the spirit of laws-第74章
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the prince； and in the palaces of the great； and as they study the foibles and not the virtues of their master； they lead him entirely by the former； not by the latter。 Such were the freedmen of Rome in the times of the emperors。
When the principal slaves are eunuchs； let never so many privileges be granted them； they can hardly be regarded as freedmen。 For as they are incapable of having a family of their own； they are naturally attached to that of another： and it is only by a kind of fiction that they are considered as citizens。
And yet there are countries where the magistracy is entirely in their hands。 〃In Tonquin；〃＇41＇ says Dampier；＇42＇ 〃all the mandarins； civil and military； are eunuchs。〃 They have no families； and though they are naturally avaricious； the master or the prince benefits in the end by this very passion。
Dampier tells us； too；＇43＇ that in this country the eunuchs cannot live without women； and therefore marry。 The law which permits their marriage may be founded partly on their respect for these eunuchs； and partly on their contempt of the fair sex。
Thus they are trusted with the magistracy； because they have no family； and permitted to marry； because they are magistrates。
Then it is that the sense which remains would fain supply that which they have lost； and the enterprises of despair become a kind of enjoyment。 So； in Milton； that spirit who has nothing left but desires； enraged at his degradation； would make use of his impotency itself。
We see in the history of China a great number of laws to deprive eunuchs of all civil and military employments； but they always returned to them again。 It seems as if the eunuchs of the east were a necessary evil。
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1。 Justinian； Institutes； i。
2。 Excepting a few cannibals。
3。 I mean slavery in a strict sense； as formerly among the Romans； and at present in our colonies。
4。 Biblioth。 Ang。； xiii； part II； art。 3。
5。 See Solis； History of the Conquest of Mexico； and Garcilasso de la Vega； History of the Conquest of Peru。
6。 Labat； New Voyage to the Isles of America； iv； p。 114； 1728； 12mo。
7。 Present State of Russia。
8。 Dampier； Voyages； iii。
9。 Politics； i。 5。
10。 As may be seen in the mines of Hartz； in Lower Saxony； and in those of Hungary。
11。 De Moribus Germanorum； 25。
12。 Tacitus； De Moribus Germanorum； 20； says the master is not to be distinguished from the slave by any delicacy of living。
13。 Sir John Chardin； Travels to Persia。
14。 Sir John Chardin； ii； in his description of the market of Izagour。
15。 Book i； tit。 32； § 5。
16。 The revolt of the Mamelukes was a different case； this was a body of the militia who usurped the empire。
17。 Law of the Visigoths； iii； tit。 1； § 1。
18。 Ibid。； v； tit。 7； § 20。
19。 Ibid。； v； tit。 2； § 9。
20。 Law of the Alemans； 5； § 3。
21。 Ibid。； § 5； per virtutem。
22。 〃Sicily；〃 says Florus； 〃suffered more in the Servile than in the Punic war。〃 iii。 19。
23。 See the whole title of the senat。 cons。 Sillan。； ff。
24。 Leg。 Si quis； § 12； ff。 de senat。 cons。 Sillan。
25。 When Antony commanded Eros to kill him； it was the same as commanding him to kill himself； because； if he had obeyed； he would have been punished as the murderer of his master。
26。 Leg。 i； § 22； ff。 de senat。 cons。 Sillan。
27。 Leg。 i； § 31； ff。 ibid。； xxix； tit。 5。
28。 Xiphilin； In Claudio。
29。 See Leg。 3； in Cod。； De Patria potestate； by the Emperor Alexander。
30。 Exod。； 21。 20； 21。
31。 Plutarch； On Superstition。
32。 See the constitution of Antoninus Pius； Institutes； i； tit。 7。
33。 Laws； Book ix。
34。 This was frequently the spirit of the laws of those nations who came out of Germany； as may be seen by their codes。
35。 Demosthenes； Orat。 contra Midian； p。 610； Frankfort； 1604。
36。 Tacitus； Annals； xiii。 27。
37。 Freinshemius； Supplement； dec。 2； v。
38。 Exod。； 21。
39。 Tacitus； Annals； xiii。 27。
40。 Augustus's speech in Dio； lvi。
41。 It was formerly the same in China。 The two Mahometan Arabs who travelled thither in the ninth century use the word eunuch whenever they speak of a governor of the city。
42。 Volume iii； p。 91。
43。 Ibid。； p。 94。
Book XVI。 How the Laws of Domestic Slavery Bear a Relation to the Nature of the Climate
1。 Of domestic Servitude。 Slaves are established for the family； but they are not a part of it。 Thus I distinguish their servitude from that which the women in some countries suffer； and which I shall properly call domestic servitude。
2。 That in the Countries of the South there is a natural Inequality between the two Sexes。 Women； in hot climates； are marriageable at eight； nine； or ten years of age；＇1＇ thus； in those countries； infancy and marriage generally go together。 They are old at twenty： their reason therefore never accompanies their beauty。 When beauty demands the empire； the want of reason forbids the claim； when reason is obtained； beauty is no more。 These women ought then to be in a state of dependence； for reason cannot procure in old age that empire which even youth and beauty could not give。 It is therefore extremely natural that in these places a man； when no law opposes it； should leave one wife to take another； and that polygamy should be introduced。
In temperate climates； where the charms of women are best preserved； where they arrive later at maturity； and have children at a more advanced season of life； the old age of their husbands in some degree follows theirs； and as they have more reason and knowledge at the time of marriage； if it be only on account of their having continued longer in life； it must naturally introduce a kind of equality between the two sexes； and； in consequence of this； the law of having only one wife。
In cold countries the almost necessary custom of drinking strong liquors establishes intemperance amongst men。 Women； who in this respect have a natural restraint； because they are always on the defensive； have therefore the advantage of reason over them。
Nature； which has distinguished men by their reason and bodily strength； has set no other bounds to their power than those of this strength and reason。 It has given charms to women； and ordained that their ascendancy over man shall end with these charms： but in hot countries； these are found only at the beginning； and never in the progress of life。
Thus the law which permits only one wife is physically conformable to the climate of Europe； and not to that of Asia。 This is the reason why Mahometanism was so easily established in Asia； and with such difficulty extended in Europe； why Christianity is maintained in Europe； and has been destroyed in Asia； and； in fine； why the Mahometans have made such progress in China； and the Christians so little。 Human reasons； however； are subordinate to that Supreme Cause who does whatever He pleases； and renders everything subservient to His will。
Some particular reasons induced Valentinian＇2＇ to permit polygamy in the empire。 That law； so improper for our climates； was abrogated by Theodosius； Arcadius； and Honorius。＇3＇
3。 That a Plurality of Wives greatly depends on the Means of supporting them。 Though in countries where polygamy is once established the number of wives is principally determined by the opulence of the husband； yet it cannot be said that opulence established polygamy in those states； since poverty may produce the same effect； as I shall prove when I come to speak of the savages。
Polygamy； in powerful nations； is less a luxury in itself than the occasion of great luxury。 In hot climates they have few wants； and it costs little to maintain a wife and children；＇4＇ they may therefore have a great number of wives。
4。 That the Law of Polygamy is an affair that depends on Calculation。 According to the calculations made in several parts of Europe； there are here born more boys than girls；＇5＇ on the contrary； by the accounts we have of Asia； there are there born more girls than boys。＇6＇ The law which in Europe allows only one wife； and that in Asia which permits many； have therefore a certain relation to the climate。
In the cold climates of Asia there are born； as in Europe； more males than females； and hence； say the Lamas；＇7＇ is
