Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/484

432 The vows of virginity, the assembling of women in churches, their necessary communication with the ministers of religion, their participation in the sacraments, auricular confession, extreme unction, the marriage of only one wife, all these overturn the manners and customs of the country, and with the same blow strike at their religion and laws.

The christian religion by the establishment of charity, by a public worship, by a participation of the same sacraments, seems to demand, that all should be united; while the rites of China seem to ordain that all should be separated.

HE principal object of government which the Chinese legislators had in view, was the peace and tranquillity of the empire: And subordination appeared to them as the most proper means to maintain it. Filled with this idea, they believed it their duty to inspire a respect for fathers, and therefore assembled all their power to effect it. They established an infinite number of rites and ceremonies to do them honor when living, and after their death. It was impossible for them to pay such honors to deceased parents, without being led to honor the living. The ceremonies at the death of a father were more nearly related to religion, those for a living father had a greater relation to the laws, manners, and customs; however these were only parts of the same code, but this code was very extensive. Rh