With truths of a certain kind, it is not enough to make them appear convincing: one must also make them felt. Of such kind are moral truths.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUWith truths of a certain kind, it is not enough to make them appear convincing: one must also make them felt. Of such kind are moral truths.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEULaw in general is human reason, inasmuch as it governs all the inhabitants of the earth: the political and civil laws of each nation ought to be only the particular cases in which human reason is applied.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUVirtue in a republic is the love of one’s country, that is the love of equality.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUIt is unreasonable … to oblige a man not to attempt the defense of his own life.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUMan, as a physical being, is like other bodies governed by invariable laws.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUThe wickedness of mankind makes it necessary for the law to suppose them better than they really are.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUThe culminating point of administration is to know well how much power, great or small, we ought to use in all circumstances.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUAs virtue is necessary in a republic, and honor in a monarchy, fear is what is required in a despotism. As for virtue, it is not at all necessary, and honor would be dangerous there.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUCountries are well cultivated, not as they are fertile, but as they are free.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUIt is requisite the government be so constituted as one man need not be afraid of another.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUThere is something in animals beside the power of motion. They are not machines; they feel.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUThere are countries where a man is worth nothing; there are others where he is worth less than nothing.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUDo you think that God will punish them for not practicing a religion which he did not reveal to them?
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUPolitical liberty is to be found only in moderate governments.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUPeople here argue about religion interminably, but it appears that they are competing at the same time to see who can be the least devout.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEURepublics come to an end by luxurious habits; monarchies by poverty.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEU