Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/100

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OST of the ancients lived under governments that had virtue for their principle; and when this was in full vigor, they performed things unseen in our times, and such as are capable of astonishing our little souls.

Another advantage their education had over ours; it never was effaced by contrary impressions. Epaminondas, the last year of his life, said, heard, saw, and performed the very same things as at the age in which he received the first principles of his education.

In our days we receive three different or contrary educations, namely, of our parents, of our masters, and of the world. What we learn in the latter effaces all the ideas of the former. This in some measure arises from the contrast we experience between our religious and worldly engagements; a thing unknown to the ancients.

T is in a republican government that the whole power of education is required. The fear of despotic governments rises naturally of itself amidst threats and punishments; the honor of monarchies is favoured by the passions, and favours them in its turn: but virtue is a self-renunciation which is always arduous and painful.

This virtue may be defined, the love of the laws and of our country. As this love requires a Rh