Professor Richter has long been one of our most knowledgeable commentators on the French intellectual tradition. Having written on Montesquieu, Tocqueville, and Durkheim, he is well positioned to provide us not only with an historically informed translation of Montesquieu's major writings, but also with an excellent introduction to what is important about Montesquieu as a thinker. --Lawrence Dickey, University of Wisconsin

I am delighted that you are getting out a new edition of Melvin Richter's translation. Again and again when I have had occasion to give serious attention to Montesquieu, I have turned to this work. --Samuel H. Beer, Harvard University

Richter has done us a real service by providing a version that is both scholarly and handy for teaching. The translation is generally sound, often clearer and more readable than the older version. There is a useful introduction and a helpful and reliable set of notes. . . . Richter's version will now become the standard version for many of us. --Nannerl O. Keohane, Political Science Review VI (1976)