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The Spirit of the Laws

  
[title page]
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The Translator to the Reader
  
CONTENTS
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PREFACE
  
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Book I. Of Laws in General.
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Book II. Of Laws Directly Derived from the Nature of Government.
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Book III. Of the Principles of the Three Kinds of Government.
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Book IV. That the Laws of Education Ought to Be in Relation to the Principles of Government.
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Book V. That the Laws Given by the Legislator Ought to Be in Relation to the Principle of Government.
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Book VI. Consequences of the Principles of Different Governments with Respect to the Simplicity of Civil and Criminal Laws, the Form of Judgments, and the Inflicting of Punishments.
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Book VII. Consequences of the Different Principles of the Three Governments with Respect to Sumptuary Laws, Luxury, and the Condition of Women.
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Book VIII. Of the Corruption of the Principles of the Three Governments.
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Book IX., Of Laws in the Relation They Bear to a Defensive Force.
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Book X. Of Laws in the Relation They Bear to Offensive Force.
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Book XI. Of the Laws Which Establish Political Liberty, with Regard to the Consti- tution.
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Book XII. Of the Laws That Form Political Liberty, in Relation to the Subject.
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Book XIII. Of the Relation Which the Levying of Taxes and the Greatness of the Public Revenues Bear to Liberty.
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Book XIV. Of Laws in Relation to the Nature of the Climate.
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Book XV. In What Manner the Laws of Civil Slavery Relate to the Nature of the Climate.
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Book XVI. How the Laws of Domestic Slavery Bear a Relation to the Nature of the Climate.
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Book XVII., How the Laws of Political Servitude Bear a Relation to the Nature of the Climate.
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Book XVIII. Of Laws in the Relation They Bear to the Nature of the Soil.
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Book XIX. Of Laws in Relation to the Principles Which Form the General Spirit, Morals, and Customs of a Nation.
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Book XX. Of Laws in Relation to Commerce, Considered in its Nature and Distinctions.
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Book XXI. Of Laws in relation to Commerce, considered in the Revolutions it has met with in the World.
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Book XXII. Of Laws in Relation to the Use of Money.
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Book XXIII. Of Laws in the Relation They Bear to the Number of Inhabitants.
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Book XXIV. Of Laws in relation to Religion Considered in Itself, and in its Doctrines.
 24.1. 
1. Of Religion in General.
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2. A Paradox of M. Bayle's.
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3. That a moderate Government is most agreeable to the Christian Religion, and a despotic Government to the Mahometan.
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4. Consequences from the Character of the Christian Religion, and that of the Mahometan.
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5. That the Catholic Religion is most agreeable to a Monarchy, and the Protestant to a Republic.
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6. Another of M. Bayle's Paradoxes.
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7. Of the Laws of Perfection in Religion.
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8. Of the Connection between the moral Laws and those of Religion.
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9. Of the Essenes.
 24.10. 
10. Of the Sect of Stoics.
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11. Of Contemplation.
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12. Of Penances.
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13. Of inexpiable Crimes.
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14. In what Manner Religion has an Influence on Civil Laws.
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15. How false Religions are sometimes corrected by the Civil Laws.
  
[section]
  
Footnotes
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16. How the Laws of Religion correct the Inconveniences of a political Constitution.
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17. The same Subject continued.
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18. How the Laws of Religion have the Effect of Civil Laws.
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19. That it is not so much the Truth or Falsity of a Doctrine which renders it useful or pernicious to Men in civil Government, as the Use or Abuse of it.
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20. The same Subject continued.
 24.21. 
21. Of the Metempsychosis.
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22. That it is dangerous for Religion to inspire an Aversion for Things in themselves indifferent.
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23. Of Festivals.
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24. Of the local Laws of Religion.
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25. The Inconvenience of transplanting a Religion from one Country to another.
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26. The same Subject continued.
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Book XXV. Of Laws in Relation to the Establishment of Religion and its External Polity.
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Book XXVI. Of Laws in Relation to the Order of Things Which They Determine.
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Book XXVII. Of the Origin and Revolutions of the Roman Laws on Successions.
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Book XXVIII. Of the Origin and Revolutions of the Civil Laws among the French.
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Book XXIX. Of the Manner of Composing Laws.
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Book XXX. Theory of the Feudal Laws among the Franks in the Relation They Bear to the Establishment of the Monarchy.
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Book XXXI. Theory of the Feudal Laws among the Franks, in the Relation They Bear to the Revolutions of their Monarchy.

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24.15. 15. How false Religions are sometimes corrected by the Civil Laws.

Simplicity, superstition, or a respect for antiquity have sometimes established mysteries or ceremonies shocking to modesty: of this the world has furnished numerous examples. Aristotle says [13] that in this case the law permits the fathers of families to repair to the temple to celebrate these mysteries for their wives and children. How admirable the civil law which in spite of religion preserves the manners untainted!

Augustus [14] excluded the youth of either sex from assisting at any nocturnal ceremony, unless accompanied by a more aged relative; and when he revived the Lupercalia, [15] he would not allow the young men to run naked.

Footnotes

[13]

"Politics," lib. vii, chap. 17.

[14]

Suetonius, "Life of Augustus," chap. 31.

[15]

Ibid.

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