the origin of the distinction of ranks-第25章

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　foundation　of　that　respect　and　reverence　which　among　early　nations　is　commonly　paid　to　old　men。　From　this　cause　also　it　happens；　that　the　leader　of　a　barbarous　tribe　is　often　a　person　somewhat　advanced　in　years；　who　retaining　still　his　bodily　strength；　has　had　time　to　acquire　experience　in　the　art　of　war；　and　to　obtain　a　distinguished　reputation　by　his　achievements。　　　　　The　effect　of　these　circumstances；　to　raise　and　support　the　authority　of　a　leader　or　chief；　is　sufficiently　obvious；　and　is　fully　illustrated；　not　only　from　the　uniform　history　of　mankind　in　a　barbarous　state；　but　also　from　a　variety　of　particulars　which　may　be　observed　in　the　intercourse　of　polished　society。　　　　　And　the　people　and　princes　of　Gilead　said　one　to　another；　What　man　is　he　that　will　begin　to　fight　against　the　children　of　Ammon？　He　shall　be　head　over　all　the　inhabitants　of　Gilead。　　　　　Now　Jephthah　the　Gileadite　was　a　mighty　man　of　valour；　and　he　was　the　son　of　an　harlot；　and　Gilead　begat　Jephthah。　　　　　And　Gilead's　wife　bare　him　sons；　and　his　wife's　sons　grew　up；　and　they　thrust　out　Jephthah；　and　said　unto　him；　Thou　shalt　not　inherit　in　our　father's　house；　for　thou　art　the　son　of　a　strange　woman。　　　　　Then　Jephthah　fled　from　his　brethren；　and　dwelt　in　the　land　of　Tob；　and　there　were　gathered　vain　men　to　Jephthah；　and　went　out　with　him。　　　　　And　it　came　to　pass；　in　process　of　time；　that　the　children　of　Ammon　made　war　against　Israel。　　　　　And　it　was　so；　that　when　the　children　of　Ammon　made　war　against　Israel；　the　elders　of　Gilead　went　to　fetch　Jephthah　out　of　the　land　of　Tob。　　　　　And　they　said　unto　Jephthah；　Come；　and　be　our　captain；　that　we　may　fight　with　the　children　of　Ammon。　　　　　And　Jephthah　said　unto　the　elders　of　Gilead；　Did　ye　not　hate　me；　and　expel　me　out　of　my　father's　house？　and　why　are　ye　come　unto　me　now；　when　ve　are　in　distress？　　　　　And　the　elders　of　Gilead　said　unto　Jephthah；　Therefore　we　turn　to　thee　now；　that　thou　mayest　go　with　us；　and　fight　against　the　children　of　Ammon；　and　be　our　head　over　all　the　inhabitants　of　Gilead。　　　　　And　Jephthah　said　unto　the　elders　of　Gilead；　if　ye　bring　me　home　again　to　fight　against　the　children　of　Ammon；　and　the　Lord　deliver　them　before　me；　shall　I　be　your　head？　　　　　And　the　elders　of　Gilead　said　unto　Jephthah；　The　Lord　be　witness　between　us；　if　we　do　not　so；　according　to　thy　words。　　　　　Then　Jephthah　went　with　the　elders　of　Gilead；　and　the　people　made　him　head　and　captain　over　them：　and　Jephthah　uttered　all　his　words　before　the　Lord　in　Mizpeh。（4*）　　　　　When　Saul　was　afterwards　appointed　king　over　the　Jewish　nation；　we　find　that　the　prophet　Samuel　recommends　him　to　the　people；　merely　upon　account　of　his　superior　stature；　and　the　advantages　of　his　person。　　　　　And　when　he　stood　among　the　people；　he　was　higher　than　any　of　the　people　from　his　shoulders　and　upward。　　　　　And　Samuel　said　to　all　the　people；　See　ye　him　whom　the　Lord　hath　chosen；　that　there　is　none　like　him　among　all　the　people？　And　all　the　people　shouted；　and　said；　God　save　the　king。（5*）　　　　　In　like　manner；　when　the　family　of　this　prince　was　deprived　of　the　crown；　the　minds　of　the　people　were　prepared　for　that　revolution　by　the　opinion　which　they　entertained　of　the　superior　valour　and　military　accomplishments　of　his　successor。　　　　　And　it　came　to　pass；　when　David　was　returned　from　the　slaughter　of　the　Phillistine；　that　the　women　came　out　of　all　the　cities　of　Israel；　singing　and　dancing；　to　meet　king　Saul；　with　tabrets；　with　joy；　and　with　instruments　of　music。　　　　　And　the　women　answered　one　another　as　they　played；　and　said；　Saul　hath　slain　his　thousands；　and　David　his　ten　thousands。（6*）　　　　　After　mankind　have　fallen　upon　the　expedient　of　taming　and　pasturing　cattle；　in　order　to　render　their　situation　more　comfortable；　there　arises　another　source　of　influence　and　authority　which　was　formerly　unknown　to　them。　In　their　herds　and　flocks　they　frequently　enjoy　considerable　wealth；　which　is　distributed　in　various　proportions；　according　to　the　industry　or　good　fortune　of　different　individuals；　and　those　who　are　poor　become　dependent　upon　the　rich；　who　are　capable　of　relieving　their　necessities；　and　affording　them　subsistence。　As　the　preeminence　and　superior　abilities　of　the　chief　are　naturally　exerted　in　the　acquisition　of　that　wealth　which　is　then　introduced；　he　becomes　of　course　the　richest　man　in　the　society。　and　his　influence　is　rendered　proportionably　more　extensive。　According　to　the　estate　which　he　has　accumulated；　he　is　exalted　to　a　higher　rank；　lives　in　greater　magnificence；　and　keeps　a　more　numerous　train　of　servants　and　retainers；　who；　in　return　for　that　maintenance　and　protection　which　they　receive　from　him；　are　accustomed　in　all　cases　to　support　his　power　and　dignity。（7*）　　　　　The　authority　derived　from　wealth；　is　not　only　greater　than　that　which　arises　from　mere　personal　accomplishments；　but　also　more　stable　and　permanent。　Extraordinary　endowments；　either　of　mind　or　body；　can　operate　only　during　the　life　of　the　possessor；　and　are　seldom　continued　for　any　length　of　time　in　the　same　family。　But　a　man　usually　transmits　his　fortune　to　his　posterity；　and　along　with　it　all　the　means　of　creating　dependence　which　he　enjoyed。　Thus　the　son；　who　inherits　the　estate　of　his　father；　is　enabled　to　maintain　an　equal　rank；　at　the　same　time　that　he　preserves　all　the　influence　acquired　by　the　former　proprietor；　which　is　daily　augmented　by　the　power　of　habit；　and　becomes　more　considerable　as　it　passes　from　one　generation　to　another。　　　　　Hence　that　regard　to　genealogy　and　descent　which　we　often　meet　with　among　those　who　have　remained　long　in　a　pastoral　state。　From　the　simplicity　of　their　manners；　they　are　not　apt　to　squander　or　alienate　their　possessions；　and　the　representative　of　an　ancient　family　is　naturally　disposed　to　be　ostentatious　of　a　circumstance　which　contributes　so　much　to　increase　his　power　and　authority。　All　the　Tartars；　of　whatever　country　or　religion；　have　an　exact　knowledge　of　the　tribe　from　which　they　are　descended；　and　are　at　great　pains　to　ascertain　the　several　branches　into　which　it　divided。　　　　　For　the　same　reason　the　dignity　of　the　chief；　which　in　a　former　period　was　frequently　elective；　is；　among　shepherds；　more　commonly　transmitted　from　father　to　son　by　hereditary　succession。　As　the　chief　possesses　the　largest　estate；　so　he　represents　the　most　powerful　family　in　the　tribe；　a　family　from　which　all　the　rest　are　vain　of　being　descended；　and　the　superiority　of　which　they　have　been　uniformly　accustomed　to　acknowledge。　He　enjoys　not　only　that　rank　and　consequence　which　is　derived　from　his　own　opulence；　but　seem　entitled　to　the　continuance　of　that　respect　and　submission　which　has　been　paid　to　his　ancestors；　and　it　rarely　happens　that　any　other　person；　though　of　superior　abilities；　is　capable　of　supplanting　him；　or　of　diverting　the　course　of　that　influence　which　has　flowed　so　long　in　the　same　channel。　　　　　The　acquisition　of　wealth　in　herds　and　flocks；　does　not　immediately　give　rise　to　the　idea　of　property　in　land。　The　different　families　of　a　tribe　are　accustomed　to　feed　their　cattle　promiscuously；　and　have　no　separate　possession　or　enjoyment　of　the　ground　employed　for　that　purpose。　Having　exhausted　one　field　of　pasture；　they　proceed　to　another；　and　when　at　length　they　find　it　convenient　to　move　their　tents；　and　change　the　place　of　their　residence；　it　is　of　no　consequence　who　shall　succeed　them；　and　occupy　the　spot　which　they　have　relinquished。　　　　　'Is　not　the　whole　land　before　thee？'　says　Abraham　to　Lot　his　kinsman；　'　Separate　thyself；　I　pray　thee；　from　me：　if　thou　wilt　take　the　left　hand；　then　I　will　go　to　the　right；　or　if　thou　depart　to　the　right　hand；　then　I　will　go　to　the　left。'（8*）　　　　　The　wild　Arabs；　who　inhabit　a　barren　country；　are　accustomed　to　change　their　residence　every　fortnight；　or　at　least　every　month。　The　same　wandering　life　is　led　by　the　Tartars；　though；　from　the　greater　fertility　of　their　soil；　their　migrations　are　perhaps　less　frequent。　If　people　in　this　situation；　during　their　temporary　abode　in　any　one　part　of　a　country；　should　cultivate　a　piece　of　ground；　this　also；　like　that　which　is　employed　in　pasture；　will　naturally　be　possessed　in　common。　The　management　of　it　is　regarded　as　an　extraordinary　and　difficult　work；　in　which　it　is　necessary　t