the origin of the distinction of ranks-第24章

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　of　barbarians　are　therefore　disposed　to　rob　and　plunder　one　another；　as　often　as　they　have　an　opportunity　of　doing　it　with　success；　and　the　reciprocal　inroads　and　hostilities　in　which　they　are　engaged　become　the　source　of　continual　animosities　and　quarrels；　which　are　prosecuted　with　a　degree　of　fury　and　rancour　sited　to　the　temper　and　dispositions　of　the　people。　Thus　the　members　of　every　single　clan　are　frequently　at　variance　with　all　their　neighbours　around　them。　This　makes　it　necessary　that　they　should　be　constantly　upon　their　guard；　in　order　to　repel　the　numerous　attack　to　which　they　are　exposed；　and　to　avoid　that　barbarous　treatment；　which　they　have　reason　to　expect；　were　they　ever　to　fall　under　the　power　of　their　enemies。　As　they　are　divided　from　the　rest　of　the　world；　so　they　are　linked　together　by　a　sense　of　their　common　danger；　and　by　a　regard　to　their　common　interest。　They　are　united　in　all　their　pastimes　and　amusements；　as　well　as　in　their　serious　occupations；　and　when　they　go　out　upon　a　military　enterprise；　they　are　no　less　prompted　to　show　their　friendship　for　one　another；　than　to　gratify　their　common　passions　of　enmity　and　resentment。　As　they　have　been　brought　up　together　from　their　infancy；　and　have　little　intercourse　with　those　of　a　different　community；　their　affections　are　raised　to　a　greater　height；　in　proportion　to　the　narrowness　of　that　circle　to　which　they　are　confined。　As　the　uniformity　of　their　life　supplies　them　with　few　occurrences；　and　as　they　have　no　opportunity　of　acquiring　any　great　variety　of　knowledge；　their　thoughts　are　the　more　fixed　upon　those　particular　objects　which　have　once　excited　their　attention；　they　retain　more　steadily　whatever　impressions　they　have　received；　and　become　the　more　devoted　to　those　entertainments　and　practices　with　which　they　have　been　acquainted。　　　　　Hence　it　is；　that　a　savage　is　never　without　difficulty　prevailed　upon　to　abandon　his　family　and　friends；　and　to　relinquish　the　sight　of　those　objects　to　which　he　has　been　long　familiar。　To　be　banished　from　them　is　accounted　the　greatest　of　all　misfortunes。　His　cottage；　his　fields；　the　faces　and　conversation　of　his　kindred　and　companions；　recur　incessantly　to　his　memory；　and　prevent　him　from　relishing　any　situation　where　these　are　wanting。　He　clings　to　those　well…known　objects；　and　dwells　upon　all　those　favourite　enjoyments　which　he　has　lost。　The　poorer　the　country　in　which　he　has　lived；　the　more　wretched　the　manner　of　life　to　which　he　has　been　accustomed；　the　loss　of　it　appears　to　him　the　more　insupportable。　That　very　poverty　and　wretchedness；　which　contracted　the　sphere　of　his　amusements；　is　the　chief　circumstance　that　confirms　his　attachment　to　those　few　gratifications　which　it　afforded；　and　renders　him　the　more　a　slave　to　those　particular　habits　which　he　has　acquired。　Not　all　the　allurements　of　European　luxury　could　bribe　a　Hottentot　to　resign　that　coarse　manner　of　life　which　was　become　habitual　to　him；　and　we　may　remark；　that　the　'maladie　du　pays；'　which　has　been　supposed　peculiar　to　the　inhabitants　of　Switzerland；　is　more　or　less　felt　by　the　inhabitants　of　all　countries；　according　as　they　approach　nearer　to　the　ages　of　rudeness　and　simplicity。（1*）　　　　　Those　tribes　that　inhabit　the　more　uncultivated　parts　of　the　earth　being　almost　continually　at　war　with　their　neighbours；　and　finding　it　necessary　to　be　always　in　a　posture　of　defence；　have　constant　occasion　for　a　leader　to　conduct　them　in　their　various　military　enterprises。　　　　　Wherever　a　number　of　people　meet　together　in　order　to　execute　any　measures　of　common　concern；　it　is　convenient　that　some　person　should　be　appointed　to　direct　their　proceedings；　and　prevent　them　from　running　into　confusion。　It　accordingly　appears　to　be　a　regulation；　uniformly　adopted　in　all　countries；　that　every　public　assembly　should　have　a　president；　invested　with　a　degree　of　authority　suitable　to　the　nature　of　the　business　committed　to　their　care。　But　in　no　case　is　a　regulation　of　this　kind　so　necessary　as　in　the　conduct　of　a　military　expedition。　There　is　no　situation　in　which　a　body　of　men　are　so　apt　to　run　into　disorder；　as　in　war；　where　it　is　impossible　that　they　should　co…operate；　and　preserve　the　least　regularity；　unless　they　are　united　under　a　single　person；　impowered　to　direct　their　movements；　and　to　superintend　and　control　their　several　operations。　　　　　The　members　of　a　family　having　been　usually　conducted　by　the　father　in　all　their　excursions　of　moment；　are　naturally　disposed；　even　when　their　society　becomes　larger；　to　continue　in　that　course　of　action　to　which　they　have　been　accustomed；　and　after　they　are　deprived　of　this　common　parent；　to　fall　under　the　guidance　of　some　other　person；　who　appears　next　to　him　in　rank；　and　has　obtained　the　second　place　in　their　esteem　and　confidence。　　　　　Superiority　in　strength；　courage；　and　other　personal　accomplishments；　is　the　first　circumstance　by　which　any　single　person　is　raised　to　be　the　leader　of　a　tribe；　and　by　which　he　is　enabled　to　maintain　his　authority。　　　　　In　that　rude　period；　when　men　live　by　hunting　and　fishing；　they　have　no　opportunity　of　acquiring　any　considerable　property；　and　there　are　no　distinctions　in　the　rank　of　individuals；　but　those　which　arise　from　their　personal　qualities；　either　of　mind　or　body。　　　　　The　strongest　man　in　a　village；　the　man　who　excels　in　running；　in　wrestling；　or　in　handling　those　weapons　which　are　made　use　of　in　war；　is；　in　every　contest；　possessed　of　an　evident　advantage；　which　cannot　fail　to　render　him　conspicuous；　and　to　command　respect　and　deference。　In　their　games　and　exercises；　being　generally　victorious；　he　gains　an　ascendency　over　his　companions；　which　disposes　them　to　yield　him　pre…eminence；　and　to　rest　fully　satisfied　of　his　superior　abilities。　When　they　go　out　to　battle；　he　is　placed　at　their　head；　and　permitted　to　occupy　that　station　where　his　behaviour　is　most　likely　to　be　distinguished　and　applauded。　His　exploits　and　feats　of　activity　are　regarded　by　his　followers　with　pleasure　and　admiration；　and　he　becomes　their　boast　and　champion　in　every　strife　or　competition　with　their　neighbours。　The　more　they　have　been　accustomed　to　follow　his　banner；　they　contract　a　stronger　attachment　to　his　person；　are　more　afraid　of　incurring　his　displeasure；　and　discover　more　readiness　to　execute　those　measures　which　he　think　proper　to　suggest。　Instead　of　being　mortified　by　his　greatness；　they　imagine　that　it　reflects　honour　upon　the　society　to　which　he　belongs；　and　are　even　disposed　to　magnify　his　prowess　with　that　fond　partiality　which　they　entertain　in　favour　of　themselves。　　　　　In　many　savage　tribes　the　captain　of　an　expedition　is　commonly　chosen　from　the　number　of　wounds　he　has　received　in　battle。　The　Indians　of　Chili　are　said；　in　the　choice　of　a　leader　to　regard　only　his　superior　strength；　and　to　determine　this　point　according　to　the　burden　which　he　is　able　to　carry。（2*）　　　　　Montaigne　gives　an　account　of　three　West　Indian　savages；　who　came　to　Rouen　when　Charles　IX　was　there。　　　　　The　king　＇says　he＇　discoursed　a　long　time　with　them。　They　were　shown　our　manner　of　living；　our　pomp；　and　the　several　beauties　of　that　great　city。　Some　time　after；　a　gentleman　asked　what　it　was　that　struck　them　most　among　the　various　objects　they　had　seen。　They　answered；　three　things。　First；　They　thought　it　very　strange　that　so　many　tall　men；　wearing　beards；　and　standing　round　the　king　（these　in　all　probability　were　his　Swiss　guards）　should　submit　voluntarily　to　a　child；　and　that　they　did　not　rather　choose　to　be　governed　by　one　of　themselves。（3*）　　　　　But　when　a　people　have　begun　to　make　improvements　in　their　manner　of　fighting；　they　are　soon　led　to　introduce　a　variety　of　stratagem；　in　order　to　deceive　their　enemy；　and　are　often　no　less　indebted　to　the　art　and　address　which　they　employ；　than　to　the　strength　or　courage　which　they　have　occasion　to　exert。　Thus；　military　skill　and　conduct　are　raised　to　higher　degrees　of　estimation；　and　the　experience　of　a　Nestor；　or　the　cunning　of　a　Ulysses；　being　found　more　useful　than　the　brutal　force　of　an　Ajax；　is　frequently　the　source　of　greater　influence　and　authority。　　　　　This；　as　has　been　formerly　observed；　is　the　foundation　of　that　respect　and　reverence　which　among　early　nations　is　commonly　paid　to　old　men。　Fro