Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/33

Rh to fear his not being influenced by Christian charity.

"And as the virtues purely human, are in us the effect of what is called good nature; if it was impossible to discover any vestige of this good nature, the public might from thence conclude that these writings were not the effect of human virtues.

"In the eyes of men, actions arc always more sincere than motives; and it is more easy for them to believe that the act of uttering the most cruel invectives is evil, than to persuade them that the motive which made them utter them is good.

"When a man is placed in a situation which creates a respect for religion, and in which religion entitles him to respect, and attacks before the men of the world, one of their own body; it is absolutely necessary, that he should maintain, by his manner of acting, the superiority of his character. The world is very corrupt; but there are certain passions which even in the world are under a great restraint; there are favourites which forbid the others appearing. Consider the men of the world Rh