the origin of the distinction of ranks-第27节

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in　their　institutions　and　customs。　　　　　These　different　communities　being　frequently　at　war；　and　being　exposed　to　continual　invasions　from　their　neighbours；　are　in　many　cases　determined；　by　the　consideration　of　their　mutual　interest；　to　unite　against　their　common　enemies；　and　to　form　a　variety　of　combinations；　which；　from　the　influence　of　particular　circumstances；　are　more　or　less　permanent。　Having　found　the　advantage　of　joining　their　forces　in　one　expedition；　they　are　naturally　disposed　to　continue　the　like　association　in　another；　and　by　degrees　are　encouraged　to　enter　into　a　general　alliance。　The　intercourse　which　people；　in　such　a　situation；　have　maintained　in　war　will　not　be　entirely　dissolved　even　in　time　of　peace；　and　though　the　different　villages　should　be　originally　strangers　to　each　other；　yet；　having　many　opportunities　of　assembling　in　their　military　enterprises；　they　cannot　fail　to　contract　an　acquaintance；　which　will　become　an　inducement　to　their　future　correspondence。　They　have　frequent　opportunities　of　meeting　in　their　common　sports　and　diversions；　the　leading　men　entertain　one　another　with　rustic　hospitality　and　magnificence：　intermarriages　begin　to　take　place　between　their　respective　families；　and　the　various　connexions　of　society　are　gradually　multiplied　and　extended。　　　　　An　alliance　for　mutual　defence　and　security　is　a　measure　suggested　by　such　obvious　views　of　expediency　that　it　must　frequently　take　place；　not　only　among　tribes　of　husbandmen；　but　also　among　those　of　shepherds；　and　even　of　mere　savages。　Many　instances　of　it　are；　accordingly；　to　be　found　in　Tartary；　upon　the　coast　of　Guinea；　in　the　history　of　the　ancient　Germans；　and　among　the　Indians　of　America。　But　such　alliances　are　not　likely　to　produce　a　permanent　union；　until　the　populousness　of　a　country　has　been　increased　by　agriculture；　and　the　inhabitants；　in　consequence　of　that　employment；　have　taken　up　a　fixed　residence　in　the　same　neighbourhood。　　　　　From　a　confederacy　of　this　kind；　a　very　simple　form　of　government　is　commonly　established。　As　every　village；　or　separate　community；　is　subjected　to　its　own　leader；　their　joint　measures　fall　naturally　under　the　direction　of　all　those　distinguished　personages；　whose　frequent　meeting　and　deliberation　gives　rise；　in　a　short　time；　to　a　regular　council；　or　senate；　invested　with　a　degree　of　power　and　authority　corresponding　to　what　each　of　its　members　has　acquired　over　his　own　particular　domestics　and　retainers。　　　　　The　same　considerations　however　which　determine　the　individuals　of　a　single　tribe　to　be　guided　by　a　particular　person　in　their　smaller　expeditions；　must　recommend　a　similar　expedient　in　conducting　a　numerous　army；　composed　of　different　clans；　often　disagreeing　in　their　views；　and　little　connected　with　each　other。　While　every　chief　has　the　conduct　of　his　own　dependents；　it　is　found　convenient　that　some　one　leader　should　be　instructed　with　the　supreme　command　of　their　united　forces；　and　as　that　dignity　is　commonly　bestowed　upon　the　person　who；　by　his　opulence；　is　most　capable　of　supporting　it；　he　is　frequently　enabled　to　maintain　it　during　life；　and　even　in　many　cases　to　render　it　hereditary。　In　this　manner　a　great　chief；　or　king；　is　placed　at　the　head　of　a　nation；　and　is　permitted　to　assume　the　inspection　and　superintendence　of　what　relates　to　its　defence　and　security。　　　　　But；　notwithstanding　the　rank　and　pre…eminence　enjoyed　by　this　primitive　sovereign；　it　may　easily　be　conceived　that　his　authority　will　not　be　very　considerable。　His　advancement　can　hardy　fail　to　excite　the　jealousy　of　chiefs　unaccustomed　to　subordination；　who　will　be　disposed　to　take　every　opportunity　of　curbing　his　pretensions；　and　to　allow　him　no　higher　prerogatives　than　are　sufficient　to　answer　the　purposes　for　which　he　was　created。　His　interpositions；　in　matters　of　public　concern；　will　depend　very　much　upon　times　and　circumstances；　and　being　directed　by　no　previous　rules；　will　be　frequently　made　in　an　irregular　and　desultory　manner。　In　a　day　of　battle；　when　placed　at　the　head　of　his　army；　he　may　venture；　perhaps；　to　rule　with　a　high　hand；　and　it　may　be　dangerous　for　any　of　his　followers　to　disobey　his　orders；　but　upon　other　occasions　his　power　is　usually　confined　within　a　narrower　compass；　and　frequently　extends　no　further　than　to　the　members　of　his　own　clan。　After　the　conclusion　of　a　military　enterprise；　when　the　other　tribes　have　retired　to　their　separate　places　of　abode；　they　are　in　a　great　measure　withdrawn　from　his　influence；　and　are　placed　under　the　immediate　jurisdiction　and　authority　of　the　respective　chiefs　by　whom　they　are　protected。　As　it　is　necessary　that　these　leading　men　should　give　their　consent　to　every　public　measure　of　importance；　they　are　usually　convened　for　that　purpose　by　the　king；　who　at　the　same　time　is　accustomed　to　preside　in　all　their　deliberations。　　　　　Such；　as　far　as　can　be　collected　from　the　scattered　hints　delivered　by　travellers；　is　the　state　of　government　in　many　rude　kingdom；　both　upon　the　coast　of　Africa；　or　in　those　parts　of　Asia；　where　a　number　of　distinct　tribes　or　villages　have　been　recently　and　imperfectly　united。　　　　　In　the　Odyssey；　Alcinous；　king　of　the　Pheacians；　says　expressly；　'There　are　twelve　chiefs　who　share　dominion　in　the　kingdom；　and　I　am　the　thirteenth。'（1*）　He　is　accordingly　obliged　to　call　a　council　of　his　nobles；　before　he　can　venture　to　furnish　Ulysses　with　a　single　ship；　in　order　to　transport　him　to　his　native　country。　　　　　In　the　island　of　Ithaca；　the　power　of　the　chiefs；　who　usually　deliberated　in　council　upon　the　affairs　of　the　nation；　is　equally　conspicuous。

　　　　　　　　　　　　'Twas　silence　all；　at　last　Aegyptius　spoke；　　　　　　　　　　　　　Aegyptius；　by　his　age　and　sorrows　broke：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Since　great　Ulysses　sought　the　Phrygian　plains；　　　　　　　　　　　　　Within　these　walls　inglorious　silence　reigns。　　　　　　　　　　　　　Say　then；　ye　Peers！　by　whose　commands　we　meet？　　　　　　　　　　　　　Why　here　once　more　in　solemn　council　sit？　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ye　young；　ye　old；　the　weighty　cause　disclose：　　　　　　　　　　　　　Arrives　some　message　of　invading　foes？　　　　　　　　　　　　　Or　say；　does　high　necessity　of　state　　　　　　　　　　　　　Inspire　some　patriot；　and　demand　debate？　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　present　synod　speak　its　author　wise；　　　　　　　　　　　　　Assist　him；　Jove！　thou　regent　of　the　skies！（2*）

　　　　From　the　early　history　of　all　the　Greek　states；　we　have　reason　to　believe　that　their　government　was　of　a　similar　nature。　The　country　of　Attica；　in　particular；　is　said　to　have　been　peopled　by　colonies　which　were　brought；　under　different　leaders；　from　Egypt　and　some　of　the　neighbouring　countries；　and　which　formed　a　number　of　distinct　tribes　or　villages；　independent　of　one　another。　The　first　association　among　these　little　societies　happened　in　the　time　of　Cecrops；　the　founder　of　Athens；　who　became　their　general；　and　who　made　a　considerable　reformation　in　their　police　and　manners。　They　were　afterwards　more　intimately　united　in　the　reign　of　Theseus；　when　the　nobility；　or　principal　inhabitants　of　the　several　towns　or　villages；　were　persuaded　to　settle　at　Athens；　and　composed　a　senate；　or　national　council；　which　exercised　an　authority　over　the　whole　country；　and　obtained　the　chief　direction　of　religious　matters；　together　with　the　privilege　of　electing　magistrates；　and　of　teaching　and　dispensing　the　laws。　　　　　The　resemblance　between　this　and　the　ancient　Roman　constitution　is　sufficiently　obvious。　The　foundation　of　that　mighty　empire　was　laid　by　a　few　tribes　of　barbarians；　originally　distinct　from　one　another；　who　at　first　inhabited　different　quarters　of　the　city；　and　who　appear　to　have　lived　under　the　jurisdiction　of　their　respective　chiefs。（3*）　This　was；　in　all　probability；　the　origin　of　that　connexion　between　the　poor　and　the　rich；　which　remained　in　after　ages；　and　which　has　been　commonly　ascribed　to　the　policy　of　Romulus。　People　of　the　lower　class　at　Rome　were　all　attached　to　some　particular　patron　of　rank　and　distinction；　and　every　patrician　had　a　number　of　clients；　who；　besides　owing　him　respect　and　submission；　were　bound　to　portion　his　daughters；　to　pay　his　debts；　and　to　ransom　his　person　from　captivity；　as；　on　the　other　hand；　they　were　entitled　to　his　advice　and　protection。　Of　these　leading　men；　who　had　an　extensive　influence　over　the　populace；　was　formed　the　primitive　senate；　or　council　of　the　sovereign；　which　appears　to　have　had　the　absolute　determination　of　peace　and　war；　and　which；　in　the　first　instance；　had　not　only　the　privilege　of　deliberating　upon　all　public　regulations；　but　also；　upon　the　death　of　a　king；　that　of　naming　a　successor　to　the　royal　dignity。　　　　　It　must　not　be　overlooked；　however；　that　in　the　Roman；　as　well　as　in　many　of　the　Greek　governments；　there　was　originally　a　considerable　mixture　of　democracy；　arising　from　the　peculiar　circumstances　of　the　people。　The　different　tribes；　or　families；　united　in　the　formation　of　Rome；　or　of　the　independent　cities　which　arose　in　Peloponnesus　and　some　of　the　neighbouring　countries；　had　very　little　property；　either　in　moveables　or　in　land；　and　their　poverty　must　have　prevented　the　growth　of　authority　in　their　respective　leaders。　The　influence　of　a　chief；　in　each　of　those　petty　states；　depended；　in　all　probability；　upon　the　personal　attachment　of　his　followers；　and　their　admiration　of　his　abilities；　more　than　up