"When a benevolent mind contemplates the republic of Lycurgus, its admiration is mixed with a degree of horror"

This quote by Thomas Day speaks to the appreciation and horror that can be felt when thinking about the Republic of Lycurgus. Lycurgus was an ancient Spartan lawgiver who developed a stringent and militaristic society. A kindhearted mind, or one that is kind and generous, can value the order and discipline of the Republic of Lycurgus, however also be horrified by the harshness of the laws and the absence of specific liberty. The quote recommends that the affection for the Republic of Lycurgus is tempered by the horror of its strictness. This quote talks to the intricacy of human feelings and how admiration and horror can exist side-by-side in the exact same idea. It also speaks to the power of Lycurgus' laws and how they have actually sustained for centuries.