Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	king_n	people_n	tyranny_n	2,786	5	9.5807	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64315	Miscellanea ... by a person of honour.	Temple, William, Sir, 1628-1699.	1680 (1680)	Wing T646; ESTC R223440	87,470	252

and NATURE OF GOVERNMENT Written in the Year 1672. THE Nature of Man seems to be the same in all times and places but varyed like their statures complexions and features by the force and influence of the several Climates where they are born and bred which produce in them by a different mixture of the humours and operation of the Air a different and unequal course of Imaginations and Passions and consequently of Discourses and Actions These differences incline men to several Customs Educations Opinions and Laws which Form and Govern the several Nations of the World where they are not interrupted by the violence of some force from without or some faction within which like a great blow or a great disease may either change or destroy the very frame of a body though if it lives to recover strength and vigor it commonly returns in time to its natural constitution or something near it I speak not of those changes and revolutions of State or Institutions of Government that are made by the more immediate and evident operation of Divine Will and Providence being the Themes of Divines and not of common men and the Subjects of our Faith not of our Reason This may be the cause that the same Countreys have generally in all times been used to Forms of Government much of a sort The same Nature ever continuing under the same Climate and making returns into its old Channel though sometimes led out of it by perswasions and sometimes beaten out by force Thus the more Northern and more Southern Nations extreams as they say still agreeing have ever lived under single and Arbitrary Dominions as all the Regions of Tartary and Muscovy on the one side and of Africk and India on the other While those under the more temperate Climates especially in Europe have ever been used to more moderate Governments Running anciently much into Commonwealths and of latter ages into Principalities bounded by Laws which differ less in Nature than in Name For though the old distinctions run otherwise there seem to be but two general kinds of Government in the world The one exercised according to the Arbitrary commands and will of some single Person And the other according to certain Orders or Laws introduced by agreement or custom and not to be changed without the consent of many But under each of these may fall many more particular kinds than can be reduced to the common heads of Government received in the Schools For those of the first sort differ according to the dispositions and humours of Him that Rules and of them that obey As Feavers do according to the temper of the persons and accidents of the seasons And those of the other sort differ according to the quality or number of the persons upon whom is devolved the authority of making or power of executing Laws Nor will any man that understands the State of Poland and the Vnited Provinces be well able to range them under any particular names of Government that have been yet invented The great Scenes of Action and Subjects of Ancient Story Greece Italy and Sicily were all divided into small Commonwealths till swallowed up and made Provinces by that mighty one of Rome together with Spain Gaule and Germany These were before composed of many small Governments among which the Cities were generally under Commonwealths and the Countreys under several Princes Who were Generals in their Wars but in peace lived without Armies or Guards or any Instruments of Arbitrary Power And were only chief of their Councils and of those Assemblies by whose consultations and authority the great affairs and actions among them were resolved and enterprized Through all these Regions some of the smaller States but chiefly those of the Cities fell often under Tyrannies Which spring naturally out of Popular Governments While the meaner sort of the people opprest or ill protected by the richer and greater give themselves up to the conduct of some one man in chief credit among them and submit all to his will and discretion either running easily from one extream to another or contented to see those they hated and feared before now in equal condition with themselves Or because a multitude is incapable of framing Orders though capable of conserving them Or that every man comes to find by experience that confusion and popular tumults have worse effects upon common safety than the rankest Tyranny For it is easier to please the humour and either appease or resist the fury of one single man than of a multitude And taking each of them in their extreams the rage of a Tyrant may be like that of fire which consumes what it reaches but by degrees and devouring one house after another whereas the rage of people is like that of the Sea which once breaking bounds overflows a Countrey with that suddenness and violence as leaves no hopes either of flying or resisting till with the change of tides or winds it returns of it self The force and variety of accidents is so great that it will not perhaps bear reasoning or enquiry how it comes about that single Arbitrary Dominion seems to have been natural to Asia and Africk and the other sort to Europe For though Carthage was indeed a Commonwealth in Africk and Macedon a Kingdom in Europe yet the first was not Native of that Soyl being a Colony of the Tyrians as there were some other small ones of he Grecians upon the same Coasts and the Kings of Macedon Governed by Laws and the consent as well as Councils of the Nobles Not like the Kings of Persia by humour and will as appears by the event of their quarrel while so few Subjects conquered so many Slaves Yet one reason may be that Sicily Greece and Italy which were the Regions of Commonwealths were planted thick with rich and populous Cities occasioned by their being so far encompassed with the Sea And the vein of all rich Cities ever inclines to that kind of Government Whether it be that where many grow Rich many grow to power and are harder to be subjected Or where men grow to great possessions they grow more intent upon safety and therefore desire to be Governed by Laws and Magistrates of their own choice fearing all Armed and Arbitrary Power Or that the small compass of Cities makes the ease and convenience of Assemblies and Councils Or that conversation sharpens mens wits and makes too many reasoners in matters of Government The contrary of all this happens in Countries thin inhabited and especially in vast Campania's such as are extended through Asia and Africk where there are few Cities besides what grow by the residence of the Kings or their Governours The people are poorer and having little to lose have little to care for and are less exposed to the designs of power or violence The assembling of persons deputed from people at great distances one from another is trouble to them that are sent and charge to them that send And where ambition