the origin of the distinction of ranks-第2章

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ws；　and　government　of　different　nations。　It　is　thus　that　Brama　is　supposed　to　have　introduced　the　peculiar　customs　of　Indostan；　that　Lycurgus　is　believed　to　have　formed　the　singular　character　of　the　Lacedemonians；　and　that　Solon　is　looked　upon　as　the　author　of　that　very　different　style　of　manners　which　prevailed　at　Athens。　It　is　thus；　also；　that　the　English　constitution　is　understood　to　have　arisen　from　the　uncommon　genius；　and　patriotic　spirit　of　King　Alfred。　In　short；　there　is　scarcely　any　people；　ancient　or　modern；　who　do　not　boast　of　some　early　monarch；　or　statesman；　to　whom　it　is　pretended　they　owe　whatever　is　remarkable　in　their　form　of　government。　　　　　But；　notwithstanding　the　concurring　testimony　of　historians；　concerning　the　great　political　changes　introduced　by　the　lawgivers　of　a　remote　age；　there　may　be　reason　to　doubt；　whether　the　effect　of　their　interpositions　has　ever　been　so　extensive　as　is　generally　supposed。　Before　an　individual　can　be　invested　with　so　much　authority；　and　possessed　of　such　reflection　and　foresight　as　would　induce　him　to　act　in　the　capacity　of　a　legislator；　he　must；　probably；　have　been　educated　and　brought　up　in　the　knowledge　of　those　natural　manners　and　customs；　which；　for　ages　perhaps；　have　prevailed　among　his　countrymen。　Under　the　influence　of　all　the　prejudices　derived　from　ancient　usage；　he　will　commonly　be　disposed　to　prefer　the　system　already　established　to　any　other；　of　which　the　effects　have　not　been　ascertained　by　experience；　or　if　in　any　case　he　should　venture　to　entertain　a　different　opinion；　he　must　be　sensible　that；　from　the　general　prepossession　in　favour　of　the　ancient　establishment；　an　attempt　to　overturn　it；　or　to　vary　it　in　any　considerable　degree；　would　be　a　dangerous　measure；　extremely　unpopular　in　itself；　and　likely　to　be　attended　with　troublesome　consequences。　　　　　As　the　greater　part　of　those　heroes　and　sages　that　are　reputed　to　have　been　the　founders　and　modellers　of　states；　are　only　recorded　by　uncertain　tradition；　or　by　fabulous　history；　we　may　be　allowed　to　suspect　that；　from　the　obscurity　in　which　they　are　placed；　or　from　the　admiration　of　distant　posterity；　their　labours　have　been　exaggerated；　and　misrepresented。　It　is　even　extremely　probable；　that　those　patriotic　statesmen；　whose　existence　is　well　ascertained；　and　whose　laws　have　been　justly　celebrated；　were　at　great　pains　to　accommodate　their　regulations　to　the　situation　of　the　people　for　whom　they　were　intended；　and　that；　instead　of　being　actuated　by　a　protecting　spirit；　or　attempting　from　visionary　speculations　of　remote　utility；　to　produce　any　violent　reformation；　they　confined　themselves　to　such　moderate　improvements　as；　by　deviating　little　from　the　former　usage；　were　in　some　measure　supported　by　experience；　and　coincided　with　the　prevailing　opinions　of　the　country。　All　the　ancient　systems　of　legislation　that　have　been　handed　down　to　us　with　any　degree　of　authenticity；　show　evident　marks　of　their　having　been　framed　with　such　reasonable　views；　and　in　none　of　them　is　this　more　remarkable　than　in　the　regulations　of　the　Spartan　Lawgiver；　which　appear；　in　every　respect；　agreeable　to　the　primitive　manners　of　that　simple　and　barbarous　people；　for　whose　benefit　they　were　promulgated。　　　　　Among　the　several　circumstances　which　may　affect　the　gradual　improvements　of　society；　the　difference　of　climate　is　one　of　the　most　remarkable。　In　warm　countries；　the　earth　is　often　extremely　fertile；　and　with　little　culture　is　capable　of　producing　whatever　is　necessary　for　substance。　To　labour　under　the　extreme　heat　of　the　sun　is；　at　the　same　time；　exceedingly　troublesome　and　oppressive。　The　inhabitants；　therefore；　of　such　countries；　while　they　enjoy　a　degree　of　affluence；　and；　while　by　the　mildness　of　the　climate　they　are　exempted　from　many　inconveniencies　and　wants；　are　seldom　disposed　to　any　laborious　exertion；　and　thus；　acquiring　habits　of　indolence；　become　addicted　to　sensual　pleasure；　and　liable　to　all　those　infirmities　which　are　nourished　by　idleness　and　sloth。　The　people　who　live　in　a　cold　country　find；　on　the　contrary；　that　little　or　nothing　is　to　be　obtained　without　labour；　and　being　subjected　to　numberless　hardships；　while　they　are　forced　to　contend　with　the　ruggedness　of　the　soil；　and　the　severity　of　the　seasons；　in　earning　their　scanty　provision；　they　become　active　and　industrious；　and　acquire　those　dispositions　and　talents　which　proceed　from　the　constant　and　vigorous　exercise　both　of　the　mind　and　body。　　　　　Some　philosophers　are　of　opinion；　that　the　difference　of　heat　and　cold；　of　moisture　and　dryness；　or　other　qualities　of　the　climate；　have　a　more　immediate　influence　upon　the　character　and　conduct　of　nations；　by　operating　insensibly　upon　the　human　body；　and　by　effecting　correspondent　alterations　in　the　temper。　It　is　pretended　that　great　heat；　by　relaxing　the　fibres；　and　by　extending　the　surface　of　the　skin；　where　the　action　of　the　nerves　is　chiefly　performed；　occasions　great　sensibility　to　all　external　impressions；　which　is　accompanied　with　proportionable　vivacity　of　ideas　and　feelings。　The　inhabitants　of　a　hot　country　are；　upon　this　account；　supposed　to　be　naturally　deficient　in　courage；　and　in　that　steadiness　of　attention　which　is　necessary　for　the　higher　exertions　of　judgment；　while　they　are　no　less　distinguished　by　their　extreme　delicacy　of　taste；　and　liveliness　of　imagination。　The　weakness；　too；　of　their　bodily　organs　prevents　them　from　consuming　a　great　quantity　of　food；　though　their　excessive　perspiration；　the　effect　of　the　climate；　requires　continual　supplies　of　such　thin　liquors　as　are　proper　to　repair　the　waste　of　their　fluids。　In　this　situation；　therefore；　temperance　in　eating　and　drinking　becomes　a　constitutional　virtue。　　　　　The　inhabitants　of　a　cold　region；　are　said；　on　the　other　hand；　to　acquire　an　opposite　complexion。　As　cold　tends　to　brace　the　fibres；　and　to　contract　the　operation　of　the　nerves；　it　is　held　to　produce　a　vigorous　constitution　of　body；　with　little　sensibility　or　vivacity；　from　which　we　may　expect　activity；　courage；　and　resolution；　together　with　such　calm　and　steady　views　of　objects；　as　are　usually　connected　with　a　clear　understanding。　The　vigorous　constitutions　of　men；　in　a　cold　climate；　are　also　supposed　to　demand　great　supplies　of　strong　food；　and　to　create　a　particular　inclination　for　intoxicating　liquors。　　　　　In　some　such　manner　as　this；　it　is　imagined　that　the　character　of　different　nations　arises；　in　a　great　measure；　from　the　air　which　they　breathe；　and　from　the　soil　upon　which　they　are　maintained。　How　far　these　conjectures　have　any　real　foundation；　it　seems　difficult　to　determine。　We　are　too　little　acquainted　with　the　structure　of　the　human　body；　to　discover　how　it　is　affected　by　such　physical　circumstances；　or　to　discern　the　alterations　in　the　state　of　the　mind；　which　may　possibly　proceed　from　a　different　conformation　of　bodily　organs；　and　in　the　history　of　the　world；　we　see　no　regular　marks　of　that　secret　influence　which　has　been　ascribed　to　the　air　and　climate；　but；　on　the　contrary；　may　commonly　explain　the　great　differences　in　the　manners　and　custom　of　mankind　from　other　causes；　the　existence　of　which　is　capable　of　being　more　clearly　ascertained。　　　　　How　many　nations　are　to　be　found；　w