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 had such manageable Matter to work upon, and when such Rewards constantly attended their Labours. This likewise was a great Help to their Orators, as well as their Poets; who soon found the Beauties of a numerous Composition, and left nothing undone, that could bring it to its utmost Perfection. But this was not so important a Consideration, as alone to have encouraged the Greeks to cultivate their Eloquence, if the Constitution of their Governments had not made it necessary; and that Necessity had not obliged a very great Number of ingenious Men to take Pains about it.

Most part of Greece, properly so called, and of Asia the Leẞ, the Coasts of Thrace, Sicily, the Islands in the Mediterranean, and a great part of Italy, were long divided into great Numbers of Kingdoms and Commonwealths; and many of these small Kingdoms, taking Example by their neighbouring Cities that had thrown off their imperious Masters, turned, in time, to Commonwealths, as well as they. These, as all little Governments that are contiguous, being well nigh an even Match for each other, continued for many Ages in that Condition. Many of the chiefest were Democracies; as, the Republicks of Athens, Syracuse, Thebes and Corinth;