, or
that he is insolvent, he must lose his dignity, and be held unworthy of
every honour and office. For he, that cannot govern himself and his own
private affairs, will much less be able to advise on public affairs.
48. Those, whom the law compels to take an oath, will be much more
cautious of perjury, if they are bidden to swear by the country's safety
and liberty and by the supreme council, than if they are told to swear
by God. For he who swears by God, gives as surety some private advantage
to himself, whereof he is judge; but he, who by his oath gives as surety
his country's liberty and safety, swears by what is the common advantage
of all, whereof he is not judge, and if he perjures himself, thereby
declares that he is his country's enemy.
49. Academies, that are founded at the public expense, are instituted
not so much to cultivate men's natural abilities as to restrain them.
But in a free commonwealth arts and sciences will be best cultivated to
the full, if everyone that asks leave is allowed to teach publicly, and
that at his own cost and risk. But these and the like points I reserve
for another place. [4] For here I determined to treat only such matters
as concern an aristocratic dominion only.
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1. Ought not this reference to be to Chap. III. Sec. 6?
2. Cf. Chap. VI. Sec. 10.
3. "This V. H. is Pieter de la Court (1618-85), an eminent publicist,
who wrote under the initials D. C. (De la Court), V. H.
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