the origin of the distinction of ranks-第3章

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tory　of　later　and　more　cultivated　periods；　they　have　been　more　solicitous　to　give　an　exact　account　of　battles；　and　public　negotiations；　than　of　the　interior　police　and　government　of　a　country。　Our　information；　therefore；　with　regard　to　the　state　of　mankind　in　the　rude　parts　of　the　world；　is　chiefly　derived　from　the　relations　of　travellers；　whose　character　and　situation　in　life；　neither　set　them　above　the　suspicion　of　being　easily　deceived；　nor　of　endeavouring　to　misrepresent　the　facts　which　they　have　related。　From　the　number；　however；　and　the　variety　of　those　relations；　they　acquire；　in　many　cases；　a　degree　of　authority；　upon　which　we　may　depend　with　security；　and　to　which　the　narration　of　any　single　person；　how　respectable　soever；　can　have　no　pretension。　When　illiterate　men；　ignorant　of　the　writings　of　each　other；　and　who；　unless　upon　religious　subjects；　had　no　speculative　systems　to　warp　their　opinions；　have；　in　distant　ages　and　countries；　described　the　manners　of　people　in　similar　circumstances；　the　reader　has　an　opportunity　of　comparing　their　several　descriptions；　and　from　their　agreement　or　disagreement　is　enabled　to　ascertain　the　credit　that　is　due　to　them。　According　to　this　method　of　judging；　which　throws　the　veracity　of　the　relater　very　much　out　of　the　question；　we　may　be　convinced　of　the　truth　of　extraordinary　facts；　as　well　as　of　those　that　are　more　agreeable　to　our　own　experience。　It　may　even　be　remarked；　that　in　proportion　to　the　singularity　of　any　event；　it　is　the　more　improbable　that　different　persons；　who　design　to　impose　upon　the　world；　but　who　have　no　concert　with　each　other；　should　agree　in　relating　it。　When　to　all　this；　we　are　able　to　add　the　reasons　of　those　particular　custom　which　have　been　uniformly　reported；　the　evidence　becomes　as　complete　as　the　nature　of　the　thing　will　admit。　We　cannot　refuse　our　assent　to　such　evidence；　without　falling　into　a　degree　of　scepticism　by　which　the　credibility　of　all　historical　testimony　would　be　in　a　great　measure　destroyed。　This　observation；　it　is　hoped；　will　serve　as　an　apology　for　the　multiplicity　of　facts　that　are　sometimes　stated　in　confirmation　of　the　following　remark。　At　the　same　time；　from　an　apprehension　of　being　tedious；　the　author　has；　on　other　occasions；　selected　only　a　few；　from　a　greater　number　to　the　same　purpose；　that　might　easily　have　been　procured。　Chapter　I　Of　the　rank　and　condition　of　woman　in　different　ages　Section　I　The　effects　of　poverty　and　barbarism；　with　respect　to　the　condition　of　women　　　　　Of　all　our　passions；　it　should　seem　that　those　which　unite　the　sexes　are　most　easily　affected　by　the　peculiar　circumstances　in　which　we　are　placed；　and　most　liable　to　be　influenced　by　the　power　of　habit　and　education。　Upon　this　account　they　exhibit　the　most　wonderful　variety　of　appearances；　and；　in　different　ages　and　countries；　have　produced　the　greatest　diversity　of　manners　and　customs。　　　　　The　state　of　mankind　in　the　rudest　period　of　society；　is　extremely　unfavourable　to　the　improvement　of　these　passions。　A　savage　who　earns　his　food　by　hunting　and　fishing；　or　by　gathering　the　spontaneous　fruits　of　the　earth；　is　incapable　of　attaining　any　considerable　refinement　in　his　pleasures。　He　finds　so　much　difficulty；　and　is　exposed　to　so　many　hardships　in　procuring　mere　necessaries；　that　he　has　no　leisure　or　encouragement　to　aim　at　the　luxuries　and　conveniencies　of　life。　His　wants　are　few；　in　proportion　to　the　narrowness　of　his　circumstances。　With　him；　the　great　object　is　to　be　able　to　satisfy　his　hunger；　and；　after　the　utmost　exertions　of　labour　and　activity；　to　enjoy　the　relief　of　idleness　and　repose。　He　has　no　time　for　cultivating　a　correspondence　with　the　other　sex；　nor　for　attending　to　those　enjoyments　which　result　from　it；　and　his　desires　being　neither　cherished　by　affluence；　nor　inflamed　by　indulgence；　are　allowed　to　remain　in　that　moderate　state　which　renders　them　barely　sufficient　for　the　continuation　of　the　species。　　　　　The　facility　with　which　he　may　commonly　gratify　these　appetites；　is　another　circumstance　by　which　his　situation　is　peculiarly　distinguished。　In　the　most　rude　and　barbarous　ages；　little　or　no　property　can　be　acquired　by　particular　persons；　and；　consequently；　there　are　no　differences　of　rank　to　interrupt　the　free　intercourse　of　the　sexes。　The　pride　of　family　as　well　as　the　insolence　of　wealth；　is　unknown；。and　there　are　no　distinctions　among　individuals；　but　those　which　arise　from　their　age　and　experience；　from　their　strength；　courage；　and　other　personal　qualities。　The　members　of　different　families；　being　all　nearly　upon　a　level；　maintain　the　most　familiar　intercourse　with　one　another；　and；　when　impelled　by　natural　instinct；　give　way　to　their　mutual　desires　without　hesitation　or　reluctance。　They　are　unacquainted　with　those　refinements　which　create　a　strong　preference　of　particular　objects；　and　with　those　artificial　rules　of　decency　and　decorum　which　might　lay　a　restraint　upon　their　conduct。　　　　　It　cannot　be　supposed；　therefore；　that　the　passions　of　sex　will　rise　to　any　considerable　height　in　the　breast　of　a　savage。　He　must　have　little　regard　for　pleasures　which　he　can　purchase　at　so　easy　a　rate。　He　meets　with　no　difficulties　nor　disappointments　to　enhance　the　value　of　his　enjoyment；　or　to　rouse　and　animate　him　in　the　pursuit　of　it。　He　arrives　at　the　end　of　his　wishes；　before　they　have　sufficiently　occupied　his　thoughts；　or　engaged　him　in　those　delightful　anticipations　of　happiness　which　the　imagination　is　apt　to　display　in　the　most　flattering　colours。　He　is　a　stranger　to　that　long　continued　solicitude；　those　alternate　hopes　and　fears；　which　agitate　and　torment　the　lover；　and　which；　by　awakening　the　sensibility；　while　they　relax　the　vigour　of　his　mind；　render　his　prevailing　inclinations　more　irresistible。　　　　　The　phlegmatic　disposition　of　savages；　in　this　particular；　has　accordingly　been　often　remarked　as　a　distinguishing　part　of　their　character。　There　is　good　reason　to　believe　that；　in　the　state　of　simplicity　which　precedes　all　cultivation　and　improvement；　the　intercourse　of　the　sexes　is　chiefly　regulated　by　the　primary　intention　of　nature；　that　it　is　of　consequence　totally　interrupted　by　the　periods　of　pregnancy；　and　that　the　same　laws；　with　respect　to　the　difference　of　seasons；　which　govern　the　constitution　of　inferior　animals；　have　also　an　influence　upon　the　desires　of　the　human　species。（1*）　　　　　It　is　true；　that；　even　in　early　ages；　some　sort　of　marriage；　or　permanent　union　between　persons　of　different　sexes；　has　been　almost　universally　established。　But　when　we　examine　the　nature　of　this　primitive　alliance；　it　appears　to　have　been　derived　from　motives　very　little　connected　with　those　passions　which　we　are　at　present　considering。　When　a　child　has　been　produced　by　the　accidental　correspondence　of　his　parents；　it　is　to　be　expected　that；　from　the　influence　of　natural　affection；　they　will　be　excited　to　assist　one　another　in　making　some　provision　for　his　maintenance。　For　this　purpose；　they　are　led　to　take　up　their　residence　together；　that　they　may　act　in　concert　with　each　other；　and　unite　their　efforts　in　the　preservation　and　care　of　their　offspring。　　　　　Among　inferior　animals；　we　may　discern　the　influence　of　the　same　principle　in　forming　an　association　between　individuals　of　different　sexes。　The　connexion　indeed；　in　this　case；　is　commonly　of　short　duration；　because　the　young　animal　is　soon　in　a　condition　to　provide　for　its　own　subsistence。　In　some　of　the　species　of　birds；　however；　the　young　which　are　hatched　at　one　time；　are　frequently　incapable　of　procuring　their　own　food　before　the　mother　begins　to　lay　eggs　a…new；　and　the　male　and　female　are；　therefore；　apt　to　contract　a　more　permanent　attachment。　To　this　circumstance　we　may　ascribe　the　imagined　fidelity　of　the　turtle；　as　well　as　the　poetical　honours　that　have　been　paid　to　the　gentleness　of　the　dove；　an　animal　which；　notwithstanding　the　character　it　has　so　universally　acquired；　appears　remarkable　for　its　peevish　and　quarrelsome　temper。　Among　common　poultry；　on　the　contrary；　whose　offspring　is　reared　without　much　assistance　even　from　the　dam；　the　disposition　to　unite　in　pairs　is　scarcely　observable。　　　　　But　the　long　culture　which　is　necessary　in　rearing　the　human　species；　will　generally　afford　to　the　pa