Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/432

380 great wall towards the source of Kavamhuram, exceeded the height of the sea near Pekin three thousand geometrical paces; that this height is the cause that though almost all the great rivers of Asia have their source in this country, there is however so great a want of water, that it can be inhabited only near the rivers and lakes."

These facts being laid down, I reason thus. Asia has properly no temperate zone, as the places situated in a very cold climate immediately touch upon those which are exceeding hot, that is Turky, Persia, India, China, Corea, and Japan.

In Europe, on the contrary, the temperate zone is very extensive though situated in climates widely different from each other; there being no affinity between the climates of Spain and Italy, and those of Norway and Sweden. But as the climate grows insensibly cold upon our advancing from south to north, nearly in proportion to the latitude of each country; it thence follows that each resembles the country joining to it, that there is no very extraordinary difference between them, and that, as I have just said, the temperate zone is very extensive.

From hence it comes, that in Asia the strong nations are opposed to the weak; the warlike, brave, and active people touch immediately on those who are indolent, effeminate, and timorous: the one must therefore conquer, and the other be conquered. In Europe, on the contrary, strong nations are opposed to the strong; and those who join to each other have nearly the same courage. This is the grand reason of the weakness of Asia, and of the strength of Europe; of the liberty of Europe, Rh