Education excites an admiration of virtue.

part of his instruction. In the course of this study, what mind, without interest and without prejudice, is not affected with the same patriotic sentiments that animated the ancient heroes? Youth cannot refuse its esteem to those virtues, which consecrated by universal respect, have been celebrated by the most illustrious writers of every age.

For want of the same instruction, the Asiatic feels not the same sentiments, nor conceives the same veneration for the masculine virtues of great men. If Europeans admire them without imitation, it is because there is scarcely any government where these virtues lead to great employments, and nothing is really esteemed but power.

When I see a great character of Greece, Rome, Britain, or Scandinavia, represented in history, or on the theatre, I admire it. The principles of virtue imbibed in my infancy force me to it; and I the more readily encourage this sentiment, as I do not in any manner compare myself with this hero. If his virtue be strong and mine weak, I disguise its weakness: I refer to place, time, and circumstances, the difference I observe between him and myself. But if this great man be my fellow-citizen, why do I not imitate his conduct? His presence humbles my pride. If1 can avenge myself of him, I do it: I blame in him what I applaud in the ancients. I rail at his generous actions: I depreciate his merit, and at least in appearance, despise his impotence.

Strength and power more highly honored than virtue.

My reason, which judges the virtue of the dead, obliges me to esteem in speculation the beroes who have rendered themselves useful to their country. The picture of ancient heroism produces an involuntary respect in every mind that is not entirely debased. But in my contemporary, that heroism is odious to me. I feel in his presence two contradictory sentiments, one esteem the other envy. Subject to these two different impulsions, I hate the living hero, but erect a trophy on his tomb, and thus satisfy at once my pride and my reason. When virtue is without authority, its impotence gives me a right to despise it, and I avail myself of that right. Weakness attracts scorn and insult (39).

To be honoured while we live, we must be powerful (40). Thus power is the only object of man's desire. He who had the choice of the strength of Enceladus, and the virtues of Aristides, would give the preference to the former. In the opinion of all the critics, the character of Æneas is more just and virtuous that that of Achilles. Why then does the latter excite greater admiration? Because Achilles was strong, and we have more desire to be powerful than just, and we always admire what we would be.

It is always power and importance that we seek, under the name of virtue. Why do we require on the theatre, that virtue should always triumph over vice?

Whence arose that rule? From an interior and confused perception, that we only love in virtue the conside

The love of power is the most favourable disposition to virtue.

ration it procures. Men are seriously anxious about nothing but authority, and it is the love of power that furnishes the legislator with the means of rendering them more virtuous and more happy.

CHAP. XIV.

THE LOVE OF POWER IS IN MAN THE MOST FAVOURABLE DISPOSITION TO VIRTUE.

IF virtue were the effect of a particular organization, or a gift of the Divinity, there would be no honest men but such as were so organized by nature, or predestined by Heaven. Laws, good or bad, forms of government, more or less perfect, would have little influence on the manners of a people. Sovereigns would not have it in their power to form good citizens, and the sublime employment of a legislator would be in some measure without functions. But if, on the contrary, we regard virtue as the effect of a desire common to all (as is the desire of command) the legislator being always able to annex esteem and riches, in a word, power, under some denomination, to the practice of virtue, it can always compel men to it. Under a good legislation, the vicious alone must then be the fools. It is therefore

Y S

The love of power is the most favourable disposition to virtue.

fore always to the greater or less absurdity of the laws, that we must attribute the greater or less stupidity or iniquity of the citizens.

Heaven, by inspiring all men with the love of power, has given them a most precious gift. What imports it whether all men be born virtuous, if all be born with a passion that will render them such.

This truth being fully proved, it is for the magistrate to discover, in the universal love that men have for power, the means of securing the virtue of the citizens, and the happiness of the nation.

As to what regards myself, I have accomplished my task if I have proved, that man directs, and ever will direct, his desires, his ideas, and his actions, to his felicity that the love of virtue is always founded in him on the desire of happiness: that he only loves in virtue the riches and happiness which it produces ; and lastly, that even including the desire of glory, all is in man nothing more than a disguised love of power, It is in this last love that there is still concealed the principle of intolerance; which is of two kinds, the one civil, the other religious.

CHAP.

Of civil intolerance.

CHAP. XV.

OF CIVIL INTOLERANCE.

MAN is born surrounded with pains and pleasures. If he desire the sword of power, it is to drive away the one, and to possess the other. His thirst of power is in this respect insatiable. Not content with commanding a people, he would command their opinions also: he is not less anxious to subdue the reason of his fellow-citizens, than a conqueror is to usurp the trea sures, and the provinces of his neighbours.

He does not think himself truly their master if he do not bring their minds into subjection. To effect this he employs force: he at length subdues reason. Men are completely degraded by believing opinions which they are forced to profess. What reasoning begins is finished by violence.

The intolerance of monarchs is always the effect of their love of power. Not to think as they do, is to assume a power equal to theirs. By this they are enraged.

What is in certain countries the crime most severely punished? Contradiction. For what crime was the Oriental punishment of an iron cage invented in France? On whom was it inflicted? Was it some