dent on them; and,- in consequence, have flourished most, 

 where freedom has prevailed. 



I proceed, meantime, to examine the cause of the ten- 

 dency of different forms of government. In this enquiry, 

 the precedence is due to that form of government which 

 is most ancient, and has been held most vei>erable; the 

 patriarchal or despotic form of government: not as being 

 most favourable to the ^iie arts, but merely as being most 

 ancient among men. 



The despotic government destroys every thing, and re- 

 pairs nothing. In a despotic government, the sovereign is 

 every thing; the people nothing. " The savages of Lou- 

 " isiana," (says Montesquieu,) " when they are desirous of 

 " eatino- the fruit, cut down the tree. This is an emblem 

 " of an arbitrary government." " Every thing in a des- 

 " potism ought to depend on two or three ideas: hence 

 " there is no necessity that auy new ideas should be add- 

 " ed." " When we want to break a horse, we take care 

 " not to let him change his master, his lesson, or his 

 " pace. Such is the conduct of despotism, to its sub- 

 " jects." The spirit of despotism is anxious, and trem- 

 blinoly jealous. It is afraid of talents, of assemblages of 

 the people, of mirth, and of all the enjoyments of life. 

 It is superstitiously attached to all old forms and cus- 

 toms; because it knows that despotism is among the num- 

 ber, and exists, not by its own strength, but by the pre- 

 judices and weakness of others. 



c 2 Quamvis 



