first essay being officered at the hundreds, and
mustered at the tribes (where they are entertained with other sports,
which will be very fine ones), proceeds to the election of the second
essay, or standing army of this nation, consisting of 30,000 foot and
10,000 horse; and these, upon a war decreed, being delivered at the
rendezvous of Oceana to the strategus, are the third essay, which
answers to the Roman legions. But you may observe, that whereas the
consuls elected the military tribunes, and raised commanded men out of
the veterans at their own discretion, our polemarchs, or field officers,
are elected by the scrutiny of the Council of War, and our veterans
not otherwise taken on than as volunteers, and with the consent of the
polemarchs, which may serve for the removal of certain scruples which
might otherwise be incident in this place, though without encouragement
by the Roman way of proceeding, much less by that which is proposed.
But whereas the Roman legions in all amounted not in one army to above
30,000 men, or little more, you have here 40,000; and whereas they
added auxiliaries, it is in this regard that Marpesia will be a greater
revenue to you than if you had the Indies; for whereas heretofore she
has yielded you nothing but her native thistles, in ploughing out the
rankness of her aristocracy by your agrarian, you will find her an
inexhaustible magazine of men, and to her own advantage, who will make a
far better account by the arms than by the pins of Poland. Wherefore as
a consular army consisted of about an equal number of auxiliaries added
to their legions by their Latin or Italian associates, you may add to a
parliamentary army an equal number of Marpesians or Panopeans, as
that colony shall hereafter be able to supply you, by which means the
commonwealth will be able to go forth to battle with 80,000 men.

"To make wars with small forces is no husbandry, but a waste, a disease,
a lingering and painful consumption of men and money the Romans making
theirs thick, made them short, and had little regard to money, as that
which they who have men enough can command where it is fittest that it
should be levied. All the ancient monarchies by this means got on wing,
and attained to vast riches. Whereas your modern princes being dear
purchasers of small parcels, have but empty pockets. But it may be some
will accuse the order of rashness, in that it commits the sole conduct
of the war to the general; and