The Oceana of James Harrington and his other works, som [sic] wherof are now first publish'd from his own manuscripts : the whole collected, methodiz'd, and review'd, with an exact account of his life prefix'd / by John Toland.

The PREFACE.

IT is commonly said, and not without incouragement by som who think they have Parnassus by the horns, that the University has lash'd me: so it seems I have to do with the Ʋniversity, and lashing is lawful; with both which I am contented. In Moorfields, while the People are busy at their sports, they often and ridiculously lose their Buttons, their Ribbands, and their Purses; where if they light, as somtimes they do, upon the Masters of that Art, they fall a kicking them a while (which one may call a rude charge) and then to their work again. I know not whether I invite you to Moorfields, but (difficile est Satyram non scri∣bere) all the favor I desire at your hands is but this, that you would not so condemn one man for kicking, as in the same Act to pardon another for cutting of Purses. A Gentleman that commits a fallacious Argument to writing, or gos about to satisfy others with such Reasons as he is not satisfy'd with himself, is no more a Gentleman but a Pickpocket; with this in my mind, I betake my self to my work, or rather to draw open the Cur∣tain, and begin the Play.

ONE that has written Considerations upon OCEANA, speaks the Prolog in this manner: I beseech you Gentlemen, are not we the Wri∣ters * 1.1of Politics somwhat a ridiculous sort of People? Is it not a fine piece of Folly for privat men sitting in their Cabinets to rack their brains about Models of Government? Certainly our Labors make a very pleasant recreation for those great Personages, who, sitting at the Helm of Affairs, have by their large Experience not only acquir'd the perfect Art of Ruling, but have attain'd also to the comprehension of the Nature and Foundation of Government. In which egregious Comple∣ment the Considerer has lost his considering Cap.

IT was in the time of ALEXANDER, the greatest Prince and Com∣mander of his age, that ARISTOTLE, with scarce inferior Applause and equal Fame, being a privat man, wrote that excellent piece of Prudence in his Cabinet, which is call'd his Politics, going upon far other Principles than those of ALEXANDER'S Government, which it has long outliv'd. The like did TITUS LIVIUS in the time of AUGUSTUS, Sir THO∣MAS MOOR in the time of HENRY the Eighth, and MACCHIA∣VEL when Italy was under Princes that afforded him not the ear. These Works nevertheless are all of the most esteem'd and applauded in this kind; nor have I found any man, whose like Indeavors have bin persecuted since PLATO by DIONYSIUS. I study not without great Examples, nor out of my Calling; either Arms or this Art being the proper Trade of a Gentleman. A man may be intrusted with a Ship, and a good Pilot too, yet not understand how to make Sea-charts. To say that a man may not write of Government except he be a Magistrat, is as absurd as to say, that a man may not make a Sea-chart, unless he be a Pilot. It is known that CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS made a Chart in his Cabinet, that found out the Indys. The Magistrat that was good at his Steerage never took it ill of him that brought him a Chart, seeing whether he would use it or no, was at his own choice; and if Flatterers, being the worst sort of Crows, did not pick out the eys of the living, the Ship of Government at this day

throout Christendom had not struck so often as she has don. To treat of Af∣fairs, * 1.2says MACCHIAVEL, which as to the conduct of 'em appertain to others, may be thought a great boldness; but if I commit Errors in writing, these may be known without danger, wheras if they com∣mit Errors in acting, such com not otherwise to be known, than in the ruin of the Commonwealth. For which cause I presume to open the Scene of my Discourse, which is to change according to the variety of these following Questions.

1. WHETHER Prudence be well distinguish'd into Antient and Modern?

2. WHETHER a Commonwealth be rightly defin'd to be a Go∣vernment of Laws, and not of Men; and Monarchy to be a Govern∣ment of som Man, or a few Men, and not of Laws?

3. WHETHER the Balance of Dominion in Land be the natu∣ral cause of Empire?

4. WHETHER the Balance of Empire be well divided into Na∣tional and Provincial? and whether these two, or any Nations that are of distinct Balance, coming to depend upon one and the same head, such a mixture creates a new Balance?

5. WHETHER there be any common Right or Interest of Man∣kind distinct from the parts taken severally? and how by the Orders of a Commonwealth this may best be distinguish'd from privat Interest?

6. WHETHER the Senatusconsulta, or Decrees of the Roman Senat, had the power of Laws?

7. WHETHER the ten Commandments propos'd by GOD or MOSES were voted by the People of Israel?

8. WHETHER a Commonwealth coming up to the perfection of the kind, coms not up to the perfection of Government, and has no flaw in it?

9. WHETHER Monarchy, coming up to the perfection of the kind, coms not short of the perfection of Government, and has not som flaw in it? in which is also treated of the Balance of France, of the Original of a landed Clergy, of Arms, and their kinds.

10. WHETHER a Commonwealth that was not first broken by it self, was ever conquer'd by any Monarch?

11. WHETHER there be not an Agrarian, or som Law or Laws of that nature to supply the defect of it, in every Commonwealth? and whether the Agrarian, as it is stated in Oceana, be not equal and satisfactory to all Interests or Partys?

12. WHETHER Courses or a Rotation be necessary to a well∣order'd Commonwealth? In which is contain'd the Parembole or Courses of Israel before the Captivity; together with an Epitome of the whole Commonwealth of Athens, as also another of the Common∣wealth of Venice.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Epist.
• * 1.2

  Arte della Guer. ••roem.