The lower Sort of Men must be indulged the Consolation of finding fault with those above them; without that, they would be so melancholy, that it would be dangerous, considering their Numbers. They are too many to be told of their Mistakes, and for that Reason they are never to be cured of them. The Body of the People are generally either so dead that they cannot move, or so mad that they cannot be reclaimed: to be neither all in a Flame, nor quite cold, requireth more Reason than great Numbers can ever attain. The People can seldom agree to move together against a Government, but they can to sit still and let it be undone. Those that will be Martyrs for the People, must expect to be repayed only by their _Vanity_, or their _Virtue_. A Man that will head the Mob is like a Bull let loose, tyed about with Squibs and Crackers. He must be half mad that goeth about it, yet at sometimes shall be too hard for all the wise Men in a Kingdom: For though good Sense speaketh against Madness, yet it is out of Countenance whenever it meets it. It would be a greater Reproach to the People that their _Favour_ is short-liv'd, if their _Malice_ was not so too. The Thoughts of the People have no regular Motion, they come out by Starts. There is an accumulative Cruelty in a number of Men, though none in particular are ill-natured. The angry Buzz of a Multitude is one of the bloodiest Noises in the World. _Of_ GOVERNMENT. An exact Administration, and good choice of proper Instruments doth insensibly make the Government in a manner absolute without assuming it. The best Definition of the best Government is, that it hath no Inconveniences but such as are supportable; but Inconveniences there must be. The Interest of the Governors and the Governed is in reality the same, but by Mistakes on both Sides it is generally very differing. He who is a Courtier by Trade, and the Country Gentleman who will be popular, right or wrong, help to keep up this unreasonable Distinction. There are as many apt to be angry at being well, as at being ill governed. For most Men to be well governed must be scurvily used. As Mankind is made, the keeping it in order is an ill-natured Office. It is like a great Galley where the Officers must be whipping with little Intermission, if they will do their Duty. It is in a disorderly Government as in a River, the lightest Things swim at the top. A Nation is best to be judged by the Government it is under at the time. Mankind is moulded to good or ill, according as the Power over it is well or ill directed. A Nation is a Mass of Dough, it is the Government that kneadeth it into Form.