At best the state's polity is deliberative, ruling the right as far as is practicable under the circumstances. Of mixed elements, it contents itself with mixed results,--the best permitted under the mixed conditions. But the statesman may not compromise principle for the sake of accommodating legislation to suit the interests of party. If he ride that horse too fearlessly, he is sure to be overthrown. General intelligence interposes the effective check upon political ambition and carries forward state affairs. But if, unequal to self-government, the people have attained to that sense of freedom and no more, which renders liberty a snare, then the state stumbles towards a despotism, call the rule by any fine name you please. No greater calamity can befall a people than that of deliberating long on issues imperilling liberty; any impotency of indecision betraying a lapse into slavery from which the gravest deliberative wisdom cannot rescue them. Knowingly to put on the yoke and wear it restively meanwhile, were a servitude that only slavery itself can cure. Where sleep the gods There mob-rule sways the state, Treason hath plots and fell debate, Brother doth brother darkly brand, Few faithful midst sedition's storm do stand, The whole of virtue theirs to stay the reeling land. "States are destroyed, not so much from want of courage as for want of virtue, and the most pernicious of all ignorance is, when men do not love what they approve; written laws being but images of, or substitutes for those true laws which ought to be present in every human soul through a perfect insight into good." THE SOUL'S ERRAND. "Go, Soul, the Body's guest, Upon a thankless errand; Fear not to touch the best, The truth shall be thy warrant; Go, since all else must die, And give all else the lie. Go tell the Court it glows And shines like rotten wood; Go tell the Church it shows What's good, but does not good: If Court and Church reply, Give Court and Church the lie. Tell Potentates they live Acting, but base their actions; Not loved, unless they give, Nor strong, save by their factions: If Potentates reply, Give Potentates the lie. Tell men of high condition, That rule affairs of state, Their purpose is ambition, Their practice chiefly hate: And if they do reply, Then give them all the lie. Tell those that brave it most, They beg for more by spending; Who, in their greatest cost, Seek nothing but commending: And if they make reply, Spare not to give the lie. Tell Zeal it lacks devotion; Tell Love it is but lust; Tell Time it is but motion; Tell Help it is but dust: And wish them no reply, For thou must give the lie. Tell Age it daily wasteth; Tell Honor how it alters; Tell Beauty that it blasteth; Tell Favor that she falters: And as they do reply, Give every one the lie.