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THE SPIRIT
Book VIII.
Chap. 21.Such has been the origin of those regulations which nave been so greatly extolled. They wanted to make the laws reign in conjunction with despotic power; but whatever is joined with the latter loses all its force. In vain did this arbitrary sway, labouring under its own misfortunes, desire to be fettered; it armed itself with its chains, and is become still more terrible.
China is therefore a despotic state, whose principle is fear. Perhaps in the earliest dynasties, when the empire had not so large an extent, the government might have deviated a little from this spirit: but the case at present is otherwise.
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