Page:History of Greece Vol III.djvu/27

AMI-MONARCHICAL SENTIMENT OF GREECE H practice possible to attain this latter object, to comwlne regal government with fixity of administration, equal law impartially executed, security to person and prooerty, and freedom of dis- cussion under representative forms, m a degree which the wisest ancient Greek would have deemed hopeless. 1 Such an improvement in the practical working of this species of govern- ment, speaking always comparatively with the kings of ancient times in Syria, Egypt, Judrea, the Grecian cities, and Rome, coupled with the increased force of all established routine, and the greater durability of all institutions and creeds which have once obtained footing throughout any wide extent of territory and people, has caused the monarchical sentiment to remain pre- dominant in the European mind, though not without vigorous occasional dissent, throughout the increased knowledge and the enlarged political experience of the last two centuries. It is important to show that the monarchical institutions and monarchical tendencies prevalent throughout mediaeval and modern Europe have been both generated and perpetuated by causes peculiar to those societies, whilst in Hellenic societies such causes had no place, in order that we may approach Hellenic phenomena in the proper spirit, and with an impartial estimate of the feeling universal among Greeks towards the idea of a king. The primitive sentiment entertained towards the heroic king died ch. 12, vol. ii. p. 156: " Cette separation esscntielle et fondamentale entre Ics actes, les agens. du gouvernement et les actcs. les agens de 1'adminis- tration locale pour les affaires locales cette demarcation pcjitique, dont i'empire Ilomain avoit donne 1'excmple, et qui concilioit le gouvernement monarchique avec nne administration popnlaire continua plus ou moins expressement sous les trois dynasties. M. Eaynouard presses too far his theory of the continuous preservation of the municipal powers in towns from the Roman empire down to the third French dynasty ; but into this question it is not necessary for my purpose to enter. 1 In reference to the Italian republics of the Middle Ages, M. Sismondi observes, speaking of Philip della Torre, denominated siynor by the people of Como, Vercelli, and Bergamo, Dans ces villes. non plus que dans celles quc son frere s'etait auparavar.t assujctties, le peuple ne croyoit point renon- cer a. sa libcrte': il n'avoit point voulu choisir un maitre. mais seulement un protectenr centre les nobles, un capitaine des gens de guerre, et nn chef de la justice. I/cxpe'rience lui apprit trop tard, que ces prerogatives reunieg ronstituoient un souverain." Re'publiqucs Italiennes. vol. iii, ch. 20, p. 273.