Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/207

Rh These regulations in respect to women concerned only senatorian families, but not the common people. Pretences were wanted to accuse the great, which were constantly furnished by the dissolute behaviour of the ladies.

In fine, what I have above observed, namely that purity of morals is not the principle of monarchy, was never better verified than under those first emperors; and whoever doubts of it need only read Tacitus, Suetonius, Juvenal, or Martial.

E have spoken of public incontinency, because it always accompanies, always follows, and is followed always by luxury. If we leave the motions of the heart at liberty, how shall we be able to restrain the weaknesses of the mind?

At Rome, besides the general institutions, the censors prevailed on the magistrates to enact several particular laws to preserve the frugality of women. This was the design of the Fannian, Licinian, and Oppian laws. We may see in Livy the great ferment the senate was in, when the women insisted upon the revocation of the Oppian law. The abrogation of this law is fixed upon by Valerius Maximus as the period from whence we may date the luxury of the Romans. Rh