This collection of lesser-known works by the celebrated French philosopher and political theorist Montesquieu includes philosophical, historical, and legal essays that exemplify his insightful and influential style of writing. The pieces address a range of topics, from the nature of government and the importance of constitutionalism, to the role of women in society and the perils of despotism. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.