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Notes on Reading Montesquieu's underline Esprit des Loix /underline I. underline Of Laws in General /underline

Laws in the most general signification are the necessary relations arising from the nature of things; in this sense all beings have their Laws, the Deity has his Laws, as well as the material World; the intelligences Superior to Man; the beasts; & Man.

Nothing can be more absurd than the assertion that a blind fatality produced the various effects we behold in this World; for reasons unassisted with Religion must convince as that chance could not have been productive of intelligent Beings; consequently there is a primitive reason; & Laws are ^ addition therefore /addition the relations subsisting between it & different beings, & the relations of these beings amongst themselves.

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