the origin of the distinction of ranks-第4节

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raging　the　vague　and　irregular　commerce　of　the　sexes。　　　　　The　marriages；　however；　of　rude　people；　according　to　all　accounts；　are　usually　contracted　without　any　previous　attachment　between　the　parties；　and　with　little　regard　to　the　gratification　of　their　mutual　passions。　A　savage　is　seldom　or　never　determined　to　marry　from　the　particular　inclinations　of　sex；　but　commonly　enters　into　that　connexion　when　he　arrives　at　an　age；　and　finds　himself　in　circumstances；　which　render　the　acquisition　of　a　family　expedient　or　necessary　to　his　comfortable　subsistence。　He　discovers　no　preference　of　any　particular　woman；　but　leaves　it　to　his　parents；　or　other　relations；　to　make　choice　of　a　person　whom　it　is　thought　proper　that　he　should　marry：　He　is　not　even　at　the　trouble　of　paying　her　a　visit；　but　allow　them　to　begin　and　finish　the　bargain；　without　concerning　himself　at　all　in　the　matter：　If　his　proposals　are　rejected；　he　hears　it　without　the　least　disturbance；　or　if　he　meets　with　a　favourable　reception；　he　is　equally　unmoved；　and　the　marriage　is　completed；　on　both　sides；　with　the　most　perfect　indifference。（5*）　　　　　From　the　extreme　insensibility；　observable　in　the　character　of　all　savage　nations；　it　is　no　wonder　they　should　entertain　very　gross　ideas　concerning　those　female　virtues　which；　in　a　polished　nation；　are　supposed　to　constitute　the　honour　and　dignity　of　the　sex。　　　　　The　Indians　of　America　think　it　no　stain　upon　a　woman's　character；　that　she　has　violated　the　laws　of　chastity　before　marriage：　nay；　if　we　can　give　credit　to　travellers　who　have　visited　that　country；　a　trespass　of　this　kind　is　a　circumstance　by　which　a　woman　is　recommended　to　a　husband；　who　is　apt　to　value　her　the　more；　from　the　consideration　that　she　has　been　valued　by　others；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　think　that　he　has　sufficient　ground　for　putting　her　away；　when　he　has　reason　to　suspect　that　she　has　been　overlooked。　　　　　Young　women；　among　the　Lydians；　were　not　accustomed　to　marry；　until　they　had　earned　their　doweries　by　prostitution。　　　　　The　Babylonians　had　a　public　regulation；　founded　upon　their　religion；　and　probably　handed　down　from　very　remote　antiquity；　that　every　woman；　of　whatever　rank　should；　once　in　her　life　submit　to　a　public　prostitution　in　the　temple　of　Venus。　A　religious　ceremony　of　a　like　nature　is　said　to　have　been　observed　in　some　parts　of　the　Island　of　Cyprus。　　　　　The　infidelity　of　a　married　woman　is　naturally　viewed　in　a　different　light；　and；　upon　account　of　the　inconveniences　with　which　it　is　attended；　is　often　regarded　as　an　offence　that　deserves　to　be　severely　punished。　To　introduce　a　spurious　offspring　into　the　family；　to　form　a　connexion　with　a　stranger；　by　which　the　wife　is　diverted　from　her　proper　employments　and　duties；　and　by　which　she　may　be　influenced　to　embezzle　the　goods　committed　to　her　charge；　these　are　circumstances；　that　even　in　a　rude　period；　are　apt　to　awaken　the　jealousy　of　the　husband；　and　to　excite　his　indignation　and　resentment。　There　are　nations；　however；　who　have　disregarded　even　these　considerations；　and　who　have　looked　upon　the　strict　preservation　of　conjugal　fidelity　as　a　matter　of　no　consequence。　　　　　Among　the　ancient　Massagetae；　it　was　usual　for　persons　who　resided　in　the　same　part　of　the　country　to　possess　their　wives　in　common。　The　same　custom　is　said；　by　Diodorus　Siculus；　to　have　taken　place　among　the　ancient　Troglodites；　and　the　Icthyophagi；　inhabiting　the　coast　of　the　Red　Sea。　　　　　Caesar　observes　that；　in　Britain；　ten　or　a　dozen　persons；　chiefly　near　relations；　were　accustomed　to　maintain　a　community　of　wives；　but　that　the　offspring　of　such　promiscuous　intercourse　was　reputed　to　belong　to　that　man　who　had　been　first　connected　with　the　mother。　　　　　Some　authors；　from　a　laudable　desire　of　vindicating　our　forefathers；　have　called　this　fact　in　question；　and　have　been　willing　to　believe；　that；　in　this　particular；　Caesar　was　imposed　upon　by　the　simple　accommodation　of　those　persons　who　lodged　in　the　same　cottage。　But　it　is　difficult　to　conceive　that　the　judicious　and　well　informed　conqueror　of　Gaul；　who　had　been　long　acquainted　with　the　manners　of　rude　people；　and　was　of　a　disposition　to　look　upon　this　as　a　matter　of　curiosity；　would　have　made　so　slight　an　inquiry；　or　satisfied　himself　with　so　superficial　an　examination；　as　might　expose　him　to　such　a　gross　deception。（6*）　　　　　The　custom　of　lending　a　wife　to　a　friend；　that　he　might　have　children　by　her；　appears　to　have　been　universal　among　the　ancient　Greek　and　Romans；　and　even　when　these　nations　had　become　wealthy　and　civilized；　was　openly　countenanced　by　persons　of　the　highest　rank　and　character。　It　is　said　to　have　been　recommended；　in　a　particular　manner；　to　the　Spartans；　by　the　celebrated　institutions　of　Lycurgus。（7*）　　　　　In　the　country　of　Kamtschatka；　there　are　several　tribes　of　savages；　who　esteem　it　an　ordinary　mark　of　politeness；　when　they　entertain　a　friend；　to　offer　him　the　enjoyment　of　their　wife　or　their　daughter；　and　whoever　refuses　a　civility　of　this　kind；　to　his　guest；　is　supposed　to　have　intended　an　affront；　and　his　behaviour　is　resented　accordingly。　In　Louisiana；　upon　the　coast　of　Guinea；　in　several　parts　of　the　East　Indies；　in　Pegu；　Siam；　Cochinchina；　and　Cambodia；　the　inhabitants　are；　in　like　manner；　accustomed；　for　a　small　present；　to　make　an　offer　of　their　women　to　all　strangers　who　have　occasion　to　visit　the　country。　　　　　Among　all　men　who　have　made　any　considerable　advances　towards　refinement；　sentiments　of　modesty　are　connected　with　the　intercourse　of　the　sexes。　These　sentiments　are　derived　from　the　very　different　manner　in　which　individuals　are　affected；　when　under　the　immediate　influence　of　desire；　and　upon　other　occasions。　After　the　violence　of　passion　has　subsided；　and　when　the　mind　returns　to　its　usual　state　of　tranquillity；　its　former　emotions　appear；　in　some　measure；　extravagant；　and　disproportioned　to　the　object　which　excited　them。　But　if；　with　all　our　partiality；　the　recollection　of　our　own　appetites；　in　the　case　here　alluded　to；　be　seldom　agreeable　even　to　ourselves；　we　have　good　reason　to　conclude　that　an　open　display　of　them　will　be　extremely　offensive　to　others。　Those　who　are　not　actuated　by　the　same　desires　must　behold　our　enjoyment　with　disgust：　those　who　are；　must　look　upon　it　with　jealousy　and　rivalship。　It　is　to　be　expected；　therefore；　that；　according　as　men　become　sensible　of　this；　they　will　endeavour　to　remove　such　disagreeable　appearances。　They　will　be　disposed　to　throw　a　veil　over　those　pleasures；　and　to　cover　from　the　public　eye　those　thoughts　and　inclinations；　which；　they　know　by　experience；　would　expose　them　to　contempt　and　aversion。　The　dictates　of　nature；　in　this　respect；　are　inculcated　by　the　force　of　education；　our　own　feelings　are　continually　gathering　strength　by　a　comparison　with　those　of　the　people　around　us；　and　we　blush　at　every　deviation　from　that　concealment　and　reserve　which　we　have　been　taught　to　maintain；　and　which　long　practice　has　rendered　habitual。　Certain　rules　of　decency　and　decorum　with　relation　to　dress；　the　modes　of　expression；　and　general　deportment；　are　thus　introduced；　and　as　these　contribute；　in　a　high　degree　to　improve　and　embellish　the　commerce　of　society；　they　are　regarded　as　peculiarly　indispensable　to　that　sex；　in　which；　for　obvious　reasons；　the　greatest　delicacy　and　propriety　is　required。　　　　　But　mere　savages　are　little　acquainted　with　such　refinements。　Their　situation　and　manner　of　life　prevent　them；　either　from　considering　the　intercourse　of　the　sexes　as　an　object　of　importance；　or　from　attending　to　those　circumstances　which　might　suggest　the　propriety　of　concealing　it。　Conscious　of　nothing　blameable　in　that　instinct　which　nature　has　bestowed　upon　them；　they　are　not　ashamed　of　its　ordinary　gratifications；　and　they　affect　no　disguise；　as　to　this　particular；　either　in　their　words　or　in　their　actions。　　　　　From　the　account　given　by　Herodotus　of　the　Massagetae；　it　appears　that　those　barbarians　were　strangers　to　reserve　or　modesty　in　the　commerce　of　the　sexes。　The　same　circumstance　is　mentioned　by　Caesar；　in　describing　the　ancient　Germans；　a　people　who　had　made　some　improvements　in　their　manner　of　life。（8*）　The　form　of　courtship　among　the　Hottentots；　by　which　the　lover　is　permitted　to　overcome　the　reluctance　of　his　mistress；　may　be　considered　as　a　plain　indication　of　similar　manners；　and　exhibits　a　striking　picture　of　primitive　rudeness　and　simplicity。　　　　　When　Mr。　Banks　was　in　the　Island　of　Otaheite；　in　1769；　he　received　a　visit　from　some　ladies；　who　made　him　a　present　of　cloth；　attended　with　very　uncommon　ceremonies；　of　which　the　following　account　is　published　by　Dr。　Hawkesworth。　　　　　There　were　nine　pieces；　and　having　laid　three　pieces　one　upon　another；　the　foremost　of　the　women；　who　seemed　to　be　the　principal；　and　who　was　called　Oorattooa；　stepped　upon　them；　and　taking　up　her　garments　all　round　her　to　the　waist；　turned　about；　and　with　great　composure　and　deliberation；　and　with　an　air　of　perfect　innocence　and　simplicity；　three　times：　when　this　was　done；　she　dropped　the　veil；　and　stepping　off　the　cloth；　three　more　pieces　were　laid　on；　and　she　repeated　the　ceremony。　then　stepping　off　as　before；　the　last　three　were　laid　on；　and　the　ceremony　was　repeated　in　the　same　manner　the　third　time。（9*）　　　　　Though　the　inhabitan