what is for
their good? The pilot saves the lives of the crew, not by laying down
rules, but by making his art a law, and, like him, the true governor
has a strength of art which is superior to the law. This is scientific
government, and all others are imitations only. Yet no great number
of persons can attain to this science. And hence follows an important
result. The true political principle is to assert the inviolability
of the law, which, though not the best thing possible, is best for the
imperfect condition of man.

I will explain my meaning by an illustration:--Suppose that mankind,
indignant at the rogueries and caprices of physicians and pilots, call
together an assembly, in which all who like may speak, the skilled as
well as the unskilled, and that in their assembly they make decrees
for regulating the practice of navigation and medicine which are to
be binding on these professions for all time. Suppose that they elect
annually by vote or lot those to whom authority in either department is
to be delegated. And let us further imagine, that when the term of their
magistracy has expired, the magistrates appointed by them are summoned
before an ignorant and unprofessional court, and may be condemned and
punished for breaking the regulations. They even go a step further, and
enact, that he who is found enquiring into the truth of navigation and
medicine, and is seeking to be wise above what is written, shall be
called not an artist, but a dreamer, a prating Sophist and a corruptor
of youth; and if he try to persuade others to investigate those sciences
in a manner contrary to the law, he shall be punished with the utmost
severity. And like rules might be extended to any art or science. But
what would be the consequence?

'The arts would utterly perish, and human life, which is bad enough
already, would become intolerable.'

But suppose, once more, that we were to appoint some one as the guardian
of the law, who was both ignorant and interested, and who perverted the
law: would not this be a still worse evil than the other? 'Certainly.'
For the laws are based on some experience and wisdom. Hence the wiser
course is, that they should be observed, although this is not the best
thing of all, but only the second best. And whoever, having skill,
should try to improve them, would act in the spirit of the law-giver.
But then, as we have seen, no great number of men, whether poor or rich,
can be makers of laws. And so,