that any of them are
so, for they reckon it a choice of so much importance, that they cannot
exert in it too much judgment, prudence, and wisdom; they therefore
endeavour to have their faculties strong, lively, penetrating, and clear
at that time. Their method of election is different from that of most
other people, though, perhaps, it is the best contrived of any, and
attended with the fewest inconveniences. We have already observed, that
none but those who have long been members of the community, are well
acquainted with the institution of it, and have signalized themselves by
some remarkable actions, are permitted to offer themselves as candidates.
These are obliged, ten days before the election, to fix up in some place
of their public resort an account of those actions, upon the merit of
which they found their pretensions of becoming candidates; to which they
must add their opinions on liberty, and the office and duties of a king.
They must, during these ten days, appear every day at the place of
election, that their electors may have an opportunity of forming some
judgment from the lineaments and prognostics of their countenance. A few
days before the election, a little white ball, and as many black ones as
with the white one will equal the number of candidates, are given to each
elector.

When the day of election is come, as many boxes are placed as there are
candidates, with the name of the particular candidate written on the box
which is appropriated to him; these boxes are quite closed, except a
little opening at the top, which is every night, during the election,
locked up under the keys and seals of each candidate, and of six of the
most venerable old men in the community; it is in the little opening at
the top of these boxes, that the elector puts in the little ball we have
just now mentioned; at the same time he puts his white ball into the box
of the candidate whom he chooses to be his king, he puts a black ball
into the boxes of all the other candidates; and when they have all done
so, the boxes are broken open, and the balls counted in presence of all
the candidates, and of as many electors as choose it, by the old men
above mentioned; and he who has the greatest number of white balls is
always duly chosen. By this means no presiding officer has it in his
power to make one more than two, which sometimes happens in the elections
amongst other communities, who do not use this form. There are other
in