Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/228

are now to go over the contentious and ambitious man, who is formed according to the Spartan republic; and then, him reſembling an oligarchy; then the democratic; and then the tyrannic man, that we may contemplate the moſt unjuſt man, and ſet him in oppoſition to the moſt juſt, that our inquiry may be completed! The ambitious republic is firſt to be conſidered: it is indeed difficult for a city in this manner conſtituted, i. e. like Sparta, to be changed; but as every thing which is generated is liable to corruption, even ſuch a conſtitution as this will not remain for ever, but be diſſolved. (I ſhall paſs over all the aſtrological and myſtical whimſies which we meet with ſo often in Plato, interſperſed among the moſt ſublime wiſdom and profound knowledge, and inſert only what is intelligible.) The amount of what he ſays in this place about numbers and muſic, is, that miſtakes will inſenſibly be made in the choice of perſons for guardians of the laws; and by theſe guardians, in the rewards and promotion of merit. They will not always expertly diſtinguiſh the ſeveral ſpecies of geniuſes, the golden, the ſilver, the brazen, and the iron, Whilſt iron ſhall be mixed with ſilver, and braſs with gold, diſſimilitude, and diſcord ariſe, and generate war, and enmity, and ſedition. When ſedition is riſen, two of the ſpecies of geniuſes, the iron and brazen, will be carried away after gain, and the acquiſition of lands and houſes, gold and ſilver. But the golden and ſilver geniuſes, as they are not in want, but naturally rich, will lead the ſoul towards virtue and the original conſtitution. Thus divided, drawing contrary ways, and living in a violent manner, will not this republic be in the middle, between ariſtocracy and oligarchy, imitating, in ſome things, the former republic, and in others oligarchy? They will honour

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