the spirit of laws-第97部分

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only　to　weaken　it；　and　to　deliver　it　up　defenceless　to　barbarians。　The　Gothic　nations；　the　Getes；　the　Saracens　and　Tartars　by　turns　harassed　them；　and　soon　the　barbarians　had　none　to　destroy　but　barbarians。　Thus；　in　fabulous　times；　after　the　inundations　and　the　deluge；　there　arose　out　of　the　earth　armed　men；　who　exterminated　one　another。

24。　The　Changes　which　happened　in　Europe　with　regard　to　the　Number　of　the　Inhabitants。　In　the　state　Europe　was　in　one　would　not　imagine　it　possible　for　it　to　be　retrieved；　especially　when　under　Charlemagne　it　formed　only　one　vast　empire。　But　by　the　nature　of　government　at　that　time　it　became　divided　into　an　infinite　number　of　petty　sovereignties；　and　as　the　lord　or　sovereign；　who　resided　in　his　village　or　city；　was　neither　great；　rich；　powerful；　nor　even　safe　but　by　the　number　of　his　subjects；　every　one　employed　himself　with　a　singular　attention　to　make　his　little　country　flourish。　This　succeeded　in　such　a　manner　that　notwithstanding　the　irregularities　of　government；　the　want　of　that　knowledge　which　has　since　been　acquired　in　commerce；　and　the　numerous　wars　and　disorders　incessantly　arising；　most　countries　of　Europe　were　better　peopled　in　those　clays　than　they　are　even　at　present。

I　have　not　time　to　treat　fully　of　this　subject；　but　I　shall　cite　the　prodigious　armies　engaged　in　the　Crusades；　composed　of　men　of　all　countries。　Puffendorf　says　that　in　the　reign　of　Charles　IX　there　were　in　France　twenty　millions　of　men。

It　is　the　perpetual　reunion　of　many　little　states　that　has　produced　this　diminution。　Formerly；　every　village　of　France　was　a　capital；　there　is　at　present　only　one　large　one。　Every　part　of　the　state　was　a　centre　of　power；　at　present　all　has　a　relation　to　one　centre；　and　this　centre　is　in　some　measure　the　state　itself。

25。　The　same　Subject　continued。　Europe；　it　is　true；　has　for　these　two　ages　past　greatly　increased　its　navigation；　this　has　both　procured　and　deprived　it　of　inhabitants。　Holland　sends　every　year　a　great　number　of　mariners　to　the　Indies；　of　whom　not　above　two…thirds　return；　the　rest　either　perish　or　settle　in　the　Indies。　The　same　thing　must　happen　to　every　other　nation　concerned　in　that　trade。

We　must　not　judge　of　Europe　as　of　a　particular　state　engaged　alone　in　an　extensive　navigation。　This　state　would　increase　in　people；　because　all　the　neighbouring　nations　would　endeavour　to　have　ashare　in　this　commerce；　and　mariners　would　arrive　from　all　parts。　Europe；　separated　from　the　rest　of　the　world　by　religion；＇116＇　by　vast　seas　and　deserts；　cannot　be　repaired　in　this　manner。

26。　Consequences。　From　all　this　we　may　conclude　that　Europe　is　at　present　in　a　condition　to　require　laws　to　be　made　in　favour　of　the　propagation　of　the　human　species。　The　politics　of　the　ancient　Greeks　incessantly　complain　of　the　inconveniences　attending　a　republic；　from　the　excessive　number　of　citizens；　but　the　politics　of　this　age　call　upon　us　to　take　proper　means　to　increase　ours。

27。　Of　the　Law　made　in　France　to　encourage　the　Propagation　of　the　Species。　Louis　XIV　appointed　particular　pensions　to　those　who　had　ten　children；　and　much　larger　to　such　as　had　twelve。＇117＇　But　it　is　not　sufficient　to　reward　prodigies。　In　order　to　communicate　a　general　spirit；　which　leads　to　the　propagation　of　the　species；　it　is　necessary　for　us　to　establish；　like　the　Romans；　general　rewards；　or　general　penalties。

28。　By　what　means　we　may　remedy　a　Depopulation。　When　a　state　is　depopulated　by　particular　accidents；　by　wars；　pestilence；　or　famine；　there　are　still　resources　left。　The　men　who　remain　may　preserve　the　spirit　of　industry；　they　may　seek　to　repair　their　misfortunes；　and　calamity　itself　may　make　them　become　more　industrious。　This　evil　is　almost　incurable　when　the　depopulation　is　prepared　beforehand　by　interior　vice　and　a　bad　government。　When　this　is　the　case；　men　perish　with　an　insensible　and　habitual　disease；　born　in　misery　and　weakness；　in　violence　or　under　the　influence　of　a　wicked　administration；　they　see　themselves　destroyed；　and　frequently　without　perceiving　the　cause　of　their　destruction。　Of　this　we　have　a　melancholy　proof　in　the　countries　desolated　by　despotic　power；　or　by　the　excessive　advantages　of　the　clergy　over　the　laity。

In　vain　shall　we　wait　for　the　succour　of　children　yet　unborn　to　re…establish　a　state　thus　depopulated。　There　is　not　time　for　this；　men　in　their　solitude　are　without　courage　or　industry。　With　land　sufficient　to　nourish　a　nation；　they　have　scarcely　enough　to　nourish　a　family。　The　common　people　have　not　even　a　property　in　the　miseries　of　the　country；　that　is；　in　the　fallows　with　which　it　abounds。　The　clergy；　the　prince；　the　cities；　the　great　men；　and　some　of　the　principal　citizens　insensibly　become　proprietors　of　all　the　land　which　lies　uncultivated；　the　families　who　are　ruined　have　left　their　fields；　and　the　labouring　man　is　destitute。

In　this　situation　they　should　take　the　same　measures　throughout　the　whole　extent　of　the　empire　which　the　Romans　took　in　a　part　of　theirs；　they　should　practise　in　their　distress　what　these　observed　in　the　midst　of　plenty；　that　is；　they　should　distribute　land　to　all　the　families　who　are　in　want；　and　procure　them　materials　for　clearing　and　cultivating　it。　This　distribution　ought　to　be　continued　so　long　as　there　is　a　man　to　receive　it；　and　in　such　a　manner　as　not　to　lose　a　moment　that　can　be　industriously　employed。

29。　Of　Hospitals。　A　man　is　not　poor　because　he　has　nothing；　but　because　he　does　not　work。　The　man　who　without　any　degree　of　wealth　has　an　employment　is　as　much　at　his　ease　as　he　who　without　labour　has　an　income　of　a　hundred　crowns　a　year。　He　who　has　no　substance；　and　yet　has　a　trade；　is　not　poorer　than　he　who；　possessing　ten　acres　of　land；　is　obliged　to　cultivate　it　for　his　subsistence。　The　mechanic　who　gives　his　art　as　an　inheritance　to　his　children　has　left　them　a　fortune；　which　is　multiplied　in　proportion　to　their　number。　It　is　not　so　with　him　who；　having　ten　acres　of　land；　divides　it　among　his　children。

In　trading　countries；　where　many　men　have　no　other　subsistence　but　from　the　arts；　the　state　is　frequently　obliged　to　supply　the　necessities　of　the　aged；　the　sick；　and　the　orphan。　A　well…regulated　government　draws　this　support　from　the　arts　themselves。　It　gives　to　some　such　employment　as　they　are　capable　of　performing；　others　are　taught　to　work；　and　this　teaching　of　itself　becomes　an　employment。

The　alms　given　to　a　naked　man　in　the　street　do　not　fulfil　the　obligations　of　the　state；　which　owes　to　every　citizen　a　certain　subsistence；　a　proper　nourishment；　convenient　clothing；　and　a　kind　of　life　not　incompatible　with　health。

Aurungzebe；　being　asked　why　he　did　not　build　hospitals；　said；　〃I　will　make　my　empire　so　rich　that　there　shall　be　no　need　of　hospitals。〃＇118＇　He　ought　to　have　said；　〃I　will　begin　by　rendering　my　empire　rich；　and　then　I　will　build　hospitals。〃

The　riches　of　the　state　suppose　great　industry。　Amidst　the　numerous　branches　of　trade　it　is　impossible　but　that　some　must　suffer；　and　consequently　the　mechanics　must　be　in　a　momentary　necessity。

Whenever　this　happens；　the　state　is　obliged　to　lend　them　a　ready　assistance；　whether　it　be　to　prevent　the　sufferings　of　the　people；　or　to　avoid　a　rebellion。　In　this　case　hospitals；　or　some　equivalent　regulations；　are　necessary　to　prevent　this　misery。

But　when　the　nation　is　poor；　private　poverty　springs　from　the　general　calamity；　and　is；　if　I　may　so　express　myself；　the　general　calamity　itself。　All　the　hospitals　in　the　world　cannot　cure　this　private　poverty；　on　the　contrary；　the　spirit　of　indolence；　which　it　constantly　inspires；　increases　the　general；　and　consequently　the　private；　misery。

Henry　VIII；＇119＇　resolving　to　reform　the　Church　of　England；　ruined　the　monks；　of　themselves　a　lazy　set　of　people；　that　encouraged　laziness　in　others；　because；　as　they　practised　hospitality；　an　infinite　number　of　idle　persons；　gentlemen　and　citizens；　spent　their　lives　in　running　from　convent　to　convent。　He　demolished　even　the　hospitals；　in　which　the　lower　people　found　subsistence；　as　the　gentlemen　did　theirs　in　the　monasteries。　Since　these　changes；　the　spirit　of　trade　and　industry　has　been　established　in　England。

At　Rome；　the　hospitals　place　every　one　at　his　ease　except　those　who　labour；　except　those　who　are　industrious；　except　those　who　have　land；　except　those　who　are　engaged　in　trade。　I　have　observed　that　wealthy　nations　have　need　of　hospitals；　because　fortune　subjects　them　to　a　thousand　accidents；　but　it　is　plain　that　transient　assistances　are　much　better　than　perpetual　foundations。　The　evil　is　momentary；　it　is　necessary；　therefore；　that　the　succour　should　be　of　the　same　nature；　and　that　it　be　applied　to　particular　accidents。

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1。　Dryden；　Lucr。

2。　The　Garamantes。

3。　Book　i。　8。

4。　Pater　est　quem　nupti？　demonstrant。

5。　For　this　reason；　among　nations　that　have　slaves；　the　child　almost　always　follows　the　station　or　condition　of　the　mother。

6。　Father　Du　Halde；　i；　p。　165。

7。　Ibid；　ii；　p。　121。

8。　Aristotle；　Politics；　vi。　4。

9。　Ibid。；　iii。　5。

10。　Thomas　Gage；　A　New　Survey　of　the　West　Indies；　p。　345；　3rd　ed。

11。　Ibid。；　p。　97；　3rd　ed。

12。　Book　xvi。　4。

13。　See　Kempfer；　who　gives　a　computation　of　the　people　of　Meaco。

14。　Collection　of　Voyages　that　Contributed　to　the　Establishment　of　the　East　India　Company；　i；　p。　347。

15。　Japan　is　composed　of　a　number　of　isles；　where　there　are　many　banks；　and　the　sea　is　there　extremely　full　of　fish。

16。　China　abounds　in　rivers。

17。　See　Father　Du　Halde；　ii；　pp。　139；　142。　ff。

18。　The　greatest　number　of　the　proprietors　of　land；　says　Bishop　Burnet；　finding　more　profit　in　selling　their　wool　than　their　corn；　inclosed　their　estates；　the　commons；　ready　to　perish　with　hunger；　rose　up　in　arms；　they　insisted　on　a　division　of　the　lands；　the　young　king　even　wrote　on　this　subject。　And　proclamations　were　made　against　those　who　inclosed　their　lands。　　Abridgment　of　the　History　of　the　Reformation；　pp。　44。　83。

19。　Dampier；　Voyages；　ii；　p。　41。

20。　Ibid。；　p。　167。

21。　See　the　Collection　of　Voyages　that　Contributed　to　the　Establishment　of　the　East　India　Company；　v；　part　I；　pp。　182；　188。

22。　In　valour；　discipline；　and　military　exercises。

23。　The　Gauls；　who　were　in　the　same　circumstances；　acted　in　the　same　mann