the spirit of laws-第32部分

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e；　therefore；　of　the　magistrates；　and　the　authority　of　the　senate；　both　fell　at　the　same　time；　and　all　was　owing　to　the　same　cause。

Every　one　knows　the　wonderful　effects　of　the　censorship　among　the　Romans。　There　was　a　time　when　it　grew　burdensome；　but　still　it　was　supported　because　there　was　more　luxury　than　corruption。　Claudius＇27＇　weakened　its　authority；　by　which　means　the　corruption　became　greater　than　the　luxury；　and　the　censorship　dwindled　away　of　itself。＇28＇　After　various　interruptions　and　resumptions；　it　was　entirely　laid　aside；　till　it　became　altogether　useless；　that　is；　till　the　reigns　of　Augustus　and　Claudius。

15。　Sure　Methods　of　preserving　the　three　Principles。　I　shall　not　be　able　to　make　myself　rightly　understood　till　the　reader　has　perused　the　four　following　chapters。

16。　Distinctive　Properties　of　a　Republic。　It　is　natural　for　a　republic　to　have　only　a　small　territory；　otherwise　it　cannot　long　subsist。　In　an　extensive　republic　there　are　men　of　large　fortunes；　and　consequently　of　less　moderation；　there　are　trusts　too　considerable　to　be　placed　in　any　single　subject；　he　has　interests　of　his　own；　he　soon　begins　to　think　that　he　may　be　happy　and　glorious；　by　oppressing　his　fellow…citizens；　and　that　he　may　raise　himself　to　grandeur　on　the　ruins　of　his　country。

In　an　extensive　republic　the　public　good　is　sacrificed　to　a　thousand　private　views；　it　is　subordinate　to　exceptions；　and　depends　on　accidents。　In　a　small　one；　the　interest　of　the　public　is　more　obvious；　better　understood；　and　more　within　the　reach　of　every　citizen；　abuses　have　less　extent；　and　of　course　are　less　protected。

The　long　duration　of　the　republic　of　Sparta　was　owing　to　her　having　continued　in　the　same　extent　of　territory　after　all　her　wars。　The　sole　aim　of　Sparta　was　liberty；　and　the　sole　advantage　of　her　liberty；　glory。

It　was　the　spirit　of　the　Greek　republics　to　be　as　contented　with　their　territories　as　with　their　laws。　Athens　was　first　fired　with　ambition　and　gave　it　to　Laced？mon；　but　it　was　an　ambition　rather　of　commanding　a　free　people　than　of　governing　slaves；　rather　of　directing　than　of　breaking　the　union。　All　was　lost　upon　the　starting　up　of　monarchy　　a　government　whose　spirit　is　more　turned　to　increase　of　dominion。

Excepting　particular　circumstances；＇29＇　it　is　difficult　for　any　other　than　a　republican　government　to　subsist　longer　in　a　single　town。　A　prince　of　so　petty　a　state　would　naturally　endeavour　to　oppress　his　subjects；　because　his　power　would　be　great；　while　the　means　of　enjoying　it　or　of　causing　it　to　be　respected　would　be　inconsiderable。　The　consequence　is；　he　would　trample　upon　his　people。　On　the　other　hand；　such　a　prince　might　be　easily　crushed　by　a　foreign　or　even　a　domestic　force；　the　people　might　any　instant　unite　and　rise　up　against　him。　Now　as　soon　as　the　sovereign　of　a　single　town　is　expelled；　the　quarrel　is　over；　but　if　he　has　many　towns；　it　only　begins。

17。　Distinctive　Properties　of　a　Monarchy。　A　monarchical　state　ought　to　be　of　moderate　extent。　Were　it　small；　it　would　form　itself　into　a　republic；　were　it　very　large；　the　nobility；　possessed　of　great　estates；　far　from　the　eye　of　the　prince；　with　a　private　court　of　their　own；　and　secure；　moreover；　from　sudden　executions　by　the　laws　and　manners　of　the　country　　such　a　nobility；　I　say；　might　throw　off　their　allegiance；　having　nothing　to　fear　from　too　slow　and　too　distant　a　punishment。

Thus　Charlemagne　had　scarcely　founded　his　empire　when　he　was　obliged　to　divide　it；　whether　the　governors　of　the　provinces　refused　to　obey；　or　whether；　in　order　to　keep　them　more　under　subjection；　there　was　a　necessity　of　parcelling　the　empire　into　several　kingdoms。

After　the　decease　of　Alexander　his　empire　was　divided。　How　was　it　possible　for　those　Greek　and　Macedonian　chiefs；　who　were　each　of　them　free　and　independent；　or　commanders　at　least　of　the　victorious　bands　dispersed　throughout　that　vast　extent　of　conquered　land　　how　was　it　possible；　I　say；　for　them　to　obey？

Attila's　empire　was　dissolved　soon　after　his　death；　such　a　number　of　kings；　who　were　no　longer　under　restraint；　could　not　resume　their　fetters。

The　sudden　establishment　of　unlimited　power　is　a　remedy；　which　in　those　cases　may　prevent　a　dissolution：　but　how　dreadful　the　remedy；　which　after　the　enlargement　of　dominion　opens　a　new　scene　of　misery！

The　rivers　hasten　to　mingle　their　waters　with　the　sea；　and　monarchies　lose　themselves　in　despotic　power。

18。　Particular　Case　of　the　Spanish　Monarchy。　Let　not　the　example　of　Spain　be　produced　against　me；　it　rather　proves　what　I　affirm。　To　preserve　America　she　did　what　even　despotic　power　itself　does　not　attempt：　she　destroyed　the　inhabitants。　To　preserve　her　colony；　she　was　obliged　to　keep　it　dependent　even　for　its　subsistence。

In　the　Netherlands；　she　essayed　to　render　herself　arbitrary；　and　as　soon　as　she　abandoned　the　attempt；　her　perplexity　increased。　On　the　one　hand　the　Walloons　would　not　be　governed　by　Spaniards；　and　on　the　other；　the　Spanish　soldiers　refused　to　submit　to　Walloon　officers。＇30＇

In　Italy　she　maintained　her　ground；　merely　by　exhausting　herself　and　by　enriching　that　country。　For　those　who　would　have　been　pleased　to　have　got　rid　of　the　king　of　Spain　were　not　in　a　humour　to　refuse　his　gold。

19。　Distinctive　Properties　of　a　despotic　Government。　A　large　empire　supposes　a　despotic　authority　in　the　person　who　governs。　It　is　necessary　that　the　quickness　of　the　prince's　resolutions　should　supply　the　distance　of　the　places　they　are　sent　to；　that　fear　should　prevent　the　remissness　of　the　distant　governor　or　magistrate；　that　the　law　should　be　derived　from　a　single　person；　and　should　shift　continually；　according　to　the　accidents　which　necessarily　multiply　in　a　state　in　proportion　to　its　extent。

20。　Consequence　of　the　preceding　Chapters。　If　it　be；　therefore；　the　natural　property　of　small　states　to　be　governed　as　a　republic；　of　middling　ones　to　be　subject　to　a　monarch；　and　of　large　empires　to　be　swayed　by　a　despotic　prince；　the　consequence　is；　that　in　order　to　preserve　the　principles　of　the　established　government；　the　state　must　be　supported　in　the　extent　it　has　acquired；　and　that　the　spirit　of　this　state　will　alter　in　proportion　as　it　contracts　or　extends　its　limits。

21。　Of　the　Empire　of　China。　Before　I　conclude　this　book；　I　shall　answer　an　objection　that　may　be　made　to　the　foregoing　doctrine。

Our　missionaries　inform　us　that　the　government　of　the　vast　empire　of　China　is　admirable；　and　that　it　has　a　proper　mixture　of　fear；　honour；　and　virtue。　Consequently　I　must　have　given　an　idle　distinction　in　establishing　the　principles　of　the　three　governments。

But　I　cannot　conceive　what　this　honour　can　be　among　a　people　who　act　only　through　fear　of　being　bastinadoed。＇31＇

Again；　our　merchants　are　far　from　giving　us　any　such　accounts　of　the　virtue　so　much　talked　of　by　the　missionaries；　we　need　only　consult　them　in　relation　to　the　robberies　and　extortions　of　the　mandarins。＇32＇　I　likewise　appeal　to　another　unexceptional　witness；　the　great　Lord　Anson。

Besides；　Father　Perennin's　letters　concerning　the　emperor's　proceedings　against　some　of　the　princes　of　the　blood＇33＇　who　had　incurred　his　displeasure　by　their　conversion；　plainly　show　us　a　settled　plan　of　tyranny；　and　barbarities　committed　by　rule；　that　is；　in　cold　blood。

We　have　likewise　Monsieur　de　Mairan's；　and　the　same　Father　Perennin's；　letters　on　the　government　of　China。　I　find　therefore　that　after　a　few　proper　questions　and　answers　the　whole　mystery　is　unfolded。

Might　not　our　missionaries　have　been　deceived　by　an　appearance　of　order？　Might　not　they　have　been　struck　with　that　constant　exercise　of　a　single　person's　will　　an　exercise　by　which　they　themselves　are　governed；　and　which　they　are　so　pleased　to　find　in　the　courts　of　the　Indian　princes；　because　as　they　go　thither　only　in　order　to　introduce　great　changes；　it　is　much　easier　to　persuade　those　princes　that　there　are　no　bounds　to　their　power；　than　to　convince　the　people　that　there　are　none　to　their　submission。＇34＇

In　fine；　there　is　frequently　some　kind　of　truth　even　in　errors　themselves。　It　may　be　owing　to　particular　and；　perhaps；　very　extraordinary　circumstances　that　the　Chinese　government　is　not　so　corrupt　as　one　might　naturally　expect。　The　climate　and　some　other　physical　causes　may；　in　that　country；　have　had　so　strong　an　influence　on　their　morals　as　in　some　measure　to　produce　wonders。

The　climate　of　China　is　surprisingly　favourable　to　the　propagation　of　the　human　species。＇35＇　The　women　are　the　most　prolific　in　the　whole　world。　The　most　barbarous　tyranny　can　put　no　stop　to　the　progress　of　propagation。　The　prince　cannot　say　there　like　Pharaoh；　〃Let　us　deal　wisely　with　them；　lest　they　multiply。〃　He　would　be　rather　reduced　to　Nero's　wish；　that　mankind　had　all　but　one　head。　In　spite　of　tyranny；　China　by　the　force　of　its　climate　will　be　ever　populous；　and　triumph　over　the　tyrannical　oppressor。

China；　like　all　other　countries　that　live　chiefly　upon　rice；　is　subject　to　frequent　famines。　When　the　people　are　ready　to　starve；　they　disperse　in　order　to　seek　for　nourishment；　in　consequence　of　which；　gangs　of　robbers　are　formed　on　every　side。　Most　of　them　are　extirpated　in　their　very　infancy；　others　swell；　and　are　likewise　suppressed。　And　yet　in　so　great　a　number　of　such　distant　provinces；　some　band　or　other　may　happen　to　meet　with　success。　In　that　case　they　maintain　their　ground；　strengthen　their　party；　form　themselves　into　a　military　body；　march　up　to　the　capital；　and　place　their　leader　on　the　throne。

From　the　very　nature　of　things；　a　bad　administration　is　here　immediately　punished。　The　want　of　subsistence　in　so　populous　a　country　produces　sudden　disorders。　The　reason　why　the　redress　of　abuses　in　other　countries　is　attended　with　such　difficulty　is　because　their　effects　are　not　immediately　felt；　the　prince　is　not　informed　in　so　sudden　and　sensible　a　manner　as　in　China。

The　Emperor　of　China　is　not　taught　like　our　princes　that　if　he　governs　ill　he　will　be　less　happy　in　the　other　life；　less　powerful　and　less　opulent　in　this。　He　knows　that　if　his　government　be　not　just　he　will　be　stripped　both　of　empire　and　life。

As　China　grows　every　day　more　populous；　notwithstanding　the　exposing　of　children；＇36＇　the　inhabitants　are　incessantly　employed　in　tilli