Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/173

Rh " to be mannerly at the public table, and give the bet from himelf to decency and the common interet. But that uch orders may be etablihed, as may, nay mut, give the upper hand in all caes to common right and interet, notwithtanding the nearnes that ticks to every man in private, and this in a way of equal certainty and facility, is known even to girls; being no other than thoe which are of common practice with them in divere cafes. For example: Two of them have a cake, yet undivided, which was given between them. That each of them, therefore, might have that which is due, "Divide," ays one, "and I will chooe; or let me divide, and you hall chooe." If this be but once agreed upon, it is enough; for the one dividing unequally, loes, in regard that the other takes the better half; wherefore he divides equally, and o both have right. And thus, what great philoophers are diputing upon in vain, is brought to light by two harmles girls; even the whole mytery of a commonwealth, which lies only in dividing and chooing."

Now, if all authority is to be collected into one central aembly, it will have the whole power of diviion and choice; and we may eaily conjecture what diviion and choice it will be. It will oon have poeion of all the cakes, loaves, and fihes.

Harrington proceeds: "Nor has God, if his works in nature be undertood, left o much to mankind to dipute upon, as who hall divide and who chooe, but ditributed them for ever into two orders; whereof the one has the natural right of dividing, and the other of choofing. For example: A commonwealth is but a civil ociety of men: let us take any number of men, "as