Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/496

444 As this nation is situated towards the north, and has many superfluous commodities; it must want also a great number of merchandizes which its climate will not produce: it has therefore entered into a great and necessary commerce with the southern nations; and making choice of those states whom it is willing to favour with an advantageous commerce, it enters into such treaties with the nation it has chosen, as are reciprocally useful to both.

In a state, where on the one hand the opulence is extreme, and on the other the taxes are excessive, they are hardly able to live on a small fortune without industry: Many therefore under a pretence of travelling or of health, retire from amongst them, and go in search of plenty, even to the countries of slavery.

A trading nation has a prodigious number of little particular interests; it may then injure or be injured, an infinite number of different ways. Thus it becomes immoderately jealous, and is more afflicted at the prosperity of others, than it rejoices at its own.

And its laws, otherwise mild and easy, may be so rigid with respect to the trade and navigation carried on with it, that it may seem to trade only with enemies.

If this nation sends colonies abroad, it must rather be to extend its commerce than its dominion.

As men are fond of introducing into other places what they have established amongst themselves, they have given the people ot their colonies the form of their own government; and this government carrying prosperity along with it, they have formed great nations the forests they were sent to inhabit. Rh