the ancien regime(古兵团)-第6节
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plough； the olive； or the vine； a gift of the immortal gods： and yet an
instrument so simple； so easy； and so perfect； that it spread over all races
in Europe and America； and no substitute could be found for it till the
latter part of the fifteenth century。 Yes； a great genius was he； and the
consequent founder of a great aristocracy and conquering race； who first
invented for himself and his children after him abow and arrow。
The nextwhether before or after the first in time； it suits me to speak
of him in second placewas the man who was the potential ancestor of the
whole Ritterschaft； Chivalry； and knightly caste of Europe； the man who
first； finding a foal upon the steppe； deserted by its dam； brought it home；
and reared it； and then bethought him of the happy notion of making it
drawpresumably by its taila fashion which endured long in Ireland； and
had to be forbidden by law； I think as late as the sixteenth century。 A
great aristocrat must that man have become。 A greater still he who first
substituted the bit for the halter。 A greater still he who first thought of
wheels。 A greater still he who conceived the yoke and pole for bearing
up his chariot； for that same yoke； and pole； and chariot； became the
peculiar instrument of conquerors like him who mightily oppressed the
children of Israel； for he had nine hundred chariots of iron。 Egyptians；
Syrians； Assyrians； Greeks； Romansnone of them improved on the form
of the conquering biga； till it was given up by a race who preferred a pair
of shafts to their carts； and who had learnt to ride instead of drive。 A
great aristocrat； again； must he have been among those latter races who
first conceived the notion of getting on his horse's back； accommodating
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his motions to the beast's； and becoming a centaur； half…man； half…horse。
That invention must have tended； in the first instance； as surely toward
democracy as did the invention of firearms。 A tribe of riders must have
been always； more or less； equal and free。 Equal because a man on a
horse would feel himself a man indeed； because the art of riding called out
an independence； a self…help； a skill； a consciousness of power； a personal
pride and vanity； which would defy slavery。 Free； because a tribe of
riders might be defeated； exterminated； but never enchained。 They could
never become gleboe adscripti； bound to the soil； as long as they could
take horse and saddle； and away。 History gives us more than one glimpse
of such tribesthe scourge and terror of the non…riding races with whom
they came in contact。 Some； doubtless； remember how in the wars
between Alfred and the Danes； 〃the army〃 （the Scandinavian invaders）
again and again horse themselves； steal away by night from the Saxon
infantry； and ride over the land （whether in England or in France）； 〃doing
unspeakable evil。〃 To that special instinct of horsemanship； which still
distinguishes their descendants； we may attribute mainly the Scandinavian
settlement of the north and east of England。 Some； too； may recollect the
sketch of the primeval Hun； as he first appeared to the astonished and
disgusted old Roman soldier Ammianus Marcellinus； the visages 〃more
like cakes than faces；〃 the 〃figures like those which are hewn out with an
axe on the poles at bridge… ends；〃 the rat…skin coats； which they wore till
they rotted off their limbs； their steaks of meat cooked between the saddle
and the thigh； the little horses on which 〃they eat and drink； buy and sell；
and sleep lying forward along his narrow neck； and indulging in every
variety of dream。〃 And over and above； and more important politically；
the common councils 〃held on horseback； under the authority of no king；
but content with the irregular government of nobles； under whose leading
they force their way through all obstacles。〃 A racelike those Cossacks
who are probably their lineal descendantsto be feared； to be hired； to be
petted； but not to be conquered。
Instances nearer home of free equestrian races we have in our own
English borderers； among whom （as Mr。 Froude says） the farmers and
their farm…servants had but to snatch their arms and spring into their
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saddles and they became at once the Northern Horse； famed as the finest
light cavalry in the world。 And equal to themsuperior even； if we
recollect that they preserved their country's freedom for centuries against
the superior force of Englandwere those troops of Scots who； century
after century； swept across the border on their little garrons； their bag of
oatmeal hanging by the saddle； with the iron griddle whereon to bake it；
careless of weather and of danger； men too swift to be exterminated； too
independent to be enslaved。
But if horsemanship had； in these cases； a levelling tendency it would
have the very opposite when a riding tribe conquered a non… riding one。
The conquerors would； as much as possible； keep the art and mystery of
horsemanship hereditary among themselves； and become a Ritterschaft or
chivalrous caste。 And they would be able to do so： because the
conquered race would not care or dare to learn the new and dangerous art。
There are persons； even in England； who can never learn to ride。 There
are whole populations in Europe； even now； when races have become
almost indistinguishably mixed； who seem unable to learn。 And this
must have been still more the case when the races were more strongly
separated in blood and habits。 So the Teutonic chief； with his gesitha；
comites； or select band of knights； who had received from him； as Tacitus
has it； the war…horse and the lance； established himself as the natural ruler…
…and oppressorof the non…riding populations； first over the aborigines of
Germany proper； tribes who seem to have been enslaved； and their names
lost； before the time of Tacitus； and then over the non…riding Romans and
Gauls to the South and West； and the Wendish and Sclavonic tribes to the
East。 Very few in numbers； but mighty in their unequalled capacity of
body and mind； and in their terrible horsemanship； the Teutonic
Ritterschaft literally rode roughshod over the old world； never checked；
but when they came in contact with the free…riding hordes of the Eastern
steppes； and so established an equestrian caste； of which the ＇Greek text＇
of Athens and the Equites of Rome had been only hints ending in failure
and absorption。
Of that equestrian caste the symbol was the horse。 The favourite； and
therefore the chosen sacrifice of Odin； their ancestor and God； the horse's
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flesh was eaten at the sacrificial meal； the horse's head； hung on the ash in
Odin's wood； gave forth oracular responses。 As Christianity came in； and
the eating of horse…flesh was forbidden as impiety by the Church； while
his oracles dwindled down to such as that which Falada's dead head gives
to the goose…girl in the German tale； the magic power of the horse figured
only in ballads and legends： but his real power remained。
The art of riding became an hereditary and exclusive scienceat last a
pedantry； hampered by absurd etiquettes； and worse than useless traditions；
but the power and right to ride remained on the whole the mark of the
dominant caste。 Terribly did they often abuse that special power。 The
faculty of making a horse carry him no more makes a man a good man；
than the faculties of making money； making speeches； making books； or
making a noise about public abuses。 And of all ruffians； the worst； if
history is to be trusted； is the ruffian on a horse； to whose bru
