The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-07-02
MoNTEsoUIEu.

.s41r5 MOIS iE5osS y - VI
From the language ussd BY sir Hem
~ Maine in the famous fourth chapter
OF his Ancient Law one might infer
that in his own country Montesquieu's
influence was at once eclipsed by that
of Rousseau. But such an inference
would be erroneous. Montesquieu, Vol
taire and Rousseau, different as were
their methods and their aims. were all
factors OF the first importance in the
French Revolution. Though Mentes-
quieu wrote as monarchist, his heart
was in the little republics Of the Grae-
.co-Roman world, and he was response
BILE for much of the pseudo-cIassieisim
which characterized political thought at
the end of the eighteenth century. Ma
poleon had studied the Spirit of
Laws" but a system which aimed at
the preservation of political liberty by
the separation Of political powers did
not commend itself TO his mind. Dor
nant under the Consulate and the En-
pire, the influence Of Montesquieu arose
to renewed and more powerful life at
the Restoration, and was during the
first half of the nineteenth century the
inspiration of all constitutional mon
archists, both in France and in other
European countries. Since Montes-
cuieu's time the area has been abso-
lutely transformed by the operation of
physical science. What had physical
science done for the world? 1t had
done three things, 1t had increased
the ease and speed of production, it
had increased the ease and speed IF
locomotion, it had Increased the ease
and speed Of communicating infornla-
ton and opinion. And by so doing il
had made for democracy, ii had made
for plutocracy, it had made foc great
States. 1t had made for democracy
both by enabling the popular viii to
act more speedily and effectively, and
| BY the creation of wealth, which levell-
ed distinctions based on social position.
But it had also increased to an extent
unimaginable even In the days Of Laws
system and the South Sea Bubble that
| power of great finance which manufac-
tured through its press what was called
public opinion, pulled the strings Of po-
liitical puppets and was the most subtle,
ubiquitous, and potent Of modern poli-
/ teal forces. Physical science had made
great democratic States possible, and
great States, or agglomerations of
states. necessary. And it had made
great States necessary by increasing
both the effectiveness and the cost Of
munitions OF war. States agglomerated
both for economy and for self-dqfence,
i and small isolated States existed only
/ BY sufferance. Since Montesquieu's
time the world had and the population
of the civilized world had enormously
Increased, and yet FOR political purposes
4 it had become much smaller world,
] more compact, more accessible. This
4 had tended to greater uniformity Of
Legislation and institutions. Montes-
quieu left two great legacies to the
lworld. He formulated the theory Of the
British Constitution, which held the
j field for century and was the founda-
1 ton Of every constitutional government
established during that period, and he
tgaye a new direction to the study Of
Illegal and political sciences. Montes-
iquieu was one Of the greatest Of the
lapostles Of liberty irl R1odern times
Socially ana politically ne belonged tc
1.-THE old regime which III France passed
iaway in 1889, and which in England,
where changes were less catastrophe
i hepan ri, naEs away III 1892 Scientific
tally, also. he belonged to bygone age
His new ideas, his new methods, onct
lso fresh. so attractive, SO stimulating
thad passed into and been merged in tht
lcommon heritage Of western thought
But In his generation he succeeded witt
La success beyond his most sanguint
hopes IN doing what be tried to do--hS
Inade men think. Sir G. Ibert's Ro
linanes Lecture.