be Relative to the Principle of
Government. Book VI. Consequences of the Principles of Different
Governments with Respect to the Simplicity of Civil and Criminal
Laws, the Form of Judgments, and the Inflicting of Punishments.
Book VII. Consequences of the Different Principles of the Three
Governments with Respect to Sumptuary Laws, Luxury, and the
Condition of Women. Book VIII. Of the Corruption of the Principles
of the Three Governments. Book XIV. Of Laws as Relative to the
Nature of the Climate.

The philosophical aim and ambition of the author at once appear in the
inquiry which he institutes for the three several animating _principles_
of the three several forms of government respectively distinguished by
him; namely, democracy (or republicanism), monarchy, and despotism. What
these three principles are, will be seen from the following statement:
"As _virtue_ is necessary in a republic, and in monarchy, _honor_, so
_fear_ is necessary in a despotic government." The meaning is, that in
republics, virtue possessed by the citizens is the spring of national
prosperity; that under a monarchy, the desire of preferment at the hands
of the sovereign is what quickens men to perform services to the state;
that despotism thrives by fear inspired in the breasts of those subject
to its sway.

To illustrate the freely discursive character of the work, we give the
whole of chapter sixteen--there are chapters still shorter--in Book
VII.:--

AN EXCELLENT CUSTOM OF THE SAMNITES.

The Samnites had a custom which in so small a republic, and
especially in their situation, must have been productive of
admirable effects. The young people were all convened in one place,
and their conduct was examined. He that was declared the best of
the whole assembly, had leave given him to take which girl he
pleased for his wife; the second best chose after him, and so on.
Admirable institution! The only recommendation that young men could
have on this occasion, was their virtue, and the service done their
country. He who had the greatest share of these endowments, chose
which girl he liked out of the whole nation. Love, beauty,
chastity, virtue, birth, and even wealth itself, were all, in some
measure, the dowry of virtue. A nobler and grander recompense, less
chargeable to a petty state, and more capable of influencing both
sexes, c