the origin of the distinction of ranks-第7节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ellow…creatures；　a　practice　rarely　to　be　found　among　the　fiercest　and　most　rapacious　of　the　brute　animals；　such　nations；　it　is　evident；　would　entirely　depart　from　their　ordinary　habits　and　principles　of　action；　were　they　to　display　much　tenderness　or　benevolence；　in　consequence　of　that　blind　appetite　which　unites　the　sexes。　It　ought；　at　the　same　time　to　be　remembered；　that；　how　poor　and　wretched　soever　the　aspect　of　human　nature　in　this　early　state；　it　contains　the　seeds　of　improvement　which；　by　long　care　and　culture；　are　capable　of　being　brought　to　maturity；　so　that　the　lower　its　primitive　condition；　it　requires　the　greater　exertions　of　labour　and　activity；　and　calls　for　a　more　extensive　operation　of　those　wonderful　powers　and　faculties；　which；　in　a　gradual　progression　from　such　rude　beginnings；　have　led　to　the　noblest　discoveries　in　art　or　science；　and　to　the　most　exalted　refinement　of　taste　and　manners。　Section　II　The　Influence　acquired　by　the　mother　of　a　family；　before　marriage　is　completely　established　　　　　Such　are　the　natural　effects　of　poverty　and　barbarism；　with　respect　to　the　passions　of　sex；　and　with　respect　to　the　rank　in　society　which　the　women　are　permitted　to　enjoy。　There　is　one　circumstance；　however；　in　the　manners　of　a　rude　age；　that　merits　particular　attention；　as　it　appears；　in　some　countries；　to　have　produced　a　remarkable　exception　to　the　foregoing　observations。　　　　　Although　marriage；　for　the　reasons　formerly　mentioned；　is　undoubtedly　a　very　early　institution；　yet　some　little　time　and　experience　are　necessary　before　it　can　be　fully　established　in　a　barbarous　community；　and　we　read　of　several　nations；　among　whom　it　is　either　unknown；　or　takes　place　in　a　very　imperfect　and　limited　manner。　　　　　To　a　people　who　are　little　acquainted　with　that　institution　it　will　appear；　that　children　have　much　more　connexion　with　their　mother　than　with　their　father。　If　a　woman　has　no　notion　of　attachment　or　fidelity　to　any　particular　person；　if　notwithstanding　her　occasional　intercourse　with　different　individuals　she　continues　to　live　by　herself；　or　with　her　own　relations；　the　child　which　she　has　borne；　and　which　she　maintains　under　her　own　inspection；　must　be　regarded　as　a　member　of　her　own　family；　and　the　father；　who　lives　at　a　distance；　can　have　no　opportunity　of　establishing　an　authority　over　it。　We　may　in　general　conclude；　that　the　same　ideas　which　obtain　in　a　polished　nation；　with　regard　to　bastards；　will；　in　those　primitive　times；　be　extended　to　all；　or　the　greater　part　of　the　children　produced　in　the　country。　　　　　Thus；　among　the　Lycians；　children　were　accustomed　to　take　their　names　from　their　mother；　and　not　from　their　father；　so　that　if　any　person　was　desired　to　give　an　account　of　the　family　to　which　he　belonged；　he　was　naturally　led　to　recount　his　maternal　genealogy　in　the　female　line。　The　same　custom　took　place　among　the　ancient　inhabitants　of　Attica；　as　it　does　at　present　among　several　tribes　of　the　natives　of　North　America；　and　of　the　Indians　upon　the　coast　of　Malabar。（22*）　　　　　In　this　situation；　the　mother　of　a　numerous　family；　who　lives　at　a　distance　from　her　other　relations；　will　often　be　raised　to　a　degree　of　rank　and　dignity　to　which；　from　her　sex；　she　would　not　otherwise　be　entitled。　Her　children　being；　in　their　early　years；　maintained　and　protected　by　her　care　and　tenderness；　and　having　been　accustomed　to　submit　to　her　authority；　will　be　apt；　even　after　they　are　grown　up；　and　have　arrived　at　their　full　strength　and　vigour；　to　behave　to　her　with　some　degree　of　reverence　and　filial　affection。　Although　they　have　no　admiration　of　her　military　talents；　they　may　respect　her　upon　account　of　her　experience　and　wisdom；　and　although　they　should　not　themselves　be　always　very　scrupulous　in　paying　her　an　implicit　obedience；　they　will　probably　be　disposed　to　espouse　her　quarrel；　or　to　support　her　interest　against　every　other　person。　　　　　We　are　informed；　indeed；　that　when　a　young　Hottentot　is　of　age　to　be　received　into　the　society　of　men；　it　is　usual　for　him　to　beat　and　abuse　his　mother；　by　way　of　triumph　at　being　freed　from　her　tuition。　Such　behaviour　may　happen　in　a　rude　country；　where；　after　marriage　is　established；　the　superior　strength　of　the　husband　has　raised　him　to　the　head　of　his　family；　and　where　his　authority　has　of　course　annihilated　that　of　the　wife；　or　at　least　greatly　reduced　her　consideration　and　importance。　But　in　a　country　where　children　have　no　acquaintance　with　their　father；　and　are　not　indebted　to　him　for　subsistence　and　protection；　they　can　hardly　fail；　during　a　considerable　part　of　their　life；　to　regard　their　mother　as　the　principal　person　in　the　family。　　　　　This　is　in　all　probability　the　source　of　that　influence　which　appears　to　have　been　possessed　by　the　women　in　several　rude　and　barbarous　parts　of　the　world。　　　　　In　the　island　of　Formosa；　it　is　said；　that　in　forming　that　slight　and　transient　union　between　the　sexes；　to　which　our　travellers；　in　conformity　to　the　customs　of　Europe；　have　given　the　name　of　marriage；　the　husband　quits　his　own　family；　and　passes　into　that　of　his　wife；　where　he　continues　to　reside　as　long　as　his　connexion　with　her　remains。　The　same　custom　is　said　to　be　established　among　the　people　called　Moxos；　in　Peru。　　　　　In　the　Ladrone　islands　the　wife　is　absolute　mistress　of　the　house；　and　the　husband　is　not　at　liberty　to　dispose　of　any　thing　without　her　permission。　She　chastises　him；　or　puts　him　away；　at　pleasure；　and　whenever　a　separation　happens；　she　not　only　retains　all　her　moveables；　but　also　her　children；　who　consider　the　next　husband　she　takes　as　their　father。　　　　　The　North　American　tribes　are　accustomed　to　admit　their　women　into　their　public　councils；　and　even　to　allow　them　the　privilege　of　being　first　called　to　give　their　opinion　upon　every　subject　of　deliberation。　Females；　indeed；　are　held　incapable　of　enjoying　the　office　of　chief；　but　through　them　the　succession　to　that　dignity　is　continued；　and　therefore；　upon　the　death　of　a　chief；　he　is　succeeded；　not　by　his　own　son；　but　by　that　of　his　sister；　and　in　default　of　the　sister's　son；　by　his　nearest　relation　in　the　female　line。　When　his　whole　family　happens　to　be　extinct；　the　right　of　naming　a　successor　is　claimed　by　the　noblest　matron　of　the　village。　　　　　It　is　observed；　however；　by　an　author　who　has　given　us　the　fullest　account　of　all　these　particulars；　that　the　women　of　North　America　do　not　Arve　at　this　influence　and　dignity　till　after　a　certain　age；　and　after　their　children　are　in　a　condition　to　procure　them　respect；　that　before　this　period　they　are　commonly　treated　as　the　slaves　of　the　men；　and　that　there　is　no　country　in　the　world　where　the　female　sex　is　in　general　more　neglected　and　despised。　　　　　Among　the　ancient　inhabitants　of　Attica；　the　women　had；　in　like　manner；　a　share　in　public　deliberations。　This　custom　continued　till　the　reign　of　Cecrops；　when　a　revolution　was　produced；　of　which　the　following　fabulous　relation　has　been　given　by　historians。　It　is　said；　that　after　the　building　of　Athens；　Minerva　and　Neptune　became　competitors　for　the　honour　of　giving　a　name　to　the　city；　and　that　Cecrops　called　a　public　assembly　of　the　men　and　women　in　order　to　determine　the　difference。　The　women　were　interested　upon　the　part　of　Minerva；　the　men　upon　that　of　Neptune；　and　the　former　carried　the　point　by　the　majority　of　one　vote。　Soon　after；　there　happened　an　inundation　of　the　sea；　which　occasioned　much　damage；　and　greatly　terrified　the　inhabitants；　who　believed　that　this　calamity　proceeded　from　the　vengeance　of　Neptune　for　the　affront　he　had　suffered。　To　appease　him；　they　resolved　to　punish　the　female　sex；　by　whom　the　offence　was　committed；　and　determined　that　no　woman　should　for　the　future　be　admitted　into　the　public　assemblies；　nor　any　child　be　allowed　to　bear　the　name　of　its　mother。　　　　　It　may　explain　this　piece　of　ancient　mythology　to　observe；　that　in　the　reign　of　Cecrops　marriage　was　first　established　among　the　Athenians。　In　consequence　of　this　establishment　the　children　were　no　longer　accustomed　to　bear　the　name　of　their　mother；　but　that　of　their　father；　who；　from　his　superior　strength　and　military　talents；　became　the　head　and　governor　of　the　family；　and　as　the　influence　of　the　women　was　thereby　greatly　diminished；　it　was　to　be　expected　that　they　should；　in　a　little　time；　be　entirely　excluded　from　those　great　assemblies　which　deliberated　upon　public　affairs。　　　　　Among　the　ancient　Britons　we　find；　in　like　manner；　that　the　women　were　accustomed　to　vote　in　the　public　assemblies。　The　rude　and　imperfect　institution　of　marriage；　and　the　community　of　wives；　that　anciently　took　place　in　Britain；　must　have　prevented　the　children　from　acquiring　any　considerable　connexion　with　their　father；　and　have　disposed　them　to　follow　the　condition　of　their　mother；　as　well　as　to　support　her　interest　and　dignity。　　　　　When　a　woman；　by　being　at　the　head　of　a　large　family；　is　thus　advanced　to　influence　and　authority；　and　becomes　a　sort　of　female　chief；　she　naturally　maintains　a　number　of　servants；　and　endeavours　to　live　with　suitable　splendour　and　magnificence。　In　proportion　to　her　affluence；　she　has　the　greater　temptation　to　indulge　her　sensual　appetites　and；　in　a　period　when　the　sexes　are　but　little　accustomed　to　control　or　disguise　their　inclinations；　she　may；　in　s