whiletheVENETIANaristocracywasjealousofitssubjects，theFLORENTINEdemocracyapplieditselfentirelytocommerce;ROME
wasgovernedbypriests，andNAPLESbywomen.Warthenbecamethebusinessofsoldiersoffortune，whosparedoneanother，andtotheastonishmentoftheworld，couldengageawholedayinwhattheycalledabattle，andreturnatnighttotheircamp，withouttheleastbloodshed.
Whathaschieflyinducedseveremoraliststodeclaimagainstrefinementinthearts，istheexampleofancientROME，which，joining，toitspovertyandrusticity，virtueandpublicspirit，rosetosuchasurprizingheightofgrandeurandliberty;buthavinglearnedfromitsconqueredprovincestheASIATICluxury，fellintoeverykindofcorruption;whencearoseseditionandcivilwars，attendedatlastwiththetotallossofliberty.AlltheLATINclassics，whomweperuseinourinfancy，arefullofthesesentiments，anduniversallyascribetheruinoftheirstatetotheartsandrichesimportedfromtheEast：InsomuchthatSALLUSTrepresentsatasteforpaintingasavice，nolessthanlewdnessanddrinking.Andsopopularwerethesesentiments，duringthelateragesoftherepublic，thatthisauthoraboundsinpraisesoftheoldrigidROMANvirtue，thoughhimselfthemostegregiousinstanceofmodernluxuryandcorruption;speakscontemptuouslyoftheGRECIANeloquence，thoughthemostelegantwriterintheworld;nay，employspreposterousdigressionsanddeclamationstothispurpose，thoughamodeloftasteandcorrectness.
Butitwouldbeeasytoprove，thatthesewritersmistookthecauseofthedisordersintheROMANstate，andascribedtoluxuryandthearts，whatreallyproceededfromanillmodelledgovernment，andtheunlimitedextentofconquests.Refinementonthepleasuresandconvenienciesoflifehasnonaturaltendencytobegetvenalityandcorruption.Thevalue，whichallmenputuponanyparticularpleasure，dependsoncomparisonandexperience;norisaporterlessgreedyofmoney，whichhespendsonbaconandbrandy，thanacourtier，whopurchaseschampagneandortolans.Richesarevaluableatalltimes，andtoallmen;
becausetheyalwayspurchasepleasures，suchasmenareaccustomedto，anddesire：Norcananythingrestrainorregulatetheloveofmoney，butasenseofhonourandvirtue;which，ifitbenotnearlyequalatalltimes，willnaturallyaboundmostinagesofknowledgeandrefinement.
OfallEUROPEANkingdoms，POLANDseemsthemostdefectiveintheartsofwaraswellaspeace，mechanicalaswellasliberal;
yetitistherethatvenalityandcorruptiondomostprevail.Thenoblesseemtohavepreservedtheircrownelectivefornootherpurpose，thanregularlytosellittothehighestbidder.Thisisalmosttheonlyspeciesofcommerce，withwhichthatpeopleareacquainted.
ThelibertiesofENGLAND，sofarfromdecayingsincetheimprovementsinthearts，haveneverflourishedsomuchasduringthatperiod.Andthoughcorruptionmayseemtoencreaseoflateyears;thisischieflytobeascribedtoourestablishedliberty，whenourprinceshavefoundtheimpossibilityofgoverningwithoutparliaments，orofterrifyingparliamentsbythephantomofprerogative.Nottomention，thatthiscorruptionorvenalityprevailsmuchmoreamongtheelectorsthantheelected;andthereforecannotjustlybeascribedtoanyrefinementsinluxury.
Ifweconsiderthematterinaproperlight，weshallfind，thataprogressintheartsisratherfavourabletoliberty，andhasanaturaltendencytopreserve，ifnotproduceafreegovernment.Inrudeunpolishednations，wheretheartsareneglected，alllabourisbestowedonthecultivationoftheground;andthewholesocietyisdividedintotwoclasses，proprietorsofland，andtheirvassalsortenants.Thelatterarenecessarilydependent，andfittedforslaveryandsubjection;
especiallywheretheypossessnoriches，andarenotvaluedfortheirknowledgeinagriculture;asmustalwaysbethecasewheretheartsareneglected.Theformernaturallyerectthemselvesintopettytyrants;andmusteithersubmittoanabsolutemaster，forthesakeofpeaceandorder;oriftheywillpreservetheirindependency，liketheancientbarons，theymustfallintofeudsandcontestsamongthemselves，andthrowthewholesocietyintosuchconfusion，asisperhapsworsethanthemostdespoticgovernment.Butwhereluxurynourishescommerceandindustry，thepeasants，byapropercultivationoftheland，becomerichandindependent;whilethetradesmenandmerchantsacquireashareoftheproperty，anddrawauthorityandconsiderationtothatmiddlingrankofmen，whoarethebestandfirmestbasisofpublicliberty.Thesesubmitnottoslavery，likethepeasants，frompovertyandmeannessofspirit;andhavingnohopesoftyrannizingoverothers，likethebarons，theyarenottempted，forthesakeofthatgratification，tosubmittothetyrannyoftheirsovereign.Theycovetequallaws，whichmaysecuretheirproperty，andpreservethemfrommonarchical，aswellasaristocraticaltyranny.
Thelowerhouseisthesupportofourpopulargovernment;andalltheworldacknowledges，thatitoweditschiefinfluenceandconsiderationtotheencreaseofcommerce，whichthrewsuchabalanceofpropertyintothehandsofthecommons.Howinconsistentthenisittoblamesoviolentlyarefinementinthearts，andtorepresentitasthebaneoflibertyandpublicspirit！
Todeclaimagainstpresenttimes，andmagnifythevirtueofremoteancestors，isapropensityalmostinherentinhumannature：Andasthesentimentsandopinionsofcivilizedagesalonearetransmittedtoposterity，henceitisthatwemeetwithsomanyseverejudgmentspronouncedagainstluxury，andevenscience;andhenceitisthatatpresentwegivesoreadyanassenttothem.Butthefallacyiseasilyperceived，bycomparingdifferentnationsthatarecontemporaries;wherewebothjudgemoreimpartially，andcanbettersetinoppositionthosemanners，withwhichwearesufficientlyacquainted.Treacheryandcruelty，themostperniciousandmostodiousofallvices，seempeculiartouncivilizedages;andbytherefinedGREEKSandROMANSwereascribedtoallthebarbarousnations，whichsurroundedthem.