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73。 This was the 35th head of the Papian law。 Leg。 19； ff。de ritu nuptiarum。
74。 See Dio； liv； year 736； Suetonius； in Octavio； 34。
75。 Dio； liv； and in the same Dio； the speech of Augustus； lvi。
76。 Ulpian； Fragment。； tit。 16； and Leg。 27； Cod。 de nuptiis。
77。 Ulpian； Fragment。； tit。 16； § 3。
78。 See Suetonius； Life of Claudius； 23。
79。 Ibid。； 23； and Ulpian； Fragment。； tit。 16； § 3。
80。 Dio； liv； Ulpian； Fragment。； tit。 13。
81。 Augustus's speech； in Dio； lvi。
82。 Ulpian； Fragment。； 13； and the Leg。 44。 ff。 de ritu nuptiarum。
83。 Ulpian； Fragment。； tit。 13 and 16。
84。 See Leg。 1； Cod。 de nat。 lib。
85。 Nov。 117。
86。 Leg。 37。 § 7； ff。 de operib。 libertorum； § 7； Ulpian； Fragment。； tit。 16； § 2。
87。 Ulpian； Fragment。； tit。 16； § 2。
88。 See book xxvi。 13。
89。 Except in certain cases。 See the Ulpian； Fragment。； tit。 18； and the only law in Cod。 de Caduc。 tollend。
90。 Relatum de moderanda Papia Popp？a。 Tacitus；Annals； iii。 25。
91。 He reduced them to the fourth part。 Suetonius； Life of Nero； 10。
92。 See Pliny； Panegyric。
93。 Severus extended even to twenty…five years for the males； and to twenty for the females； the time fixed by the Papian law； as we see by comparing Ulpian； Fragment。； tit。 16； with what Tertullian says； Apol。； 4。
94。 P。 Scipio； the censor； complains； in his speech to the people； of the abuses which were already introduced； that they received the same privileges for adopted as for natural children。 Aulus Gellius； v。 19。
95。 See the Leg。 31； ff。 de ritu nuptiarum。
96。 Augustus in the Papian law gave them the privilege of mothers。 See Dio； lvi。 Numa had granted them the ancient privilege of women who had three children； that is； of having no guardian。 Plutarch； Numa。
97。 This was granted them by Claudius。 Dio； lx。
98。 Leg。 apud eum； ff。 de manumissionib。 § 1。
99。 Dio； lvi。
100。 See； in Cicero； Offices； i； his sentiments on the spirit of speculation。
101。 Nazarius； in panegyrico Constantini； 321。
102。 See Leg。 1； 2； 3； Cod。 Theod。 de bonis maternis； maternique generis； &c。； and Leg。 unic。； Cod。 Theod。 de bonis qu？ filiis famil。 acquiruntur。
103。 Sozomenus； i。 9。
104。 Leg。 2； 3； Cod。 Theod。 de jur。 liber。
105。 Leg。 Sancimus； Cod。 de nuptiis。
106。 Nov。 127； cap。 iii； Nov。 118； cap。 v。
107。 Leg。 54 ff。 de condit。 et demonst。
108。 Leg。 5； § 4； de jure patronatus。
109。 Paulus； Sentences； iii。 tit。 4； § 15。
110。 Antiquities of Rome； ii。
111。 Ibid。
112。 Book ix。
113。 De Leg。； iii。 19。
114。 De Moribus Germanorum； 19。
115。 There is no title on this subject in the Digest； the title of the Code says nothing of it； any more than the Novels。
116。 Mahometan countries surround it almost on every side。
117。 The edict of 1666 in favour of marriages。
118。 See Sir John Chardin； Travels through Persia； viii。
119。 See Burnet； History of the Reformation。
Book XXIV。 Of Laws in relation to Religion Considered in Itself； and in its Doctrines
1。 Of Religion in General。 As amidst several degrees of darkness we may form a judgment of those which are the least thick； and among precipices which are the least deep； so we may search among false religions for those that are most conformable to the welfare of society； for those which； though they have not the effect of leading men to the felicity of another life； may contribute most to their happiness in this。
I shall examine； therefore； the several religions of the world； in relation only to the good they produce in civil society； whether I speak of that which has its root in heaven； or of those which spring from the earth。
As in this work I am not a divine but a political writer； I may here advance things which are not otherwise true than as they correspond with a worldly manner of thinking； not as considered in their relation to truths of a more sublime nature。
With regard to the true religion； a person of the least degree of impartiality must see that I have never pretended to make its interests submit to those of a political nature； but rather to unite them； now； in order to unite； it is necessary that we should know them。
The Christian religion； which ordains that men should love each other； would； without doubt； have every nation blest with the best civil； the best political laws； because these； next to this religion； are the greatest good that men can give and receive。
2。 A Paradox of M。 Bayle's。 M。 Bayle has pretended to prove＇1＇ that it is better to be an Atheist than an Idolater； that is； in other words； that it is less dangerous to have no religion at all than a bad one。 〃I had rather；〃 said he； 〃it should be said of me that I had no existence than that I am a villain。〃 This is only a sophism founded on this； that it is of no importance to the human race to believe that a certain man exists； whereas it is extremely useful for them to believe the existence of a God。 From the idea of his non…existence immediately follows that of our independence； or； if we cannot conceive this idea； that of disobedience。 To say that religion is not a restraining motive； because it does not always restrain； is equally absurd as to say that the civil laws are not a restraining motive。 It is a false way of reasoning against religion to collect； in a large work； a long detail of the evils it has produced if we do not give at the same time an enumeration of the advantages which have flowed from it。 Were I to relate all the evils that have arisen in the world from civil laws； from monarchy； and from republican government； I might tell of frightful things。 Were it of no advantage for subjects to have religion； it would still be of some； if princes had it； and if they whitened with foam the only rein which can restrain those who fear not human laws。
A prince who loves and fears religion is a lion； who stoops to the hand that strokes； or to the voice that appeases him。 He who fears and hates religion is like the savage beast that growls and bites the chain which prevents his flying on the passenger。 He who has no religion at all is that terrible animal who perceives his liberty only when he tears in pieces and when he devours。
The question is not to know whether it would be better that a certain man or a certain people had no religion than to abuse what they have； but to know what is the least evil； that religion be sometimes abused； or that there be no such restraint as religion on mankind。
To diminish the horror of Atheism； they lay too much to the charge of idolatry。 It is far from being true that when the ancients raised altars to a particular vice； they intended to show that they loved the vice； this signified； on the contrary； that they hated it。 When the Laced？monians erected a temple to Fear； it was not to show that this warlike nation desired that he would in the midst of battle possess the hearts of the Laced？monians。 They had deities to whom they prayed not to inspire them with guilt； and others whom they besought to shield them from it。
3。 That a moderate Government is most agreeable to the Christian Religion； and a despotic Government to the Mahometan。 The Christian religion is a stranger to mere despotic power。 The m