him a better calling, and produces the moſt innocent and ſteady genius of a commonwealth.
Oceana, p. 37.—Domeſtic empire is founded upon dominion, and dominion is property, real or perſonal; that is to ſay, in lands, or in money and goods. Lands, or the parcels of a territory, are held by the proprietor or proprietors of it, in ſome proportion; and ſuch (except it be in a city that has little or no land, and whoſe revenue is in trade) as is the proportion or balance of dominion or property in land, ſuch is the nature of the empire. If one man be ſole landlord of a territory, or over-balance the people—for example, three parts in four—he is grand ſeignior: for ſo the Turk, is called from his property; and his empire is abſolute monarchy. If the few, as a nobility and clergy, be landlords, or overbalance the people to the like proportion, it makes the Gothic balance, and the empire is mixed monarchy, as that of Spain, Poland, and once of England: and if the whole people be landlords, or hold the lands ſo divided among them, that no one man, or number of men, within the compaſs of the few, or ariſtocracy, over-balance them, the empire is a commonwealth.
If force be interpoſed in any of theſe three caſes, it muſt either frame the government to the foundation, or the foundation to the government; or, holding the government not according to the balance, in is not natural, but violent: and therefore if it be at the devotion of a prince, it is tyranny; if at the devotion of the few, oligarchy; or if in the power of the people, anarchy. Each of which confuſions, the balance ſtanding otherwiſe, is but of ſhort continuance, bccauſe againſt the nature of the balance; which not deſtroyed, deſtroys that which oppoſes it.
