the origin of the distinction of ranks-第29章

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apable　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　that　they　should　unite　and　assist　one　another；　and　therefore；　as　each　individual　is　intitled　to　the　fruit　of　his　own　labour；　the　crop；　which　has　been　raised　by　the　joint　labour　of　all；　is　deemed　the　property　of　the　whole　society。（9*）　　　　　Thus　among　the　natives　of　the　island　of　Borneo；　it　is　customary；　in　time　of　harvest；　that　every　family　of　a　tribe　should　reap　so　much　grain　as　is　sufficient　for　their　maintenance；　and　the　remainder　is　laid　up　by　the　public；　as　a　provision　for　any　future　demand。　Similar　practices　have　probably　taken　place　in　most　countries；　when　the　inhabitants　first　applied　themselves　to　the　cultivation　of　the　earth。　The　Suevi　＇according　to　Caesar＇　are　by　far　the　greatest　and　most　warlike　of　the　German　tribes。　They　are　said　to　possess　an　hundred　villages；　from　each　of　which　a　thousand　armed　men　are　annually　led　forth　to　war。　The　rest　of　the　people　remain　at　home；　and　cultivate　the　ground　for　both。　These　the　following　year　take　arms；　and　the　former；　in　their　turn；　remain　at　home。　Thus　neither　agriculture；　nor　the　knowledge　and　practice　of　the　military　art　is　neglected。　But　they　have　no　separate　landed　possessions　belonging　to　individuals；　and　are　not　allowed　to　reside　longer　than　a　year　in　one　place。　They　make　little　use　of　grain；　but　live　chiefly　upon　milk　and　the　flesh　of　their　cattle；　and　are　much　addicted　to　hunting。（10*）　　　　　But　the　settlement　of　a　village　in　some　particular　place；　with　a　view　to　the　further　improvement　of　agriculture；　has　a　tendency　to　abolish　this　ancient　community　of　goods；　and　to　produce　a　separate　appropriation　of　landed　estates。　When　mankind　have　made　some　proficiency　in　the　various　branches　of　husbandry；　they　have　no　longer　occasion　to　exercise　them　by　the　united　deliberation　and　counsel　of　a　whole　society。　They　grow　weary　of　those　joint　measures；　by　which　they　are　subjected　to　continual　disputes　concerning　the　distribution　and　management　of　their　common　property；　while　every　one　is　desirous　of　employing　his　labour　for　his　own　advantage；　and　of　having　a　separate　possession；　which　he　may　enjoy　according　to　his　own　inclination。　Thus；　by　a　sort　of　tacit　agreement；　the　different　families　of　a　village　are　led　to　cultivate　different　portions　of　land　apart　from　one　another；　and　thereby　acquire　a　right　to　the　respective　produce　arising　from　the　labour　that　each　of　them　has　bestowed。　In　order　to　reap　what　they　have　sown；　it　is　necessary　that　they　should　have　the　management　of　the　subject　upon　which　it　is　produced；　so　that　from　having　a　right　to　the　crop；　they　appear　of　course　entitled　to　the　exclusive　possession　of　the　ground　itself。　This　possession；　however；　from　the　imperfect　state　of　early　cultivation；　is　at　first　continued　only　from　the　seed…time　to　the　harvest；　and　during　the　rest　of　the　year；　the　lands　of　a　whole　village　are　used　in　common　for　pasturing　their　cattle。　Traces　of　this　ancient　community　of　pasture…grounds；　during　the　winter　season；　may　still　be　discovered　in　several　parts　of　Scotland。　But　after　a　person　has　long　cultivated　the　same　field；　his　possession　becomes　gr