the origin of the distinction of ranks-第8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！


od　when　the　sexes　are　but　little　accustomed　to　control　or　disguise　their　inclinations；　she　may；　in　some　cases；　be　led　into　a　correspondence　with　different　male　retainers；　who　happen　to　reside　in　her　family；　and　over　whom　she　exercises　an　authority　resembling　that　of　a　master。　　　　　The　above　remark　may　account　for　what　is　related　by　historians；　that；　in　some　provinces　of　the　ancient　Median　empire；　it　was　customary　for　women　to　entertain　a　number　of　husbands；　as　in　others；　it　was　usual　for　men　to　entertain　a　number　of　wives　or　concubines。　The　dominion　of　the　ancient　Medes　comprehended　many　extensive　territories；　in　some　of　which；　the　inhabitants　were　extremely　barbarous；　in　others；　no　less　opulent　and　luxurious。　　　　　This　unusual　kind　of　polygamy；　if　I　may　be　allowed　to　use　that　expression；　is　established　at　present　upon　the　coast　of　Malabar；（23*）　as　well　as　in　some　cantons　of　the　Iroquois　in　North　America；　and　though　there　is　no　practice　more　inconsistent　with　the　views　and　manners　of　a　civilized　nation；　it　has　in　all　probability　been　adopted　by　many　individuals；　in　every　country　where　the　inhabitants　were　unacquainted　with　the　regular　institution　of　marriage。（24*）　　　　　It　is　highly　probable；　that　the　celebrated　traditions　of　the　Amazons；　inhabiting　the　most　barbarous　regions　of　Scythia；　and　the　relations　of　a　similar　people　in　some　parts　of　America；　have　arisen　from　the　state　of　manners　now　under　consideration。　Though　these　accounts　are　evidently　mixed　with　fable；　and　appear　to　contain　much　exaggeration；　we　can　hardy　suppose　that　they　would　have　been　propagated　by　so　many　authors；　and　have　created　such　universal　attention；　had　they　been　entirely　destitute　of　real　foundation。　In　a　country　where　marriage　is　unknown；　females　are　commonly　exalted　to　be　the　heads　of　families；　or　chiefs；　and　thus　acquire　an　authority；　which；　notwithstanding　their　inferiority　in　strength；　may　extend　to　the　direction　of　war；　as　well　as　of　other　transactions。　So　extraordinary　a　spectacle　as　that　of　a　military　enterprise　conducted　by　women；　and　where　the　men　acted　in　a　subordinate　capacity；　must　have　filled　the　enemy　with　wonder　and　astonishment；　and　might　easily　give　rise　to　those　fictions　of　a　female　republic；　and　of　other　circumstances　equally　marvellous；　which　we　meet　with　in　ancient　writers。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ducit　Amazonidum　lunatis　agmina　peltis　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Pentheslea　furens；　mediisque　in　milibus　ardet；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Aurea　subnectens　exertae　cingula　mammae；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Bellatrix；　audetque　viris　concurrere　virgo。　Section　III　The　refinement　of　the　passions　of　sex；　in　the　pastoral　ages　　　　　When　we　examine　the　circumstances　which　occasion　the　depression　of　the　women；　and　the　low　estimation　in　which　they　are　held；　in　a　simple　and　barbarous　age；　we　may　easily　imagine　in　what　manner　their　condition　is　varied　and　improved　in　the　subsequent　periods　of　society。　Their　condition　is　naturally　improved　by　every　circumstance　which　tends　to　create　more　attention　to　the　pleasures　of　sex；　and　to　increase　the　value　of　those　occupations　that　are　suited　to　the　female　character；　by　the　cultivation　of　the　arts　of　life；　by　the　advancement　of　opulence；　and　by　the　gradual　refinement　of　taste　and　manners。　From　a　view　of　the　progress　of　society；　in　these　respects；　we　may；　in　a　great　measure；　account　for　the　diversity　that　occurs　among　different　nations；　in　relation　to　the　rank　of　the　sexes；　their　dispositions　and　sentiments　towards　each　other；　and　the　regulations　which　they　have　established　in　the　several　branches　of　their　domestic　economy。　　　　　The　invention　of　taming　and　pasturing　cattle；　which　may　be　regarded　as　the　first　remarkable　improvement　in　the　savage　life；　is　productive　of　very　important　alterations　in　the　state　and　manners　of　a　people。　　　　　A　shepherd　is　more　regularly　supplied　with　food；　and　is　commonly　subjected　to　fewer　hardships　and　calamities　than　those　who　live　by　hunting　and　fishing。　In　proportion　to　the　size　of　his　family；　the　number　of　his　flock　may　in　some　measure　be　increased；　while　the　labour　which　is　requisite　for　their　management　can　never　be　very　oppressive。　Being　thus　provided　with　necessaries；　he　is　led　to　the　pursuit　of　those　objects　which　may　render　his　situation　more　easy　and　comfortable；　and　among　these　the　enjoyments　derived　from　the　intercourse　of　the　sexes　claim　a　principal　share；　and　become　an　object　of　attention。　　　　　The　leisure；　tranquillity；　and　retirement　of　a　pastoral　life；　seem　calculated　in　a　peculiar　manner　to　favour　the　indulgence　of　those　indolent　gratifications。　From　higher　notions　of　refinement　a　nicer　distinction　is　made　with　regard　to　the　objects　of　desire；　and　the　mere　animal　pleasure　is　more　frequently　accompanied　with　a　correspondence　of　inclination　and　sentiment。　As　this　must　occasion　a　great　diversity　in　the　taste　of　individuals；　it　proves；　on　many　occasions；　an　obstruction　to　their　happiness；　and　prevents　the　lover　from　meeting　with　a　proper　return　to　his　passion。　But　the　delays　and　the　uneasiness　to　which　he　is　thereby　subjected；　far　from　repressing　the　ardour　of　his　wishes；　serve　only　to　increase　it；　and；　amid　the　idleness　and　freedom　from　other　cares　which　his　situation　affords；　he　is　often　wholly　occupied　by　the　same　tender　ideas；　which　are　apt　to　inflame　his　imagination；　and　to　become　the　principal　subject　of　such　artless　expressive　songs　as　he　is　capable　of　composing　for　his　ordinary　pastime　and　amusement。　　　　　In　consequence　of　these　improvements　the　virtue　of　chastity　begins　to　be　recognized；　for　when　love　becomes　a　passion；　instead　of　being　a　mere　sensual　appetite；　it　is　natural　to　think　that　those　affections　which　are　not　dissipated　by　variety　of　enjoyment；　will　be　the　purest　and　the　strongest。　　　　　The　acquisition　of　property　among　shepherds　has　also　a　considerable　effect　upon　the　commerce　of　the　sexes。　　　　　Those　who　have　no　other　fund　for　their　subsistence　but　the　natural　fruits　of　the　earth；　or　the　game　which　the　country　affords；　are　acquainted　with　no　other　distinctions　in　the　rank　of　individuals；　but　such　as　arise　from　their　personal　accomplishments；　distinctions　which　are　never　continued　for　any　length　of　time　in　the　same　family；　and　which　therefore　can　never　be　productive　of　any　lasting　influence　and　authority。　But　the　invention　of　taming　and　pasturing　cattle　gives　rise　to　a　more　remarkable　and　permanent　distinction　of　rank。　Some　persons；　by　being　more　industrious　or　more　fortunate　than　others；　are　led　in　a　short　time　to　acquire　more　numerous　herds　and　flock；　and　are　thereby　enabled　to　live　in　greater　affluence；　to　maintain　a　number　of　servants　and　retainers；　and　to　increase；　in　proportion；　their　power　and　dignity。　As　the　superior　fortune　which　is　thus　acquired　by　a　single　person　is　apt　to　remain　with　his　posterity；　it　creates　a　train　of　dependence　in　those　who　have　been　connected　with　the　possessor；　and　the　influence　which　it　occasions　is　gradually　augmented；　and　transmitted　from　one　generation　to　another。　　　　　The　degree　of　wealth　acquired　by　single　families　of　shepherds　is　greater　than　may　at　first　be　imagined。　In　the　eastern　parts　of　Tartary；　where　the　inhabitants　are　chiefly　maintained　upon　the　flesh　of　reindeer；　many　of　the　rich　possess　ten　or　twenty　thousand　of　those　animals；　and　one　of　the　chiefs　of　that　country；　according　to　an　account　lately　published；　was　proprietor　of　no　less　than　an　hundred　thousand。　　　　　The　introduction　of　wealth；　and　the　distinction　of　rank　with　which　it　is　attended；　must　interrupt　the　communication　of　the　sexes；　and；　in　many　cases；　render　it　difficult　for　them　to　gratify　their　wishes。　As　particular　persons　become　opulent；　they　are　led　to　entertain　suitable　notions　of　their　own　dignity；　and；　while　they　aim　at　superior　elegance　and　refinement　in　their　pleasures；　they　disdain　to　contract　an　alliance　with　their　own　dependents；　or　with　people　of　inferior　condition。　If　great　families；　upon　an　equal　footing；　happen　to　reside　in　the　same　neighbourhood；　they　are　frequently　engaged　in　mutual　depredations；　and　are　obliged　to　have　a　watchful　eye　upon　the　conduct　of　each　other；　in　order　to　defend　their　persons　and　their　property。　The　animosities　and　quarrels　which　arise　from　their　ambition　or　desire　of　plunder；　and　which　are　fomented　by　reciprocal　injuries；　dispose　them；　in　all　cases；　to　behave　to　one　another　with　distance　and　reserve；　and　sometimes　prove　an　insuperable　bar　to　their　correspondence。　　　　　Among　persons　living　upon　such　term；　the　passions　of　sex　cannot　be　gratified　with　the　same　facility　as　among　hunters　and　fishers。　The　forms　of　behaviour；　naturally　introduced　among　individuals　jealous　of　each　other；　have　a　tendency　to　check　all　familiarity　between　them；　and　to　render　their　approaches　towards　an　intimacy　proportionably　slow　and　gradual。　The　rivalship　subsisting　between　different　families；　and　the　mutual　prejudices　which　they　have　long　indulged；　must　often　induce　them　to　oppose　the　union　of　their　respective　relations：　And　thus　the　inclinations　of　individuals　having　in　vain　been　smothered　by　opposition；　will　break　forth　with　greater　vigour；　and　rise　at　length　to　a　higher　pitch；　in　proportion　to　the　difficulties　which　they　have　surmounted。　　　　　Upon　the　eastern　coast　of　Tartary；　it　is　said　that　such　tribes　as　are　accustomed　to　the　pasturing　of　cattle　discover　some　sort　of　jealousy　wi