19.16. 16. How some Legislators have confounded the Principles which govern
Mankind.
Manners and customs are those habits which are not established
by legislators, either because they were not able or were not willing to
establish them.
There is this difference between laws and manners, that the laws are
most adapted to regulate the actions of the subject, and manners to
regulate the actions of the man. There is this difference between
manners and customs, that the former principally relate to the interior
conduct, the latter to the exterior.
These things have been sometimes confounded.
[16]
Lycurgus made the
same code for the laws, manners, and customs, and the legislators of
China have done the same.
We ought not to be surprised that the legislators of China and
Sparta should confound the laws, manners, and customs; the reason is,
their manners represent their laws, and their customs their manners.
The principal object which the legislators of China had in view was
to make their subjects live in peace and tranquillity. They would have
people filled with a veneration for one another, that each should be
every moment sensible of his dependence on society, and of the
obligations he owed to his fellow-citizens. They therefore gave rules of
the most extensive civility.
Thus the inhabitants of the villages of China
[17]
practise amongst
themselves the same ceremonies as those observed by persons of an
exalted station; a very proper method of inspiring mild and gentle
dispositions, of maintaining peace and good order, and of banishing all
the vices which spring from an asperity of temper. In effect, would not
the freeing them from the rules of civility be to search out a method
for them to indulge their own humours?
Civility is in this respect of more value than politeness.
Politeness flatters the vices of others, and civility prevents ours from
being brought to light. It is a barrier which men have placed within
themselves to prevent the corruption of each other.
Lycurgus, whose institutions were severe, had no regard to civility;
in forming the external behaviour he had a view to that warlike spirit
with which he would fain inspire his people. A people who were in a
continual state of discipline and instruction, and who were endued with
equal simplicity and rigour, atoned by their virtues for their want of
complaisance.
Footnotes
[16]
Moses made the same code for laws and religion. The old Romans
confounded the ancient customs with the laws.
[17]
See Father Du Halde.
