True it is, that, philofophically fpeaking, it is a falfe bonour which moves all the parts of this government; but even this false honour is as useful to the public as true honour could poffibly be to private people.

Is it not a very great point to oblige men to perform the most difficult actions, fuch as require an extraordinary exertion of fortitude and refolution, without any other recompence, than that of GLORY and APPLAUSE?

VIRTUE IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO A MONARCHICAL

GOVERNMENT.

IN MONARCHIES policy effects great things with as little virtue as poffible.-Thus in the niceft machines art has reduced the number of movements, fprings, and wheels.

The ftate fubfifts independent of the love of our country, of the thirft of true glory, of felf-denial, of the facrifice of our deareft interefts, and of all thofe heroic virtues which we admire in the ancients, and to us are known only by flory.

The laws fupply here the place of thofe virtues; they

are

are by no means wanted, and the ftate difpenfes with them.

I beg that no one will be offended with what I am going to fay; my observations are founded on the unanimous teftimony of hiftorians.-I am not ignorant that a virtuous prince is no fuch very rare inftance; but I venture to affirm, that in a monarchy it is extremely difficult for the people to be virtuousa.

LET US COMPARE WHAT THE HISTORIANS OF ALL AGES HAVE ASSERTED CONCERNING THE COURTS OF MONARCHS; LET US RECOLLECT THE CONVERSATIONS AND SENTIMENTS OF PEOPLE OF ALL COUNTRIES IN RESPECT TO THE WRETCHED CHARACTER OF COURTIERS; AND WE SHALL FIND THAT THESE ARE NOT AIRY SPECULATIONS, BUT TRUTHS CONFIRMED BY A SAD AND MELANCHOLY EXPERIENCE.

AMBITION IN IDLENESS; MEANNESS MIXED WITH PRIDE; A DESIRE OF RICHES WITHOUT INDUSTRY; AVERSION TO TRUTH; FLATTERY, PERFIDY, VIOLATION OF ENGAGEMENTS, CONTEMPT OF ALL CIVIL DUTIES, FEAR OF THE PRINCE'S VIRTUE, HOPE FROM HIS WEAKNESS, BUT, ABOVE ALL, A PERPETUAL

a I speak here of political virtue, which is alfo moral virtue as it is directed to the public good.

RIDICULE

RIDICULE CAST UPON VIRTUE, ARE, I THINK, the CHARACTERISTICS BY WHICH MOST COURTIERS IN ALL AGES AND COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN CONSTANTLY DISTINGUISHED.-Now IT IS EXCEEDING DIFFICULT FOR THE LEADING MEN OF THE NATION TO BE KNAVES, AND THE INFERIOR SORT TO BE HONEST; FOR THE FORMER TO BE CHEATS, AND THE LATTER TO REST SATISFIED WITH BEING ONLY DUPES.

But if there fhould chance to be fome unlucky boneft man2 among the people, CARDINAL RICHELIEU, in his political teftament, feems to hint, that a prince should take care not to employ him.—So true is it, that virtue is not the fpring of this government!—It is not indeed excluded, but it is not the fpring of government.

But it is high time for me to have done with this subject, left I should be fufpected of writing a fatire against monarchical government.-Far be it from me; if mo marchy wants one fpring, it is provided with another.HONOUR, that is, the prejudice of every perfon and rank, fupplieth the place of the political virtue, of which I have been speaking, and is every where her repre

* This is to be understood in the sense of the preceding note.

We must not, Lays he, employ fuch men; they are too rigid and mo◄ rofe.

*fentative:

fentative: here it is capable of infpiring the most glorious actions, and, joined with the force of laws, may lead us to the end of government as well as virtue itself.

Hence, in well regulated monarchies, we find often good fubjects, and very few good men; for to be a good man, a good intention is neceffary, and we should love our country not fo much on our own account, as out of regard to the community.

*This word good man is understood here in a political sense only.

b

Montefquieu.

SECT.

3

SECT. VIII.

FEAR IS THE PRINCIPLE OF A DESPOTIC STATE.

As virtue is necessary in a REPUBLIC, and in a MoNARCHY honour, so fear is neceffary in a DESPOTIC GOVERNMENT. With regard to virtue, there is no occafion for it, and honour would be extremely dangerous.

Here the immenfe power of the prince is devolved entirely upon those whom he is pleased to intruft with the administration.-Perfons capable of fetting a value upon themselves, would be likely to create diflurbances.Fear muft therefore deprefs their fpirits, and extinguish, even the leaft fenfe of ambition.

A MODERATE GOVERNMENT may, whenever it pleases, and without the leaft danger, relax its fprings. -It supports itself by the laws, and by its own internal strength.—But when a defpotic prince ceases one single moment to lift up his arm, when he cannot inftantly demolish those whom he has entrusted with the first employments,

a As it often happens in a military aristocracy.