of both, viz. that of the Princes or Nobility; who, by Reason of the Splendor and Antiquity of their Families, approach, in some Degree, to the Kingly Dignity; and yet, being Subjects, are upon that Account on the same Foot and Interest with the Commons.  Now of the Excellency of this Temperament in a Commonwealth, we have a most remarkable Commendation in Cicero, taken by him out of Plato’s Books de Republica; which, because of its singular Elegancy, we shall here insert at length.

“Ut in fidibus (inquit) ac tibiis, atque cantu ipso, ac vocibus, tenendus est quidam concentus ex distinctis sonis, quem immutatum ac discrepantem aures eruditae ferre non possunt; isque concentus ex dissimillimarium vocum moderatione concors tamen efficitur, & congruens; Sic ex summis, & mediis, & infimis interjectis ordinibus, ut sonis, moderata ratione civitas, consensu dissimillimorum concinit, & quae harmonia a musicis dicitur in cantu, ea est in Civitate concordia:  arctissimum atq; optimum in Repub. vinculum incolumitatis, quae fine justitia nullo pacto esse potest. i. e. As in Fiddles and Flutes, and even in Singing and Voices, a certain Consort of distinct Sounds is to be observed; which if it be alter’d, or not tunable, skilful Hearers cannot bear or endure:  And this Consort of very different Tones, is, through as just Proportion of the Notes, rendred Concord, and very agreeable:  Even so a Commonwealth, judiciously proportioned, and composed of the first, the middlemost, and the lowest of the States, (just as in the Sounds) through the Consent of People very unlike to each other, becomes agreeable:  And what Musicians in Singing call Harmony, that in a Commonwealth is Concord; the very best and strongest Bond of Safety for a Government, which can never fail of being accompanied with Justice.”  Our Ancestors therefore following this Method, of a just Mixture of all the three Kinds, in the constituting their Commonwealth, most wisely ordained, that every Year on the Calends of May, a Publick Council of the whole Nation should be held:  at which Council the great Affairs of the Republick shou’d be transacted by the common Consent and Advice of all the Estates.  The Wisdom and Advantage of which Institution, appears chiefly in these three things:  First, That in the Multitude of prudent Counsellors, the Weight and Excellency of Counsel shews it self more apparently, as Solomon and other Wise Men have said.  Secondly, Because it is an essential part of liberty, that the same persons, at whose cost and peril any thing is done, shou’d have it done likewise by their authority and advice:  for (’tis a common Saying) what concerns all, ought to be approved by all.  Lastly, That such Ministers of State as have great Power with the Prince, and are in high Employments,