Letter 104
Usbek to the Same
Here you have as nearly as I can, con-
tinuing the subject of my last letter, what a
sensible European said to me recently.
“The worst course which the princes of
Asia could have adopted, is to shut them-
selves up as they do. They desire to
render themselves more venerable; but it
is royalty which they cause to be respected,
and not the king; they attach the minds of
their subjects to a certain throne, and not
to a certain person.
“When the power that governs is in-
visible it is always the same to the people.
Although ten kings, known only by name,
should have their throats cut one after the
other, the public are sensible of no differ-
ence: it is as if they were governed by a
succession of spirits.
“If the detestable murderer of our great
king, Henry IV, had assassinated one of
the kings of Ind, master of the royal seal,
and of an immense treasure which would
seem to have been amassed for him, he
would peacefully have seized the reins of
power, without its entering into any one’s
mind to inquire after the king, his relations,
and children.
“We are astonished that there is hardly
ever any change in the government of
eastern princes: how could it be other-
wise, when we bear in mind their terrible
tyranny?
“Changes cannot be effected except by
the prince or by the people: but there the
princes take care to alter nothing, because,
possessed of such absolute power, they
have all they can have: were they to make
any change it could only be to their own
injury.
As to the subjects, should one of
them
form any design, he cannot execute it upon
the state; it would be necessary to over-
turn at one blow a most formidable and
unchanging power; for this he lacks time
and means: but he has only to attack the
source of that power, for which all he needs
is an arm and a moment of time.
“The murderer mounts the throne, as
the monarch leaves it and falls expiring at
his feet.
“In Europe a malcontent thinks of
carry-
ing on a secret correspondence, of going
over to the enemy, of seizing some town, or
of exciting foolish complaints among the
people. A malcontent in Asia goes straight
to the prince, amazes, strikes, overthrows:
he obliterates all memory of his existence:
in one moment slave and master, usurper
and lawful sovereign.
“Unfortunate is the king who has only
one head! In guarding it with all his power
he only shows the first upstart where to
strike.”
Paris,
the 17th of the second moon of
Rebiab, 1717.