the origin of the distinction of ranks-第12节

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n　the　Gothic　model；　has　thought　proper　to　cover　it　with　a　veil　of　allegory；　which　is　too　dark　to　have　much　beauty　of　its　own；　and　which；　notwithstanding　the　strength　of　imagery　frequently　displayed；　destroys　the　appearance　of　reality；　necessary；　in　works　of　imagination；　to　interest　the　affections。　　　　　When　the　improvement　of　public　shows　had　given　rise　to　dramatic　performances；　the　same　sort　of　manners　was　adopted　in　those　entertainments；　and　the　first　tragedies；　unless　when　founded　upon　religious　subjects；　represented　love　as　the　grand　spring　and　mover　of　every　action；　the　source　of　all　those　hopes　and　fears　with　which　the　principal　persons　were　successively　agitated；　and　of　that　distress　and　misery　in　which　they　were　finally　involved。　This　is　the　more　remarkable；　because；　from　the　rigid　morals　of　that　age；　women　were　not　permitted　to　act　in　those　representations；　and　therefore　the　parts　allotted　to　them；　which　were　performed　by　men；　were　usually　so　conducted　by　the　poet　as　to　bear　a　very　small　proportion　to　the　rest　of　the　piece。　　　　　The　first　deviation　from　this　general　taste　of　composition　in　works　of　entertainment　may　be　discovered　in　Italy；　where　the　revival　of　letters　was　early　attended　with　some　relaxation　of　the　Gothic　institutions　and　manners。　　　　　The　advancement　of　the　Italian　states　in　commerce　and　manufactures　so　early　as　the　thirteenth　century；　had　produced　a　degree　of　opulence　and　luxury；　and　was　followed；　soon　after；　by　the　cultivation　of　the　fine　arts；　and　the　improvement　of　taste　and　science。　The　principal　towns　of　Italy　came　thus　to　be　filled　with　tradesmen　and　merchants；　whose　unwarlike　dispositions；　conformable　to　their　manner　of　life；　were　readily　communicated　to　those　who　had　intercourse　with　them。　To　this　we　may　add　the　influence　of　the　clergy；　who　resorted　in　great　numbers　to　Rome；　as　the　fountain　of　ecclesiastical　preferment；　and　who；　embracing　different　views　and　principles　from　those　of　the　military　profession；　were　enabled　to　propagate　their　opinions　and　sentiments　among　the　greater　part　of　the　inhabitants。　　　　　The　decay　of　the　military　spirit　among　the　Italians　was　manifest　from　their　disuse　of　duelling；　the　most　refined　method　of　executing　private　revenge；　and　from　their　substituting　in　place　of　it　the　more　artful　but　cowardly　practice　of　poisoning。　Their　taste　of　writing　was　in　like　manner　varied　according　to　this　alteration　of　their　circumstances；　and　the　people　began　to　relish　those　ludicrous　descriptions　of　low　life　and　of　licentious　manners　which　we　meet　with　in　the　tales　of　Boccace；　and　many　other　writers；　entirely　repugnant　to　the　gravity　and　decorum　of　former　times；　and　which　appear　to　have　taken　their　origin　from　the　monks；　in　consequence　of　such　dispositions　and　habits　as　their　constrained　and　unnatural　situation　had　a　tendency　to　produce。　This　kind　of　composition；　however；　appears　to　have　been　the　peculiar　growth　of　Italy；　and　those　authors　who　attempted　to　introduce　it　into　other　countries；　as　was　done　by　Chaucer　in　England；　are　only　servile　imitators；　or　rather　mere　translators　of　the　Italians。　　　　　In　the　other　countries　of　Europe；　the　manners　introduced　by　chivalry　were　more　firmly　rooted；　and　acquiring　stability　from　custom；　may　still　be　observed　to　have　a　good　deal　of　influence　upon　the　taste　and　sentiments　even　of　the　present　age。　When　a　change　of　circumstances；　more　than　the　inimitable　ridicule　of　Cervantes；　had　contributed　to　explode　the　ancient　romances；　they　were　succeeded　by　those　serious　novels　which；　in　France　and　England；　are　still　the　favourite　entertainment；　and　which　represent；　in　a　more　moderate　degree；　the　sentiments　of　military　honour；　as　well　as　the　love　and　gallantry　which　prevailed　in　the　writings　of　a　former　period。　The　fashion　of　those　times　has　also　remained　with　us　in　our　theatrical　compositions；　and　scarce　any　author；　till　very　lately；　seems　to　have　thought　that　a　tragedy　without　a　love…plot　could　be　attended　with　success。　　　　　The　great　respect　and　veneration　for　the　ladies；　which　prevailed　in　a　former　period；　has　still　a　considerable　influence　upon　our　behaviour　towards　them；　and　has　occasioned　their　being　treated　with　a　degree　of　politeness；　delicacy；　and　attention；　that　was　unknown　to　the　Greeks　and　Romans；　and　perhaps　to　all　the　nations　of　antiquity。　This　has　given　an　air　of　refinement　to　the　intercourse　of　the　sexes；　which　contributes　to　heighten　the　elegant　pleasures　of　society；　and　may　therefore　be　considered　as　a　valuable　improvement；　arising　from　the　extravagance　of　Gothic　institutions　and　manners。　Section　V　Changes　in　the　condition　of　women；　arising　from　the　improvement　of　useful　arts　and　manufactures　　　　　One　of　the　most　remarkable　differences　between　man　and　other　animals　consists　in　that　wonderful　capacity　for　the　improvement　of　his　faculties　with　which　he　is　endowed。　Never　satisfied　with　any　particular　attainment；　he　is　continually　impelled　by　his　desires　from　the　pursuit　of　one　object　to　that　of　another；　and　his　activity　is　called　forth　in　the　prosecution　of　the　several　arts　which　render　his　situation　more　easy　and　agreeable。　This　progress　however　is　slow　and　gradual；　at　the　same　time　that；　from　the　uniformity　of　the　human　constitution；　it　is　accompanied　with　similar　appearances　in　different　parts　of　the　world。　When　agriculture　has　created　abundance　of　provisions；　people　extend　their　views　to　other　circumstances　of　smaller　importance。　They　endeavour　to　be　clothed　and　lodged；　as　well　as　maintained；　in　a　more　comfortable　manner；　and　they　engage　in　such　occupations　as　are　calculated　for　these　useful　purposes。　By　the　application　of　their　labour　to　a　variety　of　objects；　commodities　of　different　kinds　are　produced。　These　are　exchanged　for　one　another；　according　to　the　demand　of　different　individuals；　and　thus　manufactures；　together　with　commerce；　are　at　length　introduced　into　a　country。　　　　　These　improvements　are　the　source　of　very　important　changes　in　the　state　of　society；　and　particularly　in　relation　to　the　women。　The　advancement　of　people　in　manufactures　and　commerce　has　a　natural　tendency　to　remove　those　circumstances　which　prevented　the　free　intercourse　of　the　sexes；　and　contributed　to　heighten　and　inflame　their　passions。　From　the　cultivation　of　the　arts　of　peace；　the　different　members　of　society　are　more　and　more　united；　and　have　occasion　to　enter　into　a　greater　variety　of　transactions　for　their　mutual　benefit。　As　they　become　more　civilized；　they　perceive　the　advantages　of　establishing　a　regular　government；　and　different　tribes　who　lived　in　a　state　of　independence；　are　restrained　from　injuring　one　another；　and　reduced　under　subjection　to　the　laws。　Their　former　animosities；　the　cause　of　so　much　disturbance；　are　no　longer　cherished　by　fresh　provocation；　and　at　length　are　buried　in　oblivion。　Being　no　longer　withheld　by　mutual　fear　and　jealousy；　they　are　led　by　degrees　to　contract　an　acquaintance；　and　to　carry　on　a　more　intimate　correspondence。　The　men　and　women　of　different　families　are　permitted　to　converse　with　more　ease　and　freedom；　and　meet　with　less　opposition　to　the　indulgence　of　their　inclinations。　　　　　But　while　the　fair　sex　become　less　frequently　the　objects　of　those　romantic　and　extravagant　passions；　which　in　some　measure　arise　from　the　disorders　of　society；　they　are　more　universally　regarded　upon　account　of　their　useful　or　agreeable　talents。　　　　　When　men　begin　to　disuse　their　ancient　barbarous　practices；　when　their　attention　is　not　wholly　engrossed　by　the　pursuit　of　military　reputation；　when　they　have　made　some　progress　in　arts；　and　have　attained　to　a　proportional　degree　of　refinement；　they　are　necessarily　led　to　set　a　value　upon　those　female　accomplishments　and　virtues　which　have　so　much　influence　upon　every　species　of　improvement；　and　which　contribute　in　so　many　different　ways　to　multiply　the　comforts　of　life。　In　this　situation；　the　women　become；　neither　the　slaves；　nor　the　idols　of　the　other　sex；　but　the　friends　and　companions。　The　wife　obtains　that　rank　and　station　which　appears　most　agreeable　to　reason；　being　suited　to　her　character　and　talents。　Loaded　by　nature　with　the　first　and　most　immediate　concern　in　rearing　and　maintaining　the　children；　she　is　endowed　with　such　dispositions　as　fit　her　for　the　discharge　of　this　important　duty；　and　is　at　the　same　time　particularly　qualified　for　all　such　employments　as　require　skill　and　dexterity　more　than　strength；　which　are　so　necessary　in　the　interior　management　of　the　family。　Possessed　of　peculiar　delicacy；　and　sensibility；　whether　derived　from　original　constitution；　or　from　her　way　of　life；　she　is　capable　of　securing　the　esteem　and　affection　of　her　husband；　by　dividing　his　cares；　by　sharing　his　joys；　and　by　soothing　his　misfortunes。　　　　　The　regard；　which　is　thus　shown　to　the　useful　talents　and　accomplishments　of　the　women；　cannot　fail　to　operate　in　directing　their　education；　and　in　forming　their　manners。　They　learn　to　suit　their　behaviour　to　the　circumstances　in　which　they　are　placed；　and　to　that　particular　standard　of　propriety　and　excellence　which　is　set　before　them。　Being　respected　upon　account　of　their　diligence　and　proficiency　in　the　various　branches　of　domestic　economy；　they　naturally　endeavour　to　improve　and　extend　those　valuable　qualifications。　They　are　taught　to　apply　with　assiduity　to　those　o