 and a Sword sheathed
in her left, to shew she is more disposed to reward than to punish.
    In chusing Persons for all Employments, they have more Regard to good Morals
than to great Abilities: For, since Government is necessary to Mankind, they
believe that the common Size of human Understandings, is fitted to some Station
or other; and that Providence never intended to make the Management of publick
Affairs a Mystery, to be comprehended only by a few Persons of sublime Genius,
of which there seldom are three born in an Age: But, they suppose Truth,
Justice, Temperance, and the like, to be in every Man's Power; the Practice of
which Virtues, assisted by Experience and a good Intention, would qualify any
Man for the Service of his Country, except where a Course of Study is required.
But they thought the Want of Moral Virtues was so far from being supplied by
superior Endowments of the Mind, that Employments could never be put into such
dangerous Hands as those of Persons so qualified; and at least, that the
Mistakes committed by Ignorance in a virtuous Disposition, would never be of
such fatal Consequence to the Publick Weal, as the Practices of a Man, whose
Inclinations led him to be corrupt, and had great Abilities to manage, to
multiply, and defend his Corruptions.
    In like Manner, the Disbelief of a Divine Providence renders a Man uncapable
of holding any publick Station: For, since Kings avow themselves to be the
Deputies of Providence, the Lilliputians think nothing can be more absurd than
for a Prince to employ such Men as disown the Authority under which he acteth.
    In relating these and the following Laws, I would only be understood to mean
the original Institutions, and not the most scandalous Corruptions into which
these People are fallen by the degenerate Nature of Man. For as to that infamous
Practice of acquiring great Employments by dancing on the Ropes, or Badges of
Favour and Distinction by leaping over Sticks, and creeping under them; the
Reader is to observe, that they were first introduced by the Grand-father of the
Emperor now reigning; and grew to the present Height, by the gradual Increase of
Party and Faction.
    Ingratitude is among them a capital Crime, as we read it to have been in
some other Countries: For they reason thus; that whoever makes ill Returns to
his Benefactor, must needs be a common Enemy to the rest of Mankind, from whom
he hath received no Obligation; and therefore such a Man is not fit to live.
    Their Notions relating to the Duties of Parents and Children differ
extremely from
