Page:Thoughts on civil liberty, on licentiousness and faction.djvu/59

 Republic; it follows (what, indeed, seems probable in its own Nature) that the strongest political Institutions may be formed on the savage State of Man. In this Period the Legislator hath few or no prior Institutions to contend with; and therefore can form a System of Legislation consistent with itself in all its Parts. While the Lawgiver who reforms a State already modeled and corrupted, must content himself with such partial Regulations, as the Force of prior Establishments and public Habits will admit.

3. The long united State of this Republic afford a Proof against a political Maxim commonly received, "That Divisions are necessary to a free State; and that inward Tranquillity is a certain Symptom of its approaching Ruin." For, from the History of, it appears, that during the Space of at least five hundred Years, intestine Divisions were unknown. This common and mistaken Maxim (adopted by almost all