An essay on crimes and punishments / [C. Beccaria] ; translated from the Italian ; with a commentary, attributed to Mons. de Voltaire, translated from the French.

  • Beccaria, Cesare, marchese di, 1738-1794.
Date:
1769
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on crimes and punishments / [C. Beccaria] ; translated from the Italian ; with a commentary, attributed to Mons. de Voltaire, translated from the French. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/280 (page 1)
    IN every human fociety, there is an effort continually tending to confer on one part the height of power and happinefs, and to reduce the other to the extreme of weaknefs, and mife-ry. The intent of good laws is to oppofe this effort, and to diffufe their influence univerfally, and equally. But men ge¬ nerally abandon the care of their mod important concerns to the uncertain pru¬ dence, and difcretion of thofe, whofe intereft it is to rejedt the beft, and wifeft inftitutions ; and it is not till they have been led into a thoufand offtakes in matters, tne moft eftential to their lives and liberties, and are weary of fufFerino* , , • J that they can be induced to apply a reme¬ dy to the evils, with which they are op- prefled. It is then they begin to conceive, and acknowledge the moft palpable truths, B which,