vosts。〃 The civil part of the provincial orb being declared by the foregoing order； the military part of the same is constituted by The twenty…ninth order； 〃Whereby the stratiots of the third essay having drawn the gold balls marked with the letter M； and being ten horse and fifty foot in a tribe； that is to say； 500 horse and 2；500 foot in all； the tribes shall be delivered by the respective conductors to the provincial strategus or general； at such a time and place； or rendezvous； as he shall appoint by order and certificate of his election； and the strategus having received the horse and foot mentioned； which are the third classes of his provincial guard or army； shall forthwith lead them away to Marpesia； where the army consists of three classes； each class containing 3；000 men； whereof 500 are horse； and receiving the new strategus with the third class； the old strategus with the first class shall be dismissed by the provincial council。 The same method with the stratiots of the letter P； is to be observed for the provincial orb of Panopea； and the commonwealth coming to acquire new provinces； the Senate and the people may erect new orbs in like manner； consisting of greater or less numbers； according as is required by the respective occasion。 If a stratiot has once served his term in a provincial orb； and happens afterward to draw the letter of a province at the election of the second essay； he may refuse his lot； and if he refuses it； the censor of that urn shall cause the files balloting at the same to make a halt； and if the stratiot produces the certificate of his strategus or general； that he has served his time accordingly； the censor throwing the ball that he drew into the urn again； and taking out a blank； shall dismiss the youth； and cause the ballot to proceed。〃 To perfect the whole structure of this commonwealth； some directions are given to the third essay； or army marching； in The thirtieth order。 〃'When thou goest to battle against thy enemies； and seest horses and chariots； and a people more than thou； be not afraid of them； for the Lord thy God is he that goes with thee to fight for thee against thy enemies。 And when thou dividest the spoil； it shall be as a statute and an ordinance to thee； that as his part is that goes down to the battle； so shall his part be that tarries by the stuff； that is （as to the commonwealth of Oceana） the spoil takin of the enemy （except clothes； arms； horses； ammunition； and victuals； to be divided to the soldiery by the strategus and the polemarchs upon the place according to their discretion） shall be delivered to four commissaries of the spoils elected and sworn by the Council of War； which commissaries shall be allowed shipping by the State； and convoys according as occasion shall require by the strategus； to the end that having a bill of lading signed by three or more of the polemarchs； they may ship and bring； or cause such spoils to be brought to the prize…office in Oceana； where they shall be sold； and the profit arising by such spoils shall be divided into three parts； whereof one shall go to the Treasury； another shall be paid to the soldiery of this nation； and a third to the auxiliaries at their return from their service； provided that the said auxiliaries be equal in number to the proper forces of this nation； otherwise their share shall be so much less as they themselves are fewer in number； the rest of the two…thirds to go to the officers and soldiers of the proper forces。 And the spoils so divided to the proper forces； shall be subdivided into three equal parts； whereof one shall go to the officers； and two to the common soldiers； the like for the auxiliaries。 And the share allotted the officers shall be divided into four equal parts； whereof one shall go to the strategus； another to the polemarchs； a third to the colonels； and a fourth to the captains； cornets； ensigns； and under…officers； receiving their share of the spoil as common soldiers； the like for the auxiliaries。 And this upon pain； in the case of failure； of what the people of Oceana （to whom the cognizance of peculation or crimes of this nature is properly appertaining） shall adjudge or decree。〃
Upon these three last orders the Archon seemed to be haranguing at the head of his army in this manner：
〃MY DEAR LORDS AND EXCELLENT PATRIOTS： 〃A government of this make is a commonwealth for increase。 Of those for preservation； the inconveniences and frailties have been shown： their roots are narrow； such as do not run； have no fibres； their tops weak and dangerously exposed to the weather； except you chance to find one； as Venice； planted in a flower…pot； and if she grows； she grows topheavy； and falls； too。 But you cannot plant an oak in a flowerpot； she must have earth for her root； and heaven for her branches。
〃'Imperium Oceano； famam quoe terminet astris。'
〃Rome was said to be broken by her own weight； but poetically； for that weight by which she was pretended to be ruined was supported in her emperors by a far slighter foundation。 And in the common experience of good architecture； there is nothing more known than that buildings stand the firmer and the longer for their own weight； nor ever swerve through any other internal cause than that their materials are corruptible； but the people never die； nor； as a political body； are subject to any other corruption than that which derives from their government。 Unless a man will deny the chain of causes； in which he denies God； he must also acknowledge the chain of effects； wherefore there can be no effect in nature that is not from the first cause； and those successive links of the chain without which it could not have been。 Now except a man can show the contrary in a commonwealth； if there be no cause of corruption in the first make of it； there can never be any such effect。 Let no man's superstition impose profaneness upon this assertion； for as man is sinful； but yet the universe is perfect； so may the citizen be sinful； and yet the commonwealth be perfect。 And as man； seeing the world is perfect； can never commit any such sin as shall render it imperfect； or bring it to a natural dissolution； so the citizen； where the commonwealth is perfect； can never commit any such crime as will render it imperfect； or bring it to a natural dissolution。 〃To come to experience： Venice； notwithstanding we have found some flaws in it； is the only commonwealth in the make whereof no man can find a cause of dissolution； for which reason we behold her （though she consists of men that are not without sin） at this day with 1；000 years upon her back； yet for any internal cause； as young； as fresh； and free from decay； or any appearance of it； as she was born； but whatever in nature is not sensible of decay by the course of 1；000 years； is capable of the whole age of nature； by which calculation； for any check that I am able to give myself； a commonwealth； rightly ordered； may for any internal causes be as immortal or long…lived as the world。 But if this be true； those commonwealths that are naturally fallen； must have derived their ruin from the rise of them。 Israel and Athens died； not natural； but violent deaths； in which manner the world itself is to die。 We are speaking of those causes of dissolution which are natural to government； and they are but two； either contradiction or inequality。 If a commonwealth be a contradiction； she must needs destroy herself； and if she be unequal； it tends to strife； and strife to ruin。 By the former of these fell Lacedaemon； by the latter Rome。 Lacedaemon being made altogether for war； and yet not for increase； her natural progress became her natural dissolution； and the building of her own victorious hand too heavy for her foundation； so that she fell； indeed； by her own weight。 But Rome perished through her native inequality； which how it inveterated the bosoms of the Senate and the people each against other； and even to death； has been shown at large。 〃Look well to it； my lords； for if there be a contradiction or inequality in your commonwealth； it must fall； but if it has neither of these； it has no principle of mortality。 Do not think me impudent； if this be truth； I shall commit a gross indiscretion in concealing it。 Sure I am that Machiavel is for the immortality of a commonwealth upon far weaker principles。 'If a commonwealth；' says he； 'were so happy as to be provided often with men； that； when she is swerving from her principles； should reduce her to her institution； she would be immortal。' But a commonwealth； as we have demonstrated； swerves not from her principles； but by and through her institution； if she brought no bias into the world with her； her course for any internal cause must be straightforward； as we see is that of Venice。 She cannot turn to the right hand nor to the left； but by some rub； which is not an internal； but external； cause： against such she can be no way fortified but through her situation； as is Venice； or through her militia； as was Rome； by which examples a commonwealth may be secure of those also。 Think me not vain； for I cannot conceal my opinion here； a commonwealth that is rightly instituted can never swerve； nor one that is not rightly instituted be secured from swerving by reduction to her first principles； wherefore it is no less apparent in this place that Machiavel understood not a commonwealth as to the whole piece； than where having told you that a tribune； or any other citizen of Rome； might propose a law to the people； and debate it with them； he adds； 'this order was good while the people were good； but when the people became evil； it became most pernicious。' As if this order （through which； with the like； the people most apparently became evil） could ever have been good； or that the people or the commonwealth could ever have become good； by being reduced to such principles as were the original of their evil。 〃The disease of Rome was； as has been shown； from the native inequality of her balance； and no otherwise from the empire of the world； than as； this falling into one scale； that of the nobility （an evil in such a fabric inevitable） kicked out the people。 Wherefore a man that could have made her to throw away the empire of the world； might in