Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/30

xxvi the general intention, than if we impute to him a particular bad intention.

"In books designed for amusement, three or four pages may give an idea of the style, and the perfection of the work: in books of argumentation, we see nothing if we do not see the whole chain.

"As it is extremely difficult to make a good work, and extremely easy to criticise upon it, because the author has had all the passes to guard, and the critic has but one to force; it is necessary that this last should never be in the wrong: and if it happens that he is continually wrong, he must be inexcusable.

"Besides, as the criticism may be considered as an ostentation of his superiority over others, and its ordinary design is to gratify human pride, those who deliver themselves up to this gratification, always deserve to be treated with equity, but seldom with indulgence.

"And as of all the different kinds of writing, this is that in which it is most difficult to shew a good natural disposition, care should be taken not to encrease by Rh