the spirit of laws-第61章

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e　criminal　nature＇70＇　was　the　cause　of　the　people's　retiring　to　the　Janiculum；＇71＇　and　of　giving　new　vigour　to　the　law　made　for　the　safety　of　debtors。

Since　that　time　creditors　were　oftener　prosecuted　by　debtors　for　having　violated　the　laws　against　usury　than　the　latter　were　sued　for　refusing　to　pay　them。

22。　Of　Things　that　strike　at　Liberty　in　Monarchies。　Liberty　often　has　been　weakened　in　monarchies　by　a　thing　of　the　least　use　in　the　world　to　the　prince：　this　is　the　naming　of　commissioners　to　try　a　private　person。

The　prince　himself　derives　so　very　little　advantage　from　those　commissioners　that　it　is　not　worth　while　to　change　for　their　sake　the　common　course　of　things。　He　is　morally　sure　that　he　has　more　of　the　spirit　of　probity　and　justice　than　his　commissioners；　who　think　themselves　sufficiently　justified　by　his　nomination　and　orders；　by　a　vague　interest　of　state；　and　even　by　their　very　apprehensions。

Upon　the　arraigning　of　a　peer　under　Henry　VIII　it　was　customary　to　try　him　by　a　committee　of　the　House　of　Lords：　by　which　means　he　put　to　death　as　many　peers　as　he　pleased。

23。　Of　Spies　in　Monarchies。　Should　I　be　asked　whether　there　is　any　necessity　for　spies　in　monarchies；　my　answer　would　be　that　the　usual　practice　of　good　princes　is　not　to　employ　them。　When　a　man　obeys　the　laws；　he　has　discharged　his　duty　to　his　prince。　He　ought　at　least　to　have　his　own　house　for　an　asylum；　and　the　rest　of　his　conduct　should　be　exempt　from　inquiry。　The　trade　of　a　spy　might　perhaps　be　tolerable；　were　it　practised　by　honest　men；　but　the　necessary　infamy　of　the　person　is　sufficient　to　make　us　judge　of　the　infamy　of　the　thing。　A　prince　ought　to　act　towards　his　subjects　with　candour；　frankness；　and　confidence。

He　that　has　so　much　disquiet；　suspicion；　and　fear　is　an　actor　embarrassed　in　playing　his　part。　When　he　finds　that　the　laws　are　generally　observed　and　respected；　he　may　judge　himself　safe。　The　behaviour　of　the　public　answers　for　that　of　every　individual。　Let　him　not　be　afraid：　he　cannot　imagine　how　natural　it　is　for　his　people　to　love　him。　And　how　should　they　do　otherwise　than　love　him；　since　he　is　the　source　of　almost　all　bounties　and　favours；　punishments　being　generally　charged　to　the　account　of　the　laws？　He　never　shows　himself　to　his　people　but　with　a　serene　countenance；　they　have　even　a　share　of　his　glory；　and　they　are　protected　by　his　power。　A　proof　of　his　being　beloved　is　that　his　subjects　have　confidence　in　him：　what　the　minister　refuses；　they　imagine　the　prince　would　have　granted。　Even　under　public　calamities　they　do　not　accuse　his　person；　they　are　apt　to　complain　of　his　being　misinformed；　or　beset　by　corrupt　men。　〃Did　the　prince　but　know；〃　say　the　people；　these　words　are　a　kind　of　invocation；　and　a　proof　of　the　confidence　they　have　in　his　person。

24。　Of　Anonymous　Letters。　The　Tartars　are　obliged　to　put　their　names　to　their　arrows；　that　the　arm　may　be　known　which　shoots　them。　When　Philip　of　Macedon　was　wounded　at　the　siege　of　a　certain　town；　these　words　were　found　on　the　javelin；　〃Aster　has　given　this　mortal　wound　to　Philip。〃＇72＇　If　they　who　accuse　a　person　did　it　merely　to　serve　the　public；　they　would　not　carry　their　complaint　to　the　prince；　who　may　be　easily　prejudiced；　but　to　the　magistrates；　who　have　rules　that　are　formidable　only　to　calumniators。　But　if　they　are　unwilling　to　leave　the　laws　open　between　them　and　the　accused；　it　is　a　presumption　they　have　reason　to　be　afraid　of　them；　and　the　least　punishment　they　ought　to　suffer　is　not　to　be　credited。　No　notice；　therefore；　should　ever　be　taken　of　those　letters；　except　in　cases　that　admit　not　of　the　delays　of　the　ordinary　course　of　justice；　and　in　which　the　prince's　welfare　is　concerned。　Then　it　may　be　imagined　that　the　accuser　has　made　an　effort；　which　has　untied　his　tongue。　But　in　other　cases　one　ought　to　say；　with　the　Emperor　Constantius：　〃We　cannot　suspect　a　person　who　has　wanted　an　accuser；　whilst　he　did　not　want　an　enemy。〃＇73＇

25。　Of　the　Manner　of　governing　in　Monarchies。　The　royal　authority　is　a　spring　that　ought　to　move　with　the　greatest　freedom　and　ease。　The　Chinese　boast　of　one　of　their　emperors　who　governed；　they　say；　like　the　heavens；　that　is；　by　his　example。

There　are　some　cases　in　which　a　sovereign　ought　to　exert　the　full　extent　of　his　power；　and　others　in　which　he　should　reduce　it　within　narrower　limits。　The　sublimity　of　administration　consists　in　knowing　the　proper　degree　of　power　which　should　be　exerted　on　different　occasions。

The　whole　felicity　of　monarchies　consists　in　the　opinion　which　the　subjects　entertain　of　the　lenity　of　the　government。　A　weak　minister　is　ever　ready　to　remind　us　of　our　slavery。　But　granting；　even；　that　we　are　slaves；　he　should　endeavour　to　conceal　our　misery　from　us。　All　he　can　say　or　write　is　that　the　prince　is　uneasy；　that　he　is　surprised；　and　that　he　will　redress　all　grievances。　There　is　a　certain　ease　in　commanding；　the　prince　ought　only　to　encourage；　and　let　the　laws　menace。＇74＇

26。　That　in　a　Monarchy　the　Prince　ought　to　be　of　easy　Access。　The　utility　of　this　maxim　will　appear　from　the　inconvenience　attending　the　contrary　practice。　〃The　Czar　Peter　I；〃　says　the　Sieur　Perry；＇75＇　〃has　published　a　new　edict；　by　which　he　forbids　any　of　his　subjects　to　offer　him　a　petition　till　after　having　presented　it　to　two　of　his　officers。　In　case　of　refusal　of　justice　they　may　present　him　a　third；　but　upon　pain　of　death　if　they　are　in　the　wrong。　After　this　no　one　ever　presumed　to　offer　a　petition　to　the　Czar。〃

27。　Of　the　Manners　of　a　Monarch。　The　manners　of　a　prince　contribute　as　much　as　the　laws　themselves　to　liberty；　like　these　he　may　transform　men　into　brutes；　and　brutes　into　men。　If　he　prefers　free　and　generous　spirits；　he　will　have　subjects；　if　he　likes　base；　dastardly　souls；　he　will　have　slaves。　Would　he　know　the　great　art　of　ruling；　let　him　call　honour　and　virtue　to　attend　his　person；　and　let　him　encourage　personal　merit。　He　may　even　sometimes　cast　an　eye　on　talents　and　abilities。　Let　him　not　be　afraid　of　those　rivals　who　are　called　men　of　merit；　he　is　their　equal　when　once　he　loves　them。　Let　him　gain　the　hearts　of　his　people；　without　subduing　their　spirits。　Let　him　render　himself　popular；　he　ought　to　be　pleased　with　the　affections　of　the　lowest　of　his　subjects；　for　they　too　are　men。　The　common　people　require　so　very　little　condescension；　that　it　is　fit　they　should　be　humoured；　the　infinite　distance　between　the　sovereign　and　them　will　surely　prevent　them　from　giving　him　any　uneasiness。　Let　him　be　exorable　to　supplication；　and　resolute　against　demands；　let　him　be　sensible；　in　fine；　that　his　people　have　his　refusals；　while　his　courtiers　enjoy　his　favours。

28。　Of　the　Regard　which　Monarchs　owe　to　their　Subjects。　Princes　ought　to　be　extremely　circumspect　with　regard　to　raillery。　It　pleases　with　moderation；　because　it　is　an　introduction　to　familiarity；　but　a　satirical　raillery　is　less　excusable　in　them　than　in　the　meanest　of　their　subjects；　for　it　is　they　alone　that　give　a　mortal　wound。

Much　less　should　they　offer　a　public　affront　to　any　of　their　subjects；　kings　were　instituted　to　pardon　and　to　punish；　but　never　to　insult。

When　they　affront　their　subjects；　their　treatment　is　more　cruel　than　that　of　the　Turk　or　the　Muscovite。　The　insults　of　these　are　a　humiliation；　not　a　disgrace；　but　both　must　follow　from　the　insolent　behaviour　of　monarchs。

Such　is　the　prejudice　of　the　eastern　nations　that　they　look　upon　an　affront　from　the　prince　as　the　effect　of　paternal　goodness；　and　such；　on　the　contrary；　is　our　way　of　thinking　that　besides　the　cruel　vexation　of　being　affronted；　we　despair　of　ever　being　able　to　wipe　off　the　disgrace。

Princes　ought　to　be　overjoyed　to　have　subjects　to　whom　honour　is　dearer　than　life；　an　incitement　to　fidelity　as　well　as　to　courage。

They　should　remember　the　misfortunes　that　have　happened　to　sovereigns　for　insulting　their　subjects：　the　revenge　of　Ch？rea；　of　the　eunuch　Narses；　of　Count　Julian；　and；　in　fine；　of　the　Duchess　of　Montpensier；　who；　being　enraged　against　Henry　III　for　having　published　some　of　her　private　failings；　tormented　him　during　her　whole　life。

29。　Of　the　civil　Laws　proper　for　mixing　some　portion　of　Liberty　in　a　despotic　Government。　Though　despotic　governments　are　of　their