He wrote down his views, in the first place, in short essays, only loosely connected with each other.

The following, without date, which has been found amongst his papers, seems to belong to those early days.
"In the principles here committed to paper, in my opinion, the chief things which compose Strategy, as it is called, are touched upon.

I looked upon them only as materials, and had just got to such a length towards the moulding them into a whole.
"These materials have been amassed without any regularly preconceived plan.

My view was at first, without regard to system and strict connection, to put down the results of my reflections upon the most important points in quite brief, precise, compact propositions.

The manner in which Montesquieu has treated his subject floated before me in idea.