reign aggression, is a theme too
familiar to my hearers for me to dilate on, and I shall therefore pass
it by. But what was the road by which we reached our position, what the
form of government under which our greatness grew, what the national
habits out of which it sprang; these are questions which I may try to
solve before I proceed to my panegyric upon these men; since I think
this to be a subject upon which on the present occasion a speaker may
properly dwell, and to which the whole assemblage, whether citizens or
foreigners, may listen with advantage.

"Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighbouring states; we are
rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves. Its administration
favours the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a
democracy. If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in
their private differences; if no social standing, advancement in public
life falls to reputation for capacity, class considerations not being
allowed to interfere with merit; nor again does poverty bar the way, if
a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of
his condition. The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also
to our ordinary life. There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance
over each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our
neighbour for doing what he likes, or even to indulge in those injurious
looks which cannot fail to be offensive, although they inflict no
positive penalty. But all this ease in our private relations does not
make us lawless as citizens. Against this fear is our chief safeguard,
teaching us to obey the magistrates and the laws, particularly such as
regard the protection of the injured, whether they are actually on the
statute book, or belong to that code which, although unwritten, yet
cannot be broken without acknowledged disgrace.

"Further, we provide plenty of means for the mind to refresh itself from
business. We celebrate games and sacrifices all the year round, and the
elegance of our private establishments forms a daily source of pleasure
and helps to banish the spleen; while the magnitude of our city draws
the produce of the world into our harbour, so that to the Athenian the
fruits of other countries are as familiar a luxury as those of his own.

"If we turn to our military policy, there also we differ from our
antagonists. We throw open our city to the world, and never by alien
acts exclude fo