CHAP. II.: That it is necessary People’s Minds should be prepared for the Reception of the best Laws.

NOTHING could appear more insupportable to the Germans They cut out the tongues of the advocates, and cried, Viper, don’t hiss. Tacitus. ^†673 than the tribunal of Varus. That which Justinian Agathias. lib. 4. ^†674 erected amongst the Lazi, to proceed against the murderers of their king, appeared to them as an affair the most horrid and barbarous.

Mithridates Justin, l. 38. ^†675, haranguing against the Romans, reproached them more particularly for their Calumnias litium. Ibid. ^†676 law proceedings. The Parthians could not bear with one of their kings, who, having been educated at Rome, rendered himself affable and Prompti aditus, nova comitas, ignotæ Parthis virtutes, nova vitia. Tacitus. ^†677 easy of access to all. Liberty itself has appeared intolerable to

those nations who have not been accustomed to enjoy it. Thus a pure air is sometimes disagreeable to such as have lived in a fenny country.

Balbi, a Venetian, being at He has described this interview, which happened, in the Collection of Voyages for the Establishment of an India Company, vol. iii. part i. p. 33. ^†678 Pegu, was introduced to the king. When the monarch was informed that they had no king at Venice, he burst into such a fit of laughter that he was seized with a cough, and with difficulty could speak to his courtiers. What legislator could propose a popular government to a people like this?