the origin of the distinction of ranks-第22节

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of　acquiring　any　considerable　property；　and　there　are　no　distinctions　in　the　rank　of　individuals；　but　those　which　arise　from　their　personal　qualities；　either　of　mind　or　body。　　　　　The　strongest　man　in　a　village；　the　man　who　excels　in　running；　in　wrestling；　or　in　handling　those　weapons　which　are　made　use　of　in　war；　is；　in　every　contest；　possessed　of　an　evident　advantage；　which　cannot　fail　to　render　him　conspicuous；　and　to　command　respect　and　deference。　In　their　games　and　exercises；　being　generally　victorious；　he　gains　an　ascendency　over　his　companions；　which　disposes　them　to　yield　him　pre…eminence；　and　to　rest　fully　satisfied　of　his　superior　abilities。　When　they　go　out　to　battle；　he　is　placed　at　their　head；　and　permitted　to　occupy　that　station　where　his　behaviour　is　most　likely　to　be　distinguished　and　applauded。　His　exploits　and　feats　of　activity　are　regarded　by　his　followers　with　pleasure　and　admiration；　and　he　becomes　their　boast　and　champion　in　every　strife　or　competition　with　their　neighbours。　The　more　they　have　been　accustomed　to　follow　his　banner；　they　contract　a　stronger　attachment　to　his　person；　are　more　afraid　of　incurring　his　displeasure；　and　discover　more　readiness　to　execute　those　measures　which　he　think　proper　to　suggest。　Instead　of　being　mortified　by　his　greatness；　they　imagine　that　it　reflects　honour　upon　the　society　to　which　he　belongs；　and　are　even　disposed　to　magnify　his　prowess　with　that　fond　partiality　which　they　entertain　in　favour　of　themselves。　　　　　In　many　savage　tribes　the　captain　of　an　expedition　is　commonly　chosen　from　the　number　of　wounds　he　has　received　in　battle。　The　Indians　of　Chili　are　said；　in　the　choice　of　a　leader　to　regard　only　his　superior　strength；　and　to　determine　this　point　according　to　the　burden　which　he　is　able　to　carry。（2*）　　　　　Montaigne　gives　an　account　of　three　West　Indian　savages；　who　came　to　Rouen　when　Charles　IX　was　there。　　　　　The　king　＇says　he＇　discoursed　a　long　time　with　them。　They　were　shown　our　manner　of　living；　our　pomp；　and　the　several　beauties　of　that　great　city。　Some　time　after；　a　gentleman　asked　what　it　was　that　struck　them　most　among　the　various　objects　they　had　seen。　They　answered；　three　things。　First；　They　thought　it　very　strange　that　so　many　tall　men；　wearing　beards；　and　standing　round　the　king　（these　in　all　probability　were　his　Swiss　guards）　should　submit　voluntarily　to　a　child；　and　that　they　did　not　rather　choose　to　be　governed　by　one　of　themselves。（3*）　　　　　But　when　a　people　have　begun　to　make　improvements　in　their　manner　of　fighting；　they　are　soon　led　to　introduce　a　variety　of　stratagem；　in　order　to　deceive　their　enemy；　and　are　often　no　less　indebted　to　the　art　and　address　which　they　employ；　than　to　the　strength　or　courage　which　they　have　occasion　to　exert。　Thus；　military　skill　and　conduct　are　raised　to　higher　degrees　of　estimation；　and　the　experience　of　a　Nestor；　or　the　cunning　of　a　Ulysses；　being　found　more　useful　than　the　brutal　force　of　an　Ajax；　is　frequently　the　source　of　greater　influence　and　authority。　　　　　This；　as　has　been　formerly　observed；　is　the　foundation　of　that　respect　and　reverence　which　among　early　nations　is　commonly　paid　to　old　men。　From　this　cause　also　it　happens；　that　the　leader　of　a　barbarous　tribe　is　often　a　person　somewhat　advanced　in　years；　who　retaining　still　his　bodily　strength；　has　had　time　to　acquire　experience　in　the　art　of　war；　and　to　obtain　a　distinguished　reputation　by　his　achievements。　　　　　The　effect　of　these　circumstances；　to　raise　and　support　the　authority　of　a　leader　or　chief；　is　sufficiently　obvious；　and　is　fully　illustrated；　not　only　from　the　uniform　history　of　mankind　in　a　barbarous　state；　but　also　from　a　variety　of　particulars　which　may　be　observed　in　the　intercourse　of　polished　society。　　　　　And　the　people　and　princes　of　Gilead　said　one　to　another；　What　man　is　he　that　will　begin　to　fight　against　the　children　of　Ammon？　He　shall　be　head　over　all　the　inhabitants　of　Gilead。　　　　　Now　Jephthah　the　Gileadite　was　a　mighty　man　of　valour；　and　he　was　the　son　of　an　harlot；　and　Gilead　begat　Jephthah。　　　　　And　Gilead's　wife　bare　him　sons；　and　his　wife's　sons　grew　up；　and　they　thrust　out　Jephthah；　and　said　unto　him；　Thou　shalt　not　inherit　in　our　father's　house；　for　thou　art　the　son　of　a　strange　woman。　　　　　Then　Jephthah　fled　from　his　brethren；　and　dwelt　in　the　land　of　Tob；　and　there　were　gathered　vain　men　to　Jephthah；　and　went　out　with　him。　　　　　And　it　came　to　pass；　in　process　of　time；　that　the　children　of　Ammon　made　war　against　Israel。　　　　　And　it　was　so；　that　when　the　children　of　Ammon　made　war　against　Israel；　the　elders　of　Gilead　went　to　fetch　Jephthah　out　of　the　land　of　Tob。　　　　　And　they　said　unto　Jephthah；　Come；　and　be　our　captain；　that　we　may　fight　with　the　children　of　Ammon。　　　　　And　Jephthah　said　unto　the　elders　of　Gilead；　Did　ye　not　hate　me；　and　expel　me　out　of　my　father's　house？　and　why　are　ye　come　unto　me　now；　when　ve　are　in　distress？　　　　　And　the　elders　of　Gilead　said　unto　Jephthah；　Therefore　we　turn　to　thee　now；　that　thou　mayest　go　with　us；　and　fight　against　the　children　of　Ammon；　and　be　our　head　over　all　the　inhabitants　of　Gilead。　　　　　And　Jephthah　said　unto　the　elders　of　Gilead；　if　ye　bring　me　home　again　to　fight　against　the　children　of　Ammon；　and　the　Lord　deliver　them　before　me；　shall　I　be　your　head？　　　　　And　the　elders　of　Gilead　said　unto　Jephthah；　The　Lord　be　witness　between　us；　if　we　do　not　so；　according　to　thy　words。　　　　　Then　Jephthah　went　with　the　elders　of　Gilead；　and　the　people　made　him　head　and　captain　over　them：　and　Jephthah　uttered　all　his　words　before　the　Lord　in　Mizpeh。（4*）　　　　　When　Saul　was　afterwards　appointed　king　over　the　Jewish　nation；　we　find　that　the　prophet　Samuel　recommends　him　to　the　people；　merely　upon　account　of　his　superior　stature；　and　the　advantages　of　his　person。　　　　　And　when　he　stood　among　the　people；　he　was　higher　than　any　of　the　people　from　his　shoulders　and　upward。　　　　　And　Samuel　said　to　all　the　people；　See　ye　him　whom　the　Lord　hath　chosen；　that　there　is　none　like　him　among　all　the　people？　And　all　the　people　shouted；　and　said；　God　save　the　king。（5*）　　　　　In　like　manner；　when　the　family　of　this　prince　was　deprived　of　the　crown；　the　minds　of　the　people　were　prepared　for　that　revolution　by　the　opinion　which　they　entertained　of　the　superior　valour　and　military　accomplishments　of　his　successor。　　　　　And　it　came　to　pass；　when　David　was　returned　from　the　slaughter　of　the　Phillistine；　that　the　women　came　out　of　all　the　cities　of　Israel；　singing　and　dancing；　to　meet　king　Saul；　with　tabrets；　with　joy；　and　with　instruments　of　music。　　　　　And　the　women　answered　one　another　as　they　played；　and　said；　Saul　hath　slain　his　thousands；　and　David　his　ten　thousands。（6*）　　　　　After　mankind　have　fallen　upon　the　expedient　of　taming　and　pasturing　cattle；　in　order　to　render　their　situation　more　comfortable；　there　arises　another　source　of　influence　and　authority　which　was　formerly　unknown　to　them。　In　their　herds　and　flocks　they　frequently　enjoy　considerable　wealth；　which　is　distributed　in　various　proportions；　according　to　the　industry　or　good　fortune　of　different　individuals；　and　those　who　are　poor　become　dependent　upon　the　rich；　who　are　capable　of　relieving　their　necessities；　and　affording　them　subsistence。　As　the　preeminence　and　superior　abilities　of　the　chief　are　naturally　exerted　in　the　acquisition　of　that　wealth　which　is　then　introduced；　he　becomes　of　course　the　richest　man　in　the　society。　and　his　influence　is　rendered　proportionably　more　extensive。　According　to　the　estate　which　he　has　accumulated；　he　is　exalted　to　a　higher　rank；　lives　in　greater　magnificence；　and　keeps　a　more　numerous　train　of　servants　and　retainers；　who；　in　return　for　that　maintenance　and　protection　which　they　receive　from　him；　are　accustomed　in　all　cases　to　support　his　power　and　dignity。（7*）　　　　　The　authority　derived　from　wealth；　is　not　only　greater　than　that　which　arises　from　mere　personal　accomplishments；　but　also　more　stable　and　permanent。　Extraordinary　endowments；　either　of　mind　or　body；　can　operate　only　during　the　life　of　the　possessor；　and　are　seldom　continued　for　any　length　of　time　in　the　same　family。　But　a　man　usually　transmits　his　fortune　to　his　posterity；　and　along　with　it　all　the　means　of　creating　dependence　which　he　enjoyed。　Thus　the　son；　who　inherits　the　estate　of　his　father；　is　enabled　to　maintain　an　equal　rank；　at　the　same　time　that　he　preserves　all　the　influence　acquired　by　the　former　proprietor；　which　is　daily　augmented　by　the　power　of　habit；　and　becomes　more　considerable　as　it　passes　from　one　generation　to　another。　　　　　Hence　that　regard　to　genealogy　and　descent　which　we　often　meet　with　among　those　who　have　remained　long　in　a　pastoral　state。　From　the　simplicity　of　their　manners；　they　are　not　apt　to　squander　or　alienate　their　possessions；　and　the　representative　of　an　ancient　family　is　naturally　disposed　to　be　ostentatious　of　a　circumstance　which　contributes　so　much　to　increase　his　power　and　authority。　All　the　Tartars；　of　whatever　country　or　religion；　have　an　exact　knowledge　of　the　tribe　from　which　they　are　descended；　and　are　at　great　pains　to　ascertain　the　several　branches　into　which　it　divided。　　　　　For　the　same　reason　the　dignity　of　the　chief；　which　in　a　former　period　was　frequently　elective；　is；　among　shepherds；　more　commonly　transmitted　from　father　to