the origin of the distinction of ranks-第21章

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f　wealth　and　distinction　in　those　countries；　are　said　to　be　frequently　procured。　　　　　Upon　the　coast　of　Africa；　the　power　of　the　father　is　carried　to　the　most　excessive　pitch；　and　exercised　with　the　utmost　severity。　It　is　too　well　known　to　be　denied；　that；　in　order　to　supply　the　European　market；　he　often　disposes　of　his　own　children　for　slaves；　and　that　the　chief　part　of　a　man's　wealth　is　supposed　to　consist　of　the　number　of　his　descendants。　Upon　the　slave…coast；　the　children　are　accustomed　to　throw　themselves　upon　their　knees；　as　often　as　they　come　into　the　presence　of　their　father。　　　　　The　following　account；　given　by　Commodore　Byron；　may　serve　in　some　measure　to　show　the　spirit　with　which　the　savages　of　South　America　are　apt　to　govern　the　members　of　their　family。　　　　　Here　＇says　he＇　I　must　relate　a　little　anecdote　of　our　Christian　Cacique。　He　and　his　wife　had　gone　off；　at　some　distance　from　the　shore；　in　their　canoe；　when　she　dived　for　sea…eggs；　but　not　meeting　with　great　success；　they　returned　a　good　deal　out　of　humour。　A　little　boy　of　theirs；　about　three　years　old；　whom　they　appeared　to　be　doatingly　fond　of；　watching　for　his　father　and　mother's　return；　ran　into　the　surf　to　meet　them：　the　father　handed　a　basket　of　sea…eggs　to　the　child；　which　being　too　heavy　for　him　to　carry；　he　let　it　fall；　upon　which　the　father　jumped　out　of　the　canoe；　and　catching　the　boy　up　in　his　arms；　dashed　him　with　the　utmost　violence　against　the　stones。　The　poor　little　creature　lay　motionless　and　bleeding；　and　in　that　condition　was　taken　up　by　the　mother；　but　died　soon　after。　She　appeared　inconsolable　for　some　time；　but　the　brute　his　father　shewed　little　concern　about　it。（11*）　　　　　The　exposition　of　infants；　so　common　in　a　great　part　of　the　nations　of　antiquity；　is　a　proof　that　the　different　heads　of　families　were　under　no　restraint　or　control　in　the　management　of　their　domestic　concerns。　This　barbarous　practice　was　probably　introduced　in　those　rude　ages　when　the　father　was　often　incapable　of　maintaining　his　children；　and　from　the　influence　of　old　usage；　was　permitted　to　remain　in　later　times；　when　the　plea　of　necessity　could　no　longer　be　urged　in　its　vindication。　How　shocking　soever　it　may　appear　to　us；　the　custom　of　exposing　infant　children　was　universal　among　the　ancient　inhabitants　of　Greece；　and　was　never　abolished　even　by　such　of　the　Greek　states　as　were　most　distinguished　for　their　learning　and　politeness。（12*）　　　　　According　to　the　laws　and　customs　of　the　Romans；　the　father　had　anciently　an　unlimited　power　of　putting　his　children　to　death；　and　of　selling　them　for　slaves。　While　they　remained　in　his　family；　they　were　incapable　of　having　any　estate　of　their　own；　and　whatever　they　acquired；　either　by　their　own　industry；　or　by　the　donations　of　others；　became　immediately　the　property　of　their　father。　Though　with　respect　to　every　other　person　they　were　regarded　as　free；　yet　with　respect　to　their　father　they　were　considered　as　in　a　state　of　absolute　slavery　and　subjection；　and　they　could　neither　marry；　nor　enter　into　any　other　contract；　without　his　approbation　and　consent。（13*）　　　　　In　one　respect；　the　power　of　a　father　over　his　sons　appears；　in　ancient　Rome；　to　have　extended　even　farther　than　that　of　a　master　over　his　slaves。　If　upon　any　occasion　a　son　had　been　sold　by　his　father；　and　had　afterwards　obtained　his　freedom　from　the　purchaser；　he　did　not　thereby　become　independent；　but　was　again　reduced　under　the　paternal　dominion。　The　same　consequence　followed；　if　he　had　been　sold　and　manumitted　a　second　time；　and　it　was　only　after　a　third　purchase；　that　the　power　of　his　father　was　altogether　dissolved；　and　that　he　was　permitted　to　enjoy　any　real　and　permanent　advantage　from　the　bounty　of　his　master。　　　　　This　peculiarity　is　said　to　have　been　derived　from　a　statute　of　Romulus；　adopted　into　the　laws　of　the　twelve　tables；　and　affords　a　sufficient　proof　that　the　Romans　had　anciently　no　idea　of　a　child　living　in　the　family；　without　being　considered　as　the　slave　of　his　father。　　　　　In　those　early　ages；　when　this　practice　was　first　introduced；　the　Roman　state　was　composed　of　a　few　clans；　or　families　of　barbarians；　the　members　of　which　had　usually　a　strong　attachment　to　one　another；　and　were　at　variance　with　most　of　their　neighbours。　When　a　son　therefore　had　been　banished　from　his　family　by　the　avarice　of　his　father；　we　may　suppose　that；　as　soon　as　he　was　at　liberty；　he　would　not　think　of　remaining　in　a　foreign　tribe；　or　of　submitting　to　the　hardships　of　procuriNg　his　food　in　a　state　of　solitude；　but　that　he　would　rather　choose　to　return　to　his　own　kindred；　and　again　submit　to　that　jurisdiction；　which　was　more　useful　from　the　protection　it　afforded；　than　painful　from　the　service　and　obedience　which　it　required。　　　　　It　is　probable；　however；　that　if　in　this　manner　a　child　had　been　frequently　separated　from　the　company　of　his　relations；　he　would　at　length　grow　weary　of　returning　to　a　society　in　which　he　was　the　object　of　so　little　affection；　and　in　which　he　was　treated　with　so　much　contempt。　How　long　he　would　be　disposed　to　maintain　his　former　connexions；　and　how　often　he　would　be　willing　to　restore　that　property　which　his　father　had　abandoned；　seems；　from　the　nature　of　the　thing；　impossible　to　ascertain。　But　whatever　might　be　the　conduct　of　the　son；　it　seems　to　have　been　intended　by　the　statute　of　Romulus；　that；　after　a　third　sale；　the　property　of　the　father　should　be　finally　extinguished；　and　that　he　should　never　afterwards　recover　a　power　which　he　had　exercised　with　such　immoderate　severity。　Section　II　The　influence　of　the　improvement　of　arts　upon　the　jurisdiction　of　the　father　　　　　Such　was　the　power；　in　early　times；　possessed　by　the　head　of　a　family。　But　the　gradual　advancement　of　a　people　in　civilized　manners；　and　their　subjection　to　regular　government；　have　a　natural　tendency　to　limit　and　restrain　this　primitive　jurisdiction。　When　different　families　are　united　in　a　larger　society；　the　several　members　of　which　have　an　intimate　correspondence　with　each　other；　it　may　be　expected　that　the　exercise　of　domestic　authority　will　begin　to　excite　the　attention　of　the　public。　The　near　relations　of　a　family；　who　have　a　concern　for　the　welfare　of　the　children；　and　who　have　an　opportunity　of　obserVing　the　manner　in　which　they　are　treated；　will　naturally　interpose　by　their　good　offices；　and　endeavour　to　screen　them　from　injustice　and　oppression。　The　abuses　which；　on　some　occasions；　are　known　and　represented　with　all　their　aggravating　circumstances；　will　excite　indignation　and　resentment；　and　will　at　length　give　rise　to　such　regulations　as　are　necessary　for　preventing　the　like　disorders　for　the　future。　　　　　Those　improvements　in　the　state　of　society；　which　are　the　common　effects　of　opulence　and　refinement；　will　at　the　same　time　dispose　the　father　to　use　his　power　with　greater　moderation。　By　living　in　affluence　and　security；　he　is　more　at　leisure　to　exert　the　social　affections；　and　to　cultivate　those　arts　which　tend　to　soften　and　humanize　the　temper。　Being　often　engaged　in　the　business　and　conversation　of　the　world；　and　finding；　in　many　cases；　the　necessity　of　conforming　to　the　humours　of　those　with　whom　he　converses；　he　becomes　less　impatient　of　contradiction；　and　less　apt　to　give　way　to　the　irregular　sallies　of　passion。　His　parental　affection；　though　not　perhaps　more　violent；　becomes　at　least　more　steady　and　uniform；　and　while　it　prompts　him　to　undergo　the　labour　that　may　be　requisite　in　providing　for　his　family；　it　is　not　incompatible　with　that　discretion　which　leads　him　to　bear　with　the　frowardness；　the　folly　and　imprudence　of　his　children；　and　in　his　behaviour　towards　them；　to　avoid　equally　the　excess　of　severity　and　of　indulgence。　　　　　On　the　other　hand；　the　progress　of　arts　and　manufactures　will　contribute　to　undermine　and　weaken　his　power；　and　even　to　raise　the　members　of　his　family　to　a　state　of　freedom　and　independence。　　　　　In　those　rude　and　simple　periods　when　men　are　chiefly　employed　in　hunting　and　fishing；　in　pasturing　cattle；　or　in　cultivating　the　ground；　the　children　are　commonly　brought　up　in　the　house　of　their　father；　and　continuing　in　his　family　as　long　as　he　lives；　they　have　no　occasion　to　acquire　any　separate　property；　but　depend　entirely　for　subsistence　upon　that　here