that he conceived the noble Defign of reforming and new-modelling entirely the Government of Sparta. The better to effectuate this, he undertook several Voyages, firft into the Island of Crete, whose fevere and rigorous Laws were then very famous; from thence he paffed into Afia, where the Laws were more gentle and easy; and from Afia into Egypt,at that time accounted the Source and Habitation of Science and Wisdom. Out of all thofe different Laws and Forms of Government, Lycurgus pick'd out what he thought best and most perfect, and by ballancing, comparing, and tempering them one with another, he compofed that Body of Laws, and that Form of Government, which have ever fince been Matter of Surprize and Wonder to the reft of Mankind

Being return'd to Lacedemon, he first of all gain'd over to his fide the leading Men of the Republick, and after he had communicated his Defign to them, he rushed into the most publick Place, accompany'd by an armed Force, the more to furprize and awe fuch as might poffibly oppose him; and there published his Laws, and that Form of Government that he purposed to establish, which may very aptly be reduced to three principal Heads, or Eftablishments: The most confiderable of which was the Establishment of a Senate, of twenty eight Perfons, invefted with a Power equal to that of their Kings, which before that time had been too abfolute. And whereas their Government was formerly very unsteady and precarious, fometimes tending towards Tyranny, by the Violence of their Kings; at other times inclining to Democracy, by the too great Licentioufnefs and Inconftancy of a mutinous

People;

HISTORIA LITTERARIA. People; this Senate ferved as a Counterpoife to both, kept the Government in an Equili brium, and gave the Conftitution a firm, eftablifhed, and durable Foundation. The Senate fkreen'd the Royal Prerogative from the Encroachments of the People; and fecured the People from the tyrannical Ufurpations of their Kings, if at any time they attempted to extend that Prerogative beyond its juft Limits.

But Lycurgus's Succeffors, finding the Power of the Senate too extenfive, Theopompus (a hundred and thirty Years after Lycurgus) oppofed to it five other Magiftrates, annually chofen from the Body of the People, not unlike in their Office and Power to the Tribunes of the People of Rome: Thefe were arm'd with very great Authority, even of imprifoning, (if there was occafion for it,) the Kings themselves; which they actually exerted in the Cafe of Paufanias. Thus by the wife Provifion and Management of Lycurgus, the Government of Sparta was fettled upon the furest, best, and moft reasonable Foundation.

The King was arm'd with all the Power neceffary for making his Government eafy, his People happy, and for fupporting the Dignity of his Crown. The Nobles had a great share in the Government, and the People were not altogether excluded from it. Under this Form of Government, Lacedemon maintained itself in an uniform Obfervation of its Laws, and a conftant Terror to all its Enemies, for the space of 700 Years.

I have dwelt the longer upon this Part of the Article, both becaufe of the Similitude that is to be observ'd in the Spartan Government with our own happy Conftitution, as to what relates

to

to the Balance of Power; as alfo to do justice to the Candour of our Author, who so bravely ventured to put thefe Truths in the moft glaring Light, tho' living under a Government the moft tyrannical and abfolute.

Lycurgus in the next place, in order to take away all Diftinction from among his People, except what was founded upon Virtue alone, made an equal Diftribution of all the Lands and Riches in his Kingdom. The first he easily executed; but he met with much greater difficulty in bringing about the fecond :till at length he contrived a Method to eradicate entirely, and fap the very Foundation of Avarice, and an immoderate Defire of Riches,even out of the very Hearts of his People: Firft, by forbidding the use of Gold, and introducing Iron Coin in the place of it; the Value of which he made fo low, that twenty five Pounds Sterling was as much as two Oxen could draw in a Carriage: And fecondly, by establishing fumptuary Laws, whereby he obliged all his Subjects to eat in common, and of the fame Meats; nor were any, not even the King himself, difpenfed from, or allowed to evade the Observance of this Law. They commonly eat in publick Halls, and were ranged fifteen at each Table. The Parents were obliged to bring their Children there alfo, as to a School of Wisdom and Temperance; where they neither heard, nor faw any thing but what tended to their Improvement: and tho' the Converfation turn'd for the moft part on grave and ferious Subjects, yet fometimes it was more enlivened and feafoned with the most refined and polite Strokes of Wit and Raillery; but never had the leaft TinЄture of any thing that was low, unmannerly, or fhocking. Lycurgus

Lycurgus did not think it proper to commit his Laws to Writing, being perfuaded, that the most effectual Way to make a People virtuous and happy, was to make the Practice of the Laws habitual, and confequently eafy to them. For this reafon he believed, that nothing more deferv'd the Care of the Legiflature, than the Education of Children; for Youth educated with care, and who have Sentiments of Virtue, Honour, and Obedience to the Laws, early inculcated upon them, become in time their own Law.

The Education of the young Spartans was not therefore left to their Parents, but was, by Lycurgus's Appointment, made the Care of the Publick; and as the Lacedemonians were a warlike Nation, fo the Education of their Youth tended chiefly to fit them for Feats of Arms. As foon as they were born, the Ancients of each Tribe viewed their Bodies, and if they found them ftrong and well-form'd, they provided for their Nourifhment, by affigning them a Portion of Land; if otherwife, they were expos'd and condemned to perifh. Their Exercifes of all kinds were fuch, as contributed to render them patient, obedient, hardened and inured to Fatigue, couragious, and such as inIpired them with a Love of Virtue.

Our Author, in the remaining Part of this Article, fpends fome general Reflexions on the Faults and Imperfections of Lycurgus's Laws; and afterwards, in a few Words, difplays the many Excellencies of them. It is no fmall Commendation, both of his Laws and Form of Government, that Plato, Diogenes, Zeno, and in general all the ancient Sages, who have undertaken to offer Rules for the Establishment

of

of a Commonwealth, have chofe his for a Model, tho' it be alfo liable to many Imperfections. The Law which authorized the expofing of Infants, the general Contempt of the politer Arts and Sciences, their Cruelty to their Slaves, by putting it in the power of every private Perfon to murder and deftroy them at pleasure; in fine, their Stoical Neglect of Decency, and the Dif regard they had of the Modefty of Women, are fuch Blemishes as cannot well be excufed.

ARTICLE VIII. Mr. Rollin, in this Article gives us an account of the various Revolutions and Changes that happened in the Government of Athens; he acquaints us that firft of all they had Kings invefted with no other Power than to command their Armies in the Time of War; fo that in effect, they were only Generals of their Armies, much like the old Saxon Kings.

Medon and Nile, the two Sons of Codrus, difputing with one another about the Crown, were both excluded by the Athenians, the Regal Power entirely abolished, and a new Magistrate or perpetual Governor, under the Name of Archon, chofe in its place, which they afterwards changed to continue only for ten Years; but thinking even that Time too long, they ordered them at length to be annually elected.

But afterwards finding, that a Magi ftrate invefted with fo little Power, and of fo fhort a Continuance, had not fufficient Authority to curb the Disorders, Factions, and other Mischiefs, that were occafioned by the Abuse that turbulent Spirits made of too much Liberty they again had recourfe to the kingly Power, as the beft Remedy for a distemper'd

State,