ESSAY O N CRIMES and PUNISHMENTS, BY The MARQUIS BECCARIA of MILAN. WITH A COMMENTARY BY M. DE VOLTAIRE. A NEW EDITION CORRECTE D. En rebus quibufcunque difficilioribus non expectandum, ut quis EDINBURGH: Printed by JAMES DONALDSON. M,DCC,LXXXVIII. PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR. PENAL LAWS, fo confiderable part of every system of legiflation, and of fo great importance to the happinefs, peace and fecurity of every mem ber of society, are ftill fo imperfect, and are attended with fo many unneceflary circumstances of cruelty in all nations, that an attempt to reduce them to the ftandard of reafon must be interefting to all mankind. It is not furprising then, that this little book hath engaged the attention of all ranks of people in every part of Europe. It is now about eighteen months fince the first publication; in which time it hath paffed no lefs than fix editions in the original language; the third 22 |