Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/421

Rh the heart with so regular and gentle an empire, that the least degree of prudence is sufficient to conduct it?

It is a happiness to live in those climates which permit a communication between each other, where that sex which has most charms seems to imbellish society, and where wives reserving themselves for the pleasures of one, contribute to the amusement of all.

LL nations arc equally agreed in fixing contempt and ignominy on the incontinence of women. Nature has dictated this to all. She has established the attack, and she has established too the resistance; and having implanted desires in both, she has given to the one boldness, and to the other shame. She has given to individuals a long extent of years in which they are to seek their own preservation; but to perpetuate themselves, she has given only a moment.

It is then far from being true, that to be incontinent is to follow the laws of nature; since this is, on the contrary, a violation of these laws, which can be followed only by modesty and discretion.

Besides, it is natural for intelligent beings to feel their imperfections. Nature has therefore fixed shame in our minds, a shame of our imperfections.

When therefore the physical power of certain climates violates the natural law of the two sexes, and that of intelligent beings; it belongs to the legislature to make civil laws, to oppose the nature of the climate, and to re-establish the primitive laws. Rh