the origin of the distinction of ranks-第17部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ttachment　is　usually　continued　and　strengthened　from　the　same　habits　and　principles　which；　in　other　cases；　give　rise　to　friendship　or　acquaintance。　As　these　sentiments　are　felt　in　common　by　the　father　and　mother；　it　is　natural　to　suppose　that　their　affection　for　each　other　will　be；　in　some　measure；　reflected　upon　their　offspring；　and　will　become　an　additional　motive　of　attention　to　the　objects　of　their　united　care　and　tenderness。　　　　　Such　is；　probably；　the　origin　of　that　parental　fondness；　which　has　been　found　so　extensive　and　universal　that　it　is　commonly　regarded　as　the　effect　of　an　immediate　propensity。　But　how　strongly　soever　a　father　may　be　disposed　to　promote　the　happiness　of　his　children；　this　disposition；　in　the　breast　of　a　savage；　is　often　counteracted　by　a　regard　to　his　own　preservation；　and　smothered　by　the　misery　with　which　he　is　loaded。　In　many　cases　he　is　forced　to　abandon　them　entirely；　and　suffer　them　to　perish　by　hunger；　or　be　devoured　by　wild　beasts。　From　his　necessitous　circumstances；　he　is　sometimes　laid　under　the　temptation　of　selling　his　children　for　slaves。　Even　those　whom　the　father　finds　it　not　inconvenient　to　support；　are　subjected　to　a　variety　of　hardships　from　the　natural　ferocity　of　his　temper；　and　if　on　some　occasions　they　are　treated　with　the　utmost　indulgence；　they　are；　on　others；　no　less　exposed　to　the　sudden　and　dreadful　effects　of　his　anger。　As　the　resentment　of　a　savage　is　easily　kindled；　and　raised　to　an　excessive　pitch；　as　he　behaves　like　a　sovereign　in　his　own　family；　where　he　has　never　been　accustomed　to　bear　opposition　or　control；　we　need　not　wonder　that；　when　provoked　by　unusual　disrespect　or　contradiction；　he　should　be　roused　and　hurried　on　to　commit　the　most　barbarous　of　all　actions；　the　murder　of　his　own　child。　　　　　The　children；　in　their　early　years；　are　under　the　necessity　of　submitting　to　the　severe　and　arbitrary　will　of　their　father。　From　their　inferiority　in　strength；　they　are　in　no　condition　to　dispute　his　commands；　and　being　incapable　of　maintaining　themselves；　they　depend　entirely　upon　him　for　subsistence。　To　him　they　must　apply　for　assistance；　whenever　they　are　exposed　to　danger；　or　threatened　with　injustice；　and　looking　upon　him　as　the　source　of　all　their　enjoyments；　they　have　every　motive　to　court　his　favour　and　to　avoid　his　displeasure。　　　　　The　respect　and　reverence　which　is　paid　to　the　father；　upon　account　of　his　wisdom　and　experience；　is　another　circumstance　that　contributes　to　support　his　power　and　authority。　　　　　Among　savages；　who　are　strangers　to　the　art　of　writing；　and　who　have　scarcely　any　method　of　recording　facts；　the　experience　and　observation　of　each　individual　are　almost　the　only　means　of　procuring　knowledge；　and　the　only　persons　who　can　attain　a　superior　degree　of　wisdom　and　sagacity　are　those　who　have　lived　to　a　considerable　age。　　　　　It　also　merits　attention　that；　in　rude　and　ignorant　nations；　the　least　superiority　in　knowledge　and　wisdom　is　the　source　of　great　honour　and　distinction。　The　man　who　understands　any　operation　of　nature；　unknown　to　the　vulgar；　is　beheld　with　superstitious　awe　and　veneration。　　　　　As　they　cannot　penetrate　into　the　ways　by　which　he　has　procured　his　information；　they　are　disposed　to　magnify　his　extraordinary　endowments；　and　they　feel　an　unbounded　admiration　of　that　skill　and　learning　which　they　are　unable　to　comprehend。　They　suppose　that　nothing　is　beyond　the　compass　of　his　abilities；　and　apply　to　him　for　counsel　and　direction　in　every　new　and　difficult　emergency。　They　are　apt　to　imagine　that　he　holds　commerce　with　invisible　beings；　and　to　believe　that　he　is　capable　of　seeing　into　futurity；　as　well　as　of　altering　the　course　of　human　events　by　the　wonderful　power　of　his　art。　Thus；　in　the　dark　ages；　a　slight　acquaintance　with　the　heavenly　bodies　gave　rise　to　the　absurd　pretensions　of　judicial　astrology'。　and　a　little　knowledge　of　chemistry；　or　medicine；　was　supposed　to　reveal　the　invaluable　secret　of　rendering　ourselves　immortal。　　　　　As　in　all　barbarous　countries　old　men　are　distinguished　by　their　great　experience　and　wisdom；　they　are　upon　this　account　universally　respected；　and　commonly　attain　superior　influence　and　authority。　　　　　Among　the　Greeks；　at　the　siege　of　Troy；　the　man　who　had　lived　three　ages　was　treated　with　uncommon　deference；　and　was　their　principal　adviser　and　director　in　all　important　deliberations。　　　　　'Dost　thou　not　see；　O　Gual；'　says　Morni　in　one　of　the　poems　of　Ossian；　'how　the　steps　of　my　age　are　honoured？　Morni　moves　forth；　and　the　young　meet　him　with　reverence；　and　turn　their　eyes；　with　silent　joy；　on　his　course。'（1*）　　　　　The　Jewish　lawgiver；　whose　system　of　laws　was　in　many　respects　accommodated　to　the　circumstances　of　an　early　people；　has　thought　proper　to　enforce　the　respect　due　to　old　age；　by　making　it　the　subject　of　a　particular　precept。　'See　that　thou　rise　up　before　the　hoary　head；　and　honour　the　face　of　the　old　man。'（2*）　　　　　'I　am　young；'　says　the　son　of　Barachel；　'and　ye　are　very　old；　wherefore　I　was　afraid；　and　durst　not　show　you　mine　opinion。　I　said　days　should　speak；　and　multitude　of　years　teach　wisdom。'（3*）　　　　　When　any　of　the　Tartar　nations　have　occasion　to　elect　a　khan　or　leader；　they　regard　experience　and　wisdom　more　than　any　other　circumstance；　and　for　that　reason　they　commonly　prefer　the　oldest　person　of　the　royal　family。（4*）　It　is　the　same　circumstance　that；　in　the　infancy　of　government；　has　given　rise　to　a　senate　or　council　of　the　elders；　which　is　commonly　invested　with　the　chief　direction　and　management　of　all　public　affairs。　　　　　So　inseparably　connected　are　age　and　authority　in　early　periods；　that　in　the　language　of　rude　nations　the　same　word　which　signifies　an　old　man　is　generally　employed　to　denote　a　ruler　or　magistrate。　　　　　Among　the　Chinese；　who；　from　their　little　intercourse　with　strangers；　are　remarkably　attached　to　their　ancient　usages；　the　art　of　writing；　notwithstanding　their　improvement　in　manufactures；　is　still　beyond　the　reach　of　the　vulgar。　This　people　have　accordingly　preserved　that　high　admiration　of　the　advantages　arising　from　long　experience　and　observation；　which　we　commonly　met　with　in　times　of　ignorance　and　simplicity。　Among　them；　neither　birth；　nor　riches　nor　honours；　nor　dignities；　can　make　a　man　forget　that　reverence　which　is　due　to　grey　hairs；　and　the　sovereign　himself　never　fails　to　respect　old　age；　even　in　persons　of　the　lowest　condition。　　　　　The　difference　in　this　particular；　between　the　manners　of　a　rude　and　polished　nation　may　be　illustrated　from　the　following　anecdote　concerning　two　Grecian　states；　which；　in　point　of　what　is　commonly　called　refinement；　were　remarkably　distinguished　from　each　other。　　　　　It　happened；　at　Athens；　during　a　public　representation　of　some　play；　exhibited　in　honour　of　the　commonwealth；　that　an　old　gentleman　came　too　late　for　a　place　suitable　to　his　age　and　quality。　Many　of　the　young　gentlemen；　who　observed　the　difficulty　and　confusion　he　was　in；　made　signs　to　him　that　they　would　accommodate　him；　if　he　came　where　they　sat。　The　good　man　bustled　through　the　crowd　accordingly；　but　when　he　came　to　the　seats　to　which　he　was　invited；　the　jest　was　to　sit　close；　and；　as　he　stood　out　of　countenance；　expose　him　to　the　whole　audience。　The　frolic　went　round　all　the　Athenian　benches。　But　on　those　occasions　there　were　also　particular　places　assigned　for　foreigners：　when　the　good　man　skulked　towards　the　boxes　appointed　for　the　Lacedemonians；　that　honest　people；　more　virtuous　than　polite；　rose　up　all　to　a　man；　and　with　the　greatest　respect　received　him　among　them。　The　Athenians；　being　suddenly　touched　with　a　sense　of　the　Spartan　virtue　and　their　own　degeneracy；　gave　a　thunder　of　applause；　and　the　old　man　cried　out；　The　Athenians　understand　what　is　good；　but　the　Lacedemonians　practise　it。（5*）　　　　　We　may　easily　imagine　that　this　admiration　and　reverence；　which　is　excited　by　wisdom　and　knowledge；　must　in　a　particular　manner　affect　the　conduct　of　children　with　respect　to　their　father。　The　experience　of　the　father　must　always　appear　greatly　superior　to　that　of　his　children；　and　becomes　the　more　remarkable；　according　as　he　advances　in　years；　and　decays　in　bodily　strength。　He　is　placed　in　a　situation　where　that　experience　is　constantly　displayed　to　them；　and　where；　being　exerted　for　their　preservation　and　welfare；　it　is　regarded　in　the　most　favourable　light。　From　him　they　learn　those　contrivances　which　they　make　use　of　in　procuring　their　food；　and　the　various　stratagems　which　they　put　in　practice　against　their　enemies。　By　him　they　are　instructed　in　the　different　branches　of　their　domestic　economy；　and　are　directed　what　measures　to　pursue　in　all　those　difficulties　and　distresses　in　which　they　may　be　involved。　They　hear　with　wonder　the　exploits　he　has　performed；　the　precautions　he　has　taken　to　avoid　the　evils　with　which　he　was　surrounded；　or　the　address　and　dexterity　he　has　employed　to　extricate　himself　from　those　misfortunes　which　had　befallen　him；　and；　from　his　observation　of　the　past；　they　treasure　up　lessons　of　prudence；　by　which　they　may　regulate　their　future　behaviour。　If　ever　they　depart　from　his　counsel；　and　follow　their　own　headstrong　inclination；　they　are　commonly　taught　by　the　event　to　repent　of　their　folly　and　rashness；　and　are　struck　with　new　admiration　of　his　un