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154 ” (De Aug. Scient. Lib. vii. cap. ii.) The best comment, however, on these words, is to be found in another passage of Bacon, where he has expressed his opinion of Machiavel’s moral demerits in terms as strong and unequivocal as language can furnish. “” &c. &c. &c. See the rest of the paragraph (De Aug. Scient. Lib. viii. cap. ii.) See also a passage in Book vii. chap. viii. beginning thus: “” &c. &c. After these explicit and repeated declarations of his sentiments on this point, it is hard that Bacon should have been numbered among the apologists of Machiavel, by such high authorities as Bayle, and the excellent biographer of Lorenzo de Medicis.

, p. 41.

The charge of plagiarism from Bodin has been urged somewhat indelicately against Montesquieu, by a very respectable writer, the Chevalier de Filangieri, “On a cru, et l’on croit peut-être encore, que Montesquieu, a parlé le premier de l’influence du climat. Cette opinion est une erreur. Avant lui, le délicat et ingénieux Fontenelle s’étoit exercé sur set objet. Machiavel, en plusicurs endroits de ses ouvrages, parle aussi de cette influence du climat sur le physique et sur Ie moral des peuples. Chardin, un de ces voyageurs qui savent observer, a fait beaucoup de réflexions sur l’influence physique et moral des climats. L’Abbé Dubos a soutenu et développé les pensées de Chardin; et Bodin, qui peut-être avoit lu dans Polybe que le climat détermine les formes, la couleur, et les mœurs des peuples, en avoit déja fait, ceut cinquante ans auparavant, la base de son systême, dans son livre de la République, et dans sa Méthode de l’Histoire. Avant tous ces ecrivains, l’immortel Hippocrate avoit traité fort au long cette matière dans son fameux ouvrage de l’air, des eaux, et des lieux. L’Auteur de l’Esprit des Lois, sans citer un seul de ces philosophes, établit à son tour un systême; mais il ne fit qu’altérer les principes d’Hippocrate, et donner une plus grande extension aux idées de Dubos, de Chardin, et de Bodin. Il voulut faire croire au public qu’il avoit eu le premier quelques idées sur ce sujet; et le public l’en crut sur sa parole.” La Science de la Législation, ouvrage traduit de l’Italien. Paris, 1786. Tom. I. pp. 225, 226.

The enumeration here given of writers whose works are in everybody’s hands, might have satisfied Filangieri, that, in giving his sanction to this old theory, Montesquieu had no wish to claim to himself the praise of originality. It is surprising, that, in the foregoing list, the name of Plato should have been omitted, who concludes his fifth book, De Legibus, with remarking, that “all countries are not equally susceptible of the same sort of discipline; and that a wise legislator will pay a due regard to the diversity of national character, arising from the influence of climate and of soil.” It is not less surprising, that the name of Charron should have been overlooked, whose observations on the moral influence of physical causes, discover as much originality of thought as those of any of his successors. See De la Sagesse, Livre i, chap. xxxvii.

, p. 44.

Innumerable instances of Luther’s credulity and superstition are to be found in a book entitled Martini Lutheri Colloquia Mensalia, &c. first published (according to Bayle) in 1571. The only 11