happy fields） to the lot by her tribes； increased above threefold； and led up by her phylarchs or princes； to sit upon fifty thrones； judging the fifty tribes of Oceana！ Or； is it Athens； breaking from her iron sepulchre； where she has been so long trampled by hosts of Janizaries？ For certainly that is the voice of Theseus； having gathered his scattered Athenians into one city。 This freeborn nation lives not upon the dole or bounty of one man； but distributing her annual magistracies and honors with her own hand； is herself King People （At which the orator was awhile interrupted with shouts； but at length proceeded。） is it grave Lacedaemon in her armed tribe； divided by her oboe and her mora； which appears to chide me that I teach the people to talk； or conceive such language as is dressed like a woman； to be a fit usher of the joys of liberty into the hearts of men？ is it Rome in her victorious arms （for so she held her concio or congregation） that congratulates with us； for finding out that which she could not hit on； and binding up her Comitia curiata； centuriata； and tributa； in one inviolable league of union？ Or is it the great council of incomparable Venice； bowling forth by the selfsame ballot her immortal commonwealth？ For； neither by reason nor by experience is it impossible that a commonwealth should be immortal； seeing the people being the materials； never die； and the form； which is motion； must； without opposition； be endless。 The bowl which is thrown from your hand； if there be no rub； no impediment； shall never cease： for which cause the glorious luminaries that are the bowls of God； were once thrown forever； and next these； those of Venice。 But certainly； my lords； whatever these great examples may have shown us； we are the first that have shown to the world a commonwealth established in her rise upon fifty such towers； and so garrisoned as are the tribes of Oceana； containing 100；000 elders upon the annual list； and yet but an outguard； besides her marching armies to be equal in the discipline； and in the number of her youth。 〃And forasmuch as sovereign power is a necessary but a formidable creature； not unlike the powder which （as you are soldiers） is at once your safety and your danger； being subject to take fire against you as well as for you； how well and securely is she； by your galaxies so collected as to be in full force and vigor and yet so distributed that it is impossible you should be blown up by your own magazine？ Let them who will have it； that power if it be confined cannot be sovereign； tell us； whether our rivers do not enjoy a more secure and fruitful reign within their proper banks； than if it were lawful for them； in ravaging our harvests； to spill themselves？ whether souls； not confined to their peculiar bodies； do govern them any more than those of witches in their trances？ whether power； not confined to the bounds of reason and virtue； has any other bounds than those of vice and passion？ or if vice and passion be boundless； and reason and virtue have certain limits； on which of these thrones holy men should anoint their sovereign？ But to blow away this dust； the sovereign power of a commonwealth is no more bounded； that is to say straitened； than that of a monarch； but is balanced。 The eagle mounts not to her proper pitch； if she be bounded； nor is free if she be not balanced。 And lest a monarch should think he can reach further with his sceptre； the Roman eagle upon such a balance spread her wings from the ocean to Euphrates。 Receive the sovereign power； you have received it； hold it fast； embrace it forever in your shining arms。 The virtue of the loadstone is not impaired or limited； but receives strength and nourishment； by being bound in iron。 And so giving your lordships much joy； I take my leave of this tribe。〃
The orator descending； had the period of his speech made with a vast applause and exultation of the whole tribe； attending him for that night to his quarter； as the phylarch with some commanded troops did the next day to the frontiers of the tribe； where leave was taken on both sides with more tears than grief。 So a tribe is the third division of land occasioned by the third collection of the people； whose functions proper to that place are contained in the five foregoing orders。 The institution of the commonwealth was such as needed those props and scaffolds which may have troubled the reader； but I shall here take them away； and come to the constitution which stands by itself； and yields a clearer prospect。 The motions； by what has been already shown； are spherical； and spherical motions have their proper centre； for which cause （ere I proceed further） it will be necessary； for the better understanding of the whole； that I discover the centre whereupon the motions of this commonwealth are formed。 The centre； or basis of every government； is no other than the fundamental laws of the same。 Fundamental laws are such as state what it is that a man； and what the means may call his own； that is to say； property； be whereby a man may enjoy his own； that is to say； protection。 The first is also called dominion； and the second empire or sovereign power； whereof this （as has been shown） is the natural product of the former； for such as is the balance of dominion in a nation； such is the nature of its empire。 Wherefore the fundamental laws of Oceana； or the centre of this commonwealth； are the agrarian and the ballot： the agrarian by the balance of dominion preserving equality in the root； and the ballot by an equal rotation conveying it into the branch； or exercise of sovereign power； as； to begin with the former； appears by The thirteenth order； 〃Constituting the agrarian laws of Oceana； Marpesia； and Panopea； whereby it is ordained； first； for all such lands as are lying and being within the proper territories of Oceana； that every man who is at present possessed； or shall hereafter be possessed； of an estate in land exceeding the revenue of ？；000 a year； and having more than one son； shall leave his lands either equally divided among them； in case the lands amount to above ？；000 a year to each； or so near equally； in case they come under； that the greater part or portion of the same remaining to the eldest exceed not the value of ？；000 revenue。 And no man； not in present possession of lands above the value of ？；000 by the year； shall receive； enjoy （except by lawful inheritance） acquire； or； purchase to himself lands within the said territories； amounting； with those already in his possession； above the said revenue。 And if a man has a daughter or daughters； except she be an heiress or they be heiresses； he shall not leave or give to any。 One of them in marriage； or otherwise； for her portion； above the value of ？；500 in lands； goods； and moneys。 Nor shall any friend； kinsman； or kinswoman add to her or their portion or portions that are so provided for； to make any one of them greater。 Nor shall any man demand or have more in marriage with any woman。 Nevertheless an heiress shall enjoy her lawful inheritance； and a widow； whatsoever the bounty or affection of her husband shall bequeath to her； to be divided in the first generation； wherein it is divisible according as has been shown。 〃Secondly； for lands lying and being within the territories of Marpesia； the agrarian shall hold in all parts as it is established in Oceana； except only in the standard or proportion of estates in land； which shall be set for Marpesia； at ？00。 And； 〃Thirdly； for Panopea； the agrarian shall hold in all parts； as in Oceana。 And whosoever possessing above the proportion allowed by these laws； shall be lawfully convicted of the same； shall forfeit the overplus to the use of the State。〃 Agrarian laws of all others have ever been the greatest bugbears； and so in the institution were these； at which time it was ridiculous to see how strange a fear appeared in everybody of that which； being good for all； could hurt nobody。 But instead of the proof of this order； I shall out of those many debates that happened ere it could be passed； insert two speeches that were made at the Council of legislators； the first by the Right Honorable Philautus de Garbo； a young man； being heir…apparent to a very noble family； and one of the councillors； who expressed himself as follows：
〃May it please your Highness； my Lord Archon of Oceana。 〃If I did not； to my capacity； know from how profound a councillor I dissent； it would certainly be no hard task to make it as light as the day。 First； that an agrarian is altogether unnecessary； secondly； that it is dangerous to a commonwealth； thirdly； that it is insufficient to keep out monarchy； fourthly； that it ruins families； fifthly； that it destroys industry； and last of all； that though it were indeed of any good use； it will be a matter of such difficulty to introduce in this nation； and so to settle that it may be lasting； as is altogether invincible。 〃First； that an agrarian is unnecessary to a commonwealth； what clearer testimony can there be than that the commonwealths which are our contemporaries （Venice； to which your Highness gives the upper hand of all antiquity； being one） have no such thing？ And there can be no reason why they have it not； seeing it is in the sovereign power at any time to establish such an order； but that they need it not； wherefore no wonder if Aristotle； who pretends to be a good commonwealths man； has long since derided Phaleas； to whom it was attributed by the Greeks； for his invention。 〃Secondly； that an agrarian is dangerous to a commonwealth is affirmed upon no slight authority seeing Machiavel is positive that it was the dissension which happened about the agrarian that caused the destruction of Rome； nor do I think that it did much better in Lacedaemon； as I shall show anon。 〃Thirdly； that it is insufficient to keep out monarchy cannot without impiety be denied； the holy Scriptures bearing witness that the Commonwealth of Israel； notwithstanding her agrarian； submitted her neck to the arbitrary yoke of her princes。 〃Fourthly； therefore； to come to my next assertion； that it is destructive to families： this also is so apparent； that it needs pity rather than proof。 Why alas； do you b