lifarius, that I should ftart in your mind a number of doubts; but I flatter myfelf I shall be able to remove them all. The expenses of the court, according to my plan, are now reduced. We have banished luxury and favouritifm. Let us now take a view of the metropolis; and pray tell me the reason why such a swarm of inhabitants, lazy, indolent, and almoft without number, should be a burthen to the ftate? The corn which is diftributed among them, would maintain twenty legions (a)• It was in order to people the city, and make it emulate Rome, that Conftantine charged himself with (a) 40,000 bushels per day: the bushel, modius, one foot fquare, and four inches deep. The Roman foot was ten of our in ches. The allowance of the foldier was five bushels a month, or the fixth of a bushel per day therefore 40,000 bushels, at fix men to a bushel, would maintain 240,000 men. ri, même au fein de la paix, du fruit de fes conquêtes; encore ne demandoit-il dans les plus beaux jours de fa gloire, que des terres à cultiver; & quand l'Etat lui en accordoit, vous favez avec quelle joie il fe répandoit dans les champs. Ici que faifons-nous de cette multitude affamée qui affiége les portes du palais (a)? Eft-ce avec elle que j'ai chaffé les Huns qui ravageoient la Thrace? Qu'on n'en retienne que ce que l'induftrie en peut occuper & nourrir, & que du refte on faffe d'heureufes colonies: elles repeupleront l'Etat, & vivront du fruit de leur peine. L'agriculture eft la mere de la milice; & ce n'eft pas au sein d'une oifive (a) Et quem panis acit gradibus difpenfus ab altis. Prud. In Symm. L. 1. V. 583. Panes Palatini bilibres. La livre des Romains faifoit dix onces de la nôtre. Buleng. De Trib, ac Vectig. Pop. R. this ruinous expence. But by what title can an useless and inactive race. pretend a right to be thus maintained at the public charge? The Romans, a people altogether of a military genius, might well claim to be nourished, even in time of profound peace, by the fruits of their conquefts; yet in the very height of their fplendor and their glory, a portion of land to cultivate was all they required; and that being allotted by the state, it is well known with what eagerness they iffued forth to the labours of the field. But with us, what ufeful end is answered by that ever-craving multitude that befieges the gates of the palace? (a) Was it with fuch men thad I expelled the Huns, those (a) Et quem panis alit gradibus dispenfus ab altis. Prud. In Symm. L. I V. 583. Panes Palatini bilibres. The Roman pound was ten modern ounces. Vide Buling. de tributus ac vectigalibus : P. R. indigence que s'élevent de bons foldats. › par Toutes les loix fimplifiées, & fur-tout celle du tribut, la milice Palatine tombe d'elle-même fa propre inutilité; & vous favez de quels fraix immenfes (a) nous fommes par-là foulagés. La dépenfe la plus effrayante qui nous refte, eft celle des trou (a) Voyez M. l'Abbé Garnier, de l'Orig, du Gouv. Fr. ravagers of Thrace? The city should retaiu only such a number of inhabitants as can find due employment to maintain themfelves by their industry; the reft should be fent forth to colonife in different parts of the empire. They would increase population, and fubfift upon the fruits of their labour. Agriculture is the feminary of foldiers a good and ferviceable militia will never be formed out of a lazy race, who are contented to loiter away their days in idle poverty. Let the laws, above all, the taxes, be reduced to a plan of fimplicity; and the militia of the palace will be undone by infignificance. What an immenfe faving may be made by that circumftance need not be mentioned (a). The moft alarming expence of government is maintainance of the (a) Vide l'Orig. du Gouv. Fr. par M. 1'Abbé Garnier, |