be new modelled fometimes, in order to fuit itself to the Weakness and Infirmities of human Nature; juft as the beft Aliments and the finest Garments stand in Need of being altered or fcoured, on Account of the Stains or Foulness unavoidably contracted by internal Digeftion, or external Exhalations. This is the fole Source of the Obfcurities, and the Difficulty of interpreting, which are objected to the written Word of God: Men have mixed their Prejudices and Weakneffes with it. Refpect it as you ought, and you will immediately find it as clear, eafy, lively, ftrong and falutary, as can be wished: But while you raise about it a filthy, thick Mist, exhaling from a depraved Imagination, in vain you seek therein that perfect Purity which corresponds with the facred Source from whence it flows.

CHAP IV.

UT this is not all. The Laws want Strength; and therefore must perish in procefs of Time, or fail in their intended Effect. I fpeak here of the Law only as human, fince every Law, whatever it be, becomes human the Moment it behoves Men to understand, embrace, and execute it. The Law in itself may be robust and strong in the highest Degree, and yet become weak as foon as it falls into our Hands; juft like Sampson on Dalilah's Knees, or the hardest Steel in a Furnace.

BUT do not imagine that I mean the outward Strength of the Laws, as corporal Punishment, Infamy, and Death: So far from it, that I account all this but as the weakest Side of the Laws, as will be seen in the Sequel. All Force in the Hands of Men partakes of their Weakness and Indolence: The more rigorous the Commination, the less it obtains its End. Among the most barbarous

Nations,

Nations, where there is lefs Regard to Humanity, they infenfibly grow fo obdurate, as to make light of the most ignominious and fevere Penalties; nay, they glory in bidding them Defiance: Death is but too frequently a Benefit to defperate Villains, and in England to fuch Perfons as are ever fo little weary of Life. On the contrary, civilized and polished People cannot but be very fparing of Torments and cruel Executions, as finding them but little proportionate to the Crime: So that Delinquents flatter themfelves that they fhall eafily escape, and do but too frequently escape Punishment.

MANY Legiflators are much mistaken in fuppofing all Men perfectly equal. This is very far from being true. A Barbarian is barbarous both in Pleasure and in Pain, Barbarism being rooted in him. A Man that is polifhed and improved, is polite and refined in his Pleasures and his Sorrows, in Proportion to the Education he has had. We must reafon upon Men as they are, and not as they ought to be, or as we would have them; unless we had, by long Discipline, like Minos or Lycurgus, fucceeded in inftilling Sentiments

into the People, adequate to the grand Object of the Legislator. Thus it is, that all outward Force becomes Weakness, with refpect to the Law, when the Mind of Man is not prepared and fitted for the intended Effect.

DEATH and Torments do indeed shock every Man at first Sight; but let him not dwell long upon them, for their hideous Aspect infenfibly vanishes, and he may even come to wish for and embrace them, if once, difregarding the Dictates of Religion and Selfprefervation, he is ftrongly poffeffed with Sentiments of Honour, Glory, Love for his Country, Tenderness for his Wife and Children, and fometimes for a Friend. How many fine Reflections might be made on all these Articles! after which we might ask M. de Montefquiou, Whether nothing else but the Hope of eternal Rewards promised by Religion makes Men escape the Legislator? I know not whether he would dare to deny, that the Spirit of Patriotifm among the Greeks and Romans, a Miftrefs admired by all the World, the Point of Honour in War among the French, and meer Infatuation alone in England, might not do as much? Why did he strike at Religion only?

NEITHER

NEITHER can I forbear obferving, that as the most excruciating Pains do not last long, the Thoughts of their being foon over greatly abates the Torment; fo that Death itself is but too frequently confidered as a Benefit, by Men languishing in Pain, and much more by fuch as are fuddenly feized with a violent Terror: Then they freely leap into the Jaws of Death, as into an Afylum. Nay, the bare Profpect of publick Infamy will urge Men to this, and Women alfo, at least among the Inhabitants of the Ifland of Ceylon, where they demur not at leaping into the Flames of their Husbands Funeral Pile.

I SHALL not dwell at present on the deceitful Hope of moft Delinquents to escape the Punishment decreed by the Law; this being fo notorious that all the World allows, that three Fourths of the Criminals on the Face of the Earth become fo only through this Illufion. Not but that there are an infinite Number of Inftances, where Offenders have taken their Measures fo well, that they effectually fruftrated the Purfuits of Justice, and escaped Punishment; were it not for this, fo

many