History of Civilization in England, Vol. 2 of 3

by Henry Thomas Buckle

[937] Before Montesquieu, the only two great thinkers who had really studied Roman history were Macchiavelli and Vico: but Macchiavelli did not attempt any thing approaching the generalizations of Montesquieu, and he suffered, moreover, from the serious deficiency of being too much occupied with the practical utility of his subject. Vico, whose genius was perhaps even more vast than that of Montesquieu, can hardly be considered his rival; for, though his Scienza Nova contains the most profound views on ancient history, they are rather glimpses of truth, than a systematic investigation of any one period.

[938] Which M. Guizot (Civilisation en France, vol. iv. p. 36), in his remarks on the Esprit des Lois, does not take sufficiently into consideration. A juster appreciation of Montesquieu will be found in Cousin, Hist. de la Philosophie, part ii. vol. i. p. 182; and in Comte, Philosophie Positive, vol. iv. pp. 243–252, 261. Compare Charles Comte, Traité de Législation, vol. i. p. 125, with Meyer, Esprit des Institutions Judiciaires, vol. i. p. lxi., respecting the vast innovations he introduced.

[939] He says of the emperor Maximin, ‘il fut tué avec son fils par ses soldats. Les deux premiers Gordiens périrent en Afrique. Maxime, Balbin, et le troisième Gordien furent massacrés.’ Grandeur et Décadence des Romains, chap. xvi., in Œuvres de Montesquieu, p. 167.

[940] Ibid. chap. xi., in Œuvres de Montesquieu, pp. 149–153. Compare a similar remark, respecting Charles XII., in Esprit des Lois, livre x. chap. xiii. Œuvres, p. 260.

[941] On the difference between cause and occasion, see Grandeur et Décad. chap. i. p. 126.

[942] ‘Il y a des causes générales, soit morales, soit physiques, qui agissent dans chaque monarchie, l'élèvent, la maintiennent, ou la précipitent; tous les accidents sont soumis à ces causes; et si le hasard d'une bataille, c'est-à-dire une cause particulière, a ruiné un état, il y avoit une cause générale qui faisoit que cet état devoit périr par une seule bataille. En un mot, l'allure principale entraîne avec elle tous les accidente particuliers.’ Grand. et Décad. des Romains, chap. xviii. p. 172.

[943] De l'Esprit des Lois, books xiv. to xviii. inclusive; in Œuvres, pp. 300–336.

[944] Ibid. livre xxiii. chap. xiii. p. 395. Compare Burdach, Traité de Physiologie, vol. ii. p. 116.

[945] Ibid. livre xvi. chap. iv., and livre xxiii. chap. xii. pp. 317, 395.

[946] Ibid. livre xiv. chap. ii., livre xvii. chap. ii., and elsewhere.