me to write at this time.
I have observed in all parts of the Christian world such an unbridled
licentiousness with regard to war as the most barbarous nations might
blush at: they fly to arms without reason, or on frivolous pretexts; and
when they have them once in their hands they trample on all laws human
and divine, as if from that time they were authorised, and firmly
resolved to stick at no crime." Thus it was from a principle of
humanity that he composed this great work; and, as he writes to
Crellius[148], to shew how unbecoming it was for a Christian and a
reasonable man, to make war from caprice: which was too much practised.
In the dedication of this book to the King the author observes, that
Lewis XIII. like a propitious constellation, not satisfied with
relieving the misfortunes of princes and protecting nations, had
graciously supported him under his afflictions. He presented his book to
the King and the principal nobility; who, he writes to his brother[149],
received it very graciously, but made him no return. He imagined it was
because he had handled in it several points of divinity: and the court
would not shew any favour to heterodox works, in which such questions
were discussed: but the favourable reception it met with from all Europe
sufficiently made up this loss.

It will not be expected that we should make an analysis or enter into an
examination of the treatise _On the rights of war and peace_: that would
be a subject for a large work. We shall only observe that those who
would study the law of nations cannot read this book too often: they
will find in it the most agreeable learning joined to the strongest
reasoning. The whole is not equally correct: but what large work is not
liable to the same censure? Besides, we must consider that it has the
glory of being original in its kind[150], and the first treatise that
reduced into a system the most excellent and useful of all sciences.

It is divided into three books; to which is prefixed a preliminary
discourse treating of the certainty of law in general, and containing a
plan of the work.

The first book enquires into the origin of the rights of war and its
different kinds, as also the extent of the power of Sovereigns: he
explains in the second the nature and extent of those rights, whether
public or private, whose violation authorises the taking up arms: in
the third he treats of all that relates to the course of the war and the
treaties of pea