extreme feverity, returns at last to its original temper of mildness and humanity *. * An ingenious writer obferves, that as our American settlements are now fo profperous, banishment to these settlements is fcarce a punishment. He therefore proposes, that criminals be transported to Hudson's bay, or to fome other uncultivated country. My doubt is, that in proportion as manners improve, the feverity of punishment ought to be mitigated. Perhaps, the transportation to any of our American colonies, tho' lefs dreadful than formerly, may however be now a fufficient punishment for theft, or other crime of no deeper dye. SKETCH SKETCH IÍÍ. Different Forms of Government compared. F all governments, democracy is the most turbulent: defpotism, which benumbs the mental faculties and relaxes every spring of action, is in the oppofite extreme. Mixed governments, whether monarchical or republican, ftand in the middle they promote activity, but feldom any dangerous excess. Pure democracy, like that of Athens, Argos, and Carthage, is the very worst form of government, if we make not defpotifm an exception. The people, in whom refides the fovereign power, are infolent in profperity, timid in adverfity, cruel in anger, blind and prodigal in affection, and incapable of embracing steadily a prudent measure. Thucydides relates (a), that Agis with a gallant army of Spartans furrounded the army of Argos; and, tho' fecure of victory, fuffered them (a) Lib. 5. to retreat, upon folemn affurances from Thrafyllus, the Argian general, of terminating all differences in an amicable treaty. Agis, perhaps justly, was bitterly cenfured for fuffering victory to flip out of his hands: but the Argians, dreaming of victory when the danger was over, brought their general to trial, confifcated his effects, and would have stoned him to death, had he not taken refuge in a temple. Two Athenian generals, after one naval victory being intent on a second, deputed Theramenes to perform the last duty to the dead. A violent storm prevented Theramenes from executing the trust reposed in him; but it did not prevent the people of Athens from putting their two generals to death, as if they had neglected their duty. The fate of Socrates, is a fad inftance of the changeable, as well as violent, difpofition of a democratical ftate. He was condemned to death, for attempting innovations in the established religion the fentence was grofsly unjust: he attempted no innovation; but only, among his friends, expreffed purer notions of the Deity than were common in Greece at that time. But his funeral obfequies were were scarce over, when bitter remorfe feized the people. His accufers were put to death without trial, every perfon banished who had contributed to the fentence pronounced against him, and his ftatue was erected in the most public part of the city. The great Scipio, in his camp near Utica, was furrounded with three Carthaginian armies, which waited only for day-light to fall upon him. He prevented the impending blow, by furprising them in the dead of night; which gave him a complete victory. This misfortune, for it could fcarce be called bad conduct, provoked the democracy of Carthage, to pronounce fentence of death against Afdrubal their general. Great trading towns cannot flourish, if they be not faithful to their engagements, and honest in their dealings: whence then the fides Punica? A democracy is in its nature rafh, violent, and fluctuating; and the Carthaginians merited the reproach, not as individuals, but as a democratical state. A commonwealth governed by chofen. citizens, is very different from a democracy, where the mob rules. The folid foundation of fuch a commonwealth, is equality equality among the citizens. Inequality of riches cannot be prevented in a commercial state; but inequality of privileges may be prevented, by excluding no citizen from the opportunity of commanding as well as of obeying. The invidious diftinction of Patrician and Plebeian was a grofs malady in the Roman republic, a perpetual fource of diffenfion between two bodies of men, equally well born, equally rich, and equally fit for war. This illpoised government would have put an end to the republic, had not the Plebeians prevailed, who were the more numerous. That reformation produced to Rome plenty of able men, qualified to govern both peace and in war. in A commonwealth is the best form of government for a small state: there is little room for inequality of rank or of property; and the people can act in a body. Monarchy is preferable for a large ftate, where the people, widely spread, cannot be easily collected into a body. Attica was a kingdom, while its twelve cantons were remote from each other, and but flenderly connected. Thefeus, by collecting the people of figure into the city of |