Ambitionintheregionsofadespoticandluxuriouscourtwasbutthecontestofflatteryandcraft。Avaricehadbecomethesoleambition——mendesiredpraetorshipsandprovincesonlyasthelicensetopillage，andgovernmentwasbuttheexcuseofrapine。Itisinsmallstatesthatgloryismostactiveandpure——themoreconfinedthelimitsofthecircle，themoreardentthepatriotism。Insmallstates，opinionisconcentratedandstrong——everyeyereadsyouractions——yourpublicmotivesareblendedwithyourprivateties——everyspotinyournarrowsphereiscrowdedwithformsfamiliarsinceyourchildhood——theapplauseofyourcitizensislikethecaressesofyourfriends。Butinlargestates，thecityisbutthecourt：
theprovinces——unknowntoyou，unfamiliarincustoms，perhapsinlanguage——havenoclaimonyourpatriotism，theancestryoftheirinhabitantsisnotyours。Inthecourtyoudesirefavorinsteadofglory；
atadistancefromthecourt，publicopinionhasvanishedfromyou，andself—interesthasnocounterpoise。
Italy，Italy，whileIwrite，yourskiesareoverme——yourseasflowbeneathmyfeet，listennottotheblindpolicywhichwoulduniteallyourcrestedcities，mourningfortheirrepublics，intooneempire；false，perniciousdelusion！youronlyhopeofregenerationisindivision。Florence，Milan，Venice，Genoa，maybefreeoncemore，ifeachisfree。Butdreamnotoffreedomforthewholewhileyouenslavetheparts；theheartmustbethecentreofthesystem，thebloodmustcirculatefreelyeverywhere；andinvastcommunitiesyoubeholdbutabloatedandfeeblegiant，whosebrainisimbecile，whoselimbsaredead，andwhopaysindiseaseandweaknessthepenaltyoftranscendingthenaturalproportionsofhealthandvigour。
Thusthrownbackuponthemselves，themoreardentqualitiesofGlaucusfoundnovent，saveinthatoverflowingimaginationwhichgavegracetopleasure，andpoetrytothought。Easewaslessdespicablethancontentionwithparasitesandslaves，andluxurycouldyetberefinedthoughambitioncouldnotbeennobled。ButallthatwasbestandbrightestinhissoulwokeatoncewhenheknewIone。Herewasanempire，worthyofdemigodstoattain；