whiletheVENETIANaristocracywasjealousofitssubjects，theFLORENTINEdemocracyapplieditselfentirelytocommerce;ROME
wasgovernedbypriests，andNAPLESbywomen.Warthenbecamethebusinessofsoldiersoffortune，whosparedoneanother，andtotheastonishmentoftheworld，couldengageawholedayinwhattheycalledabattle，andreturnatnighttotheircamp，withouttheleastbloodshed.
Whathaschieflyinducedseveremoraliststodeclaimagainstrefinementinthearts，istheexampleofancientROME，which，joining，toitspovertyandrusticity，virtueandpublicspirit，rosetosuchasurprizingheightofgrandeurandliberty;buthavinglearnedfromitsconqueredprovincestheASIATICluxury，fellintoeverykindofcorruption;whencearoseseditionandcivilwars，attendedatlastwiththetotallossofliberty.AlltheLATINclassics，whomweperuseinourinfancy，arefullofthesesentiments，anduniversallyascribetheruinoftheirstatetotheartsandrichesimportedfromtheEast：InsomuchthatSALLUSTrepresentsatasteforpaintingasavice，nolessthanlewdnessanddrinking.Andsopopularwerethesesentiments，duringthelateragesoftherepublic，thatthisauthoraboundsinpraisesoftheoldrigidROMANvirtue，thoughhimselfthemostegregiousinstanceofmodernluxuryandcorruption;speakscontemptuouslyoftheGRECIANeloquence，thoughthemostelegantwriterintheworld;nay，employspreposterousdigressionsanddeclamationstothispurpose，thoughamodeloftasteandcorrectness.
Butitwouldbeeasytoprove，thatthesewritersmistookthecauseofthedisordersintheROMANstate，andascribedtoluxuryandthearts，whatreallyproceededfromanillmodelledgovernment，andtheunlimitedextentofconquests.Refinementonthepleasuresandconvenienciesoflifehasnonaturaltendencytobegetvenalityandcorruption.Thevalue，whichallmenputuponanyparticularpleasure，dependsoncomparisonandexperience;norisaporterlessgreedyofmoney，whichhespendsonbaconandbrandy，thanacourtier，whopurchaseschampagneandortolans.Richesarevaluableatalltimes，andtoallmen;
becausetheyalwayspurchasepleasures，suchasmenareaccustomedto，anddesire：Norcananythingrestrainorregulatetheloveofmoney，butasenseofhonourandvirtue;which，ifitbenotnearlyequalatalltimes，willnaturallyaboundmostinagesofknowledgeandrefinement.