There was, however, an elaborate exposition of the system and process of the Ballot.

Though too fantastic for direct effect, the book had been a good deal talked of, and had procured for the author not only a considerable reputation, but also some following of disciples.

One of these, and his intimate friend, was the Republican free-thinker Henry Neville.

There had also been some criticisms by opponents, Royalist and Republican; in answer to which Harrington, in 1658, had published a second treatise, called _The Prerogative of Popular Government_, re-interpreting and vindicating the doctrines of the _Oceana_, but more in a style of direct dissertation .-- The Harringtonians were by this time pretty numerous.
Besides Neville there were perhaps six or eight of them among the Rumpers themselves.

Why, then, should there not be an effort to impregnate the "Good Old Cause," sadly in need of new impregnation of some kind, with a few of the essential Harringtonian principles?
By Neville's means the effort had been actually made in the Parliament.
On the 6th of July there had been presented a petition from "divers well-affected persons," to which the petitioners "might have had many thousand hands" besides their own, had they not preferred relying on the inherent strength of their case.