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ship the Pope, if he wished (but in secret), afterwards he should not, but be the English Pope, solely. And, instead of a native dynasty, a foreign, and very base and stupid one, hateful to the English, was fastened upon them. These events, an outside observer sees, were followed by long-continued discontents, and civil warwherein innocent persons suffered in their persons and their property; and very many were exiled, and very many were brutally massacred and put to death-not because of any other offence than adhering to the ancient Laws, and to the Sovereign whom this base son had dethroned! Yet, of this event, when one speaks of it, one shall say, Glorious!

The form of government has not changed; but the power has, during these periods, past into the hands of the Aristocracy [Fo-hi]. In the time of the Queen, who sent the humble petition to our Illustrious, the English Sovereign was Master-being Pope and Ruler; that is, High Priest and Sovereign. But the people, increasing and growing richer in ships and merchandize, began to feel the intermeddling of the Ruler. Previously, the people had been too poor and too few to be accounted anything; and grew up into an improved condition without notice. They now disliked to be taxed, and began a struggle with the Sovereign to limit his power in this thing for they said, "If he can take a penny (a small coin), at his own goodwill and pleasure, he can take all." Now this is an absurdity-yet, it looked sound; and, at any rate, became the ground of the fight between the well-to-do people (the Middle-Caste), and the Ruler. This would make his will absolute; the other would make its will absolute! The Sovereign who first had this opposition seems to have been a fool, and the next, a knave-but neither had sufficient sense to arm soldiers enough to compel obedience, as was done on the Main Land-consequently, after a good deal of wretched fighting between the Sovereign helped by nearly all the High-Caste, and the next Caste in the Aristocracy and well-to-do people, these last succeeded, and put the Sovereign to death. As is always the case, during a civil war, fanaticism arose. It based itself upon two points the right of the people to rule, and the right of the gods of the Superstition, without any Pope, to be worshipped. This was a departure from the original dispute only in part; because some had vehemently denied the whole notion of Pope-worshipping; and as the Sovereign was English Pope, this pretension embittered the strife. Now, the Aristocracy (HighCaste) upheld the Pope; but the Second-Caste and the people, opposed; and these, at length, for the time, carried all before them; destroyed the King, overthrew his worship as Pope; and established the gods of the Superstition, with such severity of worship (especially as to the rites and as to the Seventh-day), that, Society completely changed. Even the name of the State was changed! The point, of the Rule of the people, was in this vindicated; for the name of the State was-Commonwealth; and of the Ruler-Protector. Now, this so radical change was not real. It was the expression of that extreme agony into which Civil War hurries. The strong passions sway-the strongest rule. And the very able military man who organized the troops into the ways of an invincible army, though of the Aristocratic, High-Caste connection, happened to have adopted the most severe notions of the great Superstition; looked upon Christ-god merely as the Jah of the Jews; wished to make the Sacred Writings the law of the Land; and to get himself proclaimed to be the High Priest and ruler of this new Jewish State! This remarkable man, witlı his invincible troops, could not absolutely do this-but he did completely overawe and rule the State, causing himself to be declared Protector of the Commonwealth !

With the death of this strong man, there being no successor to his ability, repression soon relaxed; the Aristocracy came out of their seclusion; the gloom of fanatical worship brightened in the natural love of rational life. Society rebounded from the low depression; ancient feelings, habits, sports, reasserted themselves. Communities do not radically change, at once -such a thing to be beneficial, must be cautious. A tree, though misshapen, may not be plucked up by the roots violently, and forced into uncongenial soil; to improve its beauty and use, a different method must be sought: only, if the tree be actually dying, possibly, a complete and radical change may save it at any rate it is the sole chance!

The troops, wholly devoted to their late great General, found no one on whom they could rely; and another portion of the Army in the far North, was induced actively to assist the Aristocracy. These, joined by the middle classes, who had wearied of the too gloomy worship and severe rites, hastened to recall a Son of him whom they had not long before put to death, and place him upon the Throne. They declared him to be Sovereign-pope: they restored the old form and name of government; and rescinded nearly everything done by the Commonwealth. In this Restoration (as the English call it) is another event, considered by them, of great importance. In this Restoration (a natural effect of the fanaticism largely charged to the greater ignorance of the lower castes) the High-Castes again became predominant. They again took influence and power everywhere, and retained the fruits of the civil struggle in their hands. They had aided the resistance to the arbitrary will of the Sovereign; and they now grasped and enjoyed the power wrested from him. They, alone, could impose taxes. No Sovereign would again dare to tax the people (that is, the High-Castes) without their consent. But they would levy and raise taxes when they pleased. Thus holding the Purse of the State they had become supreme.

On the death of this Restored one (who turned out to be so base that the common people often deplored the loss of the late great General), a brother reigned. This man, as I have said (wishing to worship the Romepope) was driven out by his son, forming the epoch, Glorious. The present Queen is of the dynasty then established; and during this period the absorption of power by the High-Caste has gone on. Taught by the Slaughter of the late King, his successor feared; and the new dynasty was compelled by the Aristocracy to submit to those limitations of power, which effectually placed authority in their hands. To secure this authority, the Sovereign was not allowed any money to keep

troops; and, if, on any pretence, troops were raised, they were immediately refused pay, and forced to be disbanded upon the least suspicion that they would be used to strengthen the Sovereign. The aristocracy had continued to strip him also of all private revenue; and had, in fact, reduced him to a dependency upon them for his daily subsistence [Bran-te].

Thus, the High-Caste, acting by the forms of the Grand Council, seized power.

It is proper to explain the substance and form of this Council.

It is divided into two parts-Upper House, and Lower House.

The Upper are the Lords [Cheang] of Lands and Lords of the Temples (High-State Sect.)

The Lower are lords, brothers, sons, nephews, relations, and devoted servants of the Upper; and are far

more numerous.

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No rule can be made, nor law, without both these bodies consent to it. This they do by asking each one his opinion, and a majority decides. Everything of importance must originate in the Lower House, and first be settled there. Then, the will of the Lower House is communicated to the Upper House, and it is ordered to ratify it. The members do so, and the Sovereign (or somebody requested thereto by him) approves (as the English politely phrase it); and the thing, so approved, is a new Law. Now, no Sovereign dares not approve it might cost him his head. The last one, many years ago, who thought he might risk it, soon gave up the attempt, and died in a madhouse.

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