Mainly he ascribes it to the form of government, and that in turn to chance.

Even the friend of Montesquieu can see no significance in race or climate.

The idea, in fact, of evolution is entirely absent from his political speculation.

Political life, like human life, ends in death; and the problem is to make our egress as comfortable as we can, for the prime evil is disturbance.

It is difficult not to feel that there is almost a physical basis in his own disease for this love of quiet.