Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/43

 DISTRIBUTION OF THE PEOPLE. SI usually conferred upon the sons, and sometimes upon the grandsons of princes, because these ho- nours reflect a lustre upon the sovereign himself; but, after this, their families are permitted to melt unnoticed into the common mass of the people. In the federal government, the persons who appear at first view hereditary nobles, are, in fact, as already explained, the little despots of their respective principalities. A hereditary nobility is incompatible with the unlimited authority claim- ed and exercised in the absolute governments. There all rank emanates from the sovereign, and is held during his pleasure. * The genuine spirit of this branch of the East Insular institutions will be thoroughly understood from the tenor of a Java- nese writ or patent of nobility, which is literally in the following words : *' Take notice ! This the royal letter of us the exalted monarch (such a one) we give in keeping to our servant the fellow Csuch a one. J Be it known to you all our slaves, whether high lords or inferior chiefs of our royal city or provinces, that we have given in custody power held by any means but its own momentary pleasure, and to annihilate all intermediate f^ituations between bound- less strength on its own p:irt, and total debility on the part of the people." — TJwugliis on the Causes of the Present Dis- coiitents.
 * '' It is the nature of despotism," snys Burke, " to abhor