the origin of the distinction of ranks-第15章

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ed　by　my　sufferings　to　complain　of　the　injuries　I　have　met　with。'（33*）　　　　　In　another　oration；　composed　by　the　same　author；　a　citizen；　accused　of　murdering　his　wife's　gallant；　gives　the　following　simple　narrative　of　his　domestic　economy。　　　　　When　I　first　entered　into　the　married　state；　Athenians！　I　endeavoured　to　observe　a　medium　between　the　harsh　severity　of　some　husbands；　and　the　easy　fondness　of　others。　My　wife；　though　treated　with　kindness；　was　watched　with　attention。　As　a　husband；　I　rendered　her　situation　agreeable；　but　as　a　woman；　she　was　left　neither　the　entire　mistress　of　my　fortune；　nor　of　her　own　actions。　When　she　became　a　mother；　this　new　endearment　softened　and　overcame　the　prudent　caution　of　my　former　conduct；　and　engaged　me　to　repose　in　her　an　unlimited　confidence。　During　a　short　time；　Athenians！　I　had　no　occasion　to　repent　of　this　alteration：　she　proved　a　most　excellent　wife；　and；　highly　circumspect　in　her　private　behaviour；　she　managed　my　affairs　with　the　utmost　diligence　and　frugality。　But　since　the　death　of　my　mother；　she　has　been　the　cause　of　all　my　calamities。　Then　she　first　got　abroad　to　attend　the　funeral；　and　being　observed　by　Eratosthenes；　was　soon　after　seduced　by　him。　This　he　affected　by　means　of　our　female　slave；　whom　he　watched　going　to　market；　and　whom；　by　fair　promises　and　flattery；　he　drew　over　to　his　designs。　　　　　It　is　necessary　you　should　be　informed；　Athenians！　that　my　house　consists　of　two　floors；　the　floor　above　is　laid　out　in　a　similar　manner　to　that　below；　this　lodges　the　men；　that　above　is　destined　for　the　women。　Upon　the　birth　of　our　son；　my　wife　suckled　him　herself；　and　to　relieve　her　from　the　fatigue　of　going　below　stirs　as　often　as　it　Was　necessary　to　bathe　him；　I　yielded　up　the　ground　floor　to　the　women；　and　kept　above　stairs　myself。　She　still　continued；　however；　to　sleep　with　me　during　the　night；　and　when　the　child　Was　peevish；　and　fell　a…crying；　she　frequently　went　below　stairs；　and　offered　it　the　breast。　This　practice　was　long　continued　without　any　suspicion　on　my　part；　who；　simple　man　that　I　was！　regarded　my　spouse　as　a　prodigy　of　virtue。（34*）　　　　　Solon　is　said　to　have　made　regulations　for　preventing　the　women　from　violating　those　decorums　which　were　esteemed　essential　to　their　character。　He　appointed　that　no　matron　should　go　from　home　with　more　than　three　garments；　nor　a　larger　quantity　of　provisions　than　could　be　purchased　for　an　obolus。　He　also　provided；　that　when　any　matron　went　abroad；　she　should　always　have　an　attendant；　and　a　lighted　torch　carried　before　her。　　　　　At　Athens；　a　man　was　not　permitted　to　approach　the　apartment　of　his　step…mother；　or　her　children；　though　living　in　the　same　house；　which　is　given；　by　Mr　Hume；　as　the　reason　why；　by　the　Athenian　laws；　one　might　marry　his　half…sister　by　the　father；　for　as　these　relations　had　no　more　intercourse　than　the　men　and　women　of　different　families；　there　was　no　greater　danger　of　any　criminal　correspondence　between　them。　　　　　It　is　probable；　that　the　recluse　situation　of　the　Grecian　women；　which　was　adapted　to　the　circumstances　of　the　people　upon　their　first　advancement　in　arts；　was　afterwards　maintained　from　an　inviolable　respect　to　their　ancient　institutions。　The　democratical　form　of　government；　which　came　to　be　established　in　most　parts　of　Greece；　had；　at　the　same　time；　a　tendency　to　occuPy　the　people　in　the　management　of　public　affairs；　and　to　engage　them　in　those　pursuits　of　ambition；　from　which　the　women　were　naturally　excluded。　It　must　however　be　admitted　that；　while　such　a　state　of　manners　might　be　conducive　to　the　more　solid　enjoyments　of　life；　it　undoubtedly　prevented　the　two　sexes　from　improving　the　arts　of　conversation；　and　from　giving　a　polish　to　the　expression　of　their　thoughts　and　sentiments。　Hence　it　is；　that　the　Greek；　notwithstanding　their　learning　and　good　sense；　were　remarkably　deficient　in　delicacy　and　politeness；　and　were　so　little　judges　of　propriety　in　wit　and　humour；　as　to　relish　the　low　ribaldry　of　an　Aristophanes；　at　a　period　when　they　were　entertained　with　the　sublime　eloquence　of　a　Demosthenes；　and　with　the　pathetic　compositions　of　a　Euripides　and　a　Sophocles。　　　　　The　military　character　in　ancient　Greece；　considered　with　respect　to　politeness；　and　compared　with　the　same　character　in　modern　times；　seems　to　afford　a　good　illustration　of　what　has　been　observed。　Soldiers；　as　they　are　men　of　the　world；　have　usually　such　manners　as　are　formed　by　company　and　conversation。　But　in　ancient　Greece　they　were　no　less　remarkable　for　rusticity　and　ill…manners；　than　in　the　modern　nations　of　Europe　they　are　distinguished　by　politeness　and　good…breeding；　for　Menander；　the　comic　poet；　says；　that　he　can　hardly　conceive　such　a　character　as　that　of　a　polite　soldier　to　be　formed　even　by　the　power　of　the　Deity。　　　　　When　the　Romans；　towards　the　middle　of　the　Commonwealth；　had　become　in　some　degree　civilized；　it　is　probable　that　the　condition　of　their　women　was　nearly　the　same　with　that　of　the　Greek　in　the　period　abovementioned。　But　it　appears　that；　at　Rome；　the　circumstances　of　the　people　underwent　very　rapid　changes　in　this　particular。　By　the　conquest　of　many　opulent　nations；　great　wealth　was　suddenly　imported　into　the　capital　of　the　empire；　which　corrupted　the　ancient　manners　of　the　inhabitants；　and　produced　a　great　revolution　in　their　taste　and　sentiments。　　　　　In　the　modern　nations　of　Europe；　we　may　also　observe　that　the　introduction　of　arts；　and　of　regular　government；　had　an　immediate　influence　upon　the　relative　condition　and　behaviour　of　the　sexes。　When　the　disorders　incident　to　the　Gothic　system　had　subsided；　the　women　began　to　be　valued　upon　account　of　their　useful　talents　and　accomplishments；　and　their　consideration　and　rank；　making　allowance　for　some　remains　of　that　romantic　spirit　which　had　prevailed　in　a　former　period；　came　to　be　chiefly　determined　by　the　importance　of　those　departments　which　they　occupied；　in　carrying　on　the　business；　and　maintaining　the　intercourse　of　society。　The　manners　introduced　by　such　views　of　the　female　character　are　still　in　some　measure　preserved；　in　those　European　countries　which　have　been　least　affected　by　the　late　rapid　advances　of　luxury　and　refinement。　Section　VI　The　effects　of　great　opulence；　and　the　culture　of　the　elegant　arts；　upon　the　relative　condition　of　the　sexes　　　　　The　progressive　improvements　of　a　country　are　still　attended　with　farther　variations　in　the　sentiments　and　manners　of　the　inhabitants。　　　　　The　first　attention　of　a　people　is　directed　to　the　acquisition　of　the　mere　necessaries　of　life；　and　to　the　exercise　of　those　occupations　which　are　most　immediately　requisite　for　subsistence。　According　as　they　are　successful　in　these　pursuits；　they　feel　a　gradual　increase　of　their　wants；　and　are　excited　with　fresh　vigour　and　activity　to　search　for　the　means　of　supplying　them。　The　advancement　of　the　more　useful　arts　is　followed　by　the　cultivation　of　those　which　are　subservient　to　pleasure　and　entertainment。　Mankind；　in　proportion　to　the　progress　they　have　made　in　multiplying　the　conveniences　of　their　situation；　become　more　refined　in　their　taste；　and　luxurious　in　their　manner　of　living。　Exempted　from　labour；　and　placed　in　great　affluence；　they　endeavour　to　improve　their　enjoyments；　and　become　addicted　to　all　those　amusements　and　diversions　which　give　an　exercise　to　their　minds；　and　relieve　them　from　languor　and　weariness；　the　effects　of　idleness　and　dissipation。　In　such　a　state；　the　pleasures　which　nature　has　grafted　upon　the　love　between　the　sexes；　become　the　source　of　an　elegant　correspondence；　and　are　likely　to　have　a　general　influence　upon　the　commerce　of　society。　Women　of　condition　come　to　be　more　universally　admired　and　courted　upon　account　of　the　agreeable　qualities　which　they　possess；　and　upon　account　of　the　amusement　which　their　conversation　affords。　They　are　encouraged　to　quit　that　retirement　which　was　formerly　esteemed　so　suitable　to　their　character；　to　enlarge　the　sphere　of　their　acquaintance；　and　to　appear　in　mixed　company；　and　in　public　meetings　of　pleasure。　They　lay　aside　the　spindle　and　the　distaff；　and　engage　in　other　employments　more　agreeable　to　the　fashion。　As　they　are　introduced　more　into　public　life；　they　are　led　to　cultivate　those　talents　which　are　adapted　to　t