in regard
to the Preservation of their Property. Unhappy _Atalantis_! Had such a
Law pass'd for the Qualification of those Noblemen, who should be
elected to the great Royal Council of thy Country; and should the
Nobility so to be chosen have been limited to but one hundred
_Perialo's_ (a Gold Coin in that Country amounting by Estimation to
about 2000 _l._ a Year Sterling) of yearly Estate in Lands, how few of
the Sixteen now chosen could have shewn themselves in that august
Meeting.

On the contrary, several of those now sent up, were not able to put
themselves into a Posture to undertake the Journey, till they had sold
the Magazines of Corn which they had laid up for the Year's Subsistance
of their Families, or mortgaged their small Estates to borrow Money for
the Expence.

Nor is it doubted in the least, but when those poor Noblemen come to
find some of their _Tartarian_ Expectations frustrated, with which it
is manifest they were very Big when they went up; they will sorely
regret the Misfortune of their Election; since they must be thereby so
reduced, as almost to want Subsistance for their Families; and as for
the Debts contracted, it is impossible some of them should ever Pay
them.

It has been a too unhappy Truth in other Places as well as in
_Atalantis Major_, That in such popular Elections, whether of Noblemen
or others, Men are deluded with the Notion, that to be chosen by their
Country to these great Councils of the Nation, must so recommend them,
or make them so necessary to the State, to the Government, or the
Ministers of State, that they cannot fail to make their Fortunes and
raise Estates by their very Appearance: But this is so constantly found
to fail, and so many have been almost ruin'd by the Expences they have
been at to make a Figure as they call it, and to appear at Court like
themselves on such Occasions, that it seems wonderful that Persons of
Quality, who know their own Circumstances, and whose Fortunes, through
the Disasters of their Families, may not be equal to their Dignity,
should on so vain a Presumption push themselves upon the necessity of
compleating their own Ruin, beggering their Families, and leaving their
Posterity an Estate in Titles and Coronets, Things without the Support
of competent Estates the most despicable in the World.

It might be very useful to our Readers, and perhaps something
instructing might be gathered from it, with respect to the Affairs of
_Europe_ at thi