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Front Page  Titles (by Subject) LETTER CXXIX.: Usbek to Rhedi, at Venice. - Complete Works, vol. 3 (Grandeur and Declension of the Roman Empire; A Dialogue between Sylla and Eucrates; Persian Letters)
LETTER CXXIX.: Usbek to Rhedi, at Venice. - 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 CXXIX.
Usbek to Rhedi, at Venice.
THE greater part of the legislators were men of confined understandings, whom chance put at the head of others, and who scarcely consulted any thing but their own prejudices and fancies. They appear not to have known the greatness and dignity of their employment: they amused themselves in forming childish institutions, by which, indeed, they conformed themselves to weaker understandings, but disgraced themselves with men of good sense. They plunged themselves into disadvantageous circumstances; and run into particular cares: which is the sign of a narrow genius, which sees things only by parts, incapable of taking a general view. Some affected to make use of a language different from the vulgar; an absurd thing in a maker of laws; for how should the people observe what they do not understand? They often abolished needlessly, those laws that were established; thereby plunging the people into disorders inseparable from changes. It is true, that on account of a strange turn that springs rather from the head than the heart, it is sometimes necessary to change certain laws. But it is an uncommon case; and when it happens, it should be touched with a timorous hand: they ought to observe much solemnity in doing it, and conduct it with such precautions, that the people may naturally conceive that the laws are very sacred, since so many formalities are necessary to be observed in repealing them. They have often made them too refined, and have followed logical ideas, rather than natural equity. In process of time they were found to be severe; and men thought themselves obliged in equity to deviate from them; but this remedy was a new inconvenience. Be the laws of what nature they will, they should be always punctually adhered to, and considered as the conscience of the public, to which that of individuals should always be conformable. We should however acknowledge, that some legislators have by one regulation discovered great prudence, they have given fathers a great share of authority over their children. Nothing contributes more to the ease of the magistrates; nothing more prevents the courts of justice from being crowded; nothing more firmly establishes tranquility in a state, where morality always makes better citizens than laws can make. Of all sorts of authority this is the seldomest abused: this is the most sacred sort of magistracy; it is the only one which does not owe its origin to any contract, but has even preceded all contracts. It has been observed, that in the countries where the greatest share of power is lodged in the hands of parents, the families are always best regulated: fathers are representatives of the Creator of the Universe, who, though he might bind men to serve him through love alone, has thought proper to attach them to him still stronger by the motives of hope and fear. I cannot finish this letter, without putting you in mind of the capriciousness of the French. It is said that they have retained many things in the Roman laws, which are either useless, or worse; and they have not borrowed from them the parental authority, which they represent as the basis of all lawful authority.
Paris, the 4th day of the moon of the 2d Gemmadi, 1719.
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