the origin of the distinction of ranks-第13节

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improve　and　extend　those　valuable　qualifications。　They　are　taught　to　apply　with　assiduity　to　those　occupations　which　fall　under　their　province；　and　to　look　upon　idleness　as　the　greatest　blemish　in　the　female　character。　They　are　instructed　betimes　in　whatever　will　qualify　them　for　the　duties　of　their　station；　and　is　thought　conducive　to　the　ornament　of　private　life。　Engaged　in　these　solid　pursuits；　they　are　less　apt　to　be　distinguished　by　such　brilliant　accomplishments　as　make　a　figure　in　the　circle　of　gaiety　and　amusement。　Accustomed　to　live　in　retirement；　and　to　keep　company　with　their　nearest　relations　and　friends；　they　are　inspired　with　all　that　modesty　and　diffidence　which　is　natural　to　persons　unacquainted　with　promiscuous　conversation；　and　their　affections　are　neither　dissipated　by　pleasure；　nor　corrupted　by　the　vicious　custom　of　the　world。　As　their　attention　is　principally　bestowed　upon　the　members　of　their　own　family；　they　are　led　in　a　particular　manner　to　improve　those　feelings　of　the　heart　which　are　excited　by　these　tender　connections；　and　they　are　trained　up　in　the　practice　of　all　domestic　virtues。　　　　　The　celebrated　character；　drawn　by　Solomon；　of　the　virtuous　woman；　is　highly　expressive　of　those　ideas　and　sentiments；　which　are　commonly　entertained　by　a　people　advancing　in　commerce　and　in　the　arts　of　life。　　　　　She　seeketh　wool　and　flax；　and　worketh　willingly　with　her　hands。　She　is　like　the　merchant　ships；　she　bringeth　her　food　from　afar。　　　　　She　riseth　also　while　it　is　yet　night；　and　giveth　meat　to　her　household；　and　a　portion　to　her　maidens。　　　　　She　considereth　a　field　and　buyeth　it：　with　the　fruit　of　her　hands　she　planteth　a　vineyard。　　　　　She　perceiveth　that　her　merchandise　is　good：　her　candle　goeth　not　out　by　night。　　　　　She　layeth　her　hands　to　the　spindle；　and　her　hands　hold　the　distaff。　　　　　She　stretcheth　out　her　hand　to　the　poor；　yea；　she　reacheth　forth　her　hands　to　the　needy。　　　　　She　is　not　afraid　of　the　snow　for　her　household：　for　all　her　household　are　cloathed　with　scarlet。　　　　　She　maketh　herself　coverings　of　tapestry；　her　cloathing　is　silk　and　purple。　　　　　Her　husband　is　known　in　the　gates；　when　he　sitteth　among　the　elders　of　the　land。　　　　　She　maketh　fine　linen；　and　selleth　it；　and　delivereth　girdles　unto　the　merchant。　　　　　Strength　and　honour　are　her　cloathing；　and　she　shall　rejoice　in　time　to　come。　　　　　She　openeth　her　mouth　with　wisdom；　and　in　her　tongue　is　the　law　of　kindness。　　　　　She　looketh　well　to　the　ways　of　her　household；　and　eateth　not　the　bread　of　idleness。（31*）　　　　　In　many　of　the　Greek　states；　during　their　most　flourishing　periods；　it　appears；　that　the　women　were　viewed　nearly　in　the　same　light；　and　that　their　education　was　chiefly　calculated　to　improve　their　industry　and　talents；　so　as　to　render　them　useful　members　of　society。　Their　attention　seems　to　have　been　engrossed　by　the　care　of　their　own　families；　and　by　those　smaller　branches　of　manufacture　which　they　were　qualified　to　exercise。　They　were　usually　lodged　in　a　remote　apartment　of　the　house；　and　were　seldom　visited　by　any　person　except　their　near　relations。　Their　modesty　and　reserve；　and　their　notions　of　a　behaviour　suited　to　the　female　character；　were　such　as　might　be　expected　from　their　retired　manner　of　life。　They　never　appeared　abroad　without　being　covered　with　a　veil；　and　were　not　allowed　to　be　present　at　any　public　entertainment。　'As　for　you；　women；'　says　Pericles；　in　one　of　the　orations　in　Thucydides；　'it　ought　to　be　the　constant　aim　of　your　sex　to　avoid　being　talked　of　by　the　public；　and　it　is　your　highest　commendation　that　you　should　never　be　the　objects　either　of　applause　or　censure。'（32*）　　　　　Lysias；　in　one　of　his　orations；　has　introduced　a　widow；　the　mother　of　several　children；　who　considers　her　appearing　in　public　as　one　of　the　most　desperate　measures　to　which　she　could　be　driven　by　her　misfortunes。　She　prays　and　entreats　her　son…in…law　to　call　together　her　relations　and　friends；　that　she　might　inform　them　of　her　situation。　'I　have；'　says　she；　'never　before　been　accustomed　to　speak　in　the　presence　of　men；　but　I　am　compelled　by　my　sufferings　to　complain　of　the　injuries　I　have　met　with。'（33*）　　　　　In　another　oration；　composed　by　the　same　author；　a　citizen；　accused　of　murdering　his　wife's　gallant；　gives　the　following　simple　narrative　of　his　domestic　economy。　　　　　When　I　first　entered　into　the　married　state；　Athenians！　I　endeavoured　to　observe　a　medium　between　the　harsh　severity　of　some　husbands；　and　the　easy　fondness　of　others。　My　wife；　though　treated　with　kindness；　was　watched　with　attention。　As　a　husband；　I　rendered　her　situation　agreeable；　but　as　a　woman；　she　was　left　neither　the　entire　mistress　of　my　fortune；　nor　of　her　own　actions。　When　she　became　a　mother；　this　new　endearment　softened　and　overcame　the　prudent　caution　of　my　former　conduct；　and　engaged　me　to　repose　in　her　an　unlimited　confidence。　During　a　short　time；　Athenians！　I　had　no　occasion　to　repent　of　this　alteration：　she　proved　a　most　excellent　wife；　and；　highly　circumspect　in　her　private　behaviour；　she　managed　my　affairs　with　the　utmost　diligence　and　frugality。　But　since　the　death　of　my　mother；　she　has　been　the　cause　of　all　my　calamities。　Then　she　first　got　abroad　to　attend　the　funeral；　and　being　observed　by　Eratosthenes；　was　soon　after　seduced　by　him。　This　he　affected　by　means　of　our　female　slave；　whom　he　watched　going　to　market；　and　whom；　by　fair　promises　and　flattery；　he　drew　over　to　his　designs。　　　　　It　is　necessary　you　should　be　informed；　Athenians！　that　my　house　consists　of　two　floors；　the　floor　above　is　laid　out　in　a　similar　manner　to　that　below；　this　lodges　the　men；　that　above　is　destined　for　the　women。　Upon　the　birth　of　our　son；　my　wife　suckled　him　herself；　and　to　relieve　her　from　the　fatigue　of　going　below　stirs　as　often　as　it　Was　necessary　to　bathe　him；　I　yielded　up　the　ground　floor　to　the　women；　and　kept　above　stairs　myself。　She　still　continued；　however；　to　sleep　with　me　during　the　night；　and　when　the　child　Was　peevish；　and　fell　a…crying；　she　frequently　went　below　stairs；　and　offered　it　the　breast。　This　practice　was　long　continued　without　any　suspicion　on　my　part；　who；　simple　man　that　I　was！　regarded　my　spouse　as　a　prodigy　of　virtue。（34*）　　　　　Solon　is　said　to　have　made　regulations　for　preventing　the　women　from　violating　those　decorums　which　were　esteemed　essential　to　their　character。　He　appointed　that　no　matron　should　go　from　home　with　more　than　three　garments；　nor　a　larger　quantity　of　provisions　than　could　be　purchased　for　an　obolus。　He　also　provided；　that　when　any　matron　went　abroad；　she　should　always　have　an　attendant；　and　a　lighted　torch　carried　before　her。　　　　　At　Athens；　a　man　was　not　permitted　to　approach　the　apartment　of　his　step…mother；　or　her　children；　though　living　in　the　same　house；　which　is　given；　by　Mr　Hume；　as　the　reason　why；　by　the　Athenian　laws；　one　might　marry　his　half…sister　by　the　father；　for　as　these　relations　had　no　more　intercourse　than　the　men　and　women　of　different　families；　there　was　no　greater　danger　of　any　criminal　correspondence　between　them。　　　　　It　is　probable；　that　the　recluse　situation　of　the　Grecian　women；　which　was　adapted　to　the　circumstances　of　the　people　upon　their　first　advancement　in　arts；　was　afterwards　maintained　from　an　inviolable　respect　to　their　ancient　institutions。　The　democratical　form　of　government；　which　came　to　be　established　in　most　parts　of　Greece；　had；　at　the　same　time；　a　tendency　to　occuPy　the　people　in　the　management　of　public　affairs；　and　to　engage　them　in　those　pursuits　of　ambition；　from　which　the　women　were　naturally　excluded。　It　must　however　be　admitted　that；　while　such　a　state　of　manners　might　be　conducive　to　the　more　solid　enjoyments　of　life；　it　undoubtedly　prevented　the　two　sexes　from　improving　the　arts　of　conversation；　and　from　giving　a　polish　to　the　expression　of　their　thoughts　and　sentiments。　Hence　it　is；　that　the　Greek；　notwithstanding　their　learning　and　good　sense；　were　remarkably　deficient　in　delicacy　and　politeness；　and　were　so　little　judges　of　propriety　in　wit　and　humour；　as　to　relish　the　low　ribaldry　of　an　Aristophanes；　at　a　period　when　they　were　entertained　with　the　sublime　eloquence　of　a　Demosthenes；　and　with　the　pathetic　compositions　of　a　Euripides　and　a　Sophocles。　　　　　The　military　character　in　ancient　Greece；　considered　with　respect　to　politeness；　and　compared　with　the　same　character　in　modern　times；　seems　to　afford　a　good　illustration　of　what　has　been　observed。　Soldiers；　as　they　are　men　of　the　world；　have　usually　such　manners　as　are　formed　by　company　and　conversation。　But　in　ancient　Greece　they　were　no　less　remarkable　for　rusticity　and　ill…manners；　than　in　the　modern　nations　of　Europe　they　are　distinguished　by　politeness　and　good…breeding；　for　Menander；　the　comic　poet；　says；　that　he　can　hardly　conceive　such　a　character　as　that　of　a　polite　soldier　to　be　formed　even　by　the　power　of　the　Deity。　　　　　When　the　Romans；　towards　the　middle　of　the　Commonwealth；　had　become　in　some　degree　civilized；　it　is　probable　that　the　condition　of　their　women　was　nearly　the　same　with　that　of　the　Greek　in　the　period　abovementioned。　But　it　appears　that；　at　Rome；　the　circumstances　of　the　people　underwent　very　rapid　changes　in　this　particular。　By　the　conquest　of　many　opulent　nations；　great　wealth　was　suddenly　imported　into　th