r mixing
different tempers in marriage, he never makes any provision for the
attainment of it. Aristotle, casting aside ideals, would place the
government in a middle class of citizens, sufficiently numerous for
stability, without admitting the populace; and such appears to have
been the constitution which actually prevailed for a short time at
Athens--the rule of the Five Thousand--characterized by Thucydides as
the best government of Athens which he had known. It may however be
doubted how far, either in a Greek or modern state, such a limitation is
practicable or desirable; for those who are left outside the pale will
always be dangerous to those who are within, while on the other hand
the leaven of the mob can hardly affect the representation of a great
country. There is reason for the argument in favour of a property
qualification; there is reason also in the arguments of those who would
include all and so exhaust the political situation.

The true answer to the question is relative to the circumstances of
nations. How can we get the greatest intelligence combined with the
greatest power? The ancient legislator would have found this question
more easy than we do. For he would have required that all persons who
had a share of government should have received their education from the
state and have borne her burdens, and should have served in her fleets
and armies. But though we sometimes hear the cry that we must 'educate
the masses, for they are our masters,' who would listen to a proposal
that the franchise should be confined to the educated or to those who
fulfil political duties? Then again, we know that the masses are not our
masters, and that they are more likely to become so if we educate them.
In modern politics so many interests have to be consulted that we are
compelled to do, not what is best, but what is possible.

d. Law is the first principle of society, but it cannot supply all the
wants of society, and may easily cause more evils than it cures. Plato
is aware of the imperfection of law in failing to meet the varieties of
circumstances: he is also aware that human life would be intolerable if
every detail of it were placed under legal regulation. It may be a great
evil that physicians should kill their patients or captains cast away
their ships, but it would be a far greater evil if each particular in
the practice of medicine or seamanship were regulated by law. Much has
been said in modern times abou