the origin of the distinction of ranks- 第15部分

ivorces　were　granted　upon　any　pretence　whatever；　and　might　be　procured　at　the　desire　of　either　party。　At　the　same　time；　the　manners；　which　produced　this　law；　disposed　the　people　very　frequently　to　lay　hold　of　the　privilege　which　it　gave　them；　in　so　much　that　we　read　of　few　Romans　of　rank　who　had　not　been　once　divorced；　if　not　oftener。　To　mention　only　persons　of　the　gravest　and　most　respectable　character：　M。　Brutus　repudiated　his　wife　Claudia；　though　there　was　no　stain　upon　her　reputation。　Cicero　put　away　his　wife　Terentia；　after　she　had　lived　with　him　thirty　years；　and　also　his　second　wife　Publilia；　whom　he　had　married　in　his　old　age。　His　daughter　Tullia　was　repudiated　by　Dolabella。　Terentia；　after　she　was　divorced　from　Cicero；　is　said　to　have　had　three　successive　husbands；　the　first　of　whom　was　Cicero's　enemy；　Sallust　the　historian。　It　was　formerly　mentioned　that　M。　Cato；　after　his　wife　Marcia　had　brought　him　three　children；　gave　her　away　to　his　friend　Hortensius。　Many　of　those　trifling　causes　which　gave　rise　to　divorce　are　taken　notice　of　by　Valerius　Maximus。　Seneca　declares　that　some　women　of　illustrious　rank　were　accustomed　to　reckon　their　years；　not　by　the　number　of　consuls；　but　of　husbands。　＇De　beneficiis。＇　As　a　further　proof　of　the　profligacy　of　that　age；　it　is　observed　that　men　were　sometimes　induced　to　marry　from　the　prospect　merely　of　enriching　themselves　by　the　forfeiture　of　the　wife's　dower；　when　she　committed　adultery。　Valerius　Maximus；　lib。　6；　c。　3。　37。　The　action　for　the　recovery　of　such　stolen　goods　was　not　called　conditio　furtiva；　but　actio　rerum　amotarum。　38。　Heredipetae。　39。　'Do　thou；　O　prophet；　tell　me　forthwith　how　I　may　amass　riches；　and　heaps　of　money。　In　troth　I　have　told　you　and　tell　you　again。　Use　your　craft　to　lie　at　catch　for　the　last　wills　of　old　men：　and　do　not；　if　one　or　two　cunning　chaps　escape　by　biting　the　bait　off　the　hook；　either　lay　aside　hope；　or　quit　the　art；　though　disappointed　in　your　aim。'　＇See　the　whole　of　the　5th　Satire；　B。　2　of　Horace。＇　The　Volpone；　of　Johnson；　is　entirely　founded　upon　this　part　of　ancient　manners；　but　the　ridicule　of　that　performance　is　in　a　great　measure　lost；　as　the　original　from　which　it　is　drawn；　and　of　which　it　is　a　faithful　copy；　has　no　place　in　any　modern　country。　Chapter　II　Of　the　jurisdiction　and　authority　of　a　father　over　his　children　Section　I　The　power　of　a　father　in　early　ages　　　　　The　jurisdiction　and　authority　which；　in　early　times；　a　father　exercised　over　his　children；　was　of　the　same　nature　with　that　of　a　husband　over　his　wife。　Before　the　institution　of　regular　government；　the　strong　are　permitted　to　oppress　the　weak；　and　in　a　rude　nation；　every　one　is　apt　to　abuse　that　power　which　he　happens　to　possess。　　　　　After　marriage　is　completely　established　in　a　community；　the　husband；　as　has　been　formerly　observed；　becomes　the　head　of　his　family；　and　assumes　the　direction　and　government　of　all　its　members。　It　is　to　be　expected；　indeed；　that　in　the　exercise　of　this　authority；　he　should　have　an　inclination　to　promote　the　welfare　and　prosperity　of　his　children。　The　helpless　and　miserable　state　in　which　they　are　produced；　can　hardly　fail　to　excite　his　pity；　and　to　solicit　in　a　peculiar　manner　the　protection　of　that　person　from　whom　they　have　derived　their　existence。　Being　thereby　induced　to　undertake　the　burden　of　rearing　and　maintaining　them；　he　is　more　warmly　engaged　in　their　behalf　in　proportion　to　the　efforts　which　he　has　made　for　their　benefit；　and　his　affection　for　them　is　increased　by　every　new　mark　of　his　kindness。　While　they　grow　up　under　his　culture　and　tuition；　and　begin　to　lisp　the　endearing　names　of　a　parent；　he　has　the　satisfaction　of　observing　their　progress　towards　maturity；　and　of　discovering　the　seeds　of　those　dispositions　and　talents；　from　the　future　display　of　which　he　draws　the　most　flattering　expectations。　By　retailing　them　afterwards　in　his　family；　which　is　the　foundation　of　a　constant　intercourse；　by　procuring　their　assistance　in　the　labour　to　which　he　is　subjected；　by　connecting　them　with　all　his　plans　and　views　of　interest；　his　attachment　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