Mr.
Penn is a true Lycurgus, and although the former had peace for his
object, and the latter war, they resemble each other in the
singular path along which they have led _their_ people, in their
influence over free men, in the prejudices which they have
overcome, the passions they have subdued.
"Paraguay furnishes us with another example. _Society_ has been
accused of the crime of regarding the pleasure of commanding as the
only good of life; but it will always be a noble thing to govern
men by making them happy.
"_Those who desire to form similar institutions_, will establish
community of property, as in the republic of Plato, the same
reverence which he enjoined for the gods, separation from strangers
for the preservation of morality, and make the city and not the
citizens create commerce: they should give our arts without our
luxury, our wants without our desires."
Vulgar infatuation may exclaim, if it likes:--"It is Montesquieu!
magnificent! sublime!" I am not afraid to express my opinion, and to
say:--"What! you have the face to call that fine? It is frightful! it is
abominable! and these extracts, which I might multiply, show that,
according to Montesquieu, the persons, the liberties, the property,
mankind itself, are nothing but materials to exercise the sagacity of
lawgivers.
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