the spirit of laws-第103部分

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　the　places　most　agreeable　to　the　gods；　and　for　the　performance　of　particular　ceremonies。

The　worship　of　the　gods　requiring　a　continual　application；　most　nations　were　led　to　consider　the　clergy　as　a　separate　body。　Thus；　among　the　Egyptians；　the　Jews；　and　the　Persians；＇14＇　they　consecrated　to　the　deity　certain　families　who　performed　and　perpetuated　the　service。　There　have　been　even　religions　which　have　not　only　estranged　ecclesiastics　from　business；　but　have　also　taken　away　the　embarrassments　of　a　family；　and　this　is　the　practice　of　the　principal　branch　of　Christianity。

I　shall　not　here　treat　of　the　consequences　of　the　law　of　celibacy：　it　is　evident　that　it　may　become　hurtful　in　proportion　as　the　body　of　the　clergy　may　be　too　numerous；　and；　in　consequence　of　this；　that　of　the　laity　too　small。

By　the　nature　of　the　human　understanding　we　love　in　religion　everything　which　carries　the　idea　of　difficulty；　as　in　point　of　morality　we　have　a　speculative　fondness　for　everything　which　bears　the　character　of　severity。　Celibacy　has　been　most　agreeable　to　those　nations　to　whom　it　seemed　least　adapted；　and　with　whom　it　might　be　attended　with　the　most　fatal　consequences。　In　the　southern　countries　of　Europe；　where；　by　the　nature　of　the　climate；　the　law　of　celibacy　is　more　difficult　to　observe；　it　has　been　retained；　in　those　of　the　north；　where　the　passions　are　less　lively；　it　has　been　banished。　Further；　in　countries　where　there　are　but　few　inhabitants　it　has　been　admitted；　in　those　that　are　vastly　populous　it　has　been　rejected。　It　is　obvious　that　these　reflections　relate　only　to　the　too　great　extension　of　celibacy；　and　not　to　celibacy　itself。

5。　Of　the　Bounds　which　the　Laws　ought　to　prescribe　to　the　Riches　of　the　Clergy。　As　particular　families　may　be　extinct；　their　wealth　cannot　be　a　perpetual　inheritance。　The　clergy　is　a　family　which　cannot　be　extinct；　wealth　is　therefore　fixed　to　it　for　ever；　and　cannot　go　out　of　it。

Particular　families　may　increase；　it　is　necessary　then　that　their　wealth　should　also　increase。　The　clergy　is　a　family　which　ought　not　to　increase；　their　wealth　ought　then　to　be　limited。

We　have　retained　the　regulations　of　the　Levitical　laws　as　to　the　possessions　of　the　clergy；　except　those　relating　to　the　bounds　of　these　possessions；　indeed；　among　us　we　must　ever　be　ignorant　of　the　limit　beyond　which　any　religious　community　can　no　longer　be　permitted　to　acquire。

These　endless　acquisitions　appear　to　the　people　so　unreasonable　that　he　who　should　speak　in　their　defence　would　be　regarded　as　an　idiot。

The　civil　laws　find　sometimes　many　difficulties　in　altering　established　abuses；　because　they　are　connected　with　things　worthy　of　respect；　in　this　case　an　indirect　proceeding　would　be　a　greater　proof　of　the　wisdom　of　the　legislator　than　another　which　struck　directly　at　the　thing　itself。　Instead　of　prohibiting　the　acquisitions　of　the　clergy；　we　should　seek　to　give　them　a　distaste　for　them；　to　leave　them　the　right　and　to　take　away　the　deed。

In　some　countries　of　Europe；　a　respect　for　the　privileges　of　the　nobility　has　established　in　their　favour　a　right　of　indemnity　over　immovable　goods　acquired　in　mortmain。　The　interest　of　the　prince　has　in　the　same　case　made　him　exact　a　right　of　amortisation。　In　Castile；　where　no　such　right　prevails；　the　clergy　have　seized　upon　everything。　In　Aragon；　where　there　is　some　right　of　amortisation；　they　have　obtained　less；　in　France；　where　this　right　and　that　of　indemnity　are　established；　they　have　acquired　less　still；　and　it　may　be　said　that　the　prosperity　of　this　kingdom　is　in　a　great　measure　owing　to　the　exercise　of　these　two　rights。　If　possible；　then；　increase　these　rights；　and　put　a　stop　to　the　mortmain。

Render　the　ancient　and　necessary　patrimony　of　the　clergy　sacred　and　inviolable；　let　it　be　fixed　and　eternal　like　that　body　itself；　but　let　new　inheritances　be　out　of　their　power。

Permit　them　to　break　the　rule　when　the　rule　has　become　an　abuse；　suffer　the　abuse　when　it　enters　into　the　rule。

They　still　remember　in　Rome　a　certain　memorial　sent　thither　on　some　disputes　with　the　clergy；　in　which　was　this　maxim：　〃The　clergy　ought　to　contribute　to　the　expenses　of　the　state；　let　the　Old　Testament　say　what　it　will。〃　They　concluded　from　this　passage　that　the　author　of　this　memorial　was　better　versed　in　the　language　of　the　tax…gatherers　than　in　that　of　religion。

6。　Of　Monasteries。　The　least　degree　of　common　sense　will　let　us　see　that　bodies　designed　for　a　perpetual　continuance　should　not　be　allowed　to　sell　their　funds　for　life；　nor　to　borrow　for　life；　unless　we　want　them　to　be　heirs　to　all　those　who　have　no　relatives　and　to　those　who　do　not　choose　to　have　any。　These　men　play　against　the　people；　but　they　hold　the　bank　themselves。

7。　Of　the　Luxury　of　Superstition。　〃Those　are　guilty　of　impiety　towards　the　gods；〃　says　Plato；＇15＇　〃who　deny　their　existence；　or　who；　while　they　believe　it；　maintain　that　they　do　not　interfere　with　what　is　done　below；　or；　in　fine；　who　think　that　they　can　easily　appease　them　by　sacrifices：　three　opinions　equally　pernicious。〃　Plato　has　here　said　all　that　the　clearest　light　of　nature　has　ever　been　able　to　say　in　point　of　religion。　The　magnificence　of　external　worship　has　a　principal　connection　with　the　institution　of　the　state。　In　good　republics；　they　have　curbed　not　only　the　luxury　of　vanity；　but　even　that　of　superstition。　They　have　introduced　frugal　laws　into　religion。　Of　this　number　are　many　of　the　laws　of　Solon；　many　of　those　of　Plato　on　funerals；　adopted　by　Cicero；　and；　in　fine；　some　of　the　laws　of　Numa　on　sacrifices。＇16＇

Birds；　says　Cicero；＇17＇　and　paintings　begun　and　finished　in　a　day　are　gifts　the　most　divine。　We　offer　common　things；　says　a　Spartan；　that　we　may　always　have　it　in　our　power　to　honour　the　gods。

The　desire　of　man　to　pay　his　worship　to　the　deity　is　very　different　from　the　magnificence　of　this　worship。　Let　us　not　offer　our　treasures　to　him　if　we　are　not　proud　of　showing　that　we　esteem　what　he　would　have　us　despise。

〃What　must　the　gods　think　of　the　gifts　of　the　impious；〃　said　the　admirable　Plato；　〃when　a　good　man　would　blush　to　receive　presents　from　a　villain？〃

Religion　ought　not；　under　the　pretence　of　gifts；　to　draw　from　the　people　what　the　necessity　of　the　state　has　left　them；　but　as　Plato　says；＇18＇　〃The　chaste　and　the　pious　ought　to　offer　gifts　which　resemble　themselves。〃

Nor　is　it　proper　for　religion　to　encourage　expensive　funerals。　What　is　there　more　natural　than　to　take　away　the　difference　of　fortune　in　a　circumstance　and　in　the　very　moment　which　equals　all　fortunes？

8。　Of　the　Pontificate。　When　religion　has　many　ministers　it　is　natural　for　them　to　have　a　chief　and　for　a　sovereign　pontiff　to　be　established。　In　monarchies；　where　the　several　orders　of　the　state　cannot　be　kept　too　distinct；　and　where　all　powers　ought　not　to　be　lodged　in　the　same　person；　it　is　proper　that　the　pontificate　be　distinct　from　the　empire。　The　same　necessity　is　not　to　be　met　with　in　a　despotic　government；　the　nature　of　which　is　to　unite　all　the　different　powers　in　the　same　person。　But　in　this　case　it　may　happen　that　the　prince　may　regard　religion　as　he　does　the　laws　themselves；　as　dependent　on　his　own　will。　To　prevent　this　inconvenience；　there　ought　to　be　monuments　of　religion；　for　instance；　sacred　books　which　fix　and　establish　it。　The　King　of　Persia　is　the　chief　of　the　religion；　but　this　religion　is　regulated　by　the　Koran。　The　Emperor　of　China　is　the　sovereign　pontiff；　but　there　are　books　in　the　hands　of　everybody　to　which　he　himself　must　conform。　In　vain　a　certain　emperor　attempted　to　abolish　them；　they　triumphed　over　tyranny。

9。　Of　Toleration　in　point　of　Religion。　We　are　here　politicians；　and　not　divines；　but　the　divines　themselves　must　allow；　that　there　is　a　great　difference　between　tolerating　and　approving　a　religion。

When　the　legislator　has　believed　it　a　duty　to　permit　the　exercise　of　many　religions；　it　is　necessary　that　he　should　enforce　also　a　toleration　among　these　religions　themselves。　It　is　a　principle　that　every　religion　which　is　persecuted　becomes　itself　persecuting；　for　as　soon　as　by　some　accidental　turn　it　arises　from　persecution；　it　attacks　the　religion　which　persecuted　it；　not　as　religion；　but　as　tyranny。

It　is　necessary；　then；　that　the　laws　require　from　the　several　religions；　not　only　that　they　shall　not　embroil　the　state；　but　that　they　shall　not　raise　disturbances　among　themselves。　A　citizen　does　not　fulfil　the　laws　by　not　disturbing　the　government；　it　is　requisite　that　he　should　not　trouble　any　citizen　whomsoever。

10。　The　same　Subject　continued。　As　there　are　scarcely　any　but　persecuting　religions　that　have　an　extraordinary　zeal　for　being　established　in　other　places　（because　a　religion　that　can　tolerate　others　seldom　thinks　of　its　own　propagation）；　it　must　therefore　be　a　very　good　civil　law；　when　the　state　is　already　satisfied　with　the　established　religion；　not　to　suffer　the　establishment　of　another。＇19＇

This　is　then　a　fundamental　principle　of　the　political　laws　in　regard　to　religion；　that　when　the　state　is　at　liberty　to　receive　or　to　reject　a　new　religion　it　ought　to　be　rejected；　when　it　is　received　it　ought　to　be　tolerated。

11。　Of　changing　a　Religion。　A　prince　who　undertakes　to　destroy　or　to　change　the　established　religion　of　his　kingdom　must　greatly　expose　himself。　If　his　government　be　despotic；　he　runs　a　much　greater　risk　of　seeing　a　revolution　arise　from　such　a　proceeding；　than　from　any　tyranny　whatsoever；　and　a　revolution　is　not　an　uncommon　thing　in　such　states。　The　reason　of　this　is　that　a　state　cannot　change　its　religion；　manners　and　customs　in　an　instant；　and　with　the　same　rapidity　as　the　prince　publishes　the　ordinance　which　establishes　a　new　religion。

Besides；　the　ancient　religion　is　connected　with　the　constitution　of　the　kingdom　and　the　new　one　is　not；　the　former　agrees　with　the　climate　and　very　often　the　new　one　is　opposed　to　it。　Moreover；　the　citizens　become　disgusted　with　their　laws；　and　look　upon　the　government　already　established　with　contempt；　they　conceive　a　jealousy　against　the　two　religions；　instead　of　a　firm　belief　in　one；　in　a　word；　these　innovations　give　to　the　state；　at　least　for　some　time；　both　bad　citizens　and　bad　believers。

12。　Of　penal　Laws。　Penal　laws　ought　to　be　avoided　in　respect　to　re