Selected quad for the lemma: book_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A96967
|
Considerations on Mr. Harrington's Common-wealth of Oceana: restrained to the first part of the preliminaries.
|
Wren, M. (Matthew), 1629-1672.
|
1657
(1657)
|
Wing W3676B; Thomason E1659_2; ESTC R204148
|
28,805
|
109
|
is the case of almost all the present Soveraignties in Europe hardly any one of which is all of one piece but is composed of distinct Provinces differing in Genius Laws Customes and Ballance which have come to be united at distant times and by as various Titles Pag. 10. Saith Solomon there is an evill which I have seen under the Sun which proceedeth from the Ruler and Eccles 10. 15. Sad complaints that the Principle of Power and of Authority do not twine in the wreath of Empire Wherefore c. I know not how it comes about but Mr. Harrington hath taken up a very great unkindnesse for the Clergy which though it be most discovered towards the end of the book and in another little Discourse of a later Date here begins to manifest it self For he invades one part of their Office without asking their leave He falls a preaching and taking that of Solomon for his Text I have seen servants upon horses c. he proceeds to make us a very goodly Sermon Pag. 10. 11. The soul of man is Mistresse of two potent Rivals the one Reason the other Passion c. From thence he slips into some Metaphysical considerations of the soul of Man and its operations which being translated to Government must evince the Truth of this Assertion That a Commonwealth is an Empire of Laws and not of men If I could be perswaded he were so far in earnest as to expect any Man should be convinced by the Metaphorical use of two or three Words some further considerations might be proposed In the mean while it is enough to desire that seeing the whole force of the Argument rests upon the similitude of Government with the soul of Man we may be instructed what the soul is and what the whole Philosophy belonging to it And then and not before will it be time to consider how far the similitude between that and Government will hold true Page 12. There is a Reason which is the Interest of Mankind or of the whole Now if we see even in those Natural Agents c. Hooker B. 1. The Argumentation about the Reason or Interest of Mankind is little less infirm For the Question being Whether there be any such primary Interest of Mankind differing from that of every particular Man He takes it for granted there is such a common right or Interest more excellent then that of the parts without proffering any other proof then the Testimonies of Hooker and Grotius Whose Opinions cannot oblige us beyond the Reasons on which they are founded Mr. Hooker's Expressions are altogether figurative and it is easier to prove from them that Things wanting sense make Discourses and act by Election then that there is such a thing as a common Interest of Mankind For Grotius his words They carry a great Restriction with them and the way of producing Action in Beasts is so different from the Emanation of humane Reason that the Inference from one to the other must needs be very weak Page 12 and 13. But it may be said the Difficulty remains yet for be the Interest of Popular government right Reason a man doth not look upon Reason as it is right or wrong in it self c. And therefore it was a very judicious part to foresee that the Difficulty would still remain and no less ingeniously done to confesse That a man doth not look upon reason as it is right in it self but as it makes for him or against him That is that the common Interest stoops to every mans peculiar one But we are promised a solution so facile that it is obvious to such as have the Green sicknesse Let two Girles saies he have a Cake given between them that each may have what is due Divide saies the one that I may choose or I will divide and you shall choose And this is the whole mystery of a Commonwealth An Oven it seems is the best Embleme of the World and a Bake-house the only School of Policy Let us obey Mr. Harrington when he send us in Pistrinam and consider a while this mystery The Cake was given that each might have what was due so the Laws of this society proceeded not from any Natural Right or from the consent of the Girles but were limited by the Person who gave the Cake with this intent that it might be equally divided between them Again these Girles live under the Discipline of the Rod that is under a Government already establisht and she that had been wronged in the Division might upon appeal to the School Mistress or the Person who gave them the Cake have obtained an equal share But now suppose the two girles had met by chance and found the Cake in their way and suppose them out of the influence of all such persons whose power might constrain them to an equal Division must we still believe they would have strained courtesie and not rather think the stronger of the two Girles would have eaten up the whole Cake if she found her stomach serve her for it This is no great mystery but will be found to be the true Case of a Common wealth For either Government is founded upon Paternity and the Natural Advantage the first Father had over all the rest of Mankind who were his sons and then there will be no such thing as dividing and choosing but being content with what portion he allows Or else Government flows from the encrease of strength and power in some Man or Men to whose Will the rest submit that by their submission they may avoid such mischief as otherwise would be brought upon them And then here also there is no room for dividing and choosing but acquiescing in the Will of him whose power cannot be resisted There may perhaps be degrees of this power as it more or less exceeds the strength and force of those who are to obey the proportion of which degrees being duly observed will I conceive teach us the true Nature of those things which are commonly reputed to be Conditions imposed upon the supream power If the power of the Government exceed in any great proportion the power of those that are under his Government so that he stands not in need of any thing he can have from them The Government becomes absolute and unlimited But if he exceeds them in a less proportion and be in continual want of something that they may allow him he must buy it by some concessions or other as cheap as he can But this amounts not to a mixture of the Government for without an excess in Power there can be no Government Thus a General of an Army sitting down before two Towns the one very weak the other of good strength will have the first at discretion to the second he allows good and honourable Conditions out of a desire to save his time or Men or to preserve the place from being defaced and the Ammunition imbezeled Or to take Mr. Harrington's own example The
CONSIDERATIONS ON Mr. Harrington's COMMON-WEALTH OF OCEANA Restrained to the first part of the Preliminaries LONDON Printed for Samuel Gellibrand at the Golden ball in Pauls Church-yard 1657. A Letter sent to Dr. W. W. of W. C. By whom the Author was desired to give his judgement concerning the Commonwealth of OCEANA SIR I Am to give you thanks for the occasion you have given me of reading the Common-wealth of Oceana which Book I finde to be so much the Discourse of good companies that not to have seen it would expose a man to some shame But to deale freely with you I have cause to complain of your severity in imposing a necessity upon me to give you my thoughts about it for in a matter of so obscure and intricate speculation as the principles of Government it will be difficult not to lose the way especially for one very little acquainted in the Resorts of Learning and Experience Yet to shew you Sir that my own convenience is not allowed to be an Exception against any of your commands with this you shall receive some Papers and in them an account of such things wherein either Mr. Harringtons want of demonstration or my own want of capacity have not suffered me to receive satisfaction Those men Sir who have the good fortune to have part in your friendship aâ—e not more in love with any of your vertues then with the generous freedome you maintain in an Age overrun with passion and soureness It is not enough with you for the ruining a man to be told that he is of such a party or perswasion but Truth and Merit are never strangers to your good opinion in what Country soever they have been brought up This is the Prerogative of your judgment which being able to pass sentence upon every particular is not put to take things in grosse upon the credit of any faction or company of men The knowledge of this fair temper gives me assurance that though I had in charge from you to put down what I could object to Mr. Harrington's Oceana the liberty will not be unaceptable that I take in telling you There are in it many things deserving praise a sprightly expression and a sort of Oratory wel becomming a Gentleman good remarques out of ancient and modern Histories and a judgement not ill founded on past present policie were it not for a certain violence in seeking to draw all things into servitude to his Hypothesis Having thus let you know that I do not mean to fall out with the whole Book it is fit that next I inform you what part of it I resolve to attacque And in that my choice shall be directed by the imitation of good Greyhounds who if let slip at the whole Herd will run at none but the Leading Deer The first part of the Preliminaries is that I fasten on which is the Groundwork of the whole Discourse and consisting in the debate of universal and rational notions of government asserted by examples of the Greek and Roman History will very properly become the subject of a Disquisition As for the following model of a Commonwealth Mr. Harrington hath by transcribing her Orders very wisely put himself under the Protection of the most serene Republique of Venice against whom I have no inclination to make War at this time especially when doing so would look like an Association with the Turk the common enemy of Christendom In making out this Design I have not been able to find out any more proper Method then to follow Mr. Harrington foot by foot setting down the Passages in him to which every thing refers though I am sensible how disadvantageous this is by cutting off all Ellegancy and freenesse of Expression which is no more to be expected from one who ties himself to such a Method then an high Dance from a Man in Fetters Besides whereas to read it over throughly for the understanding of it is more then a Book can often obtain of the Reader This Piece will lie a great deale more at his mercy seeing that to make sense of it it will be requisite to read so much of Mr. Harrington as it pretends to answer But I beseech you Sir are not We the writers of Politiques somewhat a ridiculous sort of People Is it not a fine piece of folly for private men sitting in their Cabinets to rack their brains about models of government Certainly our Labours make a very pleasant Recreation for those great Personages who sitting at the Helm of Affairs have by their large Experience not onely acquired the perfect art of Ruling but have attained also to the Comprehension of the Nature and Foundation of Government To them I believe We shall appear just as Wise as the Philosopher who read a Lecture of the Duty of a good Commander before the greatest Captain of his Age. To be exempted from this Censure will be a very great kindnesse which is in your Power to doe me by imprisoning these Papers in some close place from whence they can make no Escape They are I confesse so absolutely made yours that there remains with me no Power over them but onely to beg of you that your favour to them may not prove want of justice to me I am not ignorant Sir with what artifice and importunity Mr. Harrington hath courted opposition from others And you have told me that he hath professed himself not capable of any greater kindness or obligation then to have objections made against what he had published Vpon which account I should think it not unjust or unreasonable to expect that these Animadversions should not be any offence or provocation to him And yet I am not without some reason to suspect the contrary since I have seen by his rigor to Dr. Ferne that Mr. Harrington is of a nature that does not willingly admit of Opposition In earnest sir to speak frankly his usage of the Doctor appears to me very harsh and I can make no better of it then if he should press a Gentleman so far as to whisper a modest Challenge into his Ear and then with the help of his Foot-boy make a street-Debate of that which ought to be decided in the way of Honour Yet I shall be very little liable to this Danger both because it is likely he will think me below his Revenge and because not knowing me he will be at a loss how to aim his blows in the Dark If then these Papers happen at any time to be so disposed of by you that they come to give Mr. Harrington the trouble of looking on them I desire he may only know they were wrote by a Person who though he agrees not with his judgement hath a great respect for his good parts And that he is one who neither is nor ever hopes to be within the reach of his Agrarian If you please he may be assured also that I am none of the Vniversity which he complains hath been about his