"Republication of David Lowenthal's elegant translation of Montesquieu's neglected study of the Romans--an indispensable source for understanding the philosopher's treatment of Rome in The Spirit of the Laws--makes the book available to a new generation of English-language readers.Lowenthal's perceptive introduction and useful notes also deserve the attention of those who can read Montesquieu in the original French." --James W.Muller, University of Alaska, Anchorage