Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1882. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... NOTE BY THE TRANSLATOR. In the course of his concluding chapter, Montesquieu either very briefly refers to, or merely hints at, several matters which, for completer general appreciation, will admit of some further remarks. I. The crusades of Christianity against Mohammedanism were the most remarkable phenomena -- as being upon the most extensive scale--that are to be found in the world's entire history of religious fanaticism. These great waves of invasion, precipitated from west to east, continued for about one hundred and seventy-five years, ' with the final result -- after enormous ruin and sacrifice of life--that Mohammedanism remained in firm possession of Asia--including the primitive seats of Christianity--while its antagonist was left to occupy Europe, and to extend itself over the new continents which were about to be discovered. It is curious to reflect that both these great, active religions--which have engaged in such frightful contests in the past, and which have divided the larger portion of the modern world between them -- took their rise in the bosom of the same Asiatic race--Christianity among the Judaic, Mohammedanism among the Arabic, Semites. 'We have already seen that it was the Semitic race that gave birth to the worship of Moloch*--so wonderfully fecund of diverse religions has this race been, ranging in quality from the most abominable that the world has known to the one whose morals must coalesce with the last possible results of human development. What a prodigious interspace between the nadir and the zenith of the religious genius of the same race--the one extreme touching hell in its worship of Moloch, the other scaling the heaven of heavens in its doctrine of purity and charity! 1 From 1096 to 1272. II. The distinction which Montesqui..