the commonwealth of oceana-第24章

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ng　so　little　different；　that　in　this　they　are　all　contained；　and　by　this　may　be　easily　understood；　are　yet　fully　described；　and　made　plain　enough　before　in　the　fifth；　sixth；　seventh；　eighth；　ninth；　and　tenth　orders。　　　　　This；　therefore；　is　the　general　order；　whence　those　branches　of　the　ballot；　some　whereof　you　have　already　seen；　are　derived；　which；　with　those　that　follow；　were　all　read　and　debated　in　this　place　at　the　institution。　When　my　Lord　Epimonus　de　Garrula；　being　one　of　the　councillors；　and　having　no　further　patience　（though　the　rulers　were　composed　by　the　agent　of　this　commonwealth；　residing　for　that　purpose　at　Venice）　than　to　hear　the　direction　for　the　parishes；　stood　up　and　made　way　for　himself　in　this　manner：

〃MAY　IT　PLEASE　YOUR　HIGHNESS；　MY　LORD　ARCHON：　　　　　〃Under　correction　of　Mr。　Peregrin；　Spy；　our　very　learned　agent　and　intelligencer；　I　have　seen　the　world　a　little；　Venice；　and　（as　gentlemen　are　permitted　to　do）　the　great　Council　balloting。　And　truly　I　must　needs　say；　that　it　is　for　a　dumb　show　the　goodliest　that　I　ever　beheld　with　my　eyes。　You　should　have　some　would　take　it　ill；　as　if　the　noble　Venetians　thought　themselves　too　good　to　speak　to　strangers；　but　they　observed　them　not　so　narrowly。　The　truth　is；　they　have　nothing　to　say　to　their　acquaintance；　or　men　that　are　in　council　sure　would　have　tongues：　for　a　council；　and　not　a　word　spoken　in　it；　is　a　contradiction。　But　there　is　such　a　pudder　with　their　marching　and　countermarching；　as；　though　never　a　one　of　them　draw　a　sword；　you　would　think　they　were　training；　which　till　I　found　that　they　did　it　only　to　entertain　strangers；　I　came　from　among　them　as　wise　as　I　went　thither　But　in　the　Parliament　of　Oceana　you　had　no　balls　nor　dancing；　but　sober　conversation；　a　man　might　know　and　be　known；　show　his　parts；　and　improve　them。　And　now　if　you　take　the　advice　of　this　same　fellow；　you　will　spoil　all　with　his　whimsies。　Mr。　Speaker　　cry　you　mercy；　my　Lord　Archon；　I　mean　　set　the　wisest　man　of　your　house　in　the　great　Council　of　Venice；　and　you　will　not　know　him　from　a　fool。　Whereas　nothing　is　more　certain　than　that　flat　and　dull　fellows　in　the　judgment　of　all　such　as　used　to　keep　company　with　them　before；　upon　election　into　our　house；　have　immediately　chitted　like　barley　in　the　vat；　where　it　acquires　a　new　spirit；　and　flowed　forth　into　language；　that　I　am　as　confident　as　I　am　here；　if　there　were　not　such　as　delight　to　abuse　us；　is　far　better　than　Tully's；　or；　let　anybody　but　translate　one　of　his　orations；　and　speak　it　in　the　house；　and　see　if　everybody　do　not　laugh　at　him。　　　　　〃This　is　a　great　matter；　Mr。　Speaker；　they　do　not　cant　it　with　your　book…learning；　your　orbs；　your　centres；　your　prime　magnitudes；　and　your　nebulones；　things　I　profess　that　would　make　a　sober　man　run　stark　mad　to　hear　them；　while　we；　who　should　be　considering　the　honor　of　our　country　and　that　it　goes　now　or　never　upon　our　hand；　whether　it　shall　be　ridiculous　to　all　the　world；　are　going　to　nine…holes　or　trow　madam　for　our　business；　like　your　dumb　Venetian；　whom　this　same　Sir　Politic　your　resident；　that　never　saw　him　do　anything　but　make　faces；　would　insinuate　to　you；　at　this　distance；　to　have　the　only　knack　of　state。　Whereas　if　you　should　take　the　pains；　as　I　have　done；　to　look　a　little　nearer；　you　would　find　these　same　wonderful　things　to　be　nothing　else　but　mere　natural　fopperies；　or　capriccios　as　they　call　them　in　Italian；　even　of　the　meanest；　of　that　nation。　For；　put　the　case　you　be　travelling　in　Italy；　ask　your　contadino；　that　is；　the　next　country…fellow　you　meet；　some　question；　and　presently　he　ballots　you　an　answer　with　a　nod；　which　is　affirmative；　or　a　shake　with　his　head；　which　is　the　negative　box；　or　a　shrug　with　his　shoulder；　which　is　the　bossolo　di　non　sinceri。　Good！　You　will　admire　Sandys　for　telling　you；　that　grotta　di　cane　is　a　miracle：　and　I　shall　be　laughed　at；　for　assuring　you；　that　it　is　nothing　else　but　such　a　damp　（continued　by　the　neighborhood　of　certain　sulphur　mines）　as　through　accidental　heat　does　sometimes　happen　in　our　coalpits。　But　ingratitude　must　not　discourage　an　honest　man　from　doing　good。　There　is　not；　I　say；　such　a　tongue…tied　generation　under　heaven　as　your　Italian；　that　you　should　not　wonder　if　he　makes　signs。　But　our　people　must　have　something　in　their　diurnals；　we　must　ever　and　anon　be　telling　them　our　minds；　or　if　we　be　at　it　when　we　raise　taxes；　like　those　gentlemen　with　the　finger　and　the　thumb；　they　will　swear　that　we　are　cutpurses。　Come；　I　know　what　I　have　heard　them　say；　when　some　men　had　money　that　wrought　hard　enough　for　it；　and　do　you　conceive　they　will　be　better　pleased　when　they　shall　be　told　that　upon　like　occasions　you　are　at　mumchance　or　stool…ball？　　　　　〃I　do　not　speak　for　myself；　for　though　I　shall　always　acknowledge　that　I　got　more　by　one　year's　sitting　in　the　house　than　by　my　three　years'　travels；　it　was　not　of　that　kind。　But　I　hate　that　this　same　Spy；　for　pretending　to　have　played　at　billiards　with　the　most　serene　Commonwealth　of　Venice；　should　make　such　fools　of　us　here；　when　I　know　that　he　must　have　had　his　intelligence　from　some　corn…cutter　upon　the　Rialto；　for　a　noble　Venetian　would　be　hanged　if　he　should　keep　such　a　fellow　company。　And　yet　if　I　do　not　think　he　has　made　you　all　dote；　never　trust　me；　my　Lord　Archon　is　sometimes　in　such　strange　raptures。　Well；　good　my　lord；　let　me　be　heard　as　well　as　your　apple　squire。　Venice　has　fresh　blood　in　her　cheeks；　I　must　confess；　yet　she　is　but　an　old　lady。　N　or　has　he　picked　her　cabinet；　these　he　sends　you　are　none　of　her　receipts；　I　can　assure　you；　he　bought　them　for　a　Julio　at　St。　Mark's　of　a　mountebank。　She　has　no　other　wash；　upon　my　knowledge；　for　that　same　envied　complexion　of　hers　but　her　marshes；　being　a　little　better　scented；　saving　your　presence；　than　a　chamber…pot。　My　lords；　I　know　what　I　say；　but　you　will　never　have　done　with　it；　that　neither　the　great　Turk；　nor　any　of　those　little　Turks　her　neighbors；　have　been　able　to　spoil　her！　Why　you　may　as　well　wonder　that　weasels　do　not　suck　eggs　in　swans'　nests。　Do　you　think　that　it　has　lain　in　the　devotion　of　her　beads；　which　you　that　have　puked　so　much　at　popery；　are　now　at　length　resolved　shall　consecrate　M。　Parson；　and　be　dropped　by　every　one　of　his　congregation；　while　those　same　whimsical　intelligences　your　surveyors　（you　will　break　my　heart）　give　the　turn　to　your　primum　mobile！　And　so　I　think　they　will；　for　you　will　find　that　money　is　the　primum　mobile）　and　they　will　turn　you　thus　out　of　some　？00；000　or　？00；000：　a　pretty　sum　for　urns　and　balls；　for　boxes　and　pills；　which　these　same　quacksalvers　are　to　administer　to　the　parishes；　and　for　what　disease　I　marvel！　Or　how　does　it　work？　Out　comes　a　constable；　an　overseer；　and　a　churchwarden！　Mr。　Speaker；　I　am　amazed！〃

　　　　Never　was　there　goose　so　stuck　with　lard　as　my　Lord　Epimonus's　speech　with　laughter；　the　Archon　having　much　ado　to　recover　himself　in　such　a　manner　as　might　enable　him　to　return　these　thanks：

　　　　〃In　your　whole　lives；　my　lords；　were　you　never　entertained　with　so　much　ingenuity；　my　Lord　Epimonus　having　at　once　mended　all　the　faults　of　travellers。　For；　first；　whereas　they　are　abominable　liars；　he　has　not　told　you　（except　some　malicious　body　has　misinformed　him　concerning　poor　Spy）　one　syllable　of　falsehood。　And；　secondly；　whereas　they　never　fail　to　give　the　upper　hand　in　all　their　discourses　to　foreign　nations；　still　jostling　their　own　into　the　kennel；　he　bears　an　honor　to　his　country　that　will　not　dissolve　in　Cephalonia；　nor　be　corrupted　with　figs　and　melons；　which　I　can　assure　you　is　an　ordinary　obligation；　and　therefore　hold　it　a　matter　of　public　concern　that　we　be　to　no　occasion　of　quenching　my　lord's　affections；　nor　is　there　any　such　great　matter　between　us；　but；　in　my　opinion；　might　be　easily　reconciled；　for　though　that　which　my　lord　gained　by　sitting　in　the　house；　I　steadfastly　believe；　as　he　can　affirm；　was　got　fairly　yet　dare　I　not；　nor　do　I　think；　that　upon　consideration　he　will　promise　for　other　gamesters；　especially　when　they　were　at　it　so　high；　as　he　intimates　not　only　to　have　been　in　use；　but　to　be　like　enough　to　come　about　again。　Wherefore　say　I；　let　them　throw　with　boxes；　for　unless　we　will　be　below　the　politics　of　an　ordinary；　there　is　no　such　bar　to　cogging。　it　is　known　to　his　lordship　that　our　game　is　most　at　a　throw；　and　that　every　cast　of　our　dice　is　in　our　suffrages；　nor　will　he　deny　that　partiality　in　a　suffrage　is　downright　cogging。　　　　　If　the　Venetian　boxes　be　the　most　sovereign　of　all　remedies　against　this　same　cogging；　is　it　not　a　strange　thing　that　they　should　be　thrown　first　into　the　fire　by　a　fair　gamester？　Men　are　naturally　subject　to　all　kinds　of　passions；　some　you　have　that　are　not　able　to　withstand　the　brow　of　an　enemy；　and　others　that　make　nothing　of　this；　are　less　proof　against　that　of　a　friend。　So　that　if　your　suffrage　be　barefaced；　I　dare　say　you　shall　not　have　one　fair　cast　in　twenty。　But　whatever　a　man's　fortune　be　at　the　box；　he　neither　knows　whom　to　thank；　nor　whom　to　challenge。　Wherefore　（that　my　lord　may　have　a　charitable　opinion　of　the　choice　affection　which　I　confess　to　have；　above　all　other　beauties；　for　that　of　incomparable　Venice）　there　is　in　this　way　of　suffrage　no　less　than　a　demonstration　that　it　is　the　most　pure；　and　the　purity　of　the　suffrage　in　a　popular　government　is　the　health；　if　not　the　life　of　it；　seeing　the　soul　is　not　otherwise　breathed　into　the　sovereign　power　than　by　the　suffrage　of　the　people。　Wherefore　no　wonder　if　Postellus　be　of　opinion　that　this　use　of　the　ball　is　the　very　same　with　that　of　the　bean　in　Athens；　or　that　others；　by　the　text　concerning　Eldad　and　Medad；　derive　it　from　the　Commonwealth　of　Israel。　There　is　another　thing；　though　not　so　material　to　us；　that　my　lord　will　excuse　me　if　I　be　not　willing　to　yield；　which　is；　that　Venice　subsists　only　by　her　situation。　it　is　true　that　a　man　in　time　of　war　may　be　more　secure　from　his　enemies　by　being　in　a　citadel；　but　not　from　his　diseases；　wherefore　the　first　cause；　if　he　lives　long；　is　his　good　constitution；　without　which　his　citadel　were　to　little　purpose；　and　it　is　not　otherwise　with　Venice。〃

　　　　With　this　speech　of　the　Archon　I　conclude　the　proof　of　the　agrarian　and　the　ballot；　being　the　fundamental　laws　of　this　commonwealth；　and　come　now　from　the　centre　to　the　circumferences　or　orbs；　whereof　some　have　been　already　shown；　as　how　the　parishes　annually　pour　themselves　into　the　hundreds；　the　hundreds　into　the　tribes；　and　the　tribes　into　the　galaxies；　the　annual　galaxy　of　every　tribe　consisting　of　two　knights　and　seven　deputies；　whereof　the　knights　constitute　the　Senate；　the　deputies；　the　prerogative　tribe；　commonly　called　the　people；　and　the　Senate　and　people　constitute　the　sovereign　power　or　Parliament　of　Oceana。　Whereof　to　show　what　the　Parliament　is；　I　must　first　open　the　Senate；　and　then　the　prerogative　tribe。　　　　　To　begin　with　the　Senate；　of　which　（as　a　man　is　differently　represented　by　a　picture　drawer　and　by　an　anatomist）　I　shall　first　discover　the　face　or　aspect；　and　then　the　parts；　with　the　use　of　them。　Every　Monday　morning　in　the　summer　at　seven；　and　in　the　winter　at　eight；　the　great　bell　in　the　clock…house　at　the　Pantheon　begins；　and　continues　ringing　for　the　space　of　one　hour；　in　which　time　the　magistrates　of　the　Senate；　being　attended　according　to　their　qu