Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/48

10 churches, and reckon about five thouand ouls in their community.

St. Marino was its founder, a Dalmatian by birth, and by trade a maon. He was employed, about thirteen hundred years ago, in the reparation of Rimini, and after he had finihed his work, retired to this olitary mountain as very proper for the life of a hermit, which he led in the greatet auterities of religion. He had not been long here, before he wrought a reputed miracle, which, joined with his extraordinary anctity, gained him o great an eteem, that the princes of the country made him a preent of the mountain, to dipofe of it at his dicretion. His reputation quickly peopled it, and gave rie to the republic which calls itelf after his name. The bet of their churches is dedicated to the aint, and holds his ahes. His tatue tands over the high altar, with the figure of a mountain in his hands, crowned with three catles, which is likewie the arms of the commonwealth. They attribute to his protection the long duration of the tate, and look on him the greatet faint next the bleed Virgin. In their tatute-book is a law againt uch as peak direpectfully of him, who are to be punihed in the ame manner as thoe who are convicted of blaphemy. This petty republic has lated thirteen hundred years, while all the other tates of Italy have everal times changed their maters and forms of government. Their whole hitory conits in two purchaes of a neighbouring prince, and two wars, in which they aited the pope againt a lord of Rimini.

They would probably ell their liberty as dear as they could to any that attacked them; for there is but one road by which to climb up to them.