Sylla, in his turn,
proscribed the heads of the adverse party. He, too, had nothing but
liberty and reformation in his mouth; for the cause of religion is
but a modern motive to rebellion, invented by the Christian
priesthood refining on the heathen. Sylla, to be sure, meant no
more good to the Roman people than Marius before him, whatever he
declared; but sacrificed the lives and took the estates of all his
enemies to gratify those who brought him into power. Such was the
reformation of the government by both parties. The senate and the
commons were the two bases on which it stood, and the two champions
of either faction each destroyed the foundations of the other side;
so the fabric, of consequence, must fall betwixt them, and tyranny
must be built upon their ruins. THIS COMES OF ALTERING FUNDAMENTAL
LAWS AND CONSTITUTIONS; like him who, being in good health, lodged
himself in a physician's house, and was over-persuaded by his
landlord to take physic (of which be died) for the benefit of his
doctor.
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