Chapter 6

           Intheschoolofpoliticalprojectors,Iwasbutillentertained;theprofessorsappearing,inmyjudgment,whollyoutoftheirsenses,whichisascenethatneverfailstomakememelancholy.Theseunhappypeoplewereproposingschemesforpersuadingmonarchstochoosefavouritesuponthescoreoftheirwisdom,capacity,andvirtue;ofteachingministerstoconsultthepublicgood;ofrewardingmerit,greatabilities,eminentservices;ofinstructingprincestoknowtheirtrueinterest,byplacingitonthesamefoundationwiththatoftheirpeople;ofchoosingforemploymentspersonsqualifiedtoexercisethem,withmanyotherwild,impossiblechimeras,thatneverenteredbeforeintotheheartofmantoconceive;andconfirmedinmetheoldobservation,"thatthereisnothingsoextravagantandirrational,whichsomephilosophershavenotmaintainedfortruth."

           But,however,IshallsofardojusticetothispartoftheAcademy,astoacknowledgethatallofthemwerenotsovisionary.Therewasamostingeniousdoctor,whoseemedtobeperfectlyversedinthewholenatureandsystemofgovernment.Thisillustriouspersonhadveryusefullyemployedhisstudies,infindingouteffectualremediesforalldiseasesandcorruptionstowhichtheseveralkindsofpublicadministrationaresubject,bythevicesorinfirmitiesofthosewhogovern,aswellasbythelicentiousnessofthosewhoaretoobey.