Voyage to Madagascar, 83 



real and ufeful laws ? " adds Beccaria. 

 ** Thofe which all would propofe, and 

 ** which all would wifh to obferve." 



He then examines if pnniihments ought 

 to be proportioned to crimes, and if the pu- 

 nifhment of death be ufeful and ijeceffary 

 for the fafety of fociety. On this fuhjed: 

 he obferveSj that frequency of punifhinent 

 never rendered men better* According to 

 this illuftrlous author, the death of a crimi- 

 nal is a lefs powerful check than the long 

 and durable example of a man deppived of 

 his liberty, and obliged to repair, by the 

 labour of his whole life^ the injury he has 

 done to fociety. In fhort, the puniChment 

 of death is not a right, but the war of a 

 nation againft a citizen. 



It is not neceffary that I Chould explain, 

 at more length , the principles of the Mar- 

 quis of Beccaria on crimes and puniihrnents ; 

 and it is ftill lefs necelTary that I ihould enter 

 G 2 into 



