the origin of the distinction of ranks-第3章

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tence　of　which　is　capable　of　being　more　clearly　ascertained。　　　　　How　many　nations　are　to　be　found；　whose　situation　in　point　of　climate　is　apparently　similar；　and；　yet；　whose　character　and　political　institutions　are　entirely　opposite？　Compare；　in　this　respect；　the　mildness　and　moderation　of　the　Chinese；　with　the　rough　manners　and　intolerant　principles　of　their　neighbours　in　Japan。　What　a　contrast　is　exhibited　by　people　at　no　greater　distance　than　were　the　ancient　Athenians　and　Lacedemonians？　Can　it　be　conceived　that　the　difference　between　the　climate　of　France　and　that　of　Spain；　or　between　that　of　Greece　and　of　the　neighboring　provinces　of　the　Turkish　empire；　will　account　for　the　different　usages　and　manners　of　the　present　inhabitants？　How　is　it　possible　to　explain　those　national　peculiarities　that　have　been　remarked　in　the　English；　the　Irish；　and　the　Scotch；　from　the　different　temperature　of　the　weather　under　which　they　have　lived？　　　　　The　different　manners　of　people　in　the　same　country；　at　different　periods；　are　no　less　remarkable；　and　afford　evidence　yet　more　satisfactory；　that　national　character　depends　very　little　upon　the　immediate　operation　of　climate。　The　inhabitants　of　Sparta　are；　at　present；　under　the　influence　of　the　same　physical　circumstances　as　in　the　days　of　Leonidas。　The　modern　Italians　live　in　the　country　of　the　ancient　Romans。　　　　　The　following　Inquiry　is　intended　to　illustrate　the　natural　history　of　mankind　in　several　important　articles。　This　is　attempted；　by　pointing　out　the　more　obvious　and　common　improvements　which　gradually　arise　in　the　state　of　society；　and　by　showing　the　influence　of　these　upon　the　manners；　the　laws；　and　the　government　of　a　people。　　　　　With　regard　to　the　facts　made　use　of　in　the　following　discourse；　the　reader；　who　is　conversant　in　history；　will　readily　perceive　the　difficulty　of　obtaining　proper　materials　for　speculations　of　this　nature。　Historians　of　reputation　have　commonly　overlooked　the　transactions　of　early　ages；　as　not　deserving　to　be　remembered；　and　even　in　the　history　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　disappointm