The Complete Works of Montesquieu. Electronic Edition. :: Volume I. ::

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Volume I.

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book I.: of laws in general.

book II.: of laws directly derived from the nature of government.

book III.: of the principles of the three kinds of government.

book IV.: that the laws of education ought to be relative to the principles of government.

book V.: that the laws, given by the legislator, ought to be relative to the principle of government.

book VI.: consequences of the principles of different governments with respect to the simplicity of civil and criminal laws, the form of judgements, and the inflicting of punishments.

book VII.: consequences of the different principles of the three governments, with respect to sumptuary laws, luxury, and the condition of women.

book VIII.: of the corruption of the principles of the three governments.

book IX.: of laws, in the relation they bear to a defensive force.

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book X.: of laws, in the relation they bear to offensive force.

chap. I.: of offensive force.

chap. II.: of war.

chap. III.: of the right of conquest.

chap. IV.: some advantages of a conquered people.

chap. V.: gelon, king of syracuse.

chap. VI.: of conquests made by a republic.

chap. VII.: the same subject continued.

chap. VIII.: the same subject continued.

chap. IX.: of conquests made by a monarchy.

chap. X.: of one monarchy that subdues another.

chap. XI.: of the manners of a conquered people.

chap. XII.: of a law of cyrus.

chap. XIII.: charles XII.

chap. XIV.: alexander.

chap. XV.: new methods of preserving a conquest.

chap. XVI.: of conquests made by a despotic prince.

chap. XVII.: the same subject continued.

book XI.: of the laws which establish political liberty, with regard to the constitution.

book XII.: of the laws that form political liberty, as relative to the subject.

book XIII.: of the relation which the levying of taxes and the greatness of the public revenues have to liberty.

book XIV.: of laws as relative to the nature of the climate.

book XV.: in what manner the laws of civil slavery are relative to the nature of the climate.

book XVI.: how the laws of domestic slavery have a relation to the nature of the climate.

book XVII.: how the laws of political servitude have a relation to the nature of the climate.

book XVIII.: of laws in the relation they bear to the nature of the soil.

book XIX.: of laws, in relation to the principles which form the general spirit, the morals, and customs, of a nation.

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All Collections > The Complete Works of Montesquieu. Electronic Edition. > Volume I. > body > book xiv.: of laws as relative to the nature of the climate. > chap. VIII.: an excellent custom of china.

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The Complete Works of Montesquieu. Electronic Edition.

Volume I.

Body

BOOK XIV.: OF LAWS AS RELATIVE TO THE NATURE OF THE CLIMATE.

CHAP. VIII.: An excellent Custom of China.

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CHAP. VIII.: An excellent Custom of China.

THE historical relations ^†500 of China mention a ceremony ^†501 of opening the grounds, which the emperor performs every year. The design of this

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public and solemn act is to excite ^†502 the people to tillage.

Farther, the emperor is every year informed of the husbandman who has distinguished himself most in his profession; and he makes him a mandarin of the eighth order.

Among the ancient Persians Hyde, religion of the Persians. ^†503, the kings quitted their grandeur and pomp, on the eighth day of the month called Chorrem-ruz, to eat with the husbandmen. These institutions were admirably well calculated for the encouragement of agriculture.

CHAP. VIII.: An excellent Custom of China.