His laws will be like his character. If he be
good, he will make good laws. If he be bad, he will make bad laws. If
he be harsh and cruel--if he be careless and indulgent--so will his laws
be. If he be loving and generous, delighting in seeing his subjects
happy, then his laws will be so shaped that his subjects will be happy,
if they obey those laws. But also--and this is a very serious matter,
and one to which foolish people in all ages have tried to shut their
eyes, and false preachers in all ages have tried to blind men's eyes--
also, I say, if his laws be good, and bountiful, and sure to make men
happy, then the good king will have those laws obeyed. He will not be an
indulgent king, for in his case to be indulgent will be cruelty, and
nothing less. The good king will not say,--I have given you laws by
which you may live happy; but I do not care whether you obey them or not.
I have, as it were, set you up, in life, and given you advantages by
which you may prosper if you use them; but I do not care whether you use
them or not. For to say that would be as much as to say that I do not
care if you make yourselves miserable, and make others miserable
likewise.
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