the origin of the distinction of ranks-第9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！


said　that　such　tribes　as　are　accustomed　to　the　pasturing　of　cattle　discover　some　sort　of　jealousy　with　regard　to　the　chastity　of　their　women；　a　circumstance　regarded　as　of　no　importance　by　those　inhabitants　of　the　same　country　who　procure　their　subsistence　merely　by　fishing。　　　　　From　what　is　related　of　the　patriarch　Jacob；　it　would　seem；　that　whole　families　or　tribes　of　shepherds　which　were　anciently　scattered　over　the　country　of　Arabia；　had　attained　some　degree　of　improvement　in　their　manners。　　　　　And　Jacob　loved　Rachel；　and　said；　I　will　serve　thee　seven　years　for　Rachel　thy　younger　daughter。　　　　　And　Laban　said；　It　is　better　that　I　give　her　to　thee　than　that　I　should　give　her　to　another　man：　abide　with　me。　　　　　And　Jacob　served　seven　years　for　Rachel：　and　they　seemed　unto　him　but　a　few　days；　for　the　love　he　had　to　her。（25*）　　　　　In　the　compositions　of　Ossian；　which　describe　the　manners　of　a　people　acquainted　with　pasturage；　there　is　often　a　degree　of　tenderness　and　delicacy　of　sentiment　which　can　hardly　be　equalled　in　the　most　refined　productions　of　a　civilized　age。　Some　allowance　no　doubt　must　be　made　for　the　heightening　of　a　poet　possessed　of　uncommon　genius　and　sensibility；　but；　at　the　same　time；　it　is　probable；　that　the　real　history　of　his　countrymen　was　the　groundwork　of　those　events　which　he　has　related；　and　of　those　tragical　effects　which　he　frequently　ascribes　to　the　passion　between　the　sexes。（26*）　　　　　Lorma　sat　in　Aldo's　hall；　at　the　light　of　a　flaming　oak：　the　night　came；　but　he　did　not　return；　and　the　soul　of　Lorma　is　sad。　　What　detains　thee；　Hunter　of　Cona？　for　thou　didst　promise　to　return。　　Has　the　deer　been　distant　far；　and　do　the　dark　winds　sigh　round　thee　on　the　heath？　I　am　in　the　land　of　strangers；　where　is　my　friend；　but　Aldo？　Come　from　thy　echoing　hills；　O　my　best　beloved！　　　　　Her　eyes　are　turned　towards　the　gate；　and　she　listens　to　the　rustling　blast。　She　thinks　it　is　Aldo's　tread；　and　joy　rises　in　her　face：　　but　sorrow　returns　again；　like　a　thin　cloud　on　the　moon。　　And　thou　wilt　not　return；　my　love？　Let　me　behold　the　face　of　the　hill。　The　moon　is　in　the　east。　Calm　and　bright　is　the　breast　of　the　lake！　When　shall　I　behold　his　dogs　returning　from　the　chase？　When　shall　I　hear　his　voice　loud　and　distant　on　the　wind？　Come　from　thy　echoing　hills；　Hunter　of　Woody　Cona！　　　　　His　thin　ghost　appeared　on　a　rock；　like　the　watery　beams　of　the　moon；　when　it　rushes　from　between　two　clouds；　and　the　midnight　shower　is　on　the　field。　　She　followed　the　empty　form　over　the　heath；　for　she　knew　that　her　hero　fell。　　I　heard　her　approaching　cries　on　the　wind；　like　the　mournful　voice　of　the　breeze；　when　it　sighs　on　the　grass　of　the　cave。　　　　　She　came；　she　found　her　hero：　her　voice　was　heard　no　more：　silent　she　rolled　her　sad　eyes；　she　was　pale　as　a　watery　cloud；　that　rises　from　the　lake　to　the　beam　of　the　moon。　　　　　Few　were　her　days　on　Cona：　she　sunk　into　the　tomb：　Fingal　commanded　his　bards；　and　they　sung　over　the　death　of　Lorma。　The　daughters　of　Morven　mourned　her　for　one　day　in　the　year；　when　the　dark　winds　of　autumn　returned。（27*）　　　　　In　the　agreeable　pictures　of　the　golden　age；　handed　down　from　remote　antiquity；　we　may　discover　the　opinion。　that　was　generally　entertained　of　the　situation　and　manners　of　shepherds。　Hence　that　particular　species　of　poetry；　which　is　now　appropriated　by　fashion；　to　describe　the　pleasures　of　rural　retirement；　accompanied　with　innocence　and　simplicity；　and　with　the　indulgence　of　all　the　tender　passions。　There　is　good　reason　to　believe；　that　these　representations　of　the　pastoral　life　were　not　inconsistent　with　the　real　condition　of　shepherds；　and　that　the　poets；　who　were　the　first　historians；　have　only　embellished　the　traditions　of　early　times。　In　Arcadia；　in　Sicily；　and　in　some　parts　of　Italy；　where　the　climate　was　favourable　to　the　rearing　of　cattle；　or　where　the　inhabitants　were　but　little　exposed　to　the　depredations　of　their　neighbours；　it　is　probable　that　the　refinement　natural　to　the　pastoral　state　was　carried　to　a　great　height。　This　refinement　was　the　more　likely　to　become　the　subject　of　exaggeration　and　poetical　embellishment；　as；　from　a　view　of　the　progressive　improvements　in　society；　it　was　contrasted；　on　the　one　hand；　with　the　barbarous　manners　of　mere　savages；　and；　on　the　other；　with　the　opposite　style　of　behaviour　in　polished　nations；　who；　being　constantly　engaged　in　the　pursuit　of　gain；　and　immersed　in　the　cares　of　business；　have　contracted　habits　of　industry；　avarice；　and　selfishness。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nondum　caesa　suis；　peregrinum　ut　viseret　orbem；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Montibus；　in　liquidas　pinus　descenderat　undas：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nullaque　mortales；　praeter　sua；　littora　norant。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nondum　praecipites　cingebant　oppida　fossae：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Non　tuba　directi；　non　aeris　cornua　flexi；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Non　galeae；　non　ensis　erant。　Sine　militis　usu　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Mollia　securae　peragebant　otia　mentes。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ipsa　quoque　immunis；　rastroque　intacta；　nec　ullis　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Saucia　vomeribus；　per　se　dabat　omnia　tellus；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Contentique　cibis；　nullo　cogente；　creatis；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Arbuteos　foetus；　montanaque　fraga　legebant；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cornaque；　et　in　duris　haerentia　mora　rubetis；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Et　quae　deciderant　patula　Jovis　arbore　glandes：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ver　erat　eternum；　placidique　tepentibus　auris　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Mulcebant　zephyri；　natos　sine　semine　flores。　Section　IV　The　consequences　of　the　introduction　of　agriculture；　with　respect　to　the　intercourse　of　the　sexes　　　　　The　passions　which　relate　to　the　commerce　of　the　sexes　may　be　still　raised　to　a　greater　height；　when　men　are　acquainted　with　the　cultivation　of　the　ground；　and　have　made　some　progress　in　the　different　branches　of　husbandry。　　　　　The　improvement　of　agriculture；　which　in　most　parts　of　the　world　has　been　posterior　to　the　art　of　taming　and　rearing　cattle；　is　productive　of　very　important　alterations　in　the　state　of　society；　more　especially　with　respect　to　the　subject　of　our　present　inquiry。　Although　this　employment　requires　greater　industry　and　labour　than　is　necessary　among　men　who　have　only　the　care　of　herds　and　flock；　yet　by　producing　plenty　of　vegetable　as　well　as　of　animal　food；　it　multiplies　the　comforts　and　conveniences　of　life；　and　therefore　excites　in　mankind　a　stronger　desire　of　obtaining　those　pleasures　to　which　they　are　prompted　by　their　natural　appetites。　It　also　obliges　men　to　fix　their　residence　in　the　neighbourhood　of　that　spot　where　their　labour　is　chiefly　to　be　employed；　and　thereby　gives　rise　to　property　in　land；　the　most　valuable　and　permanent　species　of　wealth；　by　the　unequal　distribution　of　which　a　greater　disproportion　is　made　in　the　fortune　and　rank　of　individuals；　and　the　causes　of　their　dissension　and　jealousy　are；　of　course；　extended。　　　　　In　the　heroic　times　of　Greece；　we　may；　in　some　measure；　discern　the　effect　of　these　circumstances　upon　the　character　and　manners　of　the　people。　　　　　The　inhabitants　of　that　country　were　then　divided　into　clans　or　tribes；　who；　having　for　the　most　part　begun　the　practice　of　agriculture；　had　quitted　the　wandering　life　of　shepherds；　and　established　a　number　of　separate　independent　villages。　As　those　little　societies　maintained　a　constant　rivalship　with　each　other；　and　were　frequently　engaged　in　actual　hostilities；　they　were　far　from　being　in　circumstances　to　encourage　a　familiar　correspondence；　and　when　in　particular　cases　a　formal　visit　had　produced　an　interview　between　them；　it　was　often　attended　with　such　consequences　as　might　be　expected　from　the　restraints　to　which　they　were　usually　subjected。　A　man　of　wealth　and　distinction；　having　conceived　a　violent　passion　for　the　wife　or　the　daughter　of　a　neighbouring　prince；　was　disposed　to　encounter　every　danger　in　order　to　gratify　his　desires；　and；　after　seducing　the　lady；　or　carrying　her　away　by　force；　he　was　generally　involved　in　a　war　with　her　relations；　and　with　such　as　chose　to　assist　them　in　vindicating　the　honour　of　their　family。　Disorders　of　this　kind　were　for　a　considerable　time　the　source　of　the　chief　animosities　among　the　different　states　of　Greece；　as　well　as　between　them　and　the　inhabitants　of　Asia　Minor；　and　the　rape　of　Io；　of　Europa；　of　Medea；　and　of　Helen；　are　mentioned　as　the　ground　of　successive　quarrels；　which　in　the　end　were　productive　of　the　most　distinguished　military　enterprise　that　is　recorded　in　the　history　of　those　periods。　　　　　But　notwithstanding　these　events；　from　which　it　appears　that　the　passions　of　sex　had　often　a　considerable　influence　upon　the　conduct　of　the　people；　there　is　no　reason　to　imagine　that　the　Greeks；　in　those　times；　had　entirely　shaken　off　their　ancient　barbarous　manners；　or　in　their　ideas　with　respect　to　the　women；　had　attained　any　high　degree　of　delicacy。　　　　　In　the　Iliad；　the　wife　of　Menelaus　is　considered　as　of　little　more　value　than　the　treasure　which　had　been　stolen　along　with　her。　The　restitution　of　the　lady　and　of　that　treasure　is　always　mentioned　in　the　same　breath；　and　seems　to　be　regarded　as　a　full　reparation　of　the　injury　which　Menelaus　had　sustained：　and　though　it　was　known　that　Helen　had　made　a　voluntary　elopement　with　Paris；　yet　her　husband　neither　discovers　any　resentment　upon　that　account；　nor　seems　unwilling　to　receive　her　again　into　favour。　　　　　Ev