"The soul of government, as the true and perfect image of the soul of man, is every whit as necessarily religious as rational."
— Harrington, James (1611-1677)
Work Title
Date
1700
Metaphor
"The soul of government, as the true and perfect image of the soul of man, is every whit as necessarily religious as rational."
Metaphor in Context
10. Formation of government is the creation of a political creature after the image of a philosophical creature; or it is an infusion of the soul or facultys of a man into the body of a multitude.
11. The more the soul or facultys of a man (in the manner of their being infus'd into the body of a multitude) are refin'd or made incapable of passion, the more perfect is the form of government.
12. Not the refin'd spirit of a man, or of som men, is a good form of government; but a good form of government is the refin'd spirit of a nation.
13. The spirit of a nation (whether refin'd or not refin'd) can neither be wholly saint nor Atheist: not saint because the far greater part of the people is never able in matters of religion to be their own leaders; nor Atheists, because religion is every whit as indelible a character in man's nature as reason.
14. Language is not a more natural intercourse between the soul of one man and another, than religion is between God and the soul of a man.
15. As not this language, nor that language, but som language; so not this religion, nor that religion, yet som religion is natural to every nation.
16. The soul of government, as the true and perfect image of the soul of man, is every whit as necessarily religious as rational.
17. The body of a government, as consisting of the sensual part of man, is every whit as preservative and defensive of it self as sensual creatures are of themselves.
18. The body of a man, not actuated or led by the soul, is a dead thing out of pain and misery; but the body of a people, not actuated or led by the soul of government, is a living thing in pain and misery.
19. The body of a people, not led by the reason of the government, is not a people, but a herd: not led by the religion of the government, is at an inquiet and an uncomfortable loss in it self; not disciplin'd by the conduct of the government, is not an army for defence of it self, but a rout; not directed by the laws of the government, has not any rule of right; and without recourse to the justice or judicatorys of the government, has no remedy of wrongs.
20. In contemplation of, and in conformity to the soul of man, as also for supply of those his necessitys which are not otherwise supply'd, or to be supply'd by nature, form of government consists necessarily of these five parts: the civil, which is the reason of the people; the religious, which is the comfort of the people; the military, which is the captain of the people; the laws, which are the rights of the people; and the judicatorys, which are the avengers of their wrongs.
21. The parts of form in government are as the offices in a house; and the orders of a form of government are as the orders of a house or family.
22. Good orders make evil men good, and bad orders make good men evil.
(IV.10-22)
11. The more the soul or facultys of a man (in the manner of their being infus'd into the body of a multitude) are refin'd or made incapable of passion, the more perfect is the form of government.
12. Not the refin'd spirit of a man, or of som men, is a good form of government; but a good form of government is the refin'd spirit of a nation.
13. The spirit of a nation (whether refin'd or not refin'd) can neither be wholly saint nor Atheist: not saint because the far greater part of the people is never able in matters of religion to be their own leaders; nor Atheists, because religion is every whit as indelible a character in man's nature as reason.
14. Language is not a more natural intercourse between the soul of one man and another, than religion is between God and the soul of a man.
15. As not this language, nor that language, but som language; so not this religion, nor that religion, yet som religion is natural to every nation.
16. The soul of government, as the true and perfect image of the soul of man, is every whit as necessarily religious as rational.
17. The body of a government, as consisting of the sensual part of man, is every whit as preservative and defensive of it self as sensual creatures are of themselves.
18. The body of a man, not actuated or led by the soul, is a dead thing out of pain and misery; but the body of a people, not actuated or led by the soul of government, is a living thing in pain and misery.
19. The body of a people, not led by the reason of the government, is not a people, but a herd: not led by the religion of the government, is at an inquiet and an uncomfortable loss in it self; not disciplin'd by the conduct of the government, is not an army for defence of it self, but a rout; not directed by the laws of the government, has not any rule of right; and without recourse to the justice or judicatorys of the government, has no remedy of wrongs.
20. In contemplation of, and in conformity to the soul of man, as also for supply of those his necessitys which are not otherwise supply'd, or to be supply'd by nature, form of government consists necessarily of these five parts: the civil, which is the reason of the people; the religious, which is the comfort of the people; the military, which is the captain of the people; the laws, which are the rights of the people; and the judicatorys, which are the avengers of their wrongs.
21. The parts of form in government are as the offices in a house; and the orders of a form of government are as the orders of a house or family.
22. Good orders make evil men good, and bad orders make good men evil.
(IV.10-22)
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
6 entries in ECCO and ESTC (1700, 1737, 1747, 1758, 1771).
See The Oceana of James Harrington, and His Other Works; Som [Sic] Wherof Are Now First Publish’d from His Own Manuscripts. The Whole Collected, Methodiz’d, and Review’d, With an Exact Account of His Life Prefix’d, by John Toland. (London: Printed [by John Darby], and are to be sold by the booksellers of London and Westminster, 1700). <Link to ESTC><Link to EEBO>
OLL takes as copy-text The Oceana and Other Works of James Harrington, with an Account of His Life by John Toland (London: Becket and Cadell, 1771).
Reading Pocock, The Political Works of James Harrington, p. 837; Pocock, James Harrington, p. 273.
See The Oceana of James Harrington, and His Other Works; Som [Sic] Wherof Are Now First Publish’d from His Own Manuscripts. The Whole Collected, Methodiz’d, and Review’d, With an Exact Account of His Life Prefix’d, by John Toland. (London: Printed [by John Darby], and are to be sold by the booksellers of London and Westminster, 1700). <Link to ESTC><Link to EEBO>
OLL takes as copy-text The Oceana and Other Works of James Harrington, with an Account of His Life by John Toland (London: Becket and Cadell, 1771).
Reading Pocock, The Political Works of James Harrington, p. 837; Pocock, James Harrington, p. 273.
Date of Entry
11/03/2013
