Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/31

 COVERNMENt. 19 The languages of the tribes which have the fede- ral and aristocratic forms of government, have no such extravagant expressions as those now alluded to, for with them there are many competitors for panegyric, and no one to make a thorough mono- poly of it. The government of Java, and all the other forms of absolute government, are hereditary in the fa- mily of the reigning prince, but the rule of primo- geniture, so indispensable to tranquillity, is neither practised nor understood. By custom it is gene- rally thought necessary that the heir to the throne should be the son of a legitimate wife, or queen, and not of a concubine. The sovereign, during his lifetime, proclaims the eventual successor, who is honoured as the first subject, but seldom entrust- ed with any share in the administration. This practice, which is universal in all the absolute forms of social polity, deserves to be looked upon as an improvement on these forms of government. Under the Javanese monarch, a minister^' or Patehy and four assistants, superintend the admi- nistration of the country. Two of the assistants are intended to aid in the management of the llicir kiiocs, wi(h their eyes fixt on him, and when they with- draw, ihoy return in the same rr.anntr, creeping backwards, and slill keeping their eyes on him, fill (hey are out of sight." JJampier, 'ol. I. p. 143.