In the _Potuan_ Empire an hereditary, and indeed lineal Succession has flourish’d for a full Thousand Years; and the same is at this Day religiously observ’d. Their Annals indeed discover, that in one Instance they departed from this Order of Succession. For since right Reason seem’d to require, that Rulers should excel their Subjects in Wisdom and all the Endowments of the Mind, hence it was thought necessary that Virtue should be more regarded than Birth, and that he should be elected for their Sovereign, who should be thought the most excellent and worthy among the Subjects. Upon this the ancient Succession being laid aside, the supreme Power by the general Voice was conferr’d upon a Philosopher, nam’d _Rabbacku_. At first he govern’d with such Prudence and with such Mildness, that he seem’d a Pattern for succeeding Princes. But these happy Times were but of short Duration; and the _Potuans_ were too late convinc’d of the Falshood of that Maxim, which holds, “That the Kingdom is happy, where a Philosopher is at the Helm.” For since the new Sovereign was rais’d from the meanest Fortune to the Height of Power, his Virtues and all his Arts of Government could not procure or maintain that Veneration, that Respect, that Majesty, which is the great Support of a Monarch’s Power. Those who but lately had been his Equals or Superiors, could hardly be brought to bow to an Equal or Inferior, or to pay the new Prince that Measure of Obedience due from Subjects to their Rulers; and therefore when any strict or troublesome Commands were laid upon them, they murmur’d loud, and never regarded what the Prince then was, but what he was before his Exaltation. Hence he was forc’d to have Recourse to submissive Flatteries; and even this availed not; for after these Submissions, being obliged to issue out his Commands and Edicts, they were still receiv’d with Frowns and with Reluctance. _Rabbacku_ then perceiving, that other Means were necessary to keep the Subjects to their Duty, from a mild and popular Behaviour, he now chang’d his Measures, and treated his People with Severity. But alas! by this Extream, those Sparks which lay conceal’d under the Ashes, now broke into an open Flame; the Subjects rose in Arms against their Prince, and one Rebellion not thoroughly subdued and laid asleep, was the Beginning of another. The Monarch finding at length that the Government could no longer subsist but under a Sovereign of illustrious Descent, whose high Birth might extort a Veneration from the People, made a voluntary Abdication of the Empire in Favour of the Prince, who in Right of Birth should have succeeded. The ancient Family being thus restor’d, Peace was restor’d with it, and all those Storms, which had shatter’d the Vessel of the Commonwealth, at once subsided. From that Time it was made Capital to attempt any Innovation in the Order of Succession.