53 



flatter the aitificial Avants. The love of pleasure will de- 

 mand, the dis/)osition to expense will remunerate exertions, 

 in various branches of the Jine^ arts, as subservient to ma- 

 nufactures, as contributing to tlie accommodation and gra- 

 tifications of luxurious men, as furnishing or improving the 

 means and modes of amusement. Such are painting, sculp- 

 ture, architecture, music, and certain branches of poetry, 

 particularly the drama. Love and gallantry will prevail, 

 and supply subjects, while they afford encouragement to 

 other branches of poetry. The poet will thrive, and be at 

 ease, under the patronage of a splendid and opulent court. 

 The free and pleasurable intercourse of the sexes will con- 

 tinually furnish new occasions of resorting to the muse, 

 and new incitements to excellence. " As- riches, (says 

 " Montesquieu,*) by the very constitution of monarchy^ 

 " are unequally divided, there is an absolute necessity for 

 " luxury: were the rich not to be lavish, the poor would 

 ♦' starve. It is even necessary here, that the expenses of 

 the opulent should be in proportion to the inequality of 

 " fortune; and that luxury should encrease in proportion, 

 " and grow more and more extensive, as it arises from 

 " the labourer to the artisan, the merchant, the magistrate, 

 " the nobility, to the great officers of the state, to the 

 " very prince: otherwise, the nation is undone." The re- 

 public and monarchy both encourage the/ne arts: the re- 

 public, in the spirit of parsimony; the monarchy, in the 



spirit 

 * Spirit of Laws, Book VII. chap, iv, Errg, Trans, 



