the spirit of laws-第86章

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Let　them　leave　us　as　we　are；　our　indiscretions　joined　to　our　good　nature　would　make　the　laws　which　should　constrain　our　sociability　not　at　all　proper　for　us。

7。　Of　the　Athenians　and　Laced？monians。　The　Athenians；　this　gentleman　adds；　were　a　nation　that　had　some　relation　to　ours。　They　mingled　gaiety　with　business；　a　stroke　of　raillery　was　as　agreeable　in　the　senate　as　in　the　theatre。　This　vivacity；　which　discovered　itself　in　their　councils；　went　along　with　them　in　the　execution　of　their　resolves。　The　characteristic　of　the　Spartans　was　gravity；　seriousness；　severity；　and　silence。　It　would　have　been　as　difficult　to　bring　over　an　Athenian　by　teasing　as　it　would　a　Spartan　by　diverting　him。

8。　Effects　of　a　sociable　Temper。　The　more　communicative　a　people　are；　the　more　easily　they　change　their　habits；　because　each　is　in　a　greater　degree　a　spectacle　to　the　other　and　the　singularities　of　individuals　are　better　observed。　The　climate　which　influences　one　nation　to　take　pleasure　in　being　communicative；　makes　it　also　delight　in　change；　and　that　which　makes　it　delight　in　change　forms　its　taste。

The　society　of　the　fair　sex　spoils　the　manners　and　forms　the　taste；　the　desire　of　giving　greater　pleasure　than　others　establishes　the　embellishments　of　dress；　and　the　desire　of　pleasing　others　more　than　ourselves　gives　rise　to　fashions。　Thus　fashion　is　a　subject　of　importance；　by　encouraging　a　trifling　turn　of　mind；　it　continually　increases　the　branches　of　its　commerce。＇8＇

9。　Of　the　Vanity　and　Pride　of　Nations。　Vanity　is　as　advantageous　to　a　government　as　pride　is　dangerous。　To　be　convinced　of　this　we　need　only　represent；　on　the　one　hand；　the　numberless　benefits　which　result　from　vanity；　as　industry；　the　arts；　fashions；　politeness；　and　taste；　on　the　other；　the　infinite　evils　which　spring　from　the　pride　of　certain　nations；　as　laziness；　poverty；　a　total　neglect　of　everything　　in　fine；　the　destruction　of　the　nations　which　have　happened　to　fall　under　their　government；　as　well　as　of　their　own。　Laziness　is　the　effect　of　pride；＇9＇　labour；　a　consequence　of　vanity。　The　pride　of　a　Spaniard　leads　him　to　decline　labour；　the　vanity　of　a　Frenchman　to　work　better　than　others。

All　lazy　nations　are　grave；　for　those　who　do　not　labour　regard　themselves　as　the　sovereigns　of　those　who　do。

If　we　search　among　all　nations；　we　shall　find　that　for　the　most　part　gravity；　pride；　and　indolence　go　hand　in　hand。

The　people　of　Achim＇10＇　are　proud　and　lazy；　those　who　have　no　slaves；　hire　one；　if　it　be　only　to　carry　a　quart　of　rice　a　hundred　paces；　they　would　be　dishonoured　if　they　carried　it　themselves。

In　many　places　people　let　their　nails　grow；　that　all　may　see　they　do　not　work。

Women　in　the　Indies＇11＇　believe　it　shameful　for　them　to　learn　to　read：　this　is；　they　say；　the　business　of　their　slaves；　who　sing　their　spiritual　songs　in　the　temples　of　their　pagods。　In　one　tribe　they　do　not　spin；　in　another　they　make　nothing　but　baskets　and　mats；　they　are　not　even　to　pound　rice；　and　in　others　they　must　not　go　to　fetch　water。　These　rules　are　established　by　pride；　and　the　same　passion　makes　them　followed。　There　is　no　necessity　for　mentioning　that　the　moral　qualities；　according　as　they　are　blended　with　others；　are　productive　of　different　effects；　thus　pride；　joined　to　a　vast　ambition　and　notions　of　grandeur；　produced　such　effects　among　the　Romans　as　are　known　to　all　the　world。

10。　Of　the　Character　of　the　Spaniards　and　Chinese。　The　characters　of　the　several　nations　are　formed　of　virtues　and　vices；　of　good　and　bad　qualities。　From　the　happy　mixture　of　these；　great　advantages　result；　and　frequently　where　it　would　be　least　expected；　there　are　others　whence　great　evils　arise　　evils　which　one　would　not　suspect。

The　Spaniards　have　been　in　all　ages　famous　for　their　honesty。　Justin＇12＇　mentions　their　fidelity　in　keeping　whatever　was　entrusted　to　their　care；　they　have　frequently　suffered　death　rather　than　reveal　a　secret。　They　have　still　the　same　fidelity　for　which　they　were　formerly　distinguished。　All　the　nations　who　trade　at　Cadiz　trust　their　fortunes　to　the　Spaniards；　and　have　never　yet　repented　it。　But　this　admirable　quality；　joined　to　their　indolence；　forms　a　mixture　whence　such　effects　result　as　to　them　are　most　pernicious。　The　rest　of　the　European　nations　carry　on　in　their　very　sight　all　the　commerce　of　their　monarchy。

The　character　of　the　Chinese　is　formed　of　another　mixture；　directly　opposite　to　that　of　the　Spaniards；　the　precariousness　of　their　subsistence＇13＇　inspires　them　with　a　prodigious　activity；　and　such　an　excessive　desire　of　gain；　that　no　trading　nation　can　confide　in　them。＇14＇　This　acknowledged　infidelity　has　secured　them　the　possession　of　the　trade　to　Japan。　No　European　merchant　has　ever　dared　to　undertake　it　in　their　name；　how　easy　soever　it　might　be　for　them　to　do　it　from　their　maritime　provinces　in　the　north。

11。　A　Reflection。　I　have　said　nothing　here　with　a　view　to　lessen　that　infinite　distance　which　must　ever　be　between　virtue　and　vice。　God　forbid　that　I　should　be　guilty　of　such　an　attempt！　I　would　only　make　my　readers　comprehend　that　all　political　are　not　all　moral　vices；　and　that　all　moral　are　not　political　vices；　and　that　those　who　make　laws　which　shock　the　general　spirit　of　a　nation　ought　not　to　be　ignorant　of　this。

12。　Of　Customs　and　Manners　in　a　despotic　State。　It　is　a　capital　maxim　that　the　manners　and　customs　of　a　despotic　empire　ought　never　to　be　changed；　for　nothing　would　more　speedily　produce　a　revolution。　The　reason　is　that　in　these　states　there　are　no　laws；　that　is；　none　that　can　be　properly　called　so；　there　are　only　manners　and　customs；　and　if　you　overturn　these　you　overturn　all。

Laws　are　established；　manners　are　inspired；　these　proceed　from　a　general　spirit；　those　from　a　particular　institution：　now　it　is　as　dangerous；　nay　more　so；　to　subvert　the　general　spirit　as　to　change　a　particular　institution。

There　is　less　communication　in　a　country　where　each；　either　as　superior　or　inferior；　exercises　or　is　oppressed　by　arbitrary　power；　than　there　is　in　those　where　liberty　reigns　in　every　station。　They　do　not；　therefore；　so　often　change　their　manners　and　behaviour。　Fixed　and　established　customs　have　a　near　resemblance　to　laws。　Thus　it　is　here　necessary　that　a　prince　or　a　legislator　should　less　oppose　the　manners　and　customs　of　the　people　than　in　any　other　country　upon　earth。

Their　women　are　commonly　confined；　and　have　no　influence　in　society。　In　other　countries；　where　they　have　intercourse　with　men；　their　desire　of　pleasing；　and　the　desire　men　also　have　of　giving　them　pleasure；　produce　a　continual　change　of　customs。　The　two　sexes　spoil　each　other；　they　both　lose　their　distinctive　and　essential　quality；　what　was　naturally　fixed　becomes　quite　unsettled；　and　their　customs　and　behaviour　alter　every　day。

13。　Of　the　Behaviour　of　the　Chinese。　But　China　is　the　place　where　the　customs　of　the　country　can　never　be　changed。　Besides　their　women　being　absolutely　separated　from　the　men；　their　customs；　like　their　morals；　are　taught　in　the　schools。　A　man　of　letters　may　be　known　by　his　easy　address。＇15＇　These　things　being　once　taught　by　precept；　and　inculcated　by　grave　doctors；　become　fixed；　like　the　principles　of　morality；　and　are　never　changed。

14。　What　are　the　natural　Means　of　changing　the　Manners　and　Customs　of　a　Nation。　We　have　said　that　the　laws　were　the　particular　and　precise　institutions　of　a　legislator；　and　manners　and　customs　the　institutions　of　a　nation　in　general。　Hence　it　follows　that　when　these　manners　and　customs　are　to　be　changed；　it　ought　not　to　be　done　by　laws；　this　would　have　too　much　the　air　of　tyranny：　it　would　be　better　to　change　them　by　introducing　other　manners　and　other　customs。

Thus　when　a　prince　would　make　great　alterations　in　his　kingdom；　he　should　reform　by　law　what　is　established　by　law；　and　change　by　custom　what　is　settled　by　custom；　for　it　is　very　bad　policy　to　change　by　law　what　ought　to　be　changed　by　custom。

The　law　which　obliged　the　Muscovites　to　cut　off　their　beards　and　to　shorten　their　clothes；　and　the　rigour　with　which　Peter　I　made　them　crop；　even　to　their　knees；　the　long　cloaks　of　those　who　entered　into　the　cities；　were　instances　of　tyranny。　There　are　means　that　may　be　made　use　of　to　prevent　crime