Page:Montesquieu - The spirit of laws.djvu/75

Rh question is not whether their jurisdiction was justly established, but whether it be really established; whether it constitutes a part of the laws of the country, and is in every respect relative to those laws; whether between two powers acknowledged independent, the conditions ought not to be reciprocal; and whether it is not equally the duty of a good subject to defend the prerogative of the prince, as to maintain the limits which from time immemorial he has prescribed to his authority.

Though the ecclesiastic power is so dangerous in a republic, yet it is extremely proper in a monarchy, especially of the absolute kind. What would become of Spain and Portugal since the subversion of their laws, were it not for this only barrier against the incursions of arbitrary power? A barrier that is always useful when there is no other: for as a despotic government is productive of the most frightful calamities to human nature, the very evil that restrains it, is beneficial to the subject.

As the ocean which seems to threaten to overflow the whole earth, is slopped by weeds and by little pebbles that lie scattered along the shore: so monarchs whose power seems unbounded, are restrained by the smallest obstacles, and suffer their natural pride to be subdued by supplication and prayer.

The English to favour their liberty, have abolished all the intermediate powers of which their monarchy was composed. They have a great deal of reason to be jealous of this liberty, were they ever to be so unhappy as to lose it, they would be one of the most servile nations upon earth. Rh