Page:Thoughts on civil liberty, on licentiousness and faction.djvu/68

shared the legislative Power with the higher Ranks of the Commonwealth. But a licentious People naturally grasped the Whole, as the likliest Means (in their deluded Eye) of gratifying their own unbridled Passions. From this partial Distribution of Power, the State was blindly ruled by the Dregs of the Community. For All who were of Ability to maintain a Horse, were admitted to the Rank of Magistracy:^[1] And all who were admitted to the Rank of Magistracy were excluded from any Share in the legislative Power.^[2] Hence it followed, that "All they who possessed the Legislative Power, were such as were not of Ability to maintain a Horse."—"Do not you despise (said Socrates to his Pupil Alcibiades, who was afraid to speak in Presence of the Athenian People) do not you despise That Cobler? I do, reply'd the Youth. Do not you (rejoyned the Philospher) equally contemn that Cryer, and yon

1. Plut. in Solon.
2. Ib.