University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The Spirit of the Laws

  
[title page]
expand section 
The Translator to the Reader
  
CONTENTS
expand section 
PREFACE
  
ADVERTISEMENT

expand section1. 
Book I. Of Laws in General.
expand section2. 
Book II. Of Laws Directly Derived from the Nature of Government.
expand section3. 
Book III. Of the Principles of the Three Kinds of Government.
expand section4. 
Book IV. That the Laws of Education Ought to Be in Relation to the Principles of Government.
expand section5. 
Book V. That the Laws Given by the Legislator Ought to Be in Relation to the Principle of Government.
expand section6. 
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.
expand section7. 
Book VII. Consequences of the Different Principles of the Three Governments with Respect to Sumptuary Laws, Luxury, and the Condition of Women.
expand section8. 
Book VIII. Of the Corruption of the Principles of the Three Governments.
expand section9. 
Book IX., Of Laws in the Relation They Bear to a Defensive Force.
expand section10. 
Book X. Of Laws in the Relation They Bear to Offensive Force.
expand section11. 
Book XI. Of the Laws Which Establish Political Liberty, with Regard to the Consti- tution.
expand section12. 
Book XII. Of the Laws That Form Political Liberty, in Relation to the Subject.
expand section13. 
Book XIII. Of the Relation Which the Levying of Taxes and the Greatness of the Public Revenues Bear to Liberty.
expand section14. 
Book XIV. Of Laws in Relation to the Nature of the Climate.
expand section15. 
Book XV. In What Manner the Laws of Civil Slavery Relate to the Nature of the Climate.
expand section16. 
Book XVI. How the Laws of Domestic Slavery Bear a Relation to the Nature of the Climate.
expand section17. 
Book XVII., How the Laws of Political Servitude Bear a Relation to the Nature of the Climate.
expand section18. 
Book XVIII. Of Laws in the Relation They Bear to the Nature of the Soil.
expand section19. 
Book XIX. Of Laws in Relation to the Principles Which Form the General Spirit, Morals, and Customs of a Nation.
expand section20. 
Book XX. Of Laws in Relation to Commerce, Considered in its Nature and Distinctions.
expand section21. 
Book XXI. Of Laws in relation to Commerce, considered in the Revolutions it has met with in the World.
expand section22. 
Book XXII. Of Laws in Relation to the Use of Money.
collapse section23. 
Book XXIII. Of Laws in the Relation They Bear to the Number of Inhabitants.
expand section23.1. 
1. Of Men and Animals with respect to the Multiplication of their Species.
expand section23.2. 
2. Of Marriage.
expand section23.3. 
3. Of the Condition of Children.
expand section23.4. 
4. Of Families.
expand section23.5. 
5. Of the several Orders of lawful Wives.
expand section23.6. 
6. Of Bastards in different Governments.
expand section23.7. 
7. Of the Father's Consent to Marriage.
 23.8. 
8. The same Subject continued.
 23.9. 
9. Of young Women.
 23.10. 
10. What it is that determines Marriage.
expand section23.11. 
11. Of the Severity of Government.
expand section23.12. 
12. Of the Number of Males and Females in different Countries.
expand section23.13. 
13. Of Seaport Towns.
expand section23.14. 
14. Of the Productions of the Earth which require a greater or less Number of Men.
 23.15. 
15. Of the Number of Inhabitants with relation to the Arts.
expand section23.16. 
16. The Concern of the Legislator in the Propagation of the Species.
expand section23.17. 
17. Of Greece and the Number of its Inhabitants.
 23.18. 
18. Of the State and Number of People before the Romans.
expand section23.19. 
19. Of the Depopulation of the Globe.
expand section23.20. 
20. That the Romans were under the Necessity of making Laws to encourage the Propagation of the Species.
expand section23.21. 
21. Of the Laws of the Romans relating to the Propagation of the Species.
expand section23.22. 
22. Of the Exposing of Children.
 23.23. 
23. Of the State of the World after the Destruction of the Romans.
 23.24. 
24. The Changes which happened in Europe with regard to the Number of the Inhabitants.
expand section23.25. 
25. The same Subject continued.
 23.26. 
26. Consequences.
expand section23.27. 
27. Of the Law made in France to encourage the Propagation of the Species.
 23.28. 
28. By what means we may remedy a Depopulation.
expand section23.29. 
29. Of Hospitals.
expand section24. 
Book XXIV. Of Laws in relation to Religion Considered in Itself, and in its Doctrines.
expand section25. 
Book XXV. Of Laws in Relation to the Establishment of Religion and its External Polity.
expand section26. 
Book XXVI. Of Laws in Relation to the Order of Things Which They Determine.
expand section27. 
Book XXVII. Of the Origin and Revolutions of the Roman Laws on Successions.
expand section28. 
Book XXVIII. Of the Origin and Revolutions of the Civil Laws among the French.
expand section29. 
Book XXIX. Of the Manner of Composing Laws.
expand section30. 
Book XXX. Theory of the Feudal Laws among the Franks in the Relation They Bear to the Establishment of the Monarchy.
expand section31. 
Book XXXI. Theory of the Feudal Laws among the Franks, in the Relation They Bear to the Revolutions of their Monarchy.

collapse section Collapse All | Expand All expand section
previous section18. Of the Power of Superstition. The Spirit of the Laws
next section

18.18. 18. Of the Power of Superstition.

The prejudices of superstition are superior to all others, and have the strongest influence on the human mind. Thus, though the savage nations have naturally no knowledge of despotic tyranny, still they feel the weight of it. They adore the sun; and if their chief had not imagined that he was the brother of this glorious luminary, they would have thought him a wretch like themselves.

previous section18. Of the Power of Superstition. The Spirit of the Laws
next section