Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/136

ſchools, is by no means of Gothic invention, but hath place in nature and reaſon, and ſeems very well to agree with the ſentiments of moſt legiſlators: for, not to mention the ſeveral republics of this compoſition in Gaul and Germany, deſcribed by Cæſar and Tacitus, Polybius tells us, the beſt government is that which conſiſts of three forms, regno, optimatium, et populi imperio. Such was that of Sparta in its primitive inſtitution by Lycurgus, who, obſerving the depravations to which every one of theſe was ſubject, compounded his ſcheme out of all; ſo that it was made up of reges, ſeniores, et populus. Such alſo was the ſtate of Rome, under its conſuls; and ſuch, at Carthage, was the power in the laſt reſort: they had their kings, ſenate, and people. A limited and divided power ſeems to have been the moſt ancient and inherent principle, both of the Greeks and Italians, in matters of government. The difference between the Grecian monarchies and Italian republics was not very great. The power of thoſe Grecian princes, who came to the ſiege of Troy, was much of a ſize with that of the kings of Sparta, the archon of Athens, the ſuffetes at Carthage, and the conſuls at Rome. Theſeus eſtabliſhed at Athens rather a mixed monarchy than a popular ſtate, aſſigning to himſelf the guardianſhip of the laws, and the chief command in war. This inſtitution continued during the ſeries of kings to the death of Codrus, from whom Solon was deſcended, who, finding the people engaged in two violent factions, of the poor and the rich, and in great confuſion, refuſing the monarchy which was offered him, choſe rather to call the government after another model, wherein he made due proviſion for ſettling the balance of power, chooſing a ſenate of four

hundred,