the origin of the distinction of ranks-第1节

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The　Origin　of　the　Distinction　of　Ranks
by　John　Millar　（1735…1801）
1771



The　Origin　of　the　Distinction　of　Ranks：
or；　An　Inquiry　into　the　Circumstances
which　give　rise　to　Influence　and　Authority；
In　the　Different　Members　of　Society。
by　John　Millar；　Esq。
Professor　of　Law　in　the　University　of　Glasgow
The　fourth　edition；　corrected。
Edinburgh：
Printed　for　William　Blackwood；　South…Bridge　Street；
And　Longman；　Huest；　Rees；　&　Orme；　Paternoster…Row；
London；　1806。

Introduction　　　

　　Those　who　have　examined　the　manners　and　custom　of　nations　have　had　chiefly　two　objects　in　view。　By　observing　the　system　of　law　established　in　different　parts　of　the　world；　and　by　remarking　the　consequences　with　which　they　are　attended；　men　have　endeavoured　to　reap　advantage　from　the　experience　of　others；　and　to　make　a　selection　of　such　institutions　and　modes　of　government　as　appear　most　worthy　of　being　adopted。　　　　　To　investigate　the　causes　of　different　usages　has　been　likewise　esteemed　an　useful　as　well　as　an　entertaining　speculation。　When　we　contemplate　the　amazing　diversity　to　be　found　in　the　laws　of　different　countries；　and　even　of　the　same　country　at　different　periods；　our　curiosity　is　naturally　excited　to　enquire　in　what　manner　mankind　have　been　led　to　embrace　such　different　rules　of　conduct；　and　at　the　same　time　it　is　evident；　that；　unless　we　are　acquainted　with　the　circumstances　which　have　recommended　any　set　of　regulations；　we　cannot　form　a　just　notion　of　their　utility；　or　even　determine；　in　any　case；　how　far　they　are　practicable。　　　　　In　searching　for　the　causes　of　those　peculiar　systems　of　law　and　government　which　have　appeared　in　the　world；　we　must　undoubtedly　resort；　first　of　all；　to　the　differences　of　situation；　which　have　suggested　different　views　and　motives　of　action　to　the　inhabitants　of　particular　countries。　Of　this　kind；　are　the　fertility　or　barrenness　of　the　soil；　the　nature　of　its　productions；　the　species　of　labour　requisite　for　procuring　subsistence；　the　number　of　individuals　collected　together　in　one　community；　their　proficiency　in　arts；　the　advantages　which　they　enjoy　for　entering　into　mutual　transactions；　and　for　maintaining　an　intimate　correspondence。　The　variety　that　frequently　occurs　in　these；　and　such　other　particulars；　must　have　a　prodigious　influence　upon　the　great　body　of　a　people；　as；　by　giving　a　peculiar　direction　to　their　inclinations　and　pursuits；　it　must　be　productive　of　correspondent　habits；　dispositions；　and　ways　of　thinking。　　　　　When　we　survey　the　present　state　of　the　globe；　we　find　that；　in　many　parts　of　it；　the　inhabitants　are　so　destitute　of　culture；　as　to　appear　little　above　the　condition　of　brute　animals；　and　even　when　we　peruse　the　remote　history　of　polished　nations；　we　have　seldom　any　difficulty　in　tracing　them　to　a　state　of　the　same　rudeness　and　barbarism。　There　is；　however；　in　man　a　disposition　and　capacity　for　improving　his　condition；　by　the　exertion　of　which；　he　is　cAred　on　from　one　degree　of　advancement　to　another；　and　the　similarity　of　his　wants；　as　well　as　of　the　faculties　by　which　those　wants　are　supplied；　has　every　where　produced　a　remarkable　uniformity　in　the　several　steps　of　his　progression。　A　nation　of　savages；　who　feel　the　want　of　almost　every　thing　requisite　for　the　support　of　life；　must　have　their　attention　directed　to　a　small　number　of　objects；　to　the　acquisition　of　food　and　clothing；　or　the　procuring　shelter　from　the　inclemencies　of　the　weather；　and　their　ideas　and　feelings；　in　conformity　to　their　situation；　must；　of　course；　be　narrow　and　contracted。　Their　first　efforts　are　naturally　calculated　to　increase　the　means　of　subsistence；　by　catching　or　ensnaring　wild　animals；　or　by　gathering　the　spontaneous　fruits　of　the　earth；　and　the　experience；　acquired　in　the　exercise　of　these　employments；　is　apt；　successively；　to　point　out　the　methods　of　taming　and　rearing　cattle；　and　of　cultivating　the　ground。　According　as　men　have　been　successful　in　these　great　improvements；　and　find　less　difficulty　in　the　attainment　of　bare　necessaries；　their　prospects　are　gradually　enlarged；　their　appetites　and　desires　are　more　and　more　awakened　and　called　forth　in　pursuit　of　the　several　conveniencies　of　life；　and　the　various　branches　of　manufacture；　together　with　commerce；　its　inseparable　attendant；　and　with　science　and　literature；　the　natural　offspring　of　ease　and　affluence；　are　introduced；　and　brought　to　maturity。　By　such　gradual　advances　in　rendering　their　situation　more　comfortable；　the　most　important　alterations　are　produced　in　the　state　and　condition　of　a　people：　their　numbers　are　increased；　the　connections　of　society　are　extended；　and　men；　being　less　oppressed　with　their　own　wants；　are　more　at　liberty　to　cultivate　the　feelings　of　humanity：　property；　the　great　source　of　distinction　among　individuals；　is　established；　and　the　various　rights　of　mankind；　arising　from　their　multiplied　connections；　are　recognised　and　protected：　the　laws　of　a　country　are　thereby　rendered　numerous；　and　a　more　complex　form　of　government　becomes　necessary；　for　distributing　justice；　and　for　preventing　the　disorders　which　proceed　from　the　jarring　interests　and　passions　of　a　large　and　opulent　community。　It　is　evident；　at　the　same　time；　that　these；　and　such　other　effects　of　improvement；　which　have　so　great　a　tendency　to　vary　the　state　of　mankind；　and　their　manner　of　life；　will　be　productive　of　suitable　variations　in　their　taste　and　sentiments；　and　in　their　general　system　of　behaviour。　　　　　There　is　thus；　in　human　society；　a　natural　progress　from　ignorance　to　knowledge；　and　from　rude；　to　civilized　manners；　the　several　stages　of　which　are　usually　accompanied　with　peculiar　laws　and　custom。　Various　accidental　causes；　indeed；　have　contributed　to　accelerate；　or　to　retard　this　advancement　in　different　countries。　It　has　even　happened　that　nations；　being　placed　in　such　unfavourable　circumstances　as　to　render　them　long　stationary　at　a　particular　period；　have　been　so　habituated　to　the　peculiar　manners　of　that　age；　as　to　retain　a　strong　tincture　of　those　peculiarities；　through　every　subsequent　revolution。　This　appears　to　have　occasioned　some　of　the　chief　varieties　which　take　place　in　the　maxims　and　customs　of　nations　equally　civilized。　　　　　The　character　and　genius　of　a　nation　may；　perhaps；　be　considered　as　nearly　the　same　with　that　of　every　other　in　similar　circumstances；　but　the　case　is　very　different　with　respect　to　individuals；　among　whom　there　is　often　a　great　diversity；　proceeding　from　no　fixed　causes　that　are　capable　of　being　ascertained。　Thus；　in　a　multitude　of　dice　thrown　together　at　random；　the　result；　at　different　times；　will　be　nearly　equal；　but　in　one　or　two　throws　of　a　single　die；　very　different　numbers　may　often　be　produced。　It　is　to　be　expected；　therefore；　that；　though　the　greater　part　of　the　political　system　of　any　country　be　derived　from　the　combined　influence　of　the　whole　people；　a　variety　of　peculiar　institutions　will　sometimes　take　their　origin　from　the　casual　interposition　of　particular　persons；　who　happen　to　be　placed　at　the　head　of　a　community；　and　to　be　possessed　of　singular　abilities；　and　views　of　policy。　This　has　been　regarded；　by　many　writers；　as　the　great　source　of　those　differences　which　are　to　be　found　in　the　laws；　and　government　of　different　nations。　It　is　thus　that　Brama　is　supposed　to　have　introduced　the　peculiar　customs　of　Indostan；　that　Lycurgus　is　believed　to　have　formed　the　singular　character　of　the　Lacedemonians；　and　that　Solon　is　looked　upon　as　the　author　of　that　very　different　style　of　manners　which　prevailed　at　Athens。　It　is　thus；　also；　that　the　English　constitution　is　understood　to　have　arisen　from　the　uncommon　genius；　and　patriotic　spirit　of　King　Alfred。　In　short；　there　is　scarcely　any　people；　ancient　or　modern；　who　do　not　boast　of　some　early　monarch；　or　statesman；　to　whom　it　is　pretended　they　owe　whatever　is　remarkable　in　their　form　of　government。　　　　　But；　notwithstanding　the　concurring　testimony　of　historians；　concerning　the　great　political　changes　introduced　by　the　lawgivers　of　a　remote　age；　there　may　be　reason　to　doubt；　whether　the　effect　of　their　interpositions　has　ever　been　so　extensive　as　is　generally　supposed。　Before　an　individual　can　be　invested　with　so　much　authority；　and　possessed　of　such　reflection　and　foresight　as　would　induce　him　to　act　in　the　capacity　of　a　legislator；　he　must；　probably；　have　been　educated　and　brought　up　in　the　knowledge　of　those　natural　manners　and　customs；　which；　for　ages　perhaps；　have　prevailed　among　his　countrymen。　Under　the　influence　of　all　the　prejudices　derived　from　ancient　usage；　he　will　commonly　be　disposed　to　prefer　the　system　already　established　to　any　other；　of　which　the　effects　have　not　been　ascertained　by　experience；　or　if　in　any　case　he　should　venture　to　entertain　a　different　opinion；　he　must　be　sensible　that；　from　the　general　prepossession　in　favour　of　the　ancient　establishment；　an　attempt　to　overturn　it；　or　to　vary　it　in　any　considerable　degree；　would　be　a　dangerous　measure；　extremely　unpopular　in　itself；　and　likely　to　be　attended　with　troublesome　consequences。　　　　　As　the　greater　part　of　those　heroes　and　sages　that　are　reputed　to　have　been　the　founders　and　modellers　of　states；　are　only　recorded　by　uncertain　tradition；　or　by　fabulous　history；　we　may　be　allowed　to