Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/38

xxxiv way. No science, no literature can escape this pedantry: for our age has formed academicians who would make us enter the schools of the darkest and most ignorant times. Descartes may properly give courage to those, who with a genius infinitely less than his, have as good intentions: this great man was perpetually accused of Atheism; and yet there are not at this day stronger arguments employed against the Atheists than he himself produced.

"As to the rest, we ought not to regard criticisms as personal, except in the case where those who make them would render them so. It is extremely proper that persons should be permitted to criticise the works that have been given to the public, because it would be ridiculous, for those who have been willing to enlighten others, not to be willing to be enlightened themselves. Those who inform us are the companions of our labours: if both the critic and the author seek the truth, they are in the same interest; for as truth is the property of all men; they will be confederates and not enemies." Rh