"Reflections on the Rise and Fall of the Ancient Republicks" by Edward Wortley Montagu. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.
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Edward Wortley Montagu. Reflections on the Rise and Fall of the Ancient Republicks
Reflections on the Rise and Fall of the Ancient Republicks
Table of Contents
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I. OF THE REPUBLICK OF SPARTA
CHAPTER II. OF ATHENS
CHAPTER III. OF THEBES
CHAPTER IV. OF CARTHAGE
CHAPTER V. OF ROME
CHAPTER VI. THE REAL CAUSE OF THE RAPID DECLENSION OF THE ROMAN REPUBLICK
CHAPTER VII. CARTHAGINIANS AND ROMANS COMPARED
CHAPTER VIII. OF REVOLUTIONS IN MIXED GOVERNMENTS
CHAPTER IX. OF THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION
FOOTNOTES:
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Edward Wortley Montagu
Adapted to the Present State of Great Britain
.....
Lycurgus began his reform with a change in the constitution, which at that time consisted of a confused medley of hereditary monarchy divided between two families, and a disorderly democracy, utterly destitute of the balance of a third intermediate power, a circumstance so essential to the duration of all mixed governments. To remedy this evil, he established a senate with such a degree of power, as might fix them the inexpugnable barrier of the constitution against the encroachments either of kings or people. The crown of Sparta had been long divided between two families descended originally from the same ancestor, who jointly enjoyed the succession. But though Lycurgus was sensible that all the mischiefs which had happened to the state, arose from this absurd division of the regal power, yet he made no alteration as to the succession of the two families. Any innovation in so nice a point might have proved an endless source of civil commotions, from the pretensions of that line which should happen to be excluded. He therefore left them the title and the ensignia of royalty, but limited their authority, which he confined to the business of war and religion. To the people he gave the privilege of electing the senators, and giving their sanction to those laws which the kings and senate should approve.
When Lycurgus had regulated the government, he undertook a task more arduous than any of the fabled labours of Hercules. This was to new mould his countrymen, by extirpating all the destructive passions, and raising them above every weakness and infirmity of human nature. A scheme which all the great philosophers had taught in theory, but none except Lycurgus was ever able to reduce to practice.
