Montesquieu, Charles de Secondat, baron de. "A Defence of the Spirit of Laws. To which are added, Some Explanations." Vol. 4 of The Complete Works of M. de Montesquieu. London: T. Evans, 1777.

Excerpt:

Though the Spirit of Laws is intirely a work relating to politics and civil law, the Author has had frequent occasion, in the course of that work, to mention the Christian religion. He has done it in such a manner, as fully to shew its dignity; and though he has had no view of endeavouring to prove it to be true, he has sought to render it beloved.

However, in two periodical pieces that have successively followed each other* , the most dreadful imputations have been cast upon him. The inquiry is no less, than whether the author be a Spinosist and a Deist: And though these accusations are in their own nature contradictory, the critic incessantly returns from one to the other.

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