He
admired the excellent police regulations of the cities; the justice
administered in favour of the poor _against_ the rich; the good
education of the children, who were accustomed to obedience,
labour, and the love of arts and letters; the exactness with which
all the ceremonies of religion were performed; the
disinterestedness, the desire of honour, the fidelity to men, and
the fear of the gods, with which every father inspired his
children. He could not sufficiently admire the prosperous state of
the country. '_Happy_,' said he, '_is the people whom a wise king
rules in such a manner_.'"
Fenelon's idyl on Crete is still more fascinating. Mentor is made to
say:--
"All that you will see in this wonderful island is the result of
the laws of Minos. The education which the children receive renders
the body healthy and robust. They are accustomed, from the first,
to a frugal and laborious life; it is supposed that all the
pleasures of sense enervate the body and the mind; no other
pleasure is presented to them but that of being invincible by
virtue, that of acquiring much glory.... there _they_ punish three
vices which go unpunished amongst other people--ingratitude,
dissimulation, and avarice. As to pomp and dissipation, there is no
need to punish these, for they are unknown in Crete.
Pages:
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215