the spirit of laws-第55节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　own　nature　everywhere　the　same；　yet　from　circumstances　　from　a　religious　opinion；　from　prejudice；　from　received　examples；　from　a　particular　turn　of　mind；　from　manners　or　morals　　it　is　possible　they　may　admit　of　a　considerable　difference。

It　is　useful　that　some　particular　notions　should　be　established　in　those　governments。　Thus　in　China　the　prince　is　considered　as　the　father　of　his　people；　and　at　the　commencement　of　the　empire　of　the　Arabs；　the　prince　was　their　preacher。＇76＇

It　is　proper　there　should　be　some　sacred　book　to　serve　for　a　rule；　as　the　Koran　among　the　Arabs；　the　books　of　Zoroaster　among　the　Persians；　the　Veda　among　the　Indians；　and　the　classic　books　among　the　Chinese。　The　religious　code　supplies　the　civil　and　fixes　the　extent　of　arbitrary　sway。　

It　is　not　at　all　amiss　that　in　dubious　cases　the　judges　should　consult　the　ministers　of　religion。＇77＇　Thus；　in　Turkey；　the　Cadis　consult　the　Mollahs。　But　if　it　is　a　capital　crime；　it　may　be　proper　for　the　particular　judge；　if　such　there　be；　to　take　the　governor's　advice；　to　the　end　that　the　civil　and　ecclesiastical　power　may　be　tempered　also　by　the　political　authority。

30。　The　same　Subject　continued。　Nothing　but　the　very　excess　and　rage　of　despotic　power　ordained　that　the　father's　disgrace　should　drag　after　it　that　of　his　wife　and　children。　They　are　wretched　enough　already　without　being　criminals：　besides；　the　prince　ought　to　leave　suppliants　or　mediators　between　himself　and　the　accused；　to　assuage　his　wrath　or　to　inform　his　justice。

It　is　an　excellent　custom　of　the　Maldivians＇78＇　that　when　a　lord　is　disgraced　he　goes　every　day　to　pay　his　court　to　the　king　till　he　is　taken　again　into　favour：　his　presence　disarms　the　prince's　indignation。

In　some　despotic　governments＇79＇　they　have　a　notion　that　it　is　trespassing　against　the　respect　due　to　their　prince　to　speak　to　him　in　favour　of　a　person　in　disgrace。　These　princes　seem　to　use　all　their　endeavours　to　deprive　themselves　of　the　virtue　of　clemency。

Arcadius　and　Honorius；　by　a　law＇80＇　on　which　we　have　already　descanted；＇81＇　positively　declare　that　they　will　show　no　favour　to　those　who　shall　presume　to　petition　them　in　behalf　of　the　guilty。＇82＇　This　was　a　very　bad　law　indeed；　since　it　is　bad　even　under　a　despotic　government。

The　custom　of　Persia；　which　permits　every　man　that　pleases　to　leave　the　kingdom；　is　excellent；　and　though　the　contrary　practice　derives　its　origin　from　despotic　power；　which　has　ever　considered　the　subjects　as　slaves＇83＇　and　those　who　quit　the　country　as　fugitives；　yet　the　Persian　practice　is　useful　even　to　a　despotic　government；　because　the　apprehension　of　people's　withdrawing　for　debt　restrains　or　moderates　the　oppressions　of　pashas　and　extortioners。

______

1。　Politics；　ii。　8。　

2。　Tarquinius　Priscus。　See　Dionysius　Halicarnassus；　iv。

3。　As　early　as　the　year　560。

4。　Aristotle；　Politics；　ii。　12。　He　gave　his　laws　at　Thurium　in　the　84th　Olympiad。

5。　See　Aristides；　Orat。　in　Minervam。

6。　Dionysius　Halicarnassus　on　the　judgment　of　Coriolanus；　vii。

7。　Minerv？　calculus。

8。　St。　Louis　made　such　severe　laws　against　those　who　swore　that　the　pope　thought　himself　obliged　to　admonish　him　for　it。　This　prince　moderated　his　zeal；　and　softened　his　laws。　See　his　Ordinances。

9。　Father　Rougerel。

10。　Nicetas；　Life　of　Manuel　Comnenus；　iv。　

11。　Ibid。

12。　Theophylactus；　History　of　the　Emperor　Maurice；　11。

13。　Secret　History。

14。　Father　Du　Halde；　i；　p。　43。

15。　Father　Parennin　in　the　Edifying　Letters。

16。　Book　xxix。

17。　Gratian；　Valentinian；　and　Theodosius。　This　is　the　second　in　the　Cod。　de　crimin。　sacril。

18。　Sacrilegii　instar　est　dubitare　an　is　dignus　sit　quem　elegerit　imperator。　　Cod。　de　crimin。　sacril。　This　law　has　served　as　a　model　to　that　of　Roger　in　the　constitution　of　Naples；　tit。　4。

19。　Leg。　5；　ad　leg。　Jul。　Majest。

20。　Arcadius　and　Honorius。

21。　Memoirs　of　Montresor；　i；　p。　238；　Cologne；　1723。

22。　Nam　ipsi　pars　corporis　nostri　sunt　　The　same　law　of　the　Cod。；　ad　leg。　Jul。　Majest。

23。　It　is　the　9th　of　the　Cod。　Theod。　de　falsa　moneta。

24。　Etiam　ex　aliis　causis　majestatis　crimina　cessant　meo　s？culo　　Leg。　1。　Cod。；　ix；　tit。　8；　ad　leg。　Jul。　Majest。

25。　Alienam　sect？　me？　solicitudinem　concepisti。　　Leg。　2；　Cod。；　iii；　tit。　4；　ad　leg。　Jul。　Majest。

26。　Leg。　4；　§　1；　ff。　ad　leg。；　Jul。　Majest。；　xlviii；　tit。　4。

27。　See　Leg。　5；　§　2；　ff。　ibid。

28。　Ibid。；　§　1。

29。　Aliudve　quid　simile　admiserint　　Leg。　6；　ff。　ad　leg。　Jul。　Majest。

30。　In　the　last　law；　ff。　ad　leg。　Jul。　de　adulteriis。

31。　See　Burnet；　History　of　the　Reformation。

32。　Plutarch；　Dionysius。

33。　The　thought　must　be　joined　with　some　sort　of　action。

34。　Si　non　tale　sit　delictum　in　quod　vel　scriptura　legis　descendit　vel　ad　exemplum　legis　vindicandum　est；　says　Modestinus　in　Leg。　7；　§　3；　ff。　ad　leg。　Jul。　Majest。

35。　In　1740。

36。　Nec　lubricum　lingu？　ad　poenam　facile　trahendum　est。　　Modestinus；　in　Leg。　7；　§　3；　ff。　ad　leg。　Jul。　Majest。

37。　Si　id　ex　levitate　processerit；　contemnendum　est；　si　ex　insania；　miseratione　dignissimum；　si　ab　injuria；　remittendum。　　Leg。　unica。　Cod。　si　quis　Imperat。　maled。

38。　Tacitus；　Annals；　i。　72。　This　continued　under　the　following　reigns。　See　the　first　law　in　the　Cod。　de　famosis　libellis。

39。　Tacitus；　Annals；　iv。　34。

40。　The　law　of　the　Twelve　Tables。

41。　Suetonius；　Life　of　Tiberius；　61。

42。　Collection　of　Voyages　that　Contributed　to　the　Establishment　of　the　East　India　Company；　v；　part　II。

43。　Ibid。；　p。　496。

44。　Dio；　in　Xiphilin。；　lv。　5。　Tacitus；　Annals；　ii。　30；　iii。　67；　attributes　this　law；　not　to　Augustus；　but　to　Tiberius。

45。　Flavius　Vopiscus　in　his　Life；　9。

46。　Sulla　made　a　law　of　majesty；　which　is　mentioned　in　Cicero's　Orations；　Pro　Cluentio；　art。　3；　In　Pisonem；　art。　21；　and　against　Verres；　art。　5。　Familiar　Epistles；　iii；　11。　C？sar　and　Augustus　inserted　them　in　the　Julian　Laws；　others　made　additions　to　them。

47。　Et　quo　quis　distinctior　accusator；　eo　magis　honores　assequebatur；　ac　veluti　sacrosanctus　erat。　　Tacitus；Annals；　iv。　36。

48。　Deut。；　13。　6…9。

49。　Collection　of　Voyages　that　Contributed　to　the　Establishment　of　the　East　India　Company；　v；　part　II；　p。　423。

50。　Dionysius　Halicarnassus；　Roman　Antiquities；　viii。

51。　Tyranno　occiso　quinque　ejus　proximos　cognatione　magistratus　necato。　　Cicero；　De　Invent。　ii。　29。

52。　Cook　viii；　p。　547。

53。　Of　the　Civil　Wars；　iv。

54。　It　is　not　sufficient　in　the　courts　of　justice　of　that　kingdom　that　the　evidence　be　of　such　a　nature　as　to　satisfy　the　judges；　there　must　be　a　legal　proof；　and　the　law　requires　the　deposition　of　two　witnesses　against　the　accused。　No　other　proof　will　do。　Now；　if　a　person　who　is　presumed　guilty　of　high　treason　should　contrive　to　secrete　the　witnesses；　so　as　to　render　it　impossible　for　him　to　be　legally　condemned；　the　government　then　may　bring　a　hill　of　attainder　against　him；　that　is；　they　may　enact　a　particular　law　for　that　single　fact。　They　proceed　then　in　the　same　manner　as　in　all　other　bills　brought　into　parliament；　it　must　pass　the　two　houses；　and　have　the　king's　consent；　otherwise　it　is　not　a　bill：　that　is；　a　sentence　of　the