Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/372

320 In northern climates scarce has the animal part of love a power of making itself felt. In temperate climates, love attended by a thousand appendages, renders itself agreeable by things that have at first the appearance of love, though not the reality. In warmer climates love is liked for its own sake, it is the only cause of happiness, it is life itself.

In southern countries a delicate, weak, but sensible machine, resigns itself either to a love which rises and is incessantly laid in a seraglio; or to a love which leaves women in a greater independence, and is consequently exposed to a thousand inquietudes. In northern climates a strong but heavy machine, finds a pleasure in whatever is apt to throw the spirits into motion, such as hunting, travelling, war, and wine. In northern countries, we meet with a people who have few vices, many virtues, a great share of frankness and sincerity. If we draw near the south, we fancy ourselves removed from all morality; the strongest passions multiply all manner of crimes, every one endeavouring to take what advantage he can over his neighbour, in order to encourage those passions. In temperate climates we find the inhabitants inconstant in their manners, in their very vices, and in their virtues: the climate has not a quality determinate enough to fix them.

The heat of the climate may be so excessive as to deprive the body of all vigor and strength. Then the faintness is communicated to the mind; there is no curiosity, no noble enterprize, no generous sentiment; the inclinations are all passive; indolence constitutes the utmost happiness; scarcely any punishment is so severe as the action of the soul, and Rh