第12部分(第3/7 頁)

s；　…　could　be　the

result　of　a　resolve　adopted　in　this　theoretical　manner；　as　if　the　form　of　a　constitution　were　a　matter

of　free　choice；　determined　by　nothing　else　but　reflection。　Of　this　artless　fashion　was　that

deliberation；　…　not　indeed　of　the　Persian　people；　but　of　the　Persian　grandees；　who　had　conspired

to　overthrow　the　pseudo…Smerdis　and　the　Magi；　after　their　undertaking　had　succeeded；　and　when

there　was　no　scion　of　the　royal　family　living；　…　as　to　what　constitution　they　should　introduce　into

Persia；　and　Herodotus　gives　an　equally　naive　account　of　this　deliberation。

§　47

In　the　present　day；　the　Constitution　of　a　country　and　people　is　not　represented　as　so　entirely

dependent　on　free　and　deliberate　choice。　The　fundamental　but　abstractly　（and　therefore

imperfectly）　entertained　conception　of　Freedom；　has　resulted　in　the　Republic　being　very　generally

regarded　…　in　theory　…　as　the　only　just　and　true　political　constitution。　Many　even；　who　occupy

elevated　official　positions　under　monarchical　constitutions　…　so　far　from　being　opposed　to　this　idea

…　are　actually　its　supporters；　only　they　see　that　such　a　constitution；　though　the　best；　cannot　be

realised　under　all　circumstances；　and　that　…　while　men　are　what　they　are　…　we　must　be　satisfied

with　less　freedom；　the　monarchical　constitution　…　under　the　given　circumstances；　and　the　present

moral　condition　of　the　people　…　being　even　regarded　as　the　most　advantageous。　In　this　view　also；

the　necessity　of　a　particular　constitution　is　made　to　depend　on　the　condition　of　the　people　in　such　a

way　as　if　the　latter　were　non…essential　and　accidental。　This　representation　is　founded　on　the

distinction　which　the　r