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Front Page Titles (by Subject) LETTER CXXII.: Usbek to the Same. - Complete Works, vol. 3 (Grandeur and Declension of the Roman Empire; A Dialogue between Sylla and Eucrates; Persian Letters)
LETTER CXXII.: Usbek to the Same. - Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, Complete Works, vol. 3 (Grandeur and Declension of the Roman Empire; A Dialogue between Sylla and Eucrates; Persian Letters) [1721]Edition used:The Complete Works of M. de Montesquieu (London: T. Evans, 1777), 4 vols. Vol. 3.
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- Considerations On the Causes of the Grandeur and Declension of the Roman Empire.
- Chap. I.: The Infancy of Rome. the Wars It Sustained.
- Chap. II.: Of the Science of War, As Practised By the Romans.
- Chap. III.: The Methods By Which the Romans Raised Themselves to Empire.
- Chap. IV.: Of the Gauls. of Pyrrhus. Parallel Between Carthage and Rome. the War of Hannibal.
- Chap. V.: The State of Greece, of Macedonia, of Syria, and of Egypt, After the Depression of Carthage.
- Chap. VI.: The Conduct Which the Romans Observed, In Order to Subdue All Nations.
- Chap. VII.: How It Was Possible For Mithridates to Resist the Romans.
- Chap. VIII.: Of the Divisions Which Always Subsisted In the City.
- Chap. IX.: Two Causes Which Destroyed Rome.
- Chap. X.: Of the Corruption of the Romans.
- Chap. XI.: Of Sylla, Pompey, and Cæsar.
- Chap. XII.: Observations On the State of Rome After the Death of Cæsar.
- Chap. XIII.: Augustus.
- Chap. XIV.: Tiberius.
- Chap. XV.: Remarks On the Emperors, From Caius Calicula to Antoninus.
- Chap. XVI.: Considerations On the State of the Empire From Antoninus to Probus.
- Chap. XVII.: Changes In the State.
- Chap. XVIII.: An Account of Some New Maxims Received By the Romans.
- Chap. XIX.: Some Particulars of the Grandeur of Attila. the Establishment of the Barbarians Accounted For. Reasons Why the Western Empire Was Overturned Before That In the East.
- Chap. XX.: The Conquests of Justinian. Some Account of His Government.
- Chap. XXI.: Disorders In the Eastern Empire.
- Chap. XXII.: The Weakness of the Eastern Empire.
- Chap. XXIII.: The Duration of the Eastern Empire Accounted For. Its Destruction.
- A Dialogue Between Sylla and Eucrates.
- Persian Letters. By M. De Montesquieu.
- Preliminary Reflections On the Persian Letters, By M. De Montesquieu. Prefixed to the Quarto Edition.
- Introduction to the First French Edition.
- Letter I.: Usbëk to His Friend Rustan At Ispahan.
- Letter II.: Usbek to the First Black Eunuch, At His Seraglio In Ispahan.
- Letter III.: Zachi to Usbek, At Tauris.
- Letter IV.: Zephis to Usbek At Erzeron.
- Letter V.: Rustan to Usbek, At Erzeron.
- Letter VI.: Usbek to His Friend Nessir, At Ispahan.
- Letter VII.: Fatme to Usbek, At Erzeron.
- Letter VIII.: Usbek to His Friend Rustan, At Ispahan.
- Letter IX.: The Chief Eunuch to Ibbi, At Erzeron.
- Letter X.: Mirza to His Friend Usbek, At Erzeron.
- Letter XI.: Usbek to Mirza, At Ispahan.
- Letter XII.: Ushek to the Same, At Ispahan.
- Letter XIII.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter. XIV.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter XV.: The First Eunuch, to Jaron, the Black Eunuch, At Erzeron.
- Letter XVI.: Usbek to Mollak Mehemet Ali, Guardian of the Three Tombs, At Com.
- Letter XVII.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter XVIII.: Mollak Mehemet Ali to Usbek, At Erzeron.
- Letter XIX.: Usbek to His Friend Rustan, At Ispahan.
- Letter XX.: Usbek to Zachi, His Wife, At the Seraglio At Ispahan.
- Letter XXI.: Usbek, to the Chief White Eunuch.
- Letter XXII.: Jaron to the First Eunuch.
- Letter XXIII.: Usbek to His Friend Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter XXIV.: Rica to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter XXV.: Usbek to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter XXVI.: Usbek to Roxana, At the Seraglio At Ispahan.
- Letter XXVII.: Usbek to Nessir, At Ispahan.
- Letter XXVIII.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter XXIX.: Rica to Ibben At Smyrna.
- Letter XXX.: Rica to the Same, At Smyrna.
- Letter XXXI.: Rhedi to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter XXXII.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter XXXIII.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter XXXIV.: Usbek to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter XXXV.: Usbek to Gimchid, His Cousin, Dervise of the Shining Monastery of Tauris.
- Letter XXXVI.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter XXXVII.: Usbek to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter XXXVIII.: Rica to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter XXXIX.: Hagi * Ibbi to the Jew Ben-joshua, a Mahometan Proselyte, At Smyrna.
- Letter Xl.: Usbek to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter Xli.: the Chief Black Eunuch to Usbek.
- Letter Xlii.: Pharan to Usbek, His Sovereign Lord.
- Letter Xliii.: Usbek to Pharan, At the Gardens of Fatme.
- Letter Xliv.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Xlv.: Rica to Usbek, At * * *.
- Letter Xlvi.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Xlvii.: Zachi to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Xlviii.: Usbek * to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Xlix.: Rica to Usbek, At * * *.
- Letter L.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter Li.: Nargum the Persian Envoy Residing At Muscovy, to Usbek At Paris.
- Letter Lii.: Rica to Usbek, At * * *.
- Letter Liii.: Zelis to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Liv.: Rica, Usbek At * * *.
- Letter Lv.: Rica to Ibben At Smyrna.
- Letter Lvi.: Usbek to Ibbin, At Smyrna.
- Letter Lvii.: Usbek, to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Lviii.: Rica to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Lix.: Rica to Usbek, At a * * *.
- Letter Lx.: Usbek to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter Lxi.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Lxii.: Zelis to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Lxiii.: Rica to Usbek, At * * *.
- Letter Lxiv.: the Chief of the Black Eunuchs to Usbek At Paris.
- Letter Lxv.: Usbek to His Wives, At the Seraglio At Ispahan.
- Letter Lxvi.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter Lxvii.: Ibben to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Lxviii.: Rica to Usbek, At * * *.
- Letter Lxix.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Lxx.: Zelis to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Lxxi.: Usbek to Zelis.
- Letter Lxxii.: Rica to Ibben, At * * *.
- Letter Lxxiii.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter Lxxiv.: Usbek to Rica, At * * *.
- Letter Lxxv.: Uskek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Lxxvi.: Usbek to His Friend Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter Lxxvii. *: Ibben to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Lxxviii.: Rica to Usbek, At ***.
- Letter Lxxix.: the Chief Black Eunuch to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Lxxx.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Lxxxi.: Nargum, Envoy From Persia In Muscovy, to Usbek At Paris.
- Letter Lxxxii.: Rica to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter Lxxxiii.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Lxxxiv.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter Lxxxv.: Usbek to Mirza, At Ispahan.
- Letter Lxxxvi.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter Lxxxvii.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter Lxxxviii.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Lxxxix.: Usbek to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter XC.: Usbek to the Same, At Smyrna.
- Letter XCI.: Usbek to Rustan, At Ispahan.
- Letter XCII.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter XCIII.: Usbek to His Brother, Santon * In the Monastery of Casbin.
- Letter XCIV.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter XCV.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter XCVI.: The Chief Eunuch to Usbek At Paris.
- Letter XCVII.: Usbek to Hassein, Dervise of the Mountain of Jaron.
- Letter XCVIII.: Usbek to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter XCIX.: Rica to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter C.: Rica to the Same.
- Letter CI.: Usbek to * * *.
- Letter CII.: Usbek to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter CIII.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter CIV.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter CV.: Redi to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter CVI.: Usbek to Redi, At Venice.
- Letter CVII.: Rica to Ibben At Smyrna.
- Letter CVIII.: Usbek to * * *.
- Letter CIX.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter CX.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter CXI.: Usbek to * * *.
- Letter CXII.: Rhedi to Esbek, At Paris.
- Letter CXIII.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter CXIV.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter CXV.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter CXVI.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter CXVII.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter CXVIII.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter CXIX.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter CXX.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter CXXI.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter CXXII.: Usbek to the Same.
- Letter CXXIII.: Usbek to Mollak Mahomet Ali, Keeper of the Three Sepulchres, At Com.
- Letter CXXIV.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter CXXV.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter CXXVI.: Rica to Usbek, At * * *.
- Letter CXXVII.: Rica to Ibben, At Smyrna.
- Letter CXXVIII.: Rica to Usbek, At * * *.
- Letter CXXIX.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter CXXX.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter CXXXI.: Rhedi to Rica, At Paris.
- Letter CXXXII.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter CXXXIII.: Rica to * * *.
- Letter CXXXIV.: Rica to the Same.
- Letter CXXXV.: Rica to the Same.
- Letter CXXXVI.: Rica to the Same.
- Letter CXXXVII.: Rica to the Same.
- Letter CXXXVIII.: Rica to Ibben At Smyrna.
- Letter CXXXIX.: Rica to the Same.
- Letter Cxl.: Rica to Usbek, At * * *.
- Letter Cxli.: Rica to the Same.
- Letter Cxlii.: Rica to Usbek, At * * *.
- Letter Cxliii.: Rica to Nathaniel Levi, a Jewish Physician At Leghorn.
- Letter Cxliv.: Usbek to Rica.
- Letter Cxlv.: Usbek to * * *.
- Letter Cxlvi.: Usbek to Rhedi, At Venice.
- Letter Cxlvii.: the Chief Eunuch to Usbek At Paris.
- Letter Cxlix.: Narsit to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Cl.: Usbek to Narsit, At the Seraglio of Ispahan.
- Letter Cli.: Solin to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Clii.: Narsit to Usbek, At Paris:
- Letter Cliii.: Usbek to Solin, At the Seraglio of Ispahan.
- Letter Cliv.: Usbek to His Wives, At the Seraglio of Ispahan.
- Letter Clv.: Usbek to Nessir, At Ispahan.
- Letter Clvi.: Roxana to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Clvii.: Zachi to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Clviii.: Zelis to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Clix.: Solin to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Clx.: Solin to Usbek, At Paris.
- Letter Clxi.: Roxana to Usbek, At Paris.
- Three Letters of M. De Montesquieu to M. Le Chevalier De Bruant.
- Letter I.
- Letter II.
- Letter III.
LETTER CXXII.
Usbek to the Same.
THE propagation of mankind is vastly promoted by a mild government. All republics are certain proofs of this; and above all others, Swisserland and Holland, which are the two worst countries in Europe, if we consider the nature of their land, and which are nevertheless the best peopled. Nothing invites strangers more than liberty and wealth, which always follow the former: the first is searched after for its own sake; and we are led by our wants into the country where the latter is to be acquired. The species increase itself in a country where the plenty of it supports the children without diminishing the substance of their fathers. The equality of citizens, which commonly produces an equality in their fortunes, brings plenty and life into every part of the body politic, and extends them through the whole. In countries subject to an arbitrary power it is not the same: the prince, the courtiers, and some private persons, possess all the riches, whilst all the rest groan beneath extreme poverty. If a man is in bad circumstances, and is sensible that his children would be poorer than himself, he will not marry; or if he does marry, he will be afraid of having too great a number of children, who may complete the destruction of his fortune, and sink into the condition of their father. I own that the rustic or peasant, being once married, will people that state alike, whether he be rich or poor; this consideration does not affect him, he hath always a sure inheritance to leave to his children, which is a plough, and nothing prevents him from blindly following the instinct of nature. But what purpose, in a state, do those numbers of children answer, who languish in misery? Almost all of them perish as soon as they are born: they seldom thrive; weak and seeble they die by retail, a thousand different ways, whilst others are carried away wholesale by frequent popular distempers, which poverty and a bad diet always produce: those which escape, reach the age of manhood without having the strength of it, and languish all the remainder of their lives. Men are like plants, that never flourish if they are not well cultivated: among a miserable people, the species loses, and even sometimes degenerates. France can supply us with a sufficient proof of this. In the late wars, the fear all the youths were in of being enrolled in the militia, forced them to marry, and this at too tender an age, and in the bosom of poverty. From so many marriages sprung such numbers of children, which are now looked for in vain, and whom misery, famine, and sickness, have destroyed. Now, if in so happy a climate, in a kingdom of so much policy as France, such remarks as these may be made, what may be done in other states?
Paris, the 23d of the moon Ramazan, 1718.
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