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Since then those who have preceded us have left uninvestigated

the subject of Legislation, it will be better perhaps for us to

investigate it ourselves, and, in fact, the whole subject of

Polity, that thus what we may call Human Philosophy may be

completed as far as in us lies.

First then, let us endeavour to get whatever fragments of good

there may be in the statements of our predecessors, next, from

the Polities we have collected, ascertain what kind of things

preserve or destroy Communities, and what, particular

Constitutions; and the cause why some are well and others ill

managed, for after such enquiry, we shall be the better able to

take a concentrated view as to what kind of Constitution is best,

what kind of regulations are best for each, and what laws and

customs.

NOTES

BOOK I

[1] For this term, as here employed, our language contains no

equivalent expression except an inconvenient paraphrase.