the origin of the distinction of ranks-第10节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


overs　any　resentment　upon　that　account；　nor　seems　unwilling　to　receive　her　again　into　favour。　　　　　Even　the　wife　of　Ulysses；　whose　virtue　in　refusing　the　suitors　is　highly　celebrated　in　the　Odyssey；　is　supposed　to　derive　her　principal　merit　from　preserving　to　her　husband's　family　the　dowery　which　she　had　brought　along　with　her；　and　which；　it　seems；　upon　her　second　marriage；　must　have　been　restored　to　her　father　Icarius。　　　　　And　though　Telemachus　is　always　represented　as　a　pious　and　dutiful　son；　we　find　him　reproving　his　mother　in　a　manner　which　shows　he　had　no　very　high　notion　of　her　dignity；　or　of　the　respect　which　belonged　to　her　sex。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　your　widowed　hours；　apart；　with　female　toil；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　various　labours　of　the　loom；　beguile；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　There　rule；　from　palace　cares　remote　and　free；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　That　care　to　man　belongs；　and　most　to　me。（28*）　　　　　Penelope；　so　far　from　being　offended　at　this　language；　appears　to　consider　it　as　a　mark　of　uncommon　prudence　and　judgment　in　so　young　a　person。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Mature　beyond　his　years；　the　queen　admires　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　His　sage　reply；　and　with　her　train　retires。　　　　　In　all　parts　of　the　world；　where　the　advancement　of　agriculture　has　introduced　the　appropriation　of　landed　estates；　it　will　be　found　that　the　manners　of　the　inhabitants　are　such；　as　indicate　considerable　improvements　in　the　commerce　of　the　sexes。　　　　　But　the　acquisition　of　property　in　land；　the　jealousy　arising　from　the　distinction　of　ranks；　and　the　animosities　which　are　apt　to　be　produced　by　the　neighbourhood　of　great　independent　families；　appear　to　have　been　attended　with　the　most　remarkable　consequences　in　those　barbarous　nations；　who；　about　the　fifth　century；　invaded　the　Roman　empire；　and　afterwards　settled　in　the　different　provinces　which　they　had　conquered。　　　　　As　those　nations　were　small；　and　as　they　acquired　an　extensive　territory；　the　different　tribes　or　families　of　which　they　were　composed　spread　themselves　over　the　country；　and　were　permitted　to　occupy　very　large　estates。　Particular　chieftains　or　heads　of　families　became　great　and　powerful　in　proportion　to　their　wealth；　which　enabled　them　to　support　a　numerous　train　of　retainers　and　followers。　A　great　number　of　these　were　united　under　a　sovereign；　for　the　different　parts　of　a　Roman　province；　having　a　dependence　upon　one　another；　fell　naturally　into　the　hands　of　the　same　military　leader；　and　were　erected　into　one　kingdom。　But；　in　a　rude　age；　unaccustomed　to　subordination；　the　monarch　could　have　little　authority　over　such　wide　dominions。　The　opulent　proprietors　of　land；　disdaining　submission　to　regular　government；　lived　in　the　constant　exercise　of　predatory　incursions　upon　their　neighbours；　and　every　separate　family；　being　in　a　great　measure　left　without　protection　from　the　public；　was　under　the　necessity　of　providing　for　its　own　defence。　The　disorders　arising　from　private　wars　between　different　families　of　the　same　kingdom；　were　not　effectually　repressed　for　many　centuries；　during　which　time　the　same　causes　continued　to　operate　in　forming　the　character　and　manners　of　the　people；　and　gave　rise　to　a　set　of　custom　and　institutions　of　which　we　have　no　example　in　any　other　age　or　country。　　　　　The　high　notions　of　military　honour；　and　the　romantic　love　and　gallantry；　by　which　the　modern　nations　of　Europe　have　been　so　much　distinguished；　were　equally　derived　from　those　particular　circumstances。　　　　　As　war　was　the　principal　employment　of　those　nations；　so　it　was　carried　on　in　a　manner　somewhat　peculiar　to　themselves。　Their　military　enterprises　were　less　frequently　undertaken　against　a　foreign　enemy　than　against　the　inhabitants　of　a　neighbouring　district；　and　on　these　latter　occasions；　the　chief　warriors　of　either　party；　were；　from　the　smallness　of　their　numbers；　known　to　each　other；　and　distinguished　by　the　respective　degrees　of　strength　or　valour　which　they　possessed。　The　members　of　different　families；　who　had　long　been　at　variance；　were　therefore　animated　with　a　strong　personal　animosity；　and　as；　in　the　time　of　an　engagement；　they　were　disposed　to　single　out　one　another；　a　battle　was　frequently　nothing　more　than　a　number　of　separate　duels　between　combatants　inspired　with　mutual　jealousy；　and　contending　for　superiority　in　military　prowess。　As　the　individuals　of　different　parties　were　inflamed　by　opposition；　those　of　the　same　party；　conscious　of　acting　under　the　particular　observation　of　all　their　companions；　were　excited　to　vie　with　each　other　in　the　performance　of　such　exploits　as　might　procure　admiration　and　applause。　In　this　situation　they　not　only　contracted　habits　which　rendered　them　cool　and　intrepid　in　danger；　but　at　the　same　time　acquired　a　remarkable　generosity　of　sentiment　in　the　exercise　of　their　mutual　hostilities。　Persons；　who　aspired　to　superior　rank　and　influence；　fought　merely　to　obtain　a　reputation　in　arms；　and　affected　to　look　upon　every　other　consideration　as　mean　and　ignoble。　Having　this　object　in　view；　they　thought　it　disgraceful　to　assault　an　enemy　when　unprepared　for　his　defence；　or　without　putting　him　upon　his　guard　by　a　previous　challenge；　and　they　disdained　to　practise　unfair　means　in　order　to　gain　a　victory；　or　to　use　it　with　insolence　and　barbarity。　These　notions　of　honour　were　productive　of　certain　rules　and　maxims；　by　which　the　gentry　were　directed　in　their　whole　manner　of　fighting；　and　from　which　they　never　deviated　without　bringing　an　indelible　stain　upon　their　character。　　　　　The　ideas　of　personal　dignity；　which　were　thus　raised　to　so　high　a　pitch　among　neighbouring　families；　were　incompatible　with　any　regular　distribution　of　justice。　Men　of　wealth　and　distinction　were　unwilling　to　apply　to　a　magistrate　in　order　to　procure　redress　for　the　injuries　or　affronts　which　they　sustained；　because　this　would　have　amounted　to　a　confusion　that　they　were　unable　to　assert　their　character　and　rank；　by　taking　vengeance　upon　the　offender。　If　a　law…suit　had　arisen　in　matters　of　property；　it　commonly　happened　in　the　progress　of　the　dispute；　that　one　of　the　parties　gave　such　offence　to　the　other；　as　occasioned　their　deciding　the　difference　by　the　sword。　The　judge；　who　found　himself　incapable　of　preventing　this　determination；　endeavoured　to　render　it　less　hurtful　to　society；　by　discouraging　the　friends　of　either　party　from　interfering　in　the　quarrel。　With　this　view；　he　assumed　the　privilege　of　regulating　the　forms；　and　even　became　a　spectator　of　the　combat；　which　in　that　age；　no　less　prone　to　superstition　than　intoxicated　with　the　love　of　military　glory；　was　considered　as　an　immediate　appeal　to　the　judgment　of　heaven。　These　judicial　combats；　though　they　did　not　introduce　the　custom　of　duelling；　had　certainly　a　tendency　to　render　it　more　universal；　and　to　settle　a　variety　of　observances　with　which　it　came　to　be　attended。　　　　　The　diversions　of　a　people　have　always　a　relation　to　their　general　character　and　manners。　It　was　therefore　to　be　expected　that　such　warlike　nations　would　be　extremely　addicted　to　martial　exercises；　and　that　the　members　of　different　tribes　or　families；　when　not　engaged　in　actual　hostilities；　would　be　accustomed　to　challenge　one　another　to　a　trial　of　their　strength；　activity；　or　military　skill。　Hence　the　origin　of　jousts　and　tournaments；　those　images　of　war；　which　were　frequently　exhibited　by　men　of　rank　and　which　tended　still　farther　to　improve　those　nice　punctilios　of　behaviour　that　were　commonly　practised　by　the　military　people　in　every　serious　contest。　　　　　From　this　prevailing　spirit　of　the　times；　the　art　of　war　became　the　study　of　everyone　who　was　desirous　of　maintaining　the　character　of　a　gentleman。　The　youth　were　early　initiated　in　the　profession　of　arm；and　served　a　sort　of　apprenticeship　under　persons　of　distinguished　eminence。　The　young　squire　became　in　reality　the　servant　of　that　leader　to　whom　he　had　attached　himself；　and　whose　virtues　were　set　before　him　as　a　model　for　imitation。　He　was　taught　to　perform　with　ease　and　dexterity　those　exercises　which　were　either　ornamental　or　useful；　and；　at　the　same　time；　he　endeavoured　to　acquire　those　talents　and　accomplishments　which　were　thought　suitable　to　his　profession。　He　was　taught　to　look　upon　it　as　his　duty　to　check　the　insolent；　to　restrain　the　oppressor；　to　protect　the　weak　and　defenceless；　to　behave　with　frankness　and　humanity　even　to　an　enemy；　with　modesty　and　politeness　to　all。　According　to　the　proficiency　which　he　had　made；　he　was　honoured　with　new　titles　and　marks　of　distinction；　till　at　length　he　arrived　at　the　dignity　of　knighthood；　a　dignity　which　even　the　greatest　potentates　were　ambitious　of　acquiring；　as　it　was　supposed　to　ascertain　the　most　complete　military　education；　and　the　attainment　of　such　qualifications　as　were　then　universally　admired　and　respected。　　　　　The　same　ambition；　in　persons　of　an　exalted　military　rank；　which　gave　rise　to　the　institution　of　chivalry；　was　afterwards　productive　of　the　different　orders　of　knighthood；　by　which；　from　a　variety　of　similar　establishments　in　the　several　kingdom　of　Europe；　a　subdivision　was　made　in　the　degrees　of　honour　conferred　upon　individuals。　　　　　The　situation　of　mankind　in　those　periods　had　also　a　manifest　tendency　to　heighten　and　improve　the　passion　between　the　sexes。　It　was　not　to　be　expected　that　thos