CHARACTERS.
241
v^ere on the point of making her country, inhabited by a proud and
lofe. For M. de Montefquieu de- generous people, the fcourge of
dared, that after fuch an affront, tyrants, and the fupporters of their
he would feek among Itrangers, fovereigns. As this country is little
who held out their arms to re- known, he is very full on it ia
ceivehim, that fecurity and quiet, the account of his travels, which
and perhaps thofe recompences, are not yet publiOied. He went
which he might have hoped for in next to Italy. At Venice he faw
his own country. He was re- ceived into the academy, Jan. 24, 1728. The new academician was the
the famous Law, who had nothing left of his former grandeur, buc projefts that were happily defin- ed to die with him, and a dia-
morc deferving of that title, as mond which he often pledged to he had a little before quitted every raife money to play at games of other employment to follow en- chance. One day the converfa- tirely his genius and tafle. He tion turned on the famous fyftem was fenfible that he could be more invented by Law, the sera of the ferviceable to his country, and to ruin and the opulence of many mankind, by his writings, than by people in France, and of a re- deciding, in obfcurity, private con- markable corruption of manners tentions. He, therefore, deter- in that kingdom. Law met with, mined to fell his place ; and ceaf- oppofition to his fcheme from the ing to be a judge, devoted his time parliament of Paris, who are the to letters only. immediate depofitaries of the laws
Eut to be ufeful to different during a minority. M. de Mon-
nations, it was neceffary that he tefquieu alked him why he did
fhould know them. With this not try to gain them by that
view he fet out on his travels, which proves infallible in Eng-
He went firft to Vienna, where he land, money? 'The members of
often faw the celebrated Prince * your parliament,' replied Law,
Eugene. This hero fo fatal to * have lefs fire and generofity than
France (to which he might have * my countrymen ; but they have
been ufeful) after bringing Lewis * more iniegrky*.' Another per-
XIV. into jeopardy, and humbling fon not lefs famous, whom Mon-
the Ottoman pride, lived, in time tefquieu faw often at Venice, was
of peace, without pomp, a lover Count Bonneval. This man, fo
and encourager of letters, in a well known by his adventures,
court where little honour is paid to which were not yet brought to
them, and fet an example to his their final period, pleafcd to have
mailers to patronife them. a judge that deferved fo well to
M. de Montefquieu went next hear him, took great pleafure ia
to Hungary, an opulent and fertile giving IVL de Montefquietf a de-
- M. D'Alembert's remark on this pafTage, is as follows :
' We (hall add, without any prejudice from national vanity, that a body which
- is free for a (hort time only, muft rellit corruption better, than a body which is
- always free : the firft, if it fells its iibtirty, lofes it j the fecond only lends it
' (if I may be allowed the expreffion) and exercifesit even in pledging it. Thus
- the vices and virtues of nations arife from citcumftanc«» aad the nature of th»
- government.'
Vol. L R tall
