or principality, ariſtocracy, and democracy; and that thoſe who intend to erect a new ſtate, muſt have recourſe to ſome one of theſe which he likes beſt. Others, and with more judgment, as many think, ſay there are ſix ſorts; three of which are very bad, and the other three good in themſelves, but liable to be ſo corrupted that they may become the worſt. The three good forts have been juſt now mentioned: the other three proceed from theſe; and every one of them bears ſuch a reſemblance to that on which it reſpectively depends, that the tranſition from one to the other is ſhort and eaſy; for monarchy often degenerates into tyranny, ariſtocracy into oligarchy, and democracy into licentious anarchy and confuſion: ſo that whoever ſets up any one of the former three ſorts of government, may aſſure himſelf it will not be of any long duration; for no precaution will be ſufficient to prevent its falling into the other that is analogous to it, on account of the affinity which there ſeems to be in this caſe betwixt virtue and vice, perfection and imperfection.
This variety of governments among mankind appears to have been the effect of chance: for in the beginning of the world, the inhabitants being few, they ſometimes lived ſeparate from each other, like beaſts; but afterwards, as they multiplied, they began to unite for their mutual defence, and put themſelves under the protection of ſuch as were moſt eminent amongſt them for courage and ſtrength, whom they engaged to obey and acknowledge as their chiefs. Hence aroſe the diſtinction betwixt honeſt and diſhoneſt, juſt and unjuſt for when any one injured his benefactor, his ingratitude excited a ſort of fellow-feeling and indignation in others, as well as kindneſs and reſpect for thoſe that behaved differently, and, as they conſidered that they might ſome time or other, perhaps, be
