monians,whowerepermittedtoespouseasisterbythemother’sside,andnotbythefather’s。ForIfindinStrabo[7]thatatSparta,wheneverawomanwasmarriedtoherbrothershehadhalfhisportionforherdowry。Plainisitthatthissecondlawwasmadeinordertopreventthebadconsequencesoftheformer。Thattheestatebelongingtothesister’sfamilymightnotdevolveonthebrother’s,theygavehalfthebrother’sestatetothesisterforherdowry。 Seneca[8]speakingofSilanus,whohadmarriedhissister,saysthatthepermissionwaslimitedatAthens,butgeneralatAlexandria。Inamonarchicalgovernmenttherewasverylittleconcernaboutanysuchthingasadivisionofestates。 Excellentwasthatlawwhich,inordertomaintainthisdivisionoflandsinademocracy,ordainedthatafatherwhohadseveralchildrenshouldpitchupononeofthemtoinherithisportion,[9]andleavetheotherstobeadopted,totheendthatthenumbersofcitizensmightalwaysbekeptuponanequalitywiththatofthedivisions。