 Thus each very opulent man
generally gathers round him a circle of the poorest of the people; and the
polity abounding in accumulated wealth, may be compared to a Cartesian system,
each orb with a vortex of its own. Those, however, who are willing to move in a
great man's vortex, are only such as must be slaves, the rabble of mankind,
whose souls and whose education are adapted to servitude, and who know nothing
of liberty except the name. But there must still be a large number of the people
without the sphere of the opulent man's influence, namely, that order of men
which subsists between the very rich and the very rabble; those men who are
possest of too large fortunes to submit to the neighbouring man in power, and
yet are too poor to set up for tyranny themselves. In this middle order of
mankind are generally to be found all the arts, wisdom, and virtues of society.
This order alone is known to be the true preserver of freedom, and may be called
the People. Now it may happen that this middle order of mankind may lose all its
influence in a state, and its voice be in a manner drowned in that of the
rabble: for if the fortune sufficient for qualifying a person at present to give
his voice in state affairs, be ten times less than was judged sufficient upon
forming the constitution, it is evident that greater numbers of the rabble will
thus be introduced into the political system, and they ever moving in the vortex
of the great, will follow where greatness shall direct. In such a state,
therefore, all that the middle order has left, is to preserve the prerogative
and privileges of the one principal governor with the most sacred
circumspection. For he divides the power of the rich, and calls off the great
from falling with tenfold weight on the middle order placed beneath them. The
middle order may be compared to a town of which the opulent are forming the
siege, and which the governor from without is hastening the relief. While the
besiegers are in dread of an enemy over them, it is but natural to offer the
townsmen the most specious terms; to flatter them with sounds, and amuse them
with privileges: but if they once defeat the governor from behind, the walls of
the town will be but a small defence to its inhabitants. What they may then
expect, may be seen by turning our eyes to Holland, Genoa, or Venice, where the
laws govern the poor, and the rich govern the law. I am then for, and would die
for
